Last October while watching an agricultural show on television I got the idea to grow my own pumpkin for Halloween.  The farmer on the show had won a contest for the largest pumpkin weighing in at 1,500 pounds.  He explained how he did it and I wrote everything down so I could do the same thing.  So in January of this year I began the process of growing my own pumpkin.  I germinated my seeds and started them in the house so by April I had pumpkin plants ready to put in the ground.  I had four plants.  I planted one in my garden and planted the other three in the neighbor’s garden as they have three sons.  My pumpkin has been doing great.  It is currently 62-inches around and weighs approximately 36 pounds.  The plants I gave the neighbors only produced one pumpkin and it is 39-inches around and weighs approximately 25 pounds.  They still have six more weeks to grow.  We are excited for Halloween to come and carve our pumpkins.  I have been clipping recipes for various things made out of pumpkin besides pumpkin pie.  I am anxious to make pumpkin soup.  It won’t be a 1,500 lb pumpkin but it was sure a fun experience and one I will do again and again. Next year I hope to have more than one.

Do you have a garden story you want to share with The Magazine of Santa Clarita?  Send us your garden stories with photos and look for them in the next issue of The Magazine.  Email us at editorial@santaclaritamagazine.com .

Santa Clarita Magazine