31/10/2026
Pumpkin cultivation is a specialised branch of crop farming: With about 35,000 hectares in the EU, pumpkins account for only a marginal share of crop farming. They are marketed either as edible pumpkins, oil pumpkins, or ornamental pumpkins for decoration. 🧐
📌An overview of the key points for pumpkin cultivation:
🌱 Sowing
Time frame: Late April to early May (frost-free)
Row spacing: 0.7 to 1.5 m
Seeding rate: 6 to 15 seeds/m²
🧪 Fertilisation (using oil pumpkins as an example)
Nitrogen (N): 30–50 kg/ha
Phosphorus (P₂O₅): 40–65 kg/ha
Potassium (K₂O): 145–225 kg/ha
The majority of the required nutrients are applied before sowing.
🛡️ Plant Protection & Crop Management
W**d Control: Use mechanical and chemical methods to keep w**d pressure low early on. Similar to maize, squash is very sensitive to early w**d infestation.
Pests: Snails, aphids, spider mites, and wireworms are the most significant.
Diseases: Prevention of powdery mildew, downy mildew, Didymella, and Sclerotinia.
🚜 Harvesting Methods
Edible pumpkins: Manual harvesting by cutting and collecting the fruits.
Oil pumpkins: Mechanical harvesting with direct separation of seeds and pulp in the field; the pulp remains on the field as organic fertiliser.
Have you put out a carved pumpkin with a cool design? 😎
