Spark, (F1) Pumpkin Seeds

Spark (F1) Pumpkin Seed

Tiny flattened pumpkins glow with unusual yellow-orange color
Wide ribs enhance their ornamental character
Half-pound fruits fit wreaths and tabletop displays
Medium vines produce generous seasonal harvests

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Key Attributes

Botanical Name

Cucurbita pepo

Days to maturity

90 Days

Sun

Full Sun

Packet

10 Seeds

About Spark, (F1) Pumpkin Seed, Pumpkin Seed

Eye grabbing pumpkins that are great for fall decorations. A flat shaped with wide ribs on a unusual yellow-orange skin. Small fruits only weight 1/2 lb. at maturity and produces good yields. Medium vine plant habit. Intermediate resistance to powdery mildew.

Growing details

Planting

Sow Depth

Days to Germination

4–10 days

In-row plant spacing

24-36"

Row Spacing

8-12'

Plant profile

Maturity

Fall

Life Cycle

Annual

Seed & variety

Seeds Per Ounce

313

Color

Orange, Yellow

Seed Type

Hybrid

Growing Season

Warm-Season Crop

Before Planting

Reserve a full-sun, warm location for Pumpkin with fertile, well-drained soil and ample space for vines. Incorporate compost and correct nutrients according to a soil test, then shape raised beds or hills where drainage is slow. Wait until the soil is warm, and install trellises before planting if pumpkin will be trained vertically.

Planting

Pumpkin can be direct-sown after frost when soil reaches about 65–70°F, or started indoors 3–4 weeks earlier in individual cells. Keep the medium warm and evenly moist until emergence. Harden seedlings gradually and transplant without disturbing the sensitive roots. Allow 3–5 feet between compact pumpkins and 6–10 feet between vigorous vining types.

Watering

As pumpkin vines spread and fruit begins to size, supply roughly 1–2 inches of water each week. Soak the root zone deeply, keep foliage as dry as practical, and prevent drought stress during flowering and fruit set.

Fertilizer

Side-dress pumpkin with balanced fertilizer after establishment and again as flowering or fruiting begins. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which promotes foliage while reducing flowers, fruit, or maturity.

Harvesting

Harvest pumpkins when rind color is fully developed, skin resists a fingernail, and the nearest tendril and stem begin drying. Cut with several inches of stem attached and cure before storage.

Tips

Train pumpkin vines onto sturdy supports when practical, securing heavy fruit with slings. Remove row covers once flowering begins, and hand-pollinate if fruit starts swelling then aborts.

AVG. Seeding Rate

250 seeds/125', 500 seeds/250', 1,000 seeds/500', 15M/acre at 2 seeds/ft. rows 6' apart.

Disease Resistance Abbreviations

Powdery Mildew

Pests & Diseases

Powdery and downy mildews, bacterial wilt, Phytophthora blight, anthracnose, and gummy stem blight affect pumpkins. Use resistant varieties, rotate cucurbits, manage cucumber beetles, and avoid wet low areas. Harvest with stems attached; cure only sound fruit and discard pumpkins with soft or sunken lesions.

Monitor pumpkin vines for squash bugs, vine borers, cucumber beetles, aphids, and spider mites. Row cover can protect young plants until flowering; afterward, check stems and leaf undersides and destroy egg masses.