How many pumpkins grow per plant?

Knowing how many pumpkins to expect per plant, you can better plan your harvest. Most small varieties produce around 8 to 12 fruits. However, the giant types yield only the gigantic specimens that rapidly fill all available space, leaving no room for smaller extras. My record was 14 Sugar Pie pumpkins on one vine with the right attention. The development of the plant will depend significantly on the variety and the space allotted to the vine; properly spaced and nourished, you will have the most pumpkins.

Exercise some *selective pruning* once the fruit begins to form. Identify and remember the three to four healthiest pumpkins per vine and remove the rest. Concentrating the plant's energy toward these fewer, higher-quality fruits is what gives you the heaviest harvest once it's time to bring in the crops. I'll mark mine with brightly-colored tape.

Fertilize your pumpkins once the flowers appear with a potassium-rich mix. Give it a boost with something like 5-10-10 if you want improved fruit set. I also use a tea made from banana peels at this time. You'll find your pumpkins will be larger and sweeter if you've given them the nutrients on time. Avoid using a nitrogen-heavy feed that promotes excessive growth of large, green leaves instead of fruit.

Be sure to hand-pollinate if necessary. You need multiple pollen grains to set fruit properly. I pollinate each female blossom three mornings in a row. You'll produce more fruit if every single blossom is fertilized. Remove scraggly fruit immediately.

Read the full article: How to Grow Pumpkins Successfully