Each variety or type of pumpkin
has an optimum plant spacing for its best performance. If
plants are too close, stress and competition can decrease
fruit size and possibly even reduce the number of female
flowers. Under extreme stress, tight spacing may eliminate
the crop entirely. At Rupp Seeds, we have spent much effort
in monitoring the success of our customers in an effort to
understand optimum plant spacing. We’ve observed those
growers for whom pumpkins are a key crop, where they exercise
good management programs in order to maximize profits.
Optimum
spacing for maximum yield, especially for jack-o-lantern
pumpkins, will not necessarily be the best spacing for large
fruit size. For large fruit, we would suggest reducing plant
density to the next recommended plant population.
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Accurate plant spacing will be an equal opportunity environment
for every plant.
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Suggested populations are for final plant stands.
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To
achieve ideal plant populations it is necessary to either
over-plant and hand thin or to plant according to recommendations
and hand
plant later to fill skips.
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Seed corn maggots, wire worms,
mice and birds, floods or lack of rain are all common problems
that
effect accurate stand establishment.
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