How to Grow a Pumpkin Patch for Halloween Pumpkins

on Jun 20, 2015, Updated Oct 28, 2023

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It might seem like a bit early to be thinking about Halloween, but it’s time NOW to start a pumpkin patch for Halloween Pumpkins! Growing your own Halloween Pumpkins is a great way to get your kids active outside and gardening. It’s a relatively easy process and the result in the fall is well worth the little bit of trouble right now. Here’s how to grow your own pumpkin patch for your very own homegrown Halloween Pumpkins!

How to Grow a Pumpkin Patch for Halloween Pumpkins 2

How to Grow a Pumpkin {Plants} Patch for Halloween Pumpkins

Growing a Halloween Pumpkin patch is really easy. All you need is a place for the pumpkins to grow and seeds. Easy peasy right?

When to Plant

Most pumpkin varieties take 85-125 days to mature, so check the number of days you will need to figure out when to plant, because if you plant them too early, they will rot before Halloween. But if you plant them too late, they won’t be ready in time! Mid June to Early July is probably the best time to plant pumpkins in my zone 5b because they need warm soil (at least 70%) and a long growing season. If you live in an area with a short growing season, you’ll want to give them a head start by starting then indoors 2-4 weeks before you’d like to transplant them outside. You can read seed starting tips hereto help with this process.

How to Grow a Pumpkin Patch for Halloween Pumpkins - push the seeds down about an inch into the hill and cover with dirt. (from Simplifylivelove.com)

How to Plant

Planting them is pretty easy. We made a couple of big hills, spaced about 5 feet apart, out of our soil and then planted 4 seeds per hill. We spaced the seeds apart – don’t just dig one hole and throw all seeds in it together.

To plant the seeds, just use your finger to push it about an inch into the hill. We put 3 around the edge of the hill and one in the middle. When the seeds have germinated and the seedlings are about 2-3 inches tall, we will thin them to 2-3 plants per hill. So we essentially planted one or two extra seeds per hill to make sure we have some germinate! We’ll choose the strongest looking plants and pull the others out.

Keep your Plants Safe

Make sure you keep your pumpkin plants safe from predators like the dreaded cucumber beetle dreaded cucumber beetle. Hopefully you don’t have to worry about these horrid pests, but I seem to have them each year and they will kill your pumpkin plants by causing bacterial wilt if you don’t kill them first. Check out organic ways to keep them off your plants here.

How to Grow a Pumpkin Patch for Halloween Pumpkins - great outdoor project that kids enjoy (SimplifyLiveLove.com)

And seriously, you guys. That’s all there is to it! Make sure your plants get water (about an inch a week) and watch them grow! Your kids will love growing their very own Halloween Pumpkins, so make sure you get your seeds today and get going on this fun, easy project to do outside with your kids!