Muscadine Arbor Meets Pumpkin Patch: A fall Garden Experiment
For a couple of years now, I’ve been dreaming about planting pumpkins on their very own arbor. You know the kind—vines weaving up and over in every direction, jack-o’-lanterns dangling like ornaments, sugar pumpkins nestled under the leaves, and spooky pumpkins creeping in just in time for Halloween. But between hay season and farm life, that idea never made it past the dreaming stage.
I’ve been dreaming of a trellis/arbor like this for two years now. Now this is an enchanted pumpkin fairyland!
Until this year.
The Pumpkin-Arbor Aha Moment
One hot July day, while working/training my muscadine vines on our wild and unruly muscadine arbor, I had an idea: Why not plant the pumpkins at the base posts of the arbor we already have? We have muscadines only growing up two of the six posts of the arbor, so that means 4 whole posts were vacant and ready for new vines to be weaved around them. It was my perfect ‘aha!’ moment!
My beautiful muscadine arbor was just ready to become something more!
Muscadines ripening on the vine in mid-July are such a beautiful sight!
No new construction. No extra trellis work. Just use what’s already there. And y’all—it might just be the most perfect idea.
So on July 10, I started 3 different varieties of pumpkins from seeds—spooky pumpkins, sugar pumpkins, and classic jack-o’-lantern pumpkins. After nurturing the seedlings for a couple of weeks, I transplanted them to the base of the four vacant posts around the muscadine arbor. With rich soil, landscape fabric, and a fresh layer of mulch to hold in moisture and keep weeds down, these little vines are ready to take off and climb.
I secured the landscape fabric in place with just long nails—no landscape fabric anchors. I seriously just used what I had on hand in a pinch.
Mulch, mulch, mulch! I originally wanted to mulch just so I could see muscadines on the ground while harvesting. It’s easier to find ripe muscadines on mulch vs. unruly grass.
Muscadine + Pumpkin: A Match Made in the Garden?
Now, if you’re wondering whether muscadines and pumpkins are companion plants… well, so am I.
They’re not classic companions in the traditional sense (like tomatoes+basil—or corn+squash+beans), but they don’t seem to mind each other so far. Both muscadines and pumpkins enjoy the sun and rich, well-drained soil. As long as the pumpkin vines don’t completely choke out the muscadines or compete too much for water, this setup might just be the best of both worlds. Planting the pumpkins on a post with no muscadines at the base may just mean they’ll be the best little companions ever!
At the very least, they’re making a beautiful pair. The muscadine leaves trail overhead while the pumpkins snake their way along the base, reaching for support and sunshine.
Nugget the wienie dog is standing guard watching these newly planted pumpkin plants.
Timing is Just Right For Fall
A July 10th planting means these pumpkins should be ready to harvest right around Halloween. That’s just in time for roasting seeds, making pumpkin bread, and carving up jack-o’-lanterns for the porch.
I’m trying not to count my pumpkins before they grow, but I can’t help being excited about the possibilities—especially knowing that I finally acted on a garden idea I’ve been carrying in my back pocket for years.
Pumpkin Varieties Planted
Jack-o’-lanterns—these pumpkins are medium in size and ideal for carving at Halloween, and they are probably the variety you’re most familiar with. They grow for about 110 days until they reach maturity, and they are the ones you usually see at pumpkin patches.
Sugar pumpkins—These smaller, round pumpkins are sweet, dense, and perfect for baking. Their flesh is smooth and flavorful, making them ideal for pies, soups, and roasted pumpkin dishes. Sugar pumpkins typically take about 100 days to mature and are a staple in many fall kitchens.
Spooky pumpkins—known for their deep orange color and sturdy shape, spooky pumpkins are a fun, versatile variety great for both decorating and cooking. They’re slightly smaller than traditional jack-o’-lanterns, maturing in about 95-100 days, and often have a smooth, uniform surface that is easy to carve or paint for festive displays.
What’s Next?
For now, I’m watching these vines like a hawk, giving them a little water and encouragement, and hoping they find their way up and over the arbor. Will this little experiment produce armloads of pumpkins this fall? Maybe. Maybe not.
But the joy is in the trying. In the doing. In the seeing-what-happens and embracing the fun either way.
In the meantime, this muscadine arbor is looking better than ever—shaded, mulched, and brimming with promise.
Planning Your Own Fall Garden? Try This:
Start pumpkins in July for a bountiful fall harvest.
Use what you already have! Use existing trellises, fences, or arbors to support vining plants. Have fun watching what will climb, spread, and grow.
Mulch over landscape fabric to retain moisture and block weeds—it’ll look cleaner and more put together.
Consider pairing plants that won’t compete too aggressively for light and water.
Most of all—have fun and don’t be afraid to experiment! Let the garden be your personal playground.
Maybe these chickens won’t scratch away at our pumpkin plants before they get established!
Happy Planting, my friend!
Erin Glover
Get the Free Step-by-Step Guide!
Love the idea of pumpkins growing up a muscadine arbor? Grab my printable step-by-step guide and learn exactly how I planted spooky, sugar, and jack-o’-lantern varieties right on the farm! Perfect for a fall garden project you’ll never forget.