Rustic Fall Porch Entrance Using Exotic Pumpkins
I must be in some kind of decorating funky here lately, or maybe it’s just age. I seem to like things much simpler and things to have a purpose for me to use them. So this fall I’m reusing a wreath I already had, I added 4 yellow mums for a pop of color, and I chose exotic pumpkins for their seeds.
I’m going to cut the pumpkins open at the end of the season, air dry them, and save the seeds to plant in the spring. I hope they grow and I get enough to decorate with for next year. I do know I’ll get the same variety of pumpkin to grow from the pumpkin I take seeds them, that’s why I chose the pumpkins I did this year.
We have plenty of land to till and plant, but I’m not looking forward to weeding so I think I’ll use black landscape fabric or plastic to keep the weeds down. The pumpkins I purchased this year are from a local pumpkin farmer, so while I was there getting these beauties I decided to pick his brain for a little pumpkin knowledge.
My biggest concern was, how many pumpkins will I expect from one plant, and the answer was ONE. Wow I was hoping for more than that, but he said that’s what he normally experiences. I also asked about pollination, and apparently if I don’t use store bought hybrid seed I will need to self pollinate the flowers. If I don’t I’ll take the risk of getting some cross pollination and a whole new breed of pumpkin, that could be really neat or a total disaster.
So I’ll save my seeds this year and give it a go in the spring. It may end up like my vegetable garden, a constant fight to keep the deer out and I may have to give up. But I’ll try it once and if all goes well I’ll have my own exotic pumpkins next year.
I think the best fall decorating is done with pumpkins. The new exotic ones are exceptional looking and I’m hoping you have good luck with the seeds. Next year could prove to be exciting in your pumpkin patch. xo
Diane I hope I have good luck too. I didn’t realize how I pass by ordinary pumpkins now and go straight to the exotic ones. I feel a little bad for the orange ones now, LOL>
I am going to bury some pumpkins in a corner of the yard and see what happens….most likely?..deer food! But I really want to give it a try!…..Love your porch and great pumpkins!
Shirley I fear mine may become deer food too. What I noticed is the deer let the pumpkins get ripe, and then step on them to smash them, then eat them. I hope I don’t do all that work, and get that far for that to happen.
I’ve gone so simple this year that I haven’t even got any pumpkins, except a few wicker ones I already had. Hope the drying process goes well and you are able to get lots of pumpkins next year.
Linda, I say simple is best and use what you have. Decorating can get out of control and costly sometimes. My house is so far off the road no one can see it but us anyway.
I love your exotic pumpkins and I hope you have a huge haul next year. 🙂
Thanks Ann me too!
Dawn, Please do some more research on your pumpkin research growing, Most of the seeds that we harvest from our own growing source will not reproduce, Monsanto is monopolizing the seed compaines and has just bought another one, this is done to control our food source, if you could find someone that has some heirloom seeds then that would be the way to go for good reproduction, the reason your farmer pumpkin grower is only getting 1 pumpkin per vine is due to reproduction control thru the seeds produce by Monsanto and they are also adding pesticides in their breeding process and cross breeding through pollination, bees are also needed in abundance to a good productive pumpkin crop, please read up on MONSANTO and what their greediness is doing and is going to do our nation , Good Luck and God Bless.
Joy he did tell me production was down to do bees not being around but said his seeds are heirloom and should produce fine for me next year. I’ll give a try and see what happens. Thanks for the advice 🙂
Love your sweet porch for fall Dawn. So welcoming. Love the Cinderella pumpkins this year too. I hope you can get them to grow and have a great pumpkin patch next year.
Hugs,
Kris
Kris thank you. I hope I’m successful too but if not I know where to get them.
Beautiful pumpkins Dawn and good wishes in planting the seeds for pumpkin harvest next Fall. I went to my grocery store yesterday hoping to find Heirloom tomatoes, I did, overripe though. Planting heirloom seeds are the way to go, I’ve heard. And Mansanto is a looming big business and I’ve heard nothing but negative things about it, I understand Joys concern too.
Kathleen in Az
Kathleen are you gathering tomatoes for their seeds or just to eat? I know Monsanto is no good but haven’t done much research on seeds. Haven’t planted a garden for 2 years, becasue the deer get it all before we do.
Very interesting reading the comments today. You have nothing to lose by trying to grow the seeds. I really like Shirley’s idea where she’s going to bury some pumpkins in the corner of the yard. I only bought one pumpkin so far this year and it’s one for pumpkin pies (well, hubby says it’s really a type of squash and is what is in the Libby’s can). I’m going to save my seeds and try growing some of my own…I don’t want to chance wasting the raised bed space, so I think I’ll just plant them in one of the flower beds – lol.
I love your fall porch and your thoughtfulness in trying to grow pumpkins from your seeds. They’re lovely pumpkins and the potential for some really unique lovelies seems fun to me. If they don’t work out, Joy’s idea for buying some heirloom seeds is a great option.
Jen I buy pie pumpkins for pumpkin pie I wonder if it’s the same as Libbys? The farmer I purchase from grows his in his landscaping too. I’m hoping to clear a place in the field, put down some black plastic, poke holes in it and plant some seeds. I don’t want to weed all the time, so I hope this works.
I really like the idea and I hope it works. I had an extra zucchini plant in my raised beds and decided to plant it next to my garage. I dug a hole in the lawn and just plopped it in. Lol – wouldn’t you know it would become my best producer this year!! It’s still growing them. I decided to plant all of my zucchini along that side of the garage next year. I don’t want to dig up the grass so I think I’ll try your idea. Dawn, I haven’t even weeded around that zucchini plant and it has just thrived…wasn’t consistent in watering it either! 😀
Jen great news that it’s the best producer I hope that happens with my pumpkins. I hope I can have no care pumpkins like your zucchini.
I love the look of your porch! Good luck on growing pumpkins next year, I’ve never tried that. I’ll be watching to see yours. Hugs,
Sandi I going to give it a go and see what happens. I hope something produces if I put the work into it.
Thanks so much for the idea of getting the seeds from the pumpkins. I have a bunch of pumpkins and I hope I can gather seeds to grow my own pumpkins next year.
Carol I hope it works. I guess if it doesn’t I’m not out anything but my time.
Beautiful home. Decorations can definitely get out of control. Expense wise and exposure wise. Several blogs are already showing Christmas trees. When I see that I immediately leave that blog. It is WAY too much and robs one of being present to what season and holiday it really is. I think that is sad and if I wanted that I would just buy a magazine or run over to a big box store to see the Christmas items on the shelves right now. IT is just way too much. But, lots of bloggers have advertisers and feel compelled to be ahead of the game and season.
I believe it makes good sense to re use, and shop your own home inventory to decorate. Your home and this post is proof of how wonderful that works. And many of us see you as way more intelligent to do it that way than to have to run out and buy, consume, get rid of and then buy new again. A vicious cycle.
So the pumpkins…. My girlfriend had a variety of pumpkins last year. She just tossed them whole in the horse manure pile. Thought nothing of it and had no intention of growing pumpkins. However, she had an AMAZING crop and variety of pumpkins this year with zero plan or effort or attention to them. LOTS of pumpkins grew. So much so that her grandchildren came to pick pumpkins in her pumpkin patch. You can also do the same thing by placing them in a bale of hay. Put up some field fence around them. Also you can check sites like Cabela’s to find deer deterrent. Or you can buy a quantity of soap to help keep deer at bay. I suggest you google and try Irish Spring soap, Cut it into several chunks. Keep that near and around your pumpkin seeds and you should hopefully have some success. Gardner’s do that to keep deer out of their flower beds. Good luck.
Tonita Im so glad you told me about your friends pumpkin adventure. I’ll try throwing mine in the chicken poop compost pile and see if they take off. The only success I’ve had with keeping the deer out of my fruit orchard is to tie a bar of Irish Spring to each tree, I put it in a knee high nylon and change it out once a year. Now the soap doesn’t affect the squirrels so I’m still looking for a way to keep them from eating the fruit. Thank you for stopping by and sharing all your terrific knowledge 🙂