How I Fell in Love with Growing Pumpkins

When I first started gardening on our 10-acre property, my attempts were less than awesome. My first two vegetable gardens were total disasters—and nothing survived. I dealt with heavy clay soil, massive amounts of waterlogged soil and flooding, as well as hungry cottontail rabbits.

Then in 2021, I finally had a small success. I grew my very first pumpkin, and my son loved watching it grow. That one successful pumpkin sparked a tradition, and now growing pumpkins is a yearly joy for our family and a centerpiece of our gardening adventures every year.

The Birth of My Pumpkin Bed

In early 2022, I decided to get plant more pumpkins this time. Armed with a Greenworks chainsaw, I ventured into the woods and built a raised bed using old pine logs. My son, of course, accompanied me and helped me to choose the right logs.

Is it picture-perfect? Not even close. But it’s functional, sturdy, and it didn’t cost me a dime. Every year since, this simple bed has consistently delivered pumpkins, proving that you don’t need fancy materials to have a thriving backyard pumpkin patch. I’ve harvested a minimum of 10 sugar pumpkins from one small single raised bed.

I have another, much larger, raised bed made out of huge logs of eastern white pine, but more about that raised bed at another time.

What Makes My Raised Bed Successful

The secret to my raised bed lies in careful preparation. I tilled the soil several inches deep and added layers of compost, manure, and topsoil to create a nutrient-rich base. This setup has been a game-changer—it keeps pests like snails at bay and supports healthy, vibrant plants. The small pumpkin plants grow earlier and faster.

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a beginner, a well-prepped raised bed can make all the difference in your pumpkin-growing success.

The Giant Pumpkin That Got Away

I tried my hand at growing a Big Max giant pumpkin last year in 2024, but it didn’t go as planned. I built a mound filled with compost and soil, but snails quickly devoured the young plant. Nothing would stop them. They’d come back every single time it had rained. It was frustrating.

Since then, I’ve stuck to growing my pumpkins in the raised bed, where they flourish. Lesson learned—sometimes simple methods work best, and you don’t always need to go big to enjoy a great harvest. This won’t stop me at attempting to grow another giant Big Max pumpkin, however. I think I will give it another try this year in 2025!

My Favorite Pumpkin Varieties

Over the years, I’ve found my go-to pumpkin varieties. Connecticut Field pumpkins are perfect for carving, while Small Sugar pumpkins are ideal for baking. From my modest raised bed, I harvest around 10 Small Sugar pumpkins every year. These sweet little pumpkins are a joy to cook with, and if you have kids, they’ll love the entire process—from watching them grow to carving or baking with the harvest.

Backyard Pumpkin Patch Ideas: Pros and Cons

When deciding how to grow your pumpkins, both in-ground planting and raised beds have their benefits. Planting directly in the ground gives vines room to spread, retains water better, and is cost-effective, but it requires significant soil preparation and weeding.

Raised beds, on the other hand, improve soil quality, offer better drainage, and make maintenance easier. They’re perfect for smaller spaces but may not accommodate larger pumpkin varieties. If you’re working with poor soil or prefer a controlled growing environment, raised beds are an excellent choice.

Vertical Pumpkin Growing for Small Spaces

If space is limited, growing pumpkins vertically on trellises is a creative solution. Compact varieties like Baby Boo or Kandy Korn Plus are perfect for this method. Kids can help train the vines to climb, turning this into an interactive and space-saving project that’s both practical and decorative.

Fun Pumpkin-Growing Projects for Kids

We raise two kids on our 10 acres and every year we’re doing something fun with the pumpkins we harvest. We also get some from elsewhere if the harvest wasn’t that ideal. But every year we’re doing something: From carving Jack’o Lanterns, to baking, cooking and doing crafts with them.

The kids enjoy it and so I figured that you might as well enjoy some of the ideas and suggestions below. Enjoy your pumpkins with the company of your kids and family. It doesn’t get any better, does it?

Grow a Hairy Pumpkin
Hollow out a small pumpkin, pierce the bottom for drainage, and fill it with soil. Sprinkle fast-sprouting seeds like wheatgrass on top, water regularly, and watch as sprouts create a “hairy” look. Kids can decorate the pumpkin with marker-drawn faces and even give it “haircuts.” It’s fun!

Plant Pumpkins Inside a Pumpkin
Use a hollowed-out pumpkin as a natural planter. Fill it with soil, plant seeds, and watch as the pumpkin decomposes, enriching the soil while the seeds sprout. This eco-friendly activity teaches kids about composting and plant life cycles.

Create a Mini Pumpkin Patch
Small varieties like Baby Boo or Jill-Be-Little are perfect for a kid-friendly patch. Let kids care for their pumpkins, track their growth, and enjoy the satisfaction of harvesting their very own pumpkins.

Magic Pumpkin Growing
Add some sparkle to your garden by planting glitter-coated “magic” pumpkin seeds. Kids will love the surprise of discovering these magical plants as they grow, especially when paired with fun, imaginative stories.

Educational Pumpkin Activities

Pumpkins are a fantastic way to teach kids about gardening and science. My son Viktor loved watching them grow every day. His daily walk to the raised bed just to check up on the pumpkins became a daily ritual from May to harvest time.

At the moment he is doing kindergarten worksheets. Of course, a pumpkin can provide educational activities as well! For instance by learning how to count the seeds for a fun math lesson, or sprouting seeds in jars to observe germination, or documenting the entire process from seed to fruit for a hands-on biology project.

Growing pumpkins has brought so much joy and learning to our family. From building a simple raised bed to experimenting with fun growing projects, pumpkins have turned our garden into a place of creativity and excitement. Such a small raised bed – yet filled with so many memories already!