Click to grab your free copy of our Garden Tools Cheat Sheet!
10 Best Liquid Fertilizers For Pumpkins
If you are trying to grow the most fabulous pumpkin this year, you probably already know that pumpkins are heavy feeders. Nurture your pumpkin patch by fertilizing the soil weekly throughout the growing season. Since you will also be watering thirsty pumpkins regularly (at least 1-inch of water per week), using a liquid fertilizer is ideal because the roots of pumpkins can easily absorb water-soluble nutrients.
Pumpkins thrive when you adjust the fertilizer for their growing stages. Nitrogen (N) should be plentiful during the beginning of the season to stimulate growth, but too much can burn the roots. When flower buds emerge, ample phosphorus (P) will promote plentiful blooms and fruit development. Potassium (K) helps to generate healthy fruit, but too much encourages the fruit to grow so quickly it might split its skin.
To get the right balance of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium for your pumpkins, use either a 5-10-5 (NPK) or 5-15-5 (NPK) fertilizer. It can sometimes be tricky to find the right N-P-K combination in just one fertilizer, and you might also consider supplementing with organic compost to add valuable micronutrients to the soil. Check out our top picks for the ten best liquid fertilizers for pumpkins, so you can learn about chemical fertilizer, compost extract, and high-nutrient fertilizer options to make the right choice for your pumpkin patch.
10 Best Liquid Fertilizers for Pumpkins
Triple 10
Specially formulated for vegetables, Triple 10 has a slightly higher dose of the essentials 10-10-10 (NPK) plus an extra boost of micronutrients, amino acids (5.5%), and seaweed extract. Watch your pumpkins flourish throughout the growing season, but do monitor initial feedings of young plants to be sure the additional nitrogen content is not harmful. Simply cut back the recommended dose if the outcome seems unfavorable.
Click here to find this on Amazon.
Great Big Plants
Eco-friendly Great Big Plants’ organic fertilizer will nurture your pumpkins using biodegradable ingredients. This compost extract is water-soluble, with a 6-5-5 (NPK) formula that also provides magnesium (1%), calcium (6%), sulfur, (3%), and humic acid (2%) to growing plants.
Click here to find this on Amazon.
Lady Miller Morcrop Tomato & Vegetable Food
Your pumpkins will prosper when you feed this 5-10-10 (NPK) fertilizer that has been specially formulated for significant results in the vegetable garden. Evenly spread fertilizer, then water the pumpkin patch immediately so that your plants can soak up the right amount of nutrients.
Click here to find this on Amazon.
Burpee All Purpose Plant Food
Water-soluble fertilizer is fortified with 6-2-3 (NPK) to stimulate growth just when you need at the beginning of pumpkin season. Watering/feeding the pumpkin patch regularly with this gentle formula means you can worry less about over-fertilizing your plants. If you prefer, use Burpee All-Purpose to jump-start pumpkins, then switch to a high phosphate, potassium fertilizer to nurture fruit development.
Click here to find this on Amazon.
PlantFuel Bloom Fuel
Energize your pumpkins when they need it most in their growing season, during flowering and producing fruit. Specially formulated with 2-8-8 (NPK), PlantFuel will supercharge your pumpkins to grow large and healthy. Consider supplementing newly planted pumpkins with a high-nitrogen fertilizer, then switching to PlantFuel for optimal results.
Click here to find this on Amazon.
Shultz Liquid Plant Food
Feed your pumpkins a hardy dose of nutrients using 10-15-10 (NPK) Shultz liquid fertilizer during waterings. Follow instructions provided to dilute this formula and use it throughout your vegetable garden. Monitor your pumpkin patch closely because the nitrogen and potassium levels are slightly higher than recommended. You might want to alternate feeding with every other watering cycle.
Click here to find this at Walmart.
Miracle-Gro LiquaFeed Tomato Plant Food
With a high content of 9-4-9 (NPK), Miracle Gro’s liquid Tomato Plant Food formula will give you ginormous results in the pumpkin patch. Just be sure to follow the application instructions provided, and monitor your plants to not over-fertilize pumpkins because the nitrogen and potassium levels are slightly higher than recommended.
Click here to find this at Walmart.
Dr. Earth Home Grown
Organic compost extract is specially fortified for the vegetable garden with 3-2-2 (NPK) content and all-natural micronutrients. Stimulate the growth of your pumpkins by feeding Dr. Earth Home Grown at each watering and do not worry about damage from over-fertilization.
Click here to find this at Walmart.
Fox Farm Grow Big
This liquid concentrate is a balanced blend of major 6-4-4 (NPK) nutrients and micronutrients. Specially formulated for vegetables, feed your pumpkin patch regularly with organic materials from Fox Farm Grow Big by following the dilution instructions provided.
Click here to find this on Amazon.
Medina HastaGro
All-purpose, gentle formula has a 6-12-6 (NPK) concentration. Feed your pumpkins using HastaGro by diluting with water using the self-contained measuring cup. You will see enormous results in your pumpkin patch because HastaGro promotes flowering and fruit production as plants mature.
Click here to find this on Amazon.
As you can see, there are several chemical and organic fertilizers available. No matter what you choose, remember to check the N-P-K content and carefully follow the application instructions, so you do not over-fertilize your pumpkins. With the right feeding and watering routine, your dream of giant pumpkins can come true in just one growing season!
Provide the ideal growing conditions for your pumpkin patch, and you will have beautiful, bountiful gourds! Do not leave without reading our other blogs for all the best tips for growing and harvesting pumpkins: