By Val Whitmyre, U. C. Master Gardener

Pumpkin

People quit their day jobs to raise monster pumpkins, hoping to win the big cash prize for the heaviest one. I used to think that the best pumpkin was the largest, so a few years ago, I planted some 'Atlantic Giant' seeds, convinced that my pumpkin would be the envy of the neighborhood.

In June I prepared the soil, breaking up clods and removing rocks, and then dumped in tons of chicken manure and aged cow manure. In one week, the first sprouts emerged. A month later, vines were climbing over the woodpile, up fences and growing new roots as they grew across the yard. I was thrilled.

Pumpkins are really easy to grow, and mine were performing with vigor beyond my wildest dreams. They guzzled the gallons of water I gave them each morning and evening, and I thought I could actually see the leaves grow as I watched them.

Three pumpkins appeared, and I chose to keep the strongest to be my prize winner. Soon I was sure that it weighed at least 100 pounds and that it needed a board under it to keep it from rotting. I enlisted a friend to help me lift and gently turn it so that it would grow with more uniformity.

To my surprise, he lifted it with one finger. The pumpkin rolled over and out from the bottom fled a family of rats that scurried in all directions, including into the woodpile. They had been using my prize winner as a bed and breakfast, sleeping in safety and warmth while eating all their meals without leaving home. After the screaming subsided, I was so disgusted that I vowed I would never plant another pumpkin.

The next season I planted 'Cinderella,' 'Jack-Be-Little' and 'Jack O' Lantern.'

I removed the woodpile and everything else that made cover for the rats, like ivy and weeds. With no big expectations and a bit more savvy, I had more success; they all produced beautifully.

Pumpkins are part of the Cucurbitaceae family, which includes other squashes, cucumbers, melons, gourds and luffahs. Even if you plant last year's seeds from your own pumpkins, you may not get the same pumpkins as last year. Pumpkins cross pollinate easily because they have both male and female flowers on the same plant. A friend recently brought me two pumpkins, one round and light orange, the other slightly oval and dark green with orange stripes. Both came from the same seeds. So plant pumpkin seeds far from other members of the Cucurbitaceae family.

Although easy to grow, pumpkins need lots of compost, fertilizer, sunshine and water. They also require excellent drainage and some wind protection when newly planted. Use pet-safe bait for snails. Watch for mosaic virus, which produces crinkly leaves, and powdery mildew. Both disorders interrupt photosynthesis, so if you see signs of either, dig up the entire plant and throw it in the recycling bin, not the compost bin. Also clean your cutting tools with a mild bleach solution to prevent spreading disease.

Carving pumpkins has become an art form. Although plastic pumpkins illuminated electrically abound, I prefer old-fashioned field pumpkins with a stubby candle to give off an eerie flickering light. Pumpkin-carving parties wonderfully reveal the imagination and creativity of children and adults.

Children of all ages love pumpkins. I appreciate their decorative as well as culinary values. The 'Rouge Vif d' Etampes' variety is a large pumpkin with deep shoulders, a somewhat flattened shape and a rich, reddish-orange hue. Julia Child demonstrated its use

as a centerpiece and container for turkey dressing, using the top as a jaunty hat.

You can make soups, stews, pies, ice cream and bread from this versatile staple.

Each year seed companies offer new varieties. Check them out online and patronize your local nurseries. If you have the room to grow the giants, go for it, but look out for the critters.