Pumpkins are the quintessential fall crop in many areas, and most peoples’ favorite winter squash. (Yes, pumpkins are squashes, too. Most pumpkin varieties are in the Cucurbita pepo species, directly related to acorn- and spaghetti-type winter squash.) You grow pumpkins similar to winter squash; they need plenty of space to vine. Here are a few popular pumpkin varieties:

• ‘Baby Bear’: Award-winning, 2-pound, minipumpkin that matures in 105 days. They’re great for cooking, and seeds taste great roasted.
• ‘Connecticut Field’: Flat-bottomed, 20-pound, jack-o’-lantern pumpkin matures on large vines in 115 days. Great for carving and baking.
• ‘Lumina’: White-skinned, orange-fleshed, 20-pound pumpkin can be made into a ghostly looking jack-o’-lantern. Matures in 95 days.
• ‘Small Sugar’: Smooth-textured flesh and a small seed cavity on a 4- to 6-pound variety that matures in 95 days. The pumpkin for pies.