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Want pumpkins this fall? Time to get planting
Growing your own fall decorations
Written by Abby Read
Raising your own pumpkin patch, whether it is for decorations or pies, can be a fun a way to introduce gardening for your family.
Even though pumpkin season is several months away, it’s important to know the prime pumpkin-planting time is now.
Russ Wallace, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service vegetable specialist, Lubbock provides tips and basic requirements for growing your own personal pumpkin patch.
Pumpkin planting season in Texas is summer
Sunlight hours and temperature play an important role in how well pumpkins grow in Texas. While too much sunlight and extremely hot weather can damage some plants, pumpkins thrive in early Texas summers.
Different varieties need various amounts of days to become completely ripe. You should choose the planting variety based on when you plan on harvesting your pumpkins for your fall activities.
“The best time of year to plant pumpkins is from early May through June, but it also depends on the variety to be grown,” Wallace said. “Some varieties mature in 85 days while others may not mature for 120 days. So those with 120 days to harvest should be planted early.”
Pumpkins require good drainage to thrive
Knowing the soil in your area is crucial as pumpkins thrive in soils with good drainage. Without good soil, pumpkins might need a change to their water intake, explained Wallace.
“Pumpkins can grow on any soil that has good drainage. In the High Plains pumpkins are generally grown on sandy loams to clay loams,” Wallace said. “If grown on sandier soils they will require more irrigation.”
If the soil in your area does not drain water well, adding organic matter such as peat moss and compost to the soil will give it better drainage. This should allow the soil to become suitable for growing pumpkins and other plants that need good drainage.
Pumpkin water requirements may be higher than you think
With their growing season in the middle of Texas’s hot and dry summers, it’s important to keep in mind that pumpkins need a lot of water to thrive.
“Pumpkins require about 25-30 inches of rain plus irrigation,” Wallace said. “They need most of their water when the fruit is developing/maturing. If water is not uniformly applied while fruit is maturing, the ends of the pumpkins may not fully develop. We see that a lot in high heat, drought conditions.”
Proper watering conditions will set your pumpkin plants up for successful ripening for harvest. Irrigation and good, draining soil will help your pumpkin patch thrive in Texas weather.
I don’t think any of us need the government to tell us groceries are expensive. We know it when we stand in the meat aisle and lower our standards real fast from 90% lean to 80% lean hamburger meat.
Still, the numbers are interesting.
According to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics report, grocery prices in July were 2.7% higher than they were a year ago. Beef is where things really hurt. Beef prices were up 9.4% from last July, and uncooked ground beef was up 9%.
Chicken, on the other hand, was actually down 2.7% over the same period, which makes it one of the better bargains in the meat case right now.
The BLS average-price survey puts a pound of ground chuck at $6.85 in July. Two years ago, in July 2024, that same national average was $5.47.
So maybe it is time to resurrect something our mothers and grandmothers understood very well.
Read the full On the Table feature in the Sept. 17 Bowie News.
Big-Pan Chicken Spaghetti
A pound of diced chicken can disappear beautifully through an entire pan of pasta.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless chicken, diced
- 12 ounces spaghetti
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 can Rotel-style tomatoes
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded cheese, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
Cook spaghetti just until tender and drain.
Meanwhile, sauté diced chicken and onion until chicken is cooked through.
Mix spaghetti, chicken, soups, tomatoes, broth, garlic powder and 1 cup cheese. Spread into a greased 13×9 pan.
Top with remaining cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.
Have half a bag of frozen peas, broccoli or mixed vegetables lingering in the freezer? Throw them in. This is a forgiving recipe.
Serves 8 to 10.
Perfect Score, Director’s Select, Best of the Best and Leader of the Pack are just a few of the awards for Superlophus. I’m also reasonably sure you are thinking: What is a Superlophus?
Superlophus Sunglow is the official name botanically known as an Oenothera commonly called Texas Primrose. That’s right: This golden yellow flower that is a non-stop bloomer and tough-as-nails is a native selection and winner of 15 awards from Canada to Mississippi.
Read the full Garden Guy feature in the Thursday Bowie News.
Get ready for more hot and mostly dry weather conditions this week! Outside of some very low rain/storm chances late this afternoon (and maybe tomorrow afternoon), the heat will be the main story for us! We’re almost there…fall is coming at some point!
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