Article submitted by Emma

I am fairly new to gardening so I am often looking at ways in which to improve things. Growing vegetables in my back garden means that I don’t get the benefits for learning from the old allotment owners around me. So with lots of reading and adapting my own thoughts I came up with a top tip I would love to share.

Pumpkins and squashes have very big leaves that get in the way when you are trying to water them.  So my two top tips on managing these leafy numbers are

1) Grow them up a cane or tripod but ensure that they are well supported. As the weight of the squashes will pull on the stems.

2) Or if you like them trailing across the bed then obtain some old pipe or drain pipe. Cut these into small pieces; push these pieces into the ground near the squashes roots. Once in place, pour water straight down the plastic pipes. This way you can water straight down the pipes and get direct to the roots rather than getting splash back from the leaves. Leave them in situ through out the growing time and you won’t waste precious water and you won’t get wet. The roots will get a good watering and hopefully you will get a bumper supply of squashes and pumpkins.