A PUMPKIN is not just for Halloween – they can make great soups and pies, and are really not difficult to grow.

These huge orange vegetables need a long, hot growing season to fully ripen and are best planted in fertile, moist soil in the sun. Sow seeds indoors in April and plant out when all risk of frost has passed, protecting the young plants with cloches if the weather turns really cold. Give the plants some liquid fertiliser every two weeks and water during particularly hot or dry spells. They make a good strong root system so, once established, they are not as thirsty as courgettes.

When growing large cultivars, remove the growing tip when three fruits have set, giving them a better chance of ripening. If you only want one giant pumpkin, just leave one fruit on each plant.

Put a layer of straw or a board under the fruits to keep them clean, and let them ripen on the ground until they sound hollow when tapped. Good varieties include Triple Treat, which is round and orange with tasty flesh, and Becky, a medium-sized variety ideal for carving.

If pumpkins are fully ripened, they should develop a hard skin which will help it last in storage for months.