Pupils at Burlish Park Primary have been busy harvesting their pumpkins ready to celebrate Halloween.

To ensure a bumper crop the pumpkins have been cared for and nurtured by members of the allotment club. They needed lots of watering over the summer holidays! ( The pumpkins, not the allotment club!) Did you know that between 80 to 90% of every pumpkin is water .Fortunately, the plant has a built-in water-gathering and water-conservation system. The huge leaves shade the soil, keeping it moist, and inhibiting competition from weeds. They are designed to draw nourishment from the sun and guide water to the base of the plant. The question is not whether to water pumpkins, but when and how much. A major factor is the kind of soil in the patch. Sandy soil (like ours) needs more water than soil with high deposits of clay.