Sometimes the simplest internet videos are the ones that resonate most and can highlight an activity sure to help reduce stress.
What's happening?
A TikTok post from content creator Gardening with Tara, showing an August pumpkin harvest (and an appearance from Tara's cats), is sparking intrigue for turning a quiet garden task into something viewers find joyful and calming.
@gardeningwithtara Pick some pumpkins with me 🤩 #gardenharvest #growyourownfood #pumpkins ♬ original sound - Gardening with Tara
The TikTok post is part of a broader wave of social media content focused on growing food at home. From tomatoes and herbs to squash and pumpkins, creators are sharing everyday gardening moments.
It shows off her substantial pumpkin harvest, with a wide variety of types of pumpkins beyond just the standard orange ones you might expect to see in the grocery store.
Why does it matter?
Pumpkins are a reminder that food takes time, care, and space to grow.
A home garden will not replace the broader food system, but even a modest harvest can supplement store-bought produce and reduce some of the packaging and transportation tied to food purchases.
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Pumpkins also highlight the value of dual-purpose crops. Depending on the variety, they can be used for cooking, baking, seed saving, or fall decoration, giving gardeners multiple uses from a single plant.
These posts help present food-growing as something ordinary people can try, one season and one plant at a time.
What can I do?
If you're interested in growing your own food, the best place to start is small and realistic. Pumpkins can be rewarding, but they often require ample space to spread out, so compact varieties or a community garden plot may be better suited than a very small yard.
If you do want to grow pumpkins, focus on the basics: full sun, consistent watering, healthy soil, and patience. Supporting pollinators with nearby flowering plants can also help, since squash and pumpkin plants rely on pollination to produce fruit.
If growing them at home is not realistic, shopping at a local farm or farmers market can still support regional food production while offering a closer look at what seasonal harvesting involves.
Since many of the pumpkins were not the typical orange ones you see during Halloween, TikTokers had a lot to say about them.
One user said, "It looks like a pumpkin thats been serving on davy jones ship."
Another commented, "So so cool! I love the bumpy pink ones!"
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