- What does 'extend' actually mean?
- Two passes per season are enough
- For a giant pumpkin, pinch out the first female flower
- tips and tricks
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Of course, a pumpkin plant will also thrive without being pinched. Anyone who uses this traditional care technique, of course, directs the energy specifically into a few giant fruits. Follow our guide to maxing out and harvesting gorgeous pumpkins.
What does 'extend' actually mean?
Every pumpkin plant strives to branch out more and more. For this purpose, it regularly forms new shoots in its leaf axils. Since only a limited amount of energy is available, the plant distributes its power evenly over the ever-growing number of shoots. The result is lots of little pumpkins.
Now it can definitely be in the interests of the hobby gardener to grow a large number of small pumpkins. In this case, do nothing. If your intention is to grow a few heavyweights, you can achieve this by removing or shortening excess shoots. Experts call the process 'squeezing out'.
Two passes per season are enough
Now the exhaustion in pumpkin cultivation is not nearly as labour-intensive as, for example, with tomatoes. If you already see yourself marching into the bed or onto the balcony in your mind's eye, you can sit back and relax. The procedure is limited to two appointments:
- in June on pumpkin plants with 3 to 5 leaves, shorten each shoot to 2 leaves
- pinch out again in July above the fifth or sixth leaf
- leave only as many female flowers on the plant as you want squashes
In addition, after successful pollination, all male flowers should be cut off so that they do not consume plant energy. Male flowers can be recognized by the fact that they do not bear fruit.
For a giant pumpkin, pinch out the first female flower
If you are aiming for a record pumpkin, every step of the care revolves around strengthening the plant. Targeted squeezing plays an important role in this context. Experienced pumpkin gardeners swear by removing the first female flower on each shoot. At the earliest, the second or third specimen can be considered 'the one flower'.
tips and tricks
Depending on the cultivated type of pumpkin, a more or less large cut occurs when cutting out the pumpkin. Ideally, treat the cut with charcoal ash immediately. In this way you effectively prevent infestation by fungal spores, viruses or pests.