It’s pumpkin planting time...
NIEU-BETHESDA — A pumpkin planting alert has recently been sent out to all the residents of Nieu-bethesda and this serves to notify those from further afield that it is time.
Your complimentary pumpkin seeds can be collected from 'Die Padstal' or Ian Alleman in Nieu-bethesda.
If you plant them now and nurture them using secret growing techniques and masterful gardening skills, they will be ready for the annual 'Pump-palooza' which will take place over 2019's Easter weekend in Nieu-bethesda.
This year the pumpkin festival hub has been shifted to 'Die Padstal' at the edge of the village.
There are fabulous prizes (and of course titles) up for grabs - so the public is encouraged to plant those pumpkin pips as soon as you can.
There are a few secrets to growing a decent pumpkin:
they need a lot of sunlight and should be protected from wind and rain - use a shade tent on very hot days.
they need a lot of water, but not wet or dense soil - it must be well drained and somewhat sandy.
fertilize the pumpkin patch with 10cm of rotting cow manure - the soil must be slightly acid or nearly neutral.
The male flowers show up first, followed by the females. (They have a baby pumpkin at the end of the flower) The vine must be very strong before letting the female flower set fruit. You should break off the first 2 females on each vine and wait for the 3rd when the vine is about 2 metres long. You can hand pollinate the female flower with a paintbrush taking pollen from the male flower.
The more healthy leaves you have, the more nutrients there will be for your pumpkin.
Train the vine away from the pumpkin as it grows.
Allow for only one potential prize-winner to grow... pluck off the other pumpkins.
Give your plant 15-20 gallons of water twice a week, near the stem, in the evenings pumpkins do most of their growing at night.
The pumpkin experts in Nieu-bethesda look forward to some giants in 2019!