Last month I spoke about Charles B. Ledgerwood's "Southern California Vegetable Planting Calendar" for May. These are his suggestions for the month of June. For the best planting months, the names are capitalized.

BEANS, beets, carrots, CANTALOUPE, CORN, CUCUMBER, LIMA BEANS, OKRA, parsley, PEPPER, PUMPKIN, radish, NZ SPINACH, SQUASH, swiss chard, tomato, jicama, watermelon, eggplant, and sunflower.

It is hard to think about pumpkins and fall right now when we have the whole summer in front of us. Yet, this is the time to start your pumpkins from seed. One of my favorite pumpkins to grow is the Cinderella pumpkin, linked to the enchanting fairy-tale, Cinderella, with her beautiful pumpkin-shaped carriage.

The Cinderella pumpkin is a beautiful rich orange-hued color with deep ridges, and a slightly flattened shape.  Plant seeds in mounds 5-8' apart, mixed with ample compost material. Plant five seeds, 2" deep, to a mound, and thin to 1-3, if needed. Allow ample space for your pumpkin vines to stretch out and grow. Place straw or a thin piece of wood under each pumpkin as it grows. Each vine yields 5-8 pumpkins. Water the equivalent of 1" per week. Best to water deeply, rather than lightly at frequent intervals.

Harvest at about 95 days. Leave at least a 2" or more stem when harvesting the pumpkin from its vine. Mature pumpkins may be carved, used in a variety of fall recipes, and as romantic fairy-tale fall decorations. Please share if you grow pumpkins every year. Please comment on which pumpkins are your favorite.

VintageGardenGal Tidbit Thyme.... Weidner's Gardens is pouring a new cement path this June 12 & 19, and invites you to join in all of the fun and activities.