Pumpkins.

Plant

Direct sow. Pie pumpkins (Sugar, Long Island Cheese), jack-o-lanterns (Howden), and Cinderella types. Give them room to sprawl.

Care

Pinch off vine tips in late August. Watch for squash bugs and vine borer. Rotate away from other cucurbits.

Harvest

When stems dry and rinds harden. Cut with 3–4" of stem; cure 10 days in sun. A hard frost ends the growing window.

Preserve

Whole storage 2–3 months (shorter than butternut). Pressure-canned puree, pie filling frozen in pie-sized portions.