You cannot grow a pumpkin.

You cannot grow a pumpkin. You can, however, put a pumpkin seed in earth. You can feed it nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. You can moisten it (but please don't drown it). You can erect barriers to prevent folks from walking on it. You can dig a swale to fight erosion. A sprout appears -- it's so small, so vulnerable. You can drench it in ovicides and larvicides and fungicides. You can shield its hungry new leaves from excessive sunshine. You can take a photo of a pumpkin flower and share it on Instagram. You can watch local pollinators, whose short visits transfer genetic material between lucky pumpkin plants. You can protect a flower as it becomes a fertilized ovary and matures into a fruit -- green, at first, then large and orange. You can remove its innards and carefully follow your aunt's pumpkin pie recipe (which didn't turn out right). You can carve a big smile into the flat surface where it once laid on the earth and place an artificial candle inside it. But you cannot grow…