Super Squash Scavenger Hunt 2020

Join Us for this All-Ages Autumn Activity! Extended Through November 1st!

How many squash and pumpkins do you think you can spot at Bloedel Reserve? If you’re visiting in October, the answer is hundreds. Every spring, our Horticultural team plants beds of squash and pumpkins specifically so that they can create the colorful, seasonal displays you will see around the grounds.

When you arrive at the grounds, pick up a Super Squash Scavenger Hunt map at the start of the trail. Or use the link below to download a map before you come. This map highlights where to find the various squash and pumpkins and gives you questions to answer about what you see. (Please bring a pen or pencil with you to write down your answers.) On the back of the map, you’ll find photos and much more information about this diverse family of vegetables.

Download the Super Squash Scavenger Hunt map before your visit.

New This Year!
Guess the Size of Dill’s Atlantic Giants!

Just how big can a giant pumpkin get? Take a look at the two Dill’s Atlantic Giant pumpkins we have on display this year — one near the entrance to the Reserve and one at the Residence. These pumpkins were especially cultivated by Philip Bloomquist, a member of the Bloedel Horticultural team and our resident “Gourd Guru.” The pumpkins even have names — Nettlebane and Jeffrey — given to them by the children of one of our staff members on a recent visit to the grounds.

Can you correctly guess the weight or the circumference of either pumpkin? The people who have the guesses that are closest to the correct weight and size of each pumpkin will each win a $35 gift certificate from the Bloedel Shop.

Make your best Giant Pumpkin guesses online.

Winners (4 winners total) will be selected on November 1st. Winners will be notified by email, as well as congratulated here and via social media.

Tips for Growing Your Own Giant Pumpkins

Want to try your hand at growing your own giant pumpkin? Here are some tips from the Bloedel Horticulture team to get you started:

• Use seeds collected from pumpkins specifically bred for size.
• Sow your seed indoors in early to mid-April.
• Move your plants out of doors in mid-May.
• Fertile soil is key. Plant in soil amended with well-rotted manure or compost.
• Bury the stems as the vines grow along the ground to encourage a wider root system.
• Keep the soil adequately moist. Don’t let your soil dry out but but don’t let it be continually swampy either.
• Hand-pollinate a small number of female flowers by early July. You can use the pollen from male flowers on the same plant or from another plant that has also been grown from seed bred for size.
• Thin your gourds down to the one or two fastest-growing pumpkins on the vine, once they have reached beach ball size. Fewer pumpkins = bigger pumpkins!
• Shade your pumpkins. This keeps the skin soft and helps to keep them from cracking as they put on size.