Do pumpkins need full sunlight?

Understanding sunlight requirements is crucial to cultivating pumpkin plants that grow and produce a successful harvest. Sun lovers thrive in 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day (see starting off the plants). I learned this when I planted in an area that provided less than the perfect amount of light, resulting in undersized pumpkins. Where you grow your patch is crucial. Sufficient exposure to the sun yields vigorous vines and fruit with a high sugar content.

Sunscald damage occurs when direct sunlight reaches developing fruit. In my Arizona garden, I drape temporary shade cloth over them at that time of day in the summer, and my pumpkins stay safe from the sun's rays. Effects would become evident on your pumpkins, so arrange plants so that nature herself provides a leaf covering for fruit from the intense rays at noon.

Optimize light efficiency in restricted urban spaces (a.k.a. 'little gardens'). Paint your walls white, cover them with aluminum foil mulch, and reflective surfaces bounce light. Additionally, hit the plants to boost their growth. I've experienced up to 20% more growth nearer to my white fence than the other side of the bed! Your wee-bit of an urban garden can outwit the dreaded limited sun and produce with a little cunning. Give containers a good spin once a week for even sun distribution.

Adapt for local conditions Southern gardens appreciate the shadier afternoon; northern gardens need full day sun. I grow the tenderest varieties on the east side of the ridges. Your local sun will tell you how to plant. Measure sun-hours with a light meter.

Read the full article: How to Grow Pumpkins Successfully