I have a novel goal for 2020 . Although the spring up season in northern Wisconsin is on the short side , I ’m going to plant a crop ofpumpkinsvertically along a fence .
My pumpkin - planting plans have been years in the making . In fact , this is n’t the first time I ’ve give these popularwinter squashesa try . I ’ve grown some large ones in the past times , perfectly sized for manual laborer - o’-lanterns , but two divisor have made it difficult to fully revalue the crop .
Pair of Pumpkin Problems
For neophyte , it ’s difficult to keep a pumpkin vine patch thoroughly weeded . The vines spread over such large area , keeping grass under control without damage the vines is a time - down task .
But hungry cervid have been the bigger issue .
You might have your centre on a prissy Cucurbita pepo , waiting for it to ripen , and when you climb through the patch to reap it … you find out huge bite grade and missing chunks on the other side of the pumpkin .
It seems like deer prefer to take a few bites out of every pumpkin vine , sampling the crop for the best taste , rather than wholly run through one or two pumpkins from starting to finish .
Fencing off Trouble
Things will be different in 2020 .
Last yr , I constructed animposing deer fenceto protect an woodlet of young fruit Tree . I ’m pleased with the upshot so far , and since I ’ve wrap a large area , there ’s plenty of way in this no - deer zone for growing other plants . First and first , pumpkins .
The fencing will serve another intention as well . The front section is soundly construct with wooden posts and welded telegram , standing a minimum of eight feet tall .
Rather than allow the pumpkins to grow helter - skelter across the open field ( which would chop-chop rise weedy and unattractive ) , I plan to set the autumn pumpkin in bed along the interior of the front fence . And then I ’m going to encourage the pumpkin to climb the weld telegram like a trellis .
Growing Cucurbita pepo vertically is appealing on multiple fronts . Not only will it make weed the pumpkin vine patch up easier , it will be beneficial to the vines . set aside them to spread vertically in open air will increase respiration and reduce the peril of disease , a profits - winnings spot . It will also be easy to keep an eye on the make grow pumpkins .
Some Stretchy Support
Of naturally , since the pumpkins will be growing up in the air , I ’ll have to furnish them with a agency to support their own system of weights .
This might not be a worry for little Cucurbita pepo , like the bantam Jack Be minuscule diversity I signify to taste . But for big pumpkins weighing five to 10 hammer , the vine wo n’t be solid enough to keep the heavy fruit airborne . I ’ll have to fashionstretchy slingsto support the pumpkin , basically allowing the yield to grow in the cradle of a sack with remnant tied to the weld wire .
grow pumpkins vertically will be a playfulness challenge , and I ’m sound to put everything I can in my favor . I ’ll plant them as soon as reasonably potential to give them the foresighted arise season . I ’ll plant them in raised beds filled with racy compost and keep them exhaustively watered . I ’ll keep them weeded and allow them to grow in open atmosphere .
And at long last , I ’ll be able to keep my pumpkins safe from the deer . That might be the biggest advantage yet !
