practical projects T
hink back to a time when the end of summer and onset of the dark winter months made a huge difference to
people’s lives. With no electric lights, no supermarkets open 24 hours a day and no freezers to fill, you had to store your summer harvest to last through short days lit only by candles and rush lights. The Celtic festival of Samhain used to mark this transition of the seasons. Celebratory bonfires were lit on hillsides and embers carried back in hollowed out turnips to kindle home fires. Samhain was replaced by the Roman Catholic All Saint’s Day on 1 November, and as the ancient name for saint was ‘hallow’, 31 October became All Hallows’ Eve – or Halloween. There weren’t any pumpkins in Britain then – we had to wait for Columbus to discover them in 1492 – but when Irish folk emigrated to America they took Celtic traditions with them and found that pumpkins made bigger and better lanterns, a practice that’s now become part of our Halloween festivities.
Grow your own
In April, fill small pots or large cells with multipurpose compost and sow one seed into each, 1cm (½in) deep and on edge to prevent rotting. Water in using a fine rose (sprinkler) on the watering can and place them somewhere warm to germinate. When the plants have grown,
plant them out in good soil during late May or early June when frost is no longer likely. Alternatively, settle them first into a 15cm (6in) pot and then a large tub of good potting compost. Feed with a tomato- type fertiliser once a week once the flowers start to set.
Turn the page for some creative craft ideas – the kids will love to lend a hand!
WWW.CANDIS.CO.UK | OCTOBER 2011 107
WHERE TO SEE THEM The village of Slindon near Arundel in West Sussex is famous for its amazing display of pumpkins (left), consisting of over 400 fruits. Depending on the season, the show will start on or around 24 September and continue until Halloween (
slindon.com). The Spalding Pumpkin Festival held on 7 October is a spectacular event including a parade through the streets of Spalding, Lincolnshire (
pumpkinparade.co.uk).
Record breakers
At the time of writing, the British record for the heaviest pumpkin stands at 682kg (1,504 lb) grown in The New Forest by twins Ian and Stuart Paton, who have been growing squash for over 30 years. The world record for a colossal fruit grown in Wisconsin USA weighs in at 821.24kg
(1,810½lb). But who knows, this season might have thrown up an even bigger one!
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