THE VINE KING
When winter rolls around you can never have too many pumpkins — so get planting now to make the most of this delicious, easygoing crop.
Pumpkin vines grow readily from seed but the large, spreading plants take many months to produce a pumpkin that’s ready to harvest and roast, mash, turn into soup or add to scones or pies.
Pumpkins are grown from seed sown as soils warm in late spring to early summer. They are grown year round in tropical and subtropical zones that are frost-free. Direct-sow seeds into the vegetable garden or, if the soil is still cold or there is any likelihood of frost, start them in punnets.
As vines reach several metres across, they need to be planted where there’s lots of room
