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Pumpkins, cornstalks, witches, spider webs, ghosts, and more have cropped up in yards. You might've even spied a jack-o'-lantern or two by now. It's that time of year — Halloween and Thanksgiving are just around the corner.
Contrary to some beliefs, pumpkins are a fruit, not a vegetable. They can range in size from less than 1 pound to more than 1,000 pounds in size. Pumpkins are a warm-season crop and best planted in early July, when the soil temperatures reach 60 degrees at 3 inches below the soil surface. Watering only the roots and vines can prevent the leaves from getting wet; wet leaves can predispose plants to powdery mildew.
The word pumpkin is derived from the Greek word pepon, meaning "large melon." It is thought that pumpkins originated in North America and that seeds from pumpkin-related plants dating from 7000 to 5500 B.C. were found in Mexico. Pumpkins are now grown all over the world. About 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins are produced annually in this country. According to the University of Illinois, 90 percent of the crop is grown in Illinois; other top-producing states include California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Michigan. Most pumpkins are processed into canned pumpkin and canned pie mix. It is thought that early colonists may have baked hollowed-out pumpkin shells filled with milk, spices, and honey in hot ashes — this may be the origin of pumpkin pie.
Pumpkin was part of the diet of American Indians before the pilgrims landed. They roasted long strips of pumpkin on the fire and then ate them. They also wove dried strips of pumpkin into mats. Indians also used pumpkin seeds for food and medicine. They used the seeds to treat kidney problems and to help eliminate intestinal parasites. Pumpkins are high in Vitamin A and potassium; they are also good sources of beta-carotene and fiber.
This time of year some pumpkins get carved into jack-o'-lanterns. The tradition for carving lanterns may have started in Ireland with a myth about Stingy Jack, an Irish blacksmith. Turnips or potatoes (and large beets in England) were carved on All Hallows' Eve and left on doorsteps or placed in windows to ward off evil spirits. Pumpkins most likely replaced turnips in America. The term jack-o'-lantern did not appear as a term for a carved lantern until 1837 and was not associated with Halloween until 1866.
Pumpkins have shown up in other folklore and fiction, as well. It was believed that witches turned people into pumpkins, whereas in Cinderella's story, a pumpkin was turned into a carriage. Harry Potter and friends drink pumpkin juice. And you can't forget "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and the pumpkin head in Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow."
What an amazing history for such a memorable fruit! Want to grow your own next year? Contact the Douglas County OSU Extension Service.
Raini Rippy is a natural resource/small farms instructor for OSU Extension Service in Douglas County. She can be reached by e-mail at raini.rippy@oregonstate.edu or by phone at 541-672-4461.
Contrary to some beliefs, pumpkins are a fruit, not a vegetable. They can range in size from less than 1 pound to more than 1,000 pounds in size. Pumpkins are a warm-season crop and best planted in early July, when the soil temperatures reach 60 degrees at 3 inches below the soil surface. Watering only the roots and vines can prevent the leaves from getting wet; wet leaves can predispose plants to powdery mildew.
The word pumpkin is derived from the Greek word pepon, meaning "large melon." It is thought that pumpkins originated in North America and that seeds from pumpkin-related plants dating from 7000 to 5500 B.C. were found in Mexico. Pumpkins are now grown all over the world. About 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkins are produced annually in this country. According to the University of Illinois, 90 percent of the crop is grown in Illinois; other top-producing states include California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Michigan. Most pumpkins are processed into canned pumpkin and canned pie mix. It is thought that early colonists may have baked hollowed-out pumpkin shells filled with milk, spices, and honey in hot ashes — this may be the origin of pumpkin pie.
Pumpkin was part of the diet of American Indians before the pilgrims landed. They roasted long strips of pumpkin on the fire and then ate them. They also wove dried strips of pumpkin into mats. Indians also used pumpkin seeds for food and medicine. They used the seeds to treat kidney problems and to help eliminate intestinal parasites. Pumpkins are high in Vitamin A and potassium; they are also good sources of beta-carotene and fiber.
This time of year some pumpkins get carved into jack-o'-lanterns. The tradition for carving lanterns may have started in Ireland with a myth about Stingy Jack, an Irish blacksmith. Turnips or potatoes (and large beets in England) were carved on All Hallows' Eve and left on doorsteps or placed in windows to ward off evil spirits. Pumpkins most likely replaced turnips in America. The term jack-o'-lantern did not appear as a term for a carved lantern until 1837 and was not associated with Halloween until 1866.
Pumpkins have shown up in other folklore and fiction, as well. It was believed that witches turned people into pumpkins, whereas in Cinderella's story, a pumpkin was turned into a carriage. Harry Potter and friends drink pumpkin juice. And you can't forget "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" and the pumpkin head in Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow."
What an amazing history for such a memorable fruit! Want to grow your own next year? Contact the Douglas County OSU Extension Service.
Raini Rippy is a natural resource/small farms instructor for OSU Extension Service in Douglas County. She can be reached by e-mail at raini.rippy@oregonstate.edu or by phone at 541-672-4461.
