Print Version 

COMMERCIAL VEGETABLES
Northeast Florida Pumpkin Variety Evaluation Report, 2002
How Can You Reduce Flooding Damage of Vegetable Crops?
The Watermelon Transplant Scene 2003

List of Extension Vegetable Crops Specialists

Northeast Florida Pumpkin Variety Evaluation Report, 2002

If high quality pumpkins could be produced with good yields, pumpkin production would be a good fit for North Florida for several reasons.  First, the majority of pumpkins sold in Florida are imported from Northern states.  Shipping from northern production areas to Florida markets increases product cost.  Secondly, time in transport decreases shelf-life of the product once it arrives.  Development of local production areas would reduce shipping costs and improve product quality. The Tri-County Agricultural Area (TCAA; Flagler, St. Johns, and Putnam counties) near Hastings, FL is a relatively short distance to the large population areas of Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa-St. Petersburg.  The TCAA is an ideal location to supply pumpkins to regional markets. The objective of this trial was to identify and quantify the influence of northeast Florida climatic effects and production practices on the performance of pumpkin selections.

The pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo, C. maxima, C. moschata) variety evaluation trial was conducted at the University of Florida=s Yelvington Farm in Hastings, FL in 2002.  The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with four blocks.  Plots were 18 hills with two plants per hill. Spacing for hills of plants with vining-type architecture was 3 ft in-row and 160 inches between-row.  Spacing for hills of plants with bush type architecture was 3 ft in-row and 80 inches between-row.  Seed sources are listed on Tables 2-6.  Seeds of many varieties are available from multiple sources.

The crop was grown on white plastic mulch using seepage irrigation.  All fertilizer was incorporated under the mulch prior to planting.  The fertilizer rate applied was 150-40-60 lb/acre (N-P₂O₅-K₂O).  All nitrogen and 50% of the applied potassium was a controlled release fertilizer product programmed to release over approximately 90 days.  The experiment was seeded on 15 July and harvested 30 September through 15 October.  Season length was 77 to 92 days long.  Pumpkins were counted, weighed, measured, and rated following the characteristics listed in Table 1.  Pest control practices during the season followed IFAS recommendations.  Because of the intense heat and plentiful rainfall during the season, a frequent (every 5-7 days) pesticide application schedule was maintained for disease and insect control.

Thirty-three pumpkin varieties were evaluated in 2002.  The outstanding varieties (based on yield per class and fruit quality) in the miniature (Table 2), small (Table 3), medium jack-o-lantern (Table 4), large jack-o-lantern (Table 5), and specialty (Table 6) classes were Jack-B-Little, Spooktacular, Sorcerer, Magic Lantern, and Cinderella, respectively.  Although pumpkin yields were not as high as those from northern production areas, the pumpkin variety evaluation program identified varieties that set fruit and grew relatively well in Florida=s hot and humid summer weather.  It is a continuous challenge to identify large jack-o-lantern types that produce large pumpkins (over 12 lb) in sufficient numbers under Florida growing conditions.  Evaluation should continue to identify varieties with improved production and quality characteristics in each size class.   Grower cooperators are being sought for on-farm trials in 2003.