What to Expect When You’re Not Expecting to Grow a Front Yard Pumpkin Patch

Summary

This is a story about a little pumpkin patch that could.

How I Accidentally Grew Pumpkins in My Front Yard!

Happy October! In honor of this gorgeous, autumnal month, let’s talk front yard pumpkin patches!

OR backyard pumpkin patches.

We love all pumpkin patches here.

Nature is weird. But that’s why I like it.

You can do everything right; coddle your seeds, evenly water, and add all the necessary nutrients…and a plant can go KAPUT. On the other hand, a bird flies by, poops, and, fast forward a few years, you’ve got a hearty sugar maple.

This is what happened to me. Except, it wasn’t a hearty sugar maple. It was a hearty pumpkin patch! And, this time, little farmer squirrels planted it…right in the front yard.

Once Upon a Time

Last spring, a strange and wondrous leaf popped up right by my front door hostas. I thought it was a weed because most of my landscaping are weeds, so why not one more?

But to be sure, I opened up my Picture This plant identification app and it said I had winter squash growing in my yard. At first, I thought, Ooo, maybe I’ll finally learn to cook! (Update: Didn’t happen.)

Then, as I started studying the plant, it seemed that I might be growing pumpkins!

Pumpkins?!! What would this do for my life?!

Could I lead little pumpkin tours through my yard?

Should I have a roadside stand?

Would I dabble in pie baking?

Could my fairy godmother make me a pumpkin carriage, too?

Should my side hustle be…A FARM?

*Note: Lots of love to REAL farmers. Y’all and your amazing veggies! Thank you!

The possibilities seemed endless! But what I’d eventually discover is that I’d grow some pumpkins…

In a neighborhood with an HOA.

In a neighborhood where I got in trouble for planting hydrangeas too close to the curb.

In a neighborhood where your neighbors notice EVERYTHING.

This would be delightful!

I was perplexed as to why the farmer squirrels chose such a conspicuous spot to grow a pumpkin patch. Then, Jon, my partner-in-pumpkin-patchdom said, “Didn’t you leave last year’s pumpkins right there for the critters to eat?”

Oh. YEAH.

Pro/Not-Pro Tip: Leave your old pumpkins out for the furry forest friends
and you, too, might find a pumpkin patch in your front yard!

So, the pumpkin patch started growing toward the street.

And branching out…

It started growing flowers.

And the bumblebees were like, “SCORE.”

Fun Fact: Bumblebees and butterflies dig pumpkin patches.

Not a botanist? I use the Picture This app
to identify everything in my wild and wondrous yard.

And as time went on, teeny tiny pumpkins started to form.

What was really strange was how no one said anything persnickety or reported me to the city.

Instead, my sweetest-ever neighbor was quite impressed with my pumpkin crop!

Which…

Turned out to be fancy white pumpkins!

When I looked back at my photos, I found the pumpkin mother:

All I hoped for is that these precious pumpkins would turn out just as adorable as their lil’ punkin’ mama!

And were they ever!

tips for pumpkin patches in your front yard:

• If you pretend it’s absolutely normal to grow a front yard pumpkin patch, you’ll trick your neighbors into thinking that, too!
• I put a little bit of plastic under my pumpkins as they grew to keep them from rotting. This is what the internet told me to do!
• There are all kinds of tips out there once it’s time to harvest your pumpkins. I did a very (and probably wrong) simple curing procedure for a few of my wonderful winter squash. I gave one to my friend and that particular pumpkin lasted inside her house for almost a year. Pumpkin farming WIN!
• Talk to your pumpkins. This will not only raise eyebrows in the neighborhood, but your lil’ punkins will enjoy the conversation.
• While the squirrels are the same farmers who planted the pumpkins, they’re also the same farmers who’ll eat the pumpkins! Cover your pumpkins with a little plant cloche like these.

• I dried off my pumpkins with a towel after it rained. Not sure if this made me a helicopter pumpkin mom, but it made me feel better!
• Mention your accidental pumpkin patch every chance you get. This will annoy almost no one!
• Don’t be disappointed when your brand new pumpkins choose not to have their own pumpkin children the following year. After all, childless pumpkin ladies are pretty great, too.
• Gift a few pumpkins to your favorite green thumbs! Attach a note of gratitude that says something like this:
  • “I appreciate your good nature.”
  • “Your friendship really strikes a GOURD in my heart!”
  • “Who’s as sweet as pumpkin pie? You, dearie!”
• Do as many photo shoots of your pumpkins that your heart desires.

The Happily Ever After: Post Pumpkin Patch Reflections

Now that you know what to expect when you’re not expecting to grow a front yard pumpkin patch, I hope you, too, can be confident in all of your accidental gardening wins!

I also hope your October is off to an awesome start. I hope you enjoy the rich colors, the wistful breeze, and maybe even a cozy stroll through your own little pumpkin patch.

What are your unique garden stories? How are you celebrating fall? Please let me know in the comments!