MANTECA, CA - As Oscar Wilde once said, “And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.” Already September is on our doorstep, and that means pumpkin season is almost upon us. For Van Groningen & Sons, the season is just about to start, and it looks like it’s going to be one for the record books.
Harvest is looking to be on the early side due to practically perfect growing conditions this season. Van Groningen expects a bumper crop on its medium carving and pie-sized pumpkins, as well as some of its heirloom varieties and gourds.
“Most of the reason for the bumper crop is the temperature. The heat did not cause many blossoms or young pumpkins to burn off. The bees were also working most of the day since it never got too hot,” stated Plant Health Manager, Tommy Van Groningen. “The cool nights allowed the plants to ‘breathe’ or properly respire so they weren’t sending all their energy to just survive. They were able to spend more of the inputs on producing a crop.”
The pumpkin provider is expecting this year to be strong for sales. With most children distance learning and many parents working from home, the company believes this will lead to more pumpkin home-based activities and increased decorating to give a sense of normalcy, according to the press release.
Stay with us as we bring in more seasonal updates and all of the industry’s latest on ANUK.
