The pumpkin belongs to the same family as the cucumber, squash and courgette.
They come in a variety of shapes, colours and sizes and are fun to grow. Some varieties of pumpkins can grow to an enormous size with the help of some additional feeding and hot summer weather. Many gardeners enjoy taking part in a yearly challenge as to who can grow the biggest pumpkin!
It is a versatile vegetable, the orange flesh can be used in jams, chutneys, pies, tarts and soups.
Pumpkins can be store over the winter months up until spring and the orange flesh is a welcome addition in winter dishes.
When grown in fertile and moisture retentive soil, pumpkins are an easy vegetable to grow and especially popular with children who like to grow their own pumpkin for Halloween.