For the Love of Pumpkins

I spent most of Sunday afternoon on the plot, concentrating on the area that will eventually become a large pumpkin patch. It was cold but invigorating and the sun made a brief but welcome appearance, causing the trees and landscape to glow against the moody winter sky. I had my stove and kettle in the shed to keep me topped up with hot tea as I worked. I can do anything as long as there’s tea.

The pumpkin patch is going to take some work before it lives up to its name, there’s bramble, dock, bindweed and lots and lots of raspberry canes to remove first. My pumpkins won’t appreciate competing for nutrients and space. I like a challenge and I like growing pumpkins so if I want to grow some on plot 5 this year I need to get clearing. I donned some thick gloves and got on with cutting it all back to the ground in preparation for digging out the perennial roots.

Below is how it looks now, years and years of rampant raspberries are now cut down ready to dig out which isn’t too difficult because they’re shallow rooted, I’ve already made a start on the other end (out of shot) and the soil seems quite nice but will benefit from some well-rotted manure.

I still have some lovely pumpkins and winter squash left from last year to use up, I grew them on plot 33 and did really well with the pink pumpkins (Moranga) in particular, I have some seed left and hopefully they’ll be featuring on plot 5 this year.