Experienced Pumpkin grower here - if you’re growing pumpkins up an obelisk, once they’ve pollinated and the pumpkins begin to grow, make sure you create a ‘hammock’ to support the weight of the pumpkin otherwise they’ll either drop off from the weight, snap the vine or just not grow very big. Also, unless you have your own hive of bees, it’s worth hand pollinating but of course you have to hope you’ve got a female & male flower open on the same day. I’ve spent many early summer mornings in my dressing gown, checking for open pumpkin flowers!

Last fall I let a few pumpkins rot in a small section of my yard. When they started to really break down I simply covered them with a little topsoil and leaf mulch. They popped up early this spring, and despite the squirrels having some feasts, are growing strong. No manure, no fertilizer, and nearly no tending other than thinning them out a little

The amount of times I have gotten carried away with sowing and simply run out of room, is astounding 😂 Love creating new garden beds. Husband rolls his eyes.

I love this guy! I grow my plants in Sweden and have gotten alot of inspiration and information from this channel keep going please

There is something kind of magical about a pumpkin patch!

Hi Ben, please try get a few videos of these over the coming weeks, would love to see how they get on with this method!

I literally just came on from my first ever no-dig beds in planning, feeling quite overwhelmed, and was comforted by your opening lines "Do you ever feel like you've bitten off more than you can chew?". I was nodding along with the video. Thank you so much for all your guidance and wonderful enthusiasm.

Anyway, wonderful project. Pumpkins are indeed amazing and quite magical. A whole patch is my dream too. The first year I gardened, the only thing that grew were carrots and pumpkin. But what a bumper crop of Hokkaido! We must've had 60 pumpkins for a family of 2 (my dog wouldn't take part 😂). Pumpkin curry, pumpkin stew, pumpkin lasagne...I got good at pumpkin dishes that year! This year I've planted more winter squash varieties than I have bed space, so I'm going to get creative with large pots and spare corners!

I’ve ordered a trellis for my sugar pie pumpkins and Kent pumpkins

I used cardboard to make paths in and around my “in the ground” beds.  As I expanded my garden I noticed so much worm activity, the dirt under the cardboard was loaded with castings and almost felt crumbly as if it had already been tilled.  I absolutely love this technique! Thank You!

My story with pumpkins
Back when I was a kid 6-8 years our neighborhood had an open place veg store ran by an old man, daily fresh veggies and fruits from every kind, he sits on an old wooden  chair and sell his goods,  but the only thing that catches my sight every day especially in Autumn - early winter was pumpkins, he displays them regularly big, stripped and dark orange and the image stuck in my imagination, especially that  he was the only store to sell them in the region. Couple years later (age 9-10)  and we weren't that much of a gardening experienced family, my father wanted to plant some veggies and fruits and the only crop I can sharply remmember is pumpkins, then we left our home and the garden after a couple years, to rent somewhere else. Today it's about 20-22 years since those memories, I plant everything but pumpkins are the most intersting crop for me, it's like magic, I always over sow them, I plant them every possible way and feed them like a spoiled child, checking them plant by plant inspecting every leaf and flower, my dad helps me too fortunately, I only plant the most crazy variety I have with lush dark green veiny leaves and most vigorous vines that grows a ton of secondary vines all dark green and fruiting with too many tendrils (which I like for no reason but they are catchy in a strange way), the variety is wild,  each plant grows up to 14 meters main vine, and covers like 5 meters in width with side vines producing up to 14  big pumpkins of decent size (5-10kg) pear shaped. Pumpkins are just haunting in a weird way, their fruit their strong vines and tendrils everywhere, and I plant them for that fairytale affection I get watching them.

Your tip of nipping out a small piece of the seed casing was brilliant!! I did this about 2 weeks ago to sunflowers, put them on damp kitchen paper and into a bag, about 70% had germinated the next day!!!!

I make a hill of mostly finished compost and cover with soil. I plant in the top. The compost gives off heat as it continues to decay. Much to the delight of the heat and nutrient and water loving pumpkins and squash

Hi! Has there been a follow up video for the pumpkin patch?

I've planted about 10 pumpkin plants this year and the bloody slugs head straight for them. I swear the slugs love pumpkins!
#butcherallslugsindiscriminately

LOVED this video. I too have been over ambitious and have got pumpkin plants with no bed space left. I have a bit of spare lawn and this is a perfect solution. Thank you Ben!

You like the Farmer from Shaun the Sheep.

I started my seeds by soaking them for 6hrs, then sprouting them in damp paper towel. Two days later the had sprouted and were ready to go into flats. I currently have them growing in a small makeshift greenhouse made out of spare windows and patio doors. Two weeks after soaking the seeds they are almost ready to plant in the garden! Now I just need to make a patch big enough for 18 Cinderella Pumpkin plants!

My pumpkins 🎃 will live on the parking lot this year! Lots of compost and yes, of course, cardboard put down last summer. The only way to go..The neighbors think I am insane, but my beans, celeriac, onions, cabbages and salads love the parking lot beds! Love your super British videos here in Burgundy,  France! Keep up the great gardening and have a great season! Now..back to observing the bees on the red sage..😊

What a wonderful, wonderful garden you have! That Greenhouse alone is the greenhouse of dreams! 🤩 Nevermind that sprawling lawn. Not in my life time! You lucky thing

🎃 Loved this! A “Pumpkin Paradise” sounds wonderful… at least until October arrives and the pumpkins figure out why we’ve been growing them. 😂

I just completed my Halloween music film HALLOWEEN IS NEAR, where the story is told from the pumpkins’ point of view. The first dead leaf falls, they realize Halloween is coming, and suddenly the entire pumpkin patch has one objective: ROLL! 🎃💨

If you ever feel like seeing pumpkin season from a very different perspective, come take a peek at My Wretched Lullaby. I think you’ll get a kick out of it.

Halloween is fun... until you’re the pumpkin. 🎃
— Rockneric | My Wretched Lullaby