Getting Your Soil Just Right for a Big Pumpkin

I'm frequently asked what you should feed a giant pumpkin.  Good soil is the key.  To get a good soil built up takes a little time and a soil test.  The soil test will tell you exactly what the soil has and what it needs.  What should a good soil have?  

The following are some good target numbers:

• 6-9% organic matter

• pH of around 6.8 

• Nitrogen around 30-40ppm

• Phosphourous:  170ppm

• Potassium:  550ppm

• Magnesium:  350ppm

• Calcium:  2525ppm

These numbers are based on averages from patches that have grown pumpkins 1,200 to 1,800 pounds in recent years.  Giant pumpkin plants seem to however do quite well in wider ranges of soil nutrients than some other plants and can take what they need.  However if you have a well balanced soil it will go a long way in growing a new state record.