There are good reasons for growing pumpkin indoors. First and foremost, the chances of a great harvest increase thanks to the growth advantage. This is how you can grow vital young plants yourself from the seeds.
How to grow pumpkin in the house?
To grow pumpkin indoors, sow seeds in small seed pots with low-nutrient seed soil, peat sand or coconut fiber in mid-April. After germination, place the pots brighter and cooler at 18 degrees Celsius for 4 weeks before planting them in the bed or on the balcony.
Ideal time window for cultivation opens in April
Plan a date for sowing in mid-April. If everything goes smoothly, the seedlings will be ready for planting in the bed and on the balcony exactly 4 weeks later. From mid-May there is no longer any threat of ground frosts damaging pumpkin plants.
Sensible preparation improves the mood for germination
Seeds that thrive in a fruit are naturally inhibited from germinating. With the help of targeted pretreatment, you activate the seeds and put them in the best mood for germination.
- roughen hard-shelled seeds with a file or sandpaper
- then soak in lukewarm water for 24 hours
- start sowing without further delay
If you are aiming to grow a particularly robust variety or species, we recommend the following pretreatment: You can purchase 3 percent potassium nitrate from the pharmacy (€7.00 on Amazon). Soak stubborn seeds in it for 12 hours at room temperature.
Proper pumpkin sowing step-by-step
Once the pre-treatment has been completed, carry out the actual sowing:
- Fill small seed pots with low-nutrient seed soil, peat sand or coconut fiber
- insert one seed each approx. 1-2 cm deep
- moisten with lukewarm water from the spray bottle
- cover each pot with foil or glass
The shortest germination time is achieved in a partially shaded location at 25 degrees Celsius. After just 1 week, life begins to appear in the seeds and the cotyledons sprout. Now place the pots a little brighter and cooler at 18 degrees Celsius.
In the next 4 weeks you can admire the rapid growth of the seedlings. During this time, keep the substrate well moist. Coverage is no longer required at this stage. The cultivation is completed just in time for the start of the planting season.
Tips & Tricks
In the rarest of cases you will grow the desired variety from seeds that you harvest yourself. The majority of all pumpkin plants in cultivation are hybrids. In this case, cultivation is more like botanical roulette, because no one knows which attributes of parents and grandparents will prevail. Therefore, only use certified seeds from specialist retailers.
