Pumpkin growers have just begun harvesting, ready for the important Fall season when the decorative and seasonal produce item becomes an important addition to retail shelves. There is a lot of encouragement for retailers to begin stocking pumpkins before Labor Day, a holiday considered as the start of the Fall produce season. And this is exactly what is happening, with retailers looking to stay ahead of their peers and ensure good availability for customers.

"As temperatures dip into the 80’s and the aroma of pumpkin spice fills the air, the fall season is upon us," said Ryan Van Groningen (pictured) of Van Groningen & Sons in Manteca, California. "You can now find pumpkins and fall harvest décor items in stores before Labor Day, when traditionally, retailers would wait until after the last summer holiday of the year. As a result, we have just started our harvest as customers are already asking for pumpkins."

Van Groningen added that it is still important to time it right and noted that the weather plays an important part in determining the correct timing to start promoting the Fall items. "Every year is different, you never know when the start of pumpkin season will begin," he said. "A lot of it has to do with the weather. If it feels like Fall outside, it is time to start promoting pumpkins and all the Fall harvest décor along with it. When your stores are the first to showcase pumpkins, customers remember to go back there when they are ready to purchase."

Cooler temperatures and good harvest expected
Growing conditions have been very good this summer, with very little in the way of extreme heat that has plagued some years. In fact, cooler weather has hit the California growing regions in the last couple of weeks. Growers are therefore expecting a healthy and robust season with good yields and availability, which they say makes a change to that experienced last year.

"There have been some spikes in the heat but they have not been too extreme," Van Groningen observed. "Last year, growers struggled in California to combat extreme heat during the growing season as well as a late season heat wave that ruined product ready for harvest. Growers are optimistic this year that temperatures will remain at normal or slightly below average temperatures, which will bode well for a good set of pumpkins. This will be a very exciting season to offer ample promotions so no one will be left without a pumpkin!"

Unique decorative pumpkins launched this year
Each year sees a new set of decorative pumpkins grace the supermarket shelves and displays. From extremely large pumpkins to the smaller gourds and mini pumpkins with unusual shapes, growers are always happy to experiment and offer a few unique products. Along with the collection they already offer, Van Groningen & Sons is also set to debut a couple of new pumpkins, including the Apple gourd and the Speckled Snake Gourd. 

"Each year, there are a few new products out there," Van Groningen shared. "One of the new items this year is the Apple gourd. Like the name suggests, it is an apple shaped gourd with a green mottled color. Another new item this year is the Speckled Snake gourd. These resemble a snake with curls and bends and a marbleized pattern with multi-shaded swoops of green. Our full range can be viewed on the recently posted catalogue on our website."

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