How hot and humid is it going to be when you are gone? Could you stretch out the hose and leave it there so all she'd have to do is turn the water on for a few minutes? Of course, she could water in the mornings or evenings when it's cooler (or maybe you are in a place where it's not cooler until the fall!).

Or maybe ask a local teenager. Or water well and mulch heavily.

Well, I'm in Philadelphia, and mid-late July is usually pretty toasty here. Yeah, I was going to leave the hose set up near the crowns of the 2 most promising vines, and have her run it for a few mins every other day. I'll also bury every bit of vine I can see, that would help a lot too right? More root = more chance of soaking up enough water?

You could put a soaker hose coiled around the base of the pumpkin plants with a timer attached... not super cheap, but probably a good investment to make in the garden. I don't think you'll have to worry about over-watering a pumpkin at the end of July in Philadelphia!

I thought of that too Bruvyman and have considered it for my yard as well. I guess I'm a worrywart, but I'd want someone to come check it and make sure it went on and especially off.

Do the bucket waterer.fil;l buckets sit beside the plant it trickles out slowly