Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Grow Pumpkins Vertically

If you thought you couldn't have a pumpkin patch in a city garden you are wrong. Here is how I grow a variety of pumpkins in my small yard. Think vertical. Growing pumpkin vines do take a lot of room but it you grow your pumpkins vertically on supports, you can keep them from taking over your yard.

Below you can see some of my vines on the left. I have large tomato cages in the planter with tomato plants growing in the center. The vines kind of climb up and through and I trim branches that wander where I don't want them.

grow pumpkins in small yard

In the back here I use the fencing from the old chicken run to support vines now. I grow tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and pumpkins all on this fence.


Water and feed regularly with compost tea and you will have lots of pumpkins come fall. You should plant your vines from May to mid June for a fall harvest. I take a pile of my homemade compost and make a hill that I plant three seeds in. 

Here you can see a healthy one ready to be picked. They say to wait till the vines die back but I just trim them off the vine when they are bright orange and they last fine in the shade till October. I need the space to start new crops so I cut back the vines when I harvest my pumpkins.



One tip for supporting your pumpkins when you grow them vertically is to make slings for them. Here my hubby took an old rag and tied it up around the pumpkin and over the tomato cage. Works wonderfully.


20 comments:

  1. I've ever seen anyone do that and its a genius idea. Your garden is really very pretty.

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  2. What a beautiful yard you have! That's a great idea with the pumpkins. I need to store it away for next year.

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  3. This is a great idea and your garden looks great! We've been thinking about doing this, but just didn't know how. Thanks for sharing!

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  4. What great ideas! I would like to start growing pumpkins again.

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  5. Great garden!! I am growing butternut squash for the first time and I am growing it up. http://www.dianarambles.com/2013/07/frugal-raised-garden-bed.html

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  6. Ii hadn't realised there was so much involved.....but then....I've only ever seen them grown horizontally! Joan

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  7. You utilize every inch of your space so wisely! I love it!!!!
    xo Kris

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  8. Such a neat way to grow a garden! Love those beautiful pumpkins!

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  9. Love the idea of growing them on the coop fence. I going to try that next year,since my pumpkins like too take over my garden every year.

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  10. I was wondering what you did with the weight of the pumkin!!
    Neat idea!

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  11. What a great idea! We have some pumpkins growing on the ground and they are taking up so much space. I like the idea of growing them up!

    PS - Thanks for the sweet comment on my Friday post. I will try to link up to the blog hop this week! Sometimes it's hard to get around to all the hops.

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  12. I was going to ask you how you stop them falling off the vines, with the slings it looks like a pumpkin hospital.
    Merle.....

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  13. Now that is a good lookin' Pumpkin!!I'm very impressed!!

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  14. I have to say that I have never seen that - but that is one of the smartest things I have ever seen. Are they pumpkins from this year already? Lovely. sandie

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  15. Those are perfect pumpkins too! They'll last until October without rotting after being picked? Amazing...I did not know that!
    Your lawn and garden are so neat and well-kept and pretty to look at.

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  16. Consider yourself pinned! Love your garden!

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  17. Very interesting. I have not grown pumpkins this way, but had cantaloupes that loved climbing, and the fruit hung on until it was ready...amazing! When they hit the ground they were ready to eat yum!

    I guess any plant that runs would be able to climb :)

    x

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  18. I thought that I'd at least try mini-pumpkins this year and the grand kids were very excited to see the first flowers. I planted a few seeds in a huge container. Did the same with green beans. Too many torrential rains and containers flooding...even dumping excess water out they were too wet. So maybe next year! :) At least everything else ( in regular dirt or raised beds ) is ok :)

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