I'm excited to get an extra 8'x20' plot in my community garden this year, and I'm planning to grow pumpkins! They seem high-yielding and easy to store, plus I think they won't require too much maintenance for the space they take up. I'm aiming to plant two hills along the long side of the plot, with each hill about 6.7 feet from the ends and 4 feet from the sides. I'll be heavily amending the soil with compost and using cut-up garbage bags to warm the soil and keep weeds at bay. I also plan to mulch the rest of the bed with hay or cardboard. I'm considering planting Dickinson pumpkins or similar varieties, with the goal of getting my transplants in the ground by late May. I would love any advice on my plans, particularly regarding spacing and pruning.
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It sounds like you've got a ton of space there—about 4 squash plants in 120 square feet? That's plenty! If you're up for it, using a trellis could really help maximize your space, allowing you to mix in some other plants on the ground. I'd also suggest trying a three sisters planting with squash, beans, and corn, which could really boost your garden's productivity. The squashes provide mulch, beans give nitrogen, and corn acts as a natural trellis for the beans. Plus, all these plants help attract pollinators!
I’m definitely thinking about the three sisters setup! I came across a study showing it can significantly increase calories per acre, but it made me curious about the squash productivity. Given that flour corn and dried beans are pretty cheap, I want to prioritize squash production. I’ll have to read up on how sweet corn might fit into the mix!