How should I 'look after' a pumpkin plant?

[purple-eth]

My 7-year old niece, and the rest of her class, planted a pumpkin seed in a pot at school and brought it home at the end of term. My Dad has planted it beside his shed, which is quite shady, but is this the best place for it? Besides watering it, is there anything else we can do to ensure it's survival? My niece would be heartbroken if it died without first sprouting a pumpkin! Not that she'd even consider trying the blasted thing if it did grow big enough to eat! Many thanks!

[WendyS]

Pumpkins grow best in a sunny site where the soil has been well manured and kept moist, so if the plant isn't getting much sun it may well not thrive and bear fruit. If its location is deep shade I suspect it may well not bear any pumpkins and just survive as a rather lanky plant. You could try putting some liquid Tomorite feed in the watering can to give it a boost, but I suspect several hours of sunlight every day is what it will be craving most.