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Alexander County Center

Green Thumb Gazette

October 2022 Newsletter
The Tale of the Pumpkin…

Pumpkins originated in the Americas long before settlers came over from Europe. Not only were they used for food, but Native Americans also dried strips of pumpkin and wove them into mats. Now, pumpkins are not only used as a food source, but they are also used for decorations and carving those awesome Jack-o-lanterns! North Carolina actually ranks 13th in the country for pumpkin production, producing 3000-4000 acres of pumpkins each year!

Although exact planting dates depend on the variety of each pumpkin, seeds will be started after all danger of frost is over. Like most members of the gourd family, they need pollination in order to successfully make their “fruit”. Bees visit male and female flowers when they open in the morning, collecting pollen and nectar. Pollen from the male flowers will stick to the hairs of bees and will slough off onto the female flower parts when the bees move from flower to flower. This is how pollination occurs, which will eventually produce the pumpkin itself! It takes most of the summer for pumpkins to grow from the leafy/vine stage to the ripe pumpkin (around 75-120 days for most varieties). They are fully ripe when they are fully colored and have a hard rind and a woody stem.

Pumpkins may seem like a “plant and leave” crop, but there is a lot to do to make sure there are perfect pumpkins ready by September. Weed, pest, and disease management are top priorities for pumpkin producers in NC, especially since our weather can be so unpredictable. If you want to try and grow your own pumpkins at home, I suggest you look for disease resistant varieties, start with and maintain a relatively weed free plot, and stay on top of your pest and disease scouting. Also, like many vegetables in the gourd family, pumpkins require a lot of space, but if you want to try growing pumpkins at home, there are some newer varieties that are more compact.

Although they are part of the gourd family and are considered a vegetable, pumpkins are technically a fruit in the eyes of botanists, since it is a product of the seed bearing structure of the plant. This means that other common vegetables like cucumbers, eggplant, okra, and tomatoes are biologically fruits as well! Whether you call them a fruit or vegetable, pumpkins add flavor and nutrition to any fall recipe! They are rich in vitamin A (supporting healthy eyes and immune system functions) and vitamin C (great for your bones, teeth, and gums). Not to mention they are also naturally lower in calories and fat free!

So as you decorate, carve, cook and bake this season with pumpkins, think about all the work that goes into growing each one and how good they are for you! Also, be sure to thank the farmers around you and the people who deliver these versatile “fruits” to your communities. When the season is over and you start making room for Christmas decorations, instead of throwing your pumpkins away, consider asking a nearby farmer if they would like any for their livestock. It is a win-win for everyone!


4-H Garden Club Meeting

In our September meeting, our club members helped plant winter vegetables in the community garden. The crops of radish, swiss chard, arugula, cilantro, lettuce, snow peas, and kale have grown so fast in just a few weeks! Club members also transplanted some pansies and snapdragons to give the garden some color this fall.

The kale will be harvested at our November meeting to make a super yummy recipe in the kitchen with Mrs. Der, our FCS Agent. All other vegetables will be harvested and donated to the Mobile Cafe here in Taylorsville.

The next meeting will be October 13th @ 5:30pm at the NC Cooperative Extension Center located in the Alexander County Services Building.  The group will be learning how to make pumpkin floral arrangements!  If you plan to attend this meeting, you MUST RSVP by Monday, October 10th. This will allow time to gather enough materials for everyone!

If you have any questions about 4H Garden Club, please give Cari Mitchell a call (828-632-4451).


Soil Testing - Free until December!
November is the last opportunity to submit soil samples to be processed free of charge. December-March there will be a $4.00 per sample fee added. Below are some helpful links and information to help you collect these samples.

Importance of Soil Testing: https://bit.ly/3EBpE64
Find & View Your Soil Test Report:  https://bit.ly/3w4VB3q


Click on the following links to see the Garden Calendars for each month:

At this year’s Taylorsville Apple Festival, we will have a booth on the courthouse lawn discussing tips on how to put together your own fall planters! There will be a planter there as a demonstration that will be raffled off (free) at 12pm! Stop by to hear some tips and tricks for fall planters and drop your name in the raffle jar!
 
BOLOs (Be On The Lookout)....
This insect has now been confirmed to have been established in NC. Early detection and rapid response are still critical in order to control this pest and slow the spread. If you see a spotted lanternfly in NC, please submit a picture through this online reporting tool!


Month-by-month lists of common plant diseases, pests, and other problems you may encounter in North Carolina yards and gardens. Straight from our PDIC (Plant Disease & Insect Clinic) entomologists and pathologists!

2023 Alexander Extension Small Fruit Plant Sale

In the next few months, we will be putting our orders & forms together for our spring fruit sale! Every spring, our office sells fruiting trees and shrubs, berry plants, and even some unique vegetables. Many of these trees & shrubs get sold fast and we would hate for you to miss out! Keep a check on your inbox for a separate email about ordering fruit plants and act fast.  
Native Plant Sale

Our first native plant sale that we had mid September was a HIT!! Thank you to everyone who came out and supported our horticulture program. We had over 20 pre-orders and sold all the extra plants we purchased, which was LITERALLY an entire van loaded to the brim!! Since this had such a good turnout, this will be a yearly event in the fall!  So be looking for this information again next year.  Thank you again for adding natives back into your landscape!

 
NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to form a strategic partnership called N.C. Cooperative Extension.
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