Your Own Pumpkin Garden

[30 Minutes]

Plant pumpkins in the spring and you will have a harvest in the fall, just in time for Halloween.

You'll need:

• 1 pkg. pumpkin seeds or dried pumpkin seeds from a fresh pumpkin • compost • manure or extra soil • slow release fertilizer • shovel (for digging the holes)

What to do:

1. This spring plant pumpkin seeds in your backyard. Keep some seeds from last fall's pumpkins in a dry place or plant seeds from a packet and follow the instructions on the back.
2. Be sure to add compost, manure, or extra soil with a handful of slow-release fertilizer to each hole you dig for seeds. Encourage your child to help you.
3. Invite him to place six seeds in each seed hole. Once the seeds sprout, keep only the two strongest shoots and pull out the rest.
4. Help your child keep a picture journal showing the growth from month to month.
5. When the pumpkins are completely orange, they are ready to harvest. Keep harvested pumpkins in a dry, cool place such as a garage, basement or attic until you are ready to use them.

Let's Talk: Ideas to Explore Together.

• How many seeds did you place in one hole?
• How many seeds did you keep in each hole once they began to grow?
• How long do you think it will take for the pumpkins to grow?

Useful information:

While you are having fun together, this activity helps your child develop observational skills and concepts related to plant growth.