Tips for Growing Pumpkins & Watermelons (Squash Too): Water, Space, Rooting, Borers, Fungus & More

Basic tips for growing pumpkins and watermelons (squash & zucchini too). Spacing and watering, How to get the plants to root along the vine. Managing the vine borer. How find squash bug eggs and treating mildew and fungus. A great overview if you are planning to grow watermelons and pumpkins.

My New Book: The Modern Homestead Garden: Growing Self-Sufficiency in Any Size Backyard

You can find it at these different locations... Thanks 4 the Support!

Metric Conversion
1 Inch = 2.54 Centimeters
1 Foot = 0.3048 Meters
1 Gallon (US) = 3.78541178 Liters
1 Fluid Ounce (US) = 29.5735 Milliliters
1 Tablespoon (US) = 14.7868 Milliliters
1 Teaspoon (US) = 4.9289 Milliliters

Please Help Support My Channel: The Rusted Garden Homestead - Thanks!

My Social Media Links:

Follow me on Instagram:

I now have an Amazon Influencer's Storefront. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It is free to use.

I put the products I use, in videos, there and have gardening products set up by categories. Here are the direct links by description.

Great Gifts for Gardeners in Your Life

Products in My 2020 YouTube Videos

Seed Starting Supplies and Grow-Light Stations

Containers, Pots and Small Greenhouses

Better Greenhouses, Shade Cloth, Tunnels & Cold Frames

Fertilizers & Amendments: Indoor and Outdoor Gardening

Disease and Pest Management

Garden Tools: The Rusted Garden

Gardening Books and Resources

Products I Use and Recommend. I have an affiliation with them:

[ruthcowden]

Learning about the vine borers and how important the rooting of the vines is has really improved my squash. You are a wonderful teacher Gary!

[glow]

I always love watching your videos even from years ago. When i need help finding answers i come to your videos you have it all! Thank you

[hera]

Let non-venomous spiders live inside the cone of the leaf. They help keep pests off your pumpkins and they help get rid of mosquitoes

[nateellenberger]

Gary (I really hope you see this message, my friend. You are amazing!! ), I had to come back today and meantion how well your tips have improved my pumpkin/Zucchini plants. Each year, I'd have a few Zucchini plants get "rotten" at the vine and some would not (I couldn't figure out why the vine was always dying/getting rotten 🤔). I noticed the leaves on our watermelon and Zucchini plants would "wither" (just like you said) even when I would watered each day. Come to find out, "VINE BORES" was the issue 😵. I NEVER knew what a Vine Bore was until I came across your video, my friend.
I pulled out 10 (yes, TEN) Vine Bores out of 3 of the 6 plants. Both of my pumpkin plants had 4 Vine Bores in EACH plant!!! I dug them all out (stab stab stab 😉) and re-covered the damaged vine with a soil/compost mix. My pumpkin and Zucchini plants are strong and I believe they will "bounce back" now that the Vine Bores are not bothering them 😁.
You are a MASTER Gary, and I will never forget what you have taught me in this video. Amazing technique, but just one I wish you would have meantioned what a Vine Bore actually "is" (grub/worm??). Before watching, I was not sure if a Vine Bore was an actual insect, beatle, worm, etc. I did learned that a Vine Bore looks like a "white grub/worm". Anyways, thanks again my friend and I will subscribe and follow! Take care and Happy Growing!

[kdpva]

Got this video a week too late. Ripped out 80% of my squash due to vine borer attacks. 🤦🏻‍♂️ I loathe that bug.
Now I know. Thanks for all your work Gary. Your videos are immensely helpful.

[LadyV]

What a lush garden you have and soooo many varieties! And so many tips for vine boarers! Thank you so much!

[kristineschilling]

I was today years old when I learned....
That squashes and melons will pop roots a junctions if they have ground access.
That Zucchini plants will send out secondary stems.

[naturegirl]

This is VERY helpful! I was blessed with an unexpected pumpkin plant(assuming it's from a dropped seed from when I carved one a year or so ago lol). It has 3 healthy little pumpkins so far, but had no clue how to take care of one and wanted to do what I could to help it stay healthy, so thank you so much for this!

[mumbaibalconygardenerhobbies]

You must feel so wonderful gardening in this new space, plants are lush . And as always an excellent video 🙏.

I watch regularly but leave a comment once in a while . Have a great season ahead Gary

[Hatfield_Country]

I had a nice pumpkin patch going last year until the squash bugs invaded. I learned my lesson and know how to deal with them now.

[kele]

Great info on rooting, so glad you showed us those little tiny protrusions that are actually the plant rooting! I didn't know about borers either. All this might explain why my container grown zucchini and yellow squash didn't do well this year (odd though, as in years past they did very well). I have no choice but to grow in containers, though. Your watermelons look great! Wish I had ground space to grow melons and pumpkins and other squash better. But I still love learning about them. Great news about your book, I'll be checking that out. Thanks for another great video!

[WeatherNut]

Awesome tips! Wow. I been watering my pumpkins every other day here in CT. Lots of 90s happened past 2 weeks. I have to inspect better though. Got some mildew and dying leaves. Got some pumpkins growing through

[heatherpetro]

Just pre-ordered the book! Can’t wait until it comes out & I’m glad I can support after all the things I’ve learned from you.

[HannaInman]

Really great information! Last year was my first year gardening and I had no clue that vine borers, squash bugs, and powdery mildew existed. I figured it out about three months into this southwestern NC climate threw at me. I was much better prepared this year. So far I've been able to evade the pests. Time will tell with the powdery mildew... But even after hundreds of videos and articles, this video contained much more new information. Thanks!

[wandagcruzribot]

Thank you for the info! I have learned so much from your posts, and that has helped to save the few veggies (especially squash and melons) that I plant. The vine rooting and the mounding is so logical and super helpful. Again, thank you!

[victoriasann]

That was very interesting.
I figured out a different way planting plants, which works for me.
Dig a hole add water, mix up dirt an water making a Mud hole. Why it takes longer for a partial grown plant create a great root system in hard dirt, reason for mud hole, add more dirt an water, plant the plant add more water. Also works at smaller scale for seeds.
I don't have compost.

[simpinainteasyRHEC]

Gary, i hope you know how much of a gem you are, i feel blessed to be receiving all of your treasure trove of knowledge. With the current state of this country and all affairs in general, its now more than ever (imo) the most critical time to become more self sufficient and prepared for whatever. Thank you so very much. I wish I could support you monetarily, but due to the gov. Shutting what they deemed not essential, were on a very tight budget. Praying for abundant blessing, so we can in turn bless others. 🙂🤗 thank you so much!

[marylou]

Hi Gary, Just wanted to ket you know that your video today really heloed me out with my squash plants (what's left of them) including one succesful pumpkin plant and a watermelon plant. Thanks so much for yourtips about vine borers and keeping the vines on the ground to root.
I am a new/old gardener back with 4 more 4x8 raised beds and my original 16x20. I have made so many mistakes this year but this beautiful garden is producing in spite of me. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
All the best, Mary Lou in Ct. (zone 6b)

[mariebarnes]

Your videos are so informative. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[jenniferrush]

I like the point you make about letting them sprawl to protect from vine borer. I really struggle with vine borers… but I also grow vertically due to space. I’m going to try and adjust where I can. Thanks for the tip!