Industry Expectation. For the Jack-O’lantern trade, yields can be expected to be about 2,500 to 3,000 pumpkins per acre. This will vary somewhat with plant spacing.
How many pumpkin seeds do you need per acre?
Per 100′ row: 60 seeds, per acre: 6.5M seeds.
How many pumpkins can you get from one plant?
A single pumpkin plant can produce between two and five pumpkins. Miniature pumpkin varieties such as Jack B. Little (also known as JBL) can produce as many as twelve pumpkins.
How much money can you make on a pumpkin patch?
The average, small pumpkin farm can make about $30,000 per year. Profit varies greatly, however, as all farms are different sizes. Farm tourism is a multi-million-dollar industry in the United States, so location matters a lot.
How much is a pumpkin worth per acre?
Pumpkins Crop Guide
Estimated Cost | $600 – $800 per acre |
---|---|
Market Outlets | Wholesale, grocery store, farmers markets, roadside stands, pick-your-own |
Market Potential | Good, but seasonally restricted |
Yield Potential | 15,000- 30,000 lbs/acre |
Profit Potential | $0 to $1,000 per acre |
How long does it take for a pumpkin to grow?
90-120 days
Generally, pumpkins take 90-120 days to mature after seeds are planted, depending on the variety. Pumpkins are ripe when they are fully colored and have a hard rind and woody stem. Carefully cut off the stem with a knife, leaving several inches of stem on the pumpkin.
What to put under growing pumpkins?
Having a bed of sand underneath your pumpkin allows it to grow more easily. It makes sense, think about how easy it is to have sand flow through your fingers. It’s made up of many small particles. Allowing less friction than if you were growing directly on soil.
What happens if you plant pumpkins too close together?
When pumpkins are planted too close together, the vines compete for nutrients and water. The flowers and young fruits may drop off, and the remaining pumpkins won’t grow to their full size.
Should you turn pumpkins as they grow?
To improve uniform appearance of pumpkin fruits, try rotating the fruits every week or two as they grow. Pumpkin fruits are usually more richly pigmented and darker in color where exposed to sunlight. Exposing all sides of the fruits to the sun will help them to develop uniform color.
How much should I charge for a pumpkin?
Pumpkin Stand Prices
Produce | Quantity/Price | Quantity/Price |
---|---|---|
Pie Pumpkins | $3.00 / each | 100+ / $2.00 each |
Jack o’ Lanterns | .60 / lb | 100+ / .50/lb |
Ornamental Pumpkins > 2 lbs | .70 / lb | 100+ / .60/lb |
Ornamental Gourds > 2 lbs | .70 / lb | 100+ / .60/lb |
Is the pumpkin business profitable?
These festive plants are not only fun to look at. They can also be excellent money makers. There’s a large market for pumpkins, and they’re relatively inexpensive and easy to grow, too. Keep reading to learn about growing pumpkins for a profit.
How do I price my pumpkins?
Pumpkins are either priced per pound or one flat rate.
Some pumpkins are priced per pound and others are a flat rate. If you’re not willing to lug a big pumpkin onto a produce scale, your safest bet is to shop somewhere the pumpkins are already priced per pound.
How much land do you need for a pumpkin farm?
While there are a few farms that run enormous operations, most pumpkin patches range from 2 to 40 acres — enough to yield roughly $12k to $240k in net profit at the higher bounds of our estimates.
How do I start a pumpkin farm?
Plant one seedling or four seeds spaced 10 inches apart (from which you’ll choose one or two of the best), and give it all a good water. Then build your next hill, keeping between 5 to 20 feet between hills. Pumpkin vines need a lot of room, so don’t skimp on space.
Where is the best place to plant pumpkins?
Pumpkins need a warm, sunny position, shelter from cold winds and moisture-retentive soil. In late May, start hardening off indoor-raised plants, to acclimatise them to outdoor conditions.
What month should you plant pumpkins?
“The best time of year to plant pumpkins is from early May through June, but it also depends on the variety to be grown,” Wallace said. “Some varieties mature in 85 days while others may not mature for 120 days. So those with 120 days to harvest should be planted early.”
Do pumpkins need a lot of water?
Mature pumpkins are 80 to 90 percent water, so you can bet that pumpkins need a lot of water as they grow. Irrigate plants when soil is dry. It’s typical for pumpkin leaves to wilt at high noon, but if plants are wilted in the early morning, that’s a sign you need to water.
Which pumpkins grow the fastest?
The miniature ‘Jack Be Little’ pumpkin matures in as little as 85 days.
Should I put hay under my pumpkins?
Spreading a layer of straw underneath your developing crop can help protect the gourds during the hot summer months. “Having some kind of mulch, like straw, will help reduce the evaporative loss of moisture from the soil, and it will help cool the soil a little bit and keep the pumpkins cleaner,” Lerner says.
What can you not plant near a pumpkin?
You should grow pumpkins with sage, mint, marjoram, chives, oregano, onions, shallots, garlic, corn, nasturtiums, marigolds, petunias, radish, peas and beans. Avoid planting pumpkins with beets, sunflowers, potatoes, zucchini, melon, brassicas, carrots or fennel.
What is a good fertilizer for pumpkins?
Top 5 Best Fertilizers For Pumpkins
- Burpee Organic Bone Meal Fertilizer (My Top Pick)
- Pumpkin Juice 11-8-5 Foliar Liquid Fertilizer (Most Specific Product For Pumpkins)
- Miracle-gro Performance Organics Edibles Plant Nutrition Granules (Best Budget Pick)