Pumpkin Patch

Happy Fall! Pumpkins have been growing all summer and are finally ready to be picked. There are 45 varieties of pumpkins and they are used in many different ways. Some pumpkins are used for decoration, some pumpkins are used to carve funny faces, and some are used to make yummy pumpkin pie.

No matter what you do with them, all pumpkins grow in the same way. Pumpkins need a lot of water, and it is best to keep their leaves dry. Pumpkins grow on vines. The vines can grow long. This means pumpkins need a lot of room to grow. Pumpkins need at least six hours of sunlight. Water, space, and sunlight make the pumpkins grow.

So, how do you grow a giant pumpkin? First, you need the right seed. It is best to buy a special seed that came from a giant pumpkin. And that giant pumpkin came from a seed that came from a giant pumpkin. It can cost anywhere between $10 to $100 for just one seed! Plant that seed and give your growing pumpkin some extra special care. With a little bit of luck, you will grow a GIANT pumpkin!

What Do You Think?  How many gallons of water do you think it would take to grow a giant pumpkin?

Reading Response Click on this link to respond to your reading. Print out the response page or upload it to your classroom site. 

What Happened? Why? 

Photo Credit: (t)Pixtal/AGE Fotostock, (b)Anna Nahabed/Shutterstock