This year's pumpkin harvest season
This year, I picked the pumpkins a little early.
The vines dried up completely before they could reach the end, so I had no choice but to harvest them. My garden is a real buffet for squirrels. 🐿️ When the zucchinis are in bloom, squirrels come and take a bite out of them while I'm not paying attention. Besides that, birds, bees, butterflies, and dragonflies also visit, so it's always bustling. This year, there wasn't much rain and it was so hot that I watered them, but the soil dried out quickly because it didn't soak in deep like the rain falling from the sky. That's why I was disappointed that the vines couldn't hold out and dried up early.
Still, I managed to salvage these large, old pumpkins. The largest ones were as big as my forearm, and I felt a sense of satisfaction when I pulled them out.
🍂 Diseases that occurred in pumpkins this year
This year, a white powdery substance appeared on the pumpkin leaves. At first, I thought it was dust, but it gradually spread throughout the vines. I looked into it. powdery mildewIt was a fungal disease called .
🧐 Cause
- It was hot and dry during the day, but at night, dew formed, increasing the humidity, creating an ideal environment for mold to grow.
- The vines are dense and poorly ventilated, and water remains on the leaves for a long time.
🛠 Treatment & Management
- Cut off diseased leaves and prune vines to ensure good ventilation.
- Spraying natural disinfectants like baking soda, water, and neem oil can help reduce the spread of disease.
- Water should be given in the morning and the leaves should be allowed to dry thoroughly during the day.
📌 Lessons learned
Next year, I will plant the vines with wider spacing between them and make sure the leaves don't overlap to improve ventilation.
🍲 Pumpkin Recipe Plan
The pumpkin I picked this time has a hard skin, so it's better suited for mashing rather than steaming or braising.
This weekend, I'm planning to make pumpkin red bean porridge. The sweet pumpkin and nutty red bean paste make a truly filling meal. With the remaining pumpkin, I plan to make pumpkin bread or pumpkin rice cakes to enjoy as a fall snack.
🌱 Let's make our garden even greener next year!
