Pumpkins are an AWESOME addition to any vegetable garden.
If you are looking to start a pumpkin PATCH or pumpkin planting, it is crucial to KNOW how to care for them, which is OVERWHELMING for many gardeners.
But you DON’T NEED to worry about it, as experts are here to GUIDE you with their years of GARDENING experience. That experience will definitely HELP you A LOT in nurturing your garden.
LEARN our UNIQUE and most successful strategies for watering pumpkins.
Learn how much water does pumpkins need every day and how you can water pumpkin properly.
How Much Water Do Pumpkins Require?
A well-known FACT about pumpkins is that they generally CONTAIN water. Due to their internal watery COMPOSITION, they need more water to grow.
But it DOESN’T mean you water pumpkins daily.
You got that point, DIDN’T you? Let me explain
Well! The point is that pumpkins GROW mostly in soggy soil and thus NEED about one to two inches of water per week.
It’s a plus point about watering your thirsty plants, isn’t it?
Because when the soil DRIES OUT, you’ll get either your plant needs more water.
If the plant STAYS without sufficient water for TOO LONG, pumpkin leaves wilt.
So, give your plants more water when the soil begins to dry out after EVERY two to three days. Water pumpkins more often if the garden soil is dry or not getting enough rain.
Because of the pumpkins’ HIGH watering needs and demands, it is BETTER NOT to water them by hand.
Instead, you can use other BEST and EASY methods like drip irrigation and a sprinkler system.
Should Pumpkins Need to Be Water Every Day?
To understand how much to water pumpkins, you need to know if they prefer WET or DRY soil.
LISTEN! Pumpkins NEED a lot of water to grow and moist soil to thrive. But watering the pumpkins in the RIGHT way requires some FRAILTY.
The BEST WAY is to water them less frequently and intensely, INSTEAD of regular watering.
Doing this not only HELPS you save time but also HELPS your plant stay MORE healthy.
As MENTIONED earlier, pumpkin plants need one inch of water per week to develop and nourish fruit.
So, provide each pumpkin plant one gallon of water per water session.
The primary PROBLEM with more watering (every day) is that plants don’t GET deep root water. Even if the plant doesn’t have DEEP roots, it is CRUCIAL to let the water soak into the soil.
It is essential during HOT weather because water on the TOP of the ground will evaporate FASTER.
Hence, plants’ roots will NOT grow as deep if they are getting shallow watering all the time. Without a fully DEVELOPED root system, the plant becomes more SUSCEPTIBLE to drought.
How to Tell If Pumpkins Need Water?
Pumpkins NEED water whenever the TOP of the soil feels dry. It is because pumpkin plants grow WELL in humid soil. So keep the soil moist by watering pumpkins deeply.
The leaves of the pumpkin plants WILT if they don’t GET ENOUGH water during the HOTTEST part of the day. But they GET WELL as the temperature falls.
COOL RIGHT?
CHECK OUT the soil’s moisture level to SEE whether your pumpkins are GETTING the RIGHT amount of water.
JUST keep an EYE on those leaves that still look WILTED even during the lower temperature. It’s a POOR SIGN, which means your plants are not getting enough water.
Sorry to say! But WILTING leaves might be a sign of root rot.
Get this?
How to Water Pumpkins Properly?
In order to water your pumpkins PROPERLY, it is healthier to know the RIGHT time to water them first.
Listen! The BEST time to water the pumpkins is in the EARLY morning.
Try to water your plants from the BASE. It keeps your plant HEALTHY and also prevents it from SOIL EROSION. Get this?
Actually, watering the TOP of the plant cause it to GET infected.
Watering your pumpkins by HAND can be challenging and take A LOT of time. Just because pumpkins need plenty of water to GROW well.
But there are easy WAYS to water pumpkins properly, such as
Drip Irrigation System
Drip irrigation makes watering your pumpkins EASY and RELIABLE.
The system is INSTALLED close to the ground and SLOWLY drips water as necessary.
Well! It contains a series of lines or tubes through which water constantly FLOWS using less water than sprinkler systems or garden hoses.
Water is put only in the soil with hoses and not on the leaves or stem.
A DRIP system supplies water to the plant on a FIXED schedule. Thus installing a drip irrigation system will make watering a lot more convenient.
But if you cannot AFFORD this system, you can also use SOAKER HOSES, which also is a good option.
Sprinkler System
The sprinkler system is QUICK and very EASY to use.
A sprinkler system comprises a hose with a stopper on one end and a sprinkler head on the other.
This system is SOUND because you can control it MANUALLY or set it on a timer to turn it ON and OFF. Isn’t that awesome?
But the drawback of this system is that if it is left ON, it is EXHAUSTIVE. It continues to provide water, which leads to plant diseases.
A sprinkler system REDUCES your efforts to a great extent; it is not as efficient as drip irrigation.
It also doesn’t provide the RIGHT water concentration directly to the plant.
Spray Hose
It is an efficient but manual and time-consuming method.
If you like to SPEND most of your time in your garden or don’t mind EXTRA work, you can choose this method.
It is easy to carry a hose away and water specific areas while NEGLECTING the rest of the patch.
Using a spray hose isn’t COMPLICATED, but there is a risk of over-watering the pumpkins.
Some other methods are used for manual purposes, like sprinkler cans.
When Do You Need to Stop Watering Pumpkins?
The EASIEST way to understand whether you need to STOP watering is by checking the soil moisture. Isn’t that awesome?
STICK your finger into the soil close to the roots. If you feel the soil MOISTURE is more than an inch deep in the ground, your pumpkin plant DOESN’T need any water.
You should DECREASE watering your pumpkins as the fruits mature. While the fruit REQUIRES plenty of water, the plant doesn’t NEED it as the fruit develops.
Alternatively, it is VITAL to check on your pumpkins and water them as NEEDED. If you notice the leaves BROWNING and other suspects, do not HESITATE to water them.
Lastly, you could completely STOP watering seven to ten days BEFORE HARVESTING pumpkins.
REDUCING soil moisture before harvest helps to DECREASE moisture for long-term storage. That is also ESSENTIAL for avoiding molds.
What Are The Diseases Caused By Improper Watering of Pumpkins?
Pumpkins need A LOT of water to grow WELL. But giving them PLENTY of water can cause DISEASES, just like giving them TOO little water.
If a pumpkin plant does not get the RIGHT amount of water, its leaves turn yellow and tumble off.
Further IMPROPER watering can lead to several diseases, including:
1. Powdery mildew
2. Downey mildew
3. Phytophthora blight
4. Black rot
5. Cucurbit bacterial wilt
6. Fusarium wilt
Listen! These bacterial and fungal diseases can be caused by a combination of factors, like
- Improper watering
- Poor soil condition
- Pests, and
- Other environmental factors
REMEMBER! To keep your pumpkin plant healthy, ensure that it gets the right AMOUNT of water and has good drainage.
FAQs about Water Pumpkin
1. Can pumpkin plants be overwatered?
No, it’s NOT a good idea to overwater pumpkins.
Overwatering CAUSES the soil to remain wet for a long time, which can LEAD to several problems.
The major problem is waterlogged soil which leads to root rot. These suffocated waterlogged roots CANNOT take up enough oxygen to support the plant.
So, it is crucial to check the moisture level and provide proper drainage to the plant.
2. Do pumpkins like sun or shade?
Pumpkins usually PREFER full sun for OPTIMAL growth and food production.
They also prefer warm, well-draining soil to GROW.
But during the HOTTEST part of the day, they FEEL healthy under some shade to PREVENT damage to the leaves.
3. What should not be planted near pumpkins?
It is suggested not to plant pumpkins near plants SUSCEPTIBLE to the same diseases.
Briefly, it’s not a good idea to plant pumpkins near
· Cucumber
· Melon, or
· Other members of the cucurbit FAMILY
It is because they are all susceptible to the same diseases and pests. Also, AVOID pumpkins planting near those known to INHIBIT their growth.
For example:
Planting pumpkins near corn or beans.
What’s Next
Hope so; you have LEARNED everything about watering the pumpkins.
Pumpkin plant REQUIRES a lot of water to thrive well. But overwatering pumpkin is a significant problem that LEADS to different diseases.
The process is the SAME as in the case of underwatering.
Check the soil MOISTURE to understand your plants’ watering NEEDS.
That’s all for TODAY.
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