Pumpkins and winter squashes (Cucurbita maxima) are vigorous trailing plants that need 2–3 m² each but reward the space with fruits that keep for months. They are frost-tender: sow indoors in individual pots in late April, or directly outdoors in mid-May, 2–3 cm deep, and plant out after the Ice Saints. The ideal spot is sunny and warm, with soil very rich in organic matter – many gardeners grow pumpkins at the edge of the compost heap. Water generously at the base, especially while fruits are swelling, and mulch with straw to retain moisture. For giant fruits keep only two or three per plant; smaller varieties such as 'Uchiki Kuri' (Hokkaido) can carry all they set. Put a board or tile under each fruit to prevent rot. Powdery mildew often coats the leaves in late summer but rarely harms ripe fruit. Harvest before the first frost, when the stalk has turned woody and the skin cannot be dented with a fingernail; cure the fruits for two weeks somewhere warm, then store them at 10–15 °C.