Pumpkin Patch

Hi I'm Halloween Treat and I grow pumpkins

[pumpkin-patch]

[pumpkin-patch]

[pumpkin-patch]

Cool timelapse, but which I also wanted to share because people in the comments are criticizing the op for sowing the seed "wrong" and "upside down", despite this being a video of it working fine.

There is no wrong direction to plant a pumpkin seed! The effects of seed orientation have no discernable impact on the long-term performance of the vine.

If you're a new gardener and somebody on the internet makes it sound like your season is ruined because you didn't take care to plant your seeds at the right angle, don't worry about it! They're vastly overstating how much it matters.

[pumpkin-patch]

I decided to run a germination test ahead of planting season since my saved seeds are pretty thin. We're already at 90% 👍

[once-upon-an-autumn-day]

[pumpkin-patch]

I debated growing Baby Bear because a black pumpkin would be rad. Unforch in the current pumpkin market, "black" really means "dark green + use your imagination" which to me doesn't quite cut it. Idk what do you guys think

[pumpkin-patch]

[pumpkin-patch]

[once-upon-an-autumn-day]

[pumpkin-patch]

Visual homie identification: if my searches are correct, this is a baby leaf hopper assassin bug, exactly one of the guys I was hoping to have around the garden! These are a beneficial insect that commits atrocities against aphids, thrips and other pests. (No he's not here because of the herbs I just sowed that haven't even germinated yet, I've seen them around before and just never knew that's what they were)

[pumpkin-patch]

Seeds acquired! Now to figure the dates.

I'm leaving my tilling and amending til the last minute due to the fact that my yard is flood irrigated. So, ideally I plan to prep and transplant as quick as I can between floods, to give the seedlings as much time as possible to send down roots while my soil is at maximum fluff. Will this make any noticeable difference, probably not.

Water comes every 2 weeks, and the last before my optimal planting time is June 28. So I'll wait a couple days for the soil to dry (working with too soggy clay is a recipe for accidental adobe brick chunks) meaning I can start digging July 1st ish. Assuming I'd have any bed at all finished by like the 4th, and I'd want at least 1 week old seedlings to transplant there, that means backdating to liiiike the 26th? Ish

[pumpkin-patch]

pumpkins,

[pumpkin-patch]

Looks like the lore about soil in my area tending to be alkaline is true. They say ideal pumpkin soil is neutral or a touch acidic. Neat.

But, dumping lots of amendments to try to change my soil pH would be expensive and probably a losing battle anyhow. The best thing I can do realistically is just keep adding as much organic material as I can. (sidelong glance at my neglected compost pile)

[pumpkin-patch]

me, dropping 1 stick into my garden bed: ✨ Hügelkultur ✨

[once-upon-an-autumn-day]

[pumpkin-patch]

Tell me about your companion herbs!

The main pests I deal with are aphids, whiteflies, caterpillars, and leaf footed bugs, so I'm going to scatter some basil, coriander, oregano and marigolds in there because those are supposed to help repel those and/or attract insects that will kill them for me. Such as one of nature's most horrific concepts, the parasitic wasp. Plus more pollinators never hurts.

The patch in July is going to be way too hot and bright for optimal herb conditions, so these things are going to bolt instantly, but in this case that's actually what I want. Honestly I'm not sure to what degree this actually works for pest control, but even if it doesn't, I get some free herb seeds, maybe.

[animate-mush]

Know anything that will save me from squash bugs and vine borers?

[pumpkin-patch]

All from research and not experience, so, grain of salt: parsley, carrots, fennel, cilantro, dill, radish, thyme, sunflowers.

Companion planting for pest control seems to come in three flavors:

plants that your pest bugs avoid because they think they're stinky

plants that make your garden a pest serial killer convention

plants your pests are welcome to eat sacrificially (trap plants)

From anecdotes I've heard over the years, the stinky approach sounds flimsiest. In actual practice, pests may or may not care. I've seen people share an infestation on the very plant that was supposed to repel them. Trap plants I think can either work or backfire spectacularly if you don't do it just right (you are inviting pests to your garden). So personally, I think the serial killer approach makes most sense. The plants I listed are ones the internet claims to attract various tiny Michael Myerses and Freddy Kruegers who want nothing more than to murder your squash bugs and vine borers.

[animate-mush]

So what I'm hearing is chicks* dig Apiaceae?

*parasitic wasps

[pumpkin-patch]

Yes, my Apiaceae brings all the boys* to the yard.

*parasitic wasps

[pumpkin-patch]

Tell me about your companion herbs!

The main pests I deal with are aphids, whiteflies, caterpillars, and leaf footed bugs, so I'm going to scatter some basil, coriander, oregano and marigolds in there because those are supposed to help repel those and/or attract insects that will kill them for me. Such as one of nature's most horrific concepts, the parasitic wasp. Plus more pollinators never hurts.

The patch in July is going to be way too hot and bright for optimal herb conditions, so these things are going to bolt instantly, but in this case that's actually what I want. Honestly I'm not sure to what degree this actually works for pest control, but even if it doesn't, I get some free herb seeds, maybe.

[animate-mush]

Know anything that will save me from squash bugs and vine borers?

[pumpkin-patch]

All from research and not experience, so, grain of salt: parsley, carrots, fennel, cilantro, dill, radish, thyme, sunflowers.

Companion planting for pest control seems to come in three flavors:

plants that your pest bugs avoid because they think they're stinky

plants that make your garden a pest serial killer convention

plants your pests are welcome to eat sacrificially (trap plants)

From anecdotes I've heard over the years, the stinky approach sounds flimsiest. In actual practice, pests may or may not care. I've seen people share an infestation on the very plant that was supposed to repel them. Trap plants I think can either work or backfire spectacularly if you don't do it just right (you are inviting pests to your garden). So personally, I think the serial killer approach makes most sense. The plants I listed are ones the internet claims to attract various tiny Michael Myerses and Freddy Kruegers who want nothing more than to murder your squash bugs and vine borers.