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 Lady Bug Gardening with Children

Gardening with Kids
Kids Gardening

Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Pumpkins!

Fall can be an exciting time in the garden, especially if you planted pumpkin seeds back in May! Last year the kids and I decided that we were going to grow a truly enormous pumpkin. (My oldest son actually was engaged in a pumpkin growing contest with a friend.) So we planted giant pumpkin variety "Big Max" as well as Cinderella pumpkins and regular carving pumpkins. Last year's shocker/disappointment: our biggest "giant" pumpkin was half the size of our largest Cinderella pumpkin! My son and I talked about it and came up with a pretty good hypothesis as to what had happened. Here's our theory:

Butterflies receive most of their water from nectar, but male butterflies need specific salts for reproduction. An easy way for your child to provide these nutrients for them is to sink a shallow pan into the soil, filling it half with composted manure and half with sand. If you keep it moist throughout the summer, this mud puddle may become a hangout for butterflies. You may also want to provide a flat rock or planter to place in a sunny spot for morning basking as they warm up their muscles in preparation for a day of flying.

Last spring after we planted the various pumpkin varieties, my mom (Grandma Sarah) and I went on one of our beloved composted horse manure-gathering expeditions at our favorite secret location. The best place to dump it seemed to be right around where the Cinderella pumpkins had been planted, providing a nutrient-rich, moisture-retaining mulch that the plants seemed to love. The "giant" pumpkins had been planted in holes amended with what seemed like a huge amount of that same compost, but there was no thick mulch around them. That seemed to be the key.

This is where the gardening journal comes in handy, for reminding yourself of what went right or wrong in years past, and what you're going to try in the future. This year we tested our theory and mulched all of our pumpkin plants with a thick blanket (6 inches!) of composted horse manure. The result: big, gorgeous Cinderella and carving pumpkins, and one enormous Big Max pumpkin that could definitely be described as "giant!" My oldest son had removed most of the extra blossoms and young pumpkins in the summer to allow the biggest one to get huge, and it worked.

We've definitely caught pumpkin fever. Next year we're going to try Dill's Atlantic Giants, as neighbors have had good luck with those. We've found this to be a great tip: to check and see what's doing well in your neighborhood. It's a far better indicator of what will do well in your garden than gorgeous photos in a seed catalog. However, news of this year's world record Dill's Atlantic Giant, weighing in at 1689 pounds, is enough to inspire any 8-year old to give them a try!

My kids like to point out how many pumpkin pies we could make with our pumpkin bounty, but I think these varieties would make for bland, grainy eating. Today, most pumpkin varieties are developed to make gorgeous carving pumpkins, or fabulous decorations for the porch or cornucopia. It's worth making pumpkin pie from scratch, at least once, though, so kids can see where canned pumpkin "glop" really comes from. Plus, the taste is incomparable. Just be sure to use little "sugar" or "pie" pumpkins, which are grown for great taste and texture. Here's how to do it:

Homemade Pumpkin Puree

Wash your pumpkin using lukewarm water and NO soap.

Cut it in half, using a serrated knife.

Scoop out the seeds and all of the "stringy stuff," using an ice cream scoop or big, sturdy spoon.

Pumpkins can be microwaved, steamed, pressure cooked, or baked. We like the toasty taste you get from baking: Put the cleaned pumpkin in a lidded ovenproof container. Add 3 cups of water and put on the lid.

Bake at 350 degrees 45-60 minutes, until pumpkin is nice and soft.

Allow the pumpkin to cool a bit, and then scoop out the flesh. Process in the blender until smooth.

You should have about 3 cups of puree to use in your favorite pie, bread, and soup recipes. Freeze the extra for later.

Tips for Preserving Jack-o-Lanterns

Are you disappointed that your Jack-o-lanterns are getting wrinkled and moldy before Halloween? This is due to bacteria/mold growth and moisture loss through the cut surfaces. The key to preservation is killing the "bugs" that are attacking your masterpiece, and preventing the pumpkins from drying out. Here's how to do it:

Before carving, wash off all dirt with a damp rag. After carving, spray all cut surfaces, inside and out, with a solution of one quart water to one tablespoon bleach. That will create a sanitary environment that germs will just hate.

To prevent moisture loss, coat all cut surfaces with a thin layer of petroleum jelly. Then, keep your pumpkin in a cool (but not freezing) environment, out of direct sun. Your pumpkin should look good for about a week, at least.

An Autumn Pumpkin Tongue Twister:

Try saying this three times, fast:

"Professional Pumpkin Pickers are Prone to Pick the Plumpest Pumpkins."

Catch you again at holiday time!

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