Grow Your Own Magazine

unconcerned · #1 (**permalink**) 14-05-2007, 02:31 PM

Hello
I have been given some giant pumpkin seeds (about six varieties) which I now have germinating in little pots. I have plenty of space on the allotment to grow them and I have searched these forums for tips about how. As they are competition grade pumpkins (second largest in Maine - apparently!?) I figure it's worth trying to grow them as big as I can.

Anyone care to share any sure fire tips on how to get started? So far I gather to cover the ground in straw, and grow them in well rotted manure?

Many thanks

chillie girl · #2 (**permalink**) 14-05-2007, 02:40 PM

Hi unconcerned,

I have heard that pumpkins like beer (about 2 pints each time).

I am going to try this with mine. I dont know the variety I am growing as the writing on the packet is in another language, so it is a surprise.

If you have a friendly landlord you can ask him to save you the drip tray slops, otherwise it can get a bit expensive.

Good luck.

Tracy

Paulottie · #3 (**permalink**) 14-05-2007, 03:22 PM

Hello,

I dig a hole where pumkin is to grow and fill it with straw, old lumpy compost ie any thing that will hold water. Put in comfrey leaves and nettles(no seed or root) and replace topsoil. Cut the bottom out of the largest bottle you have and bury it half deep as you go. plant your pumpkin. cut off all but one fruit. i have never had to hand pollinate nor would i feed them beer...drink that yourself - it is thirsty work allotmenteering. Then pee in the watering can and fill up the bottle. comfrey tea will make a balanced feed once a week. just keep watering the bottle daily.

momol · #4 (**permalink**) 14-05-2007, 03:40 PM

Hello Unconcern,

It is depending on which type you have, it varies slightly. If you have Cucurbita maxima type, you should bury each knot that produce new root ( but other cucurbita such as mixta, pepo or moschata don't do so ) this way it will be able to collect much more nutrient and produce much bigger fruit. Like the other grape has said, you has to prepare big holes with loads of nutrient prior to planting and just keep 1 fruit per vine....this way it will produce huge fruit.
Hope it help and happy planting,

Momol

muckman · #5 (**permalink**) 16-05-2007, 05:42 PM

Hi, im growing atlantic giant and would like to know how far away from the fruit do you cut the vine?
Thanks Mm.

Snadger · #6 (**permalink**) 17-05-2007, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by muckman

Hi, im growing atlantic giant and would like to know how far away from the fruit do you cut the vine?
Thanks Mm.

Hi muckman! I too am growing Atlantic Giant for a little competition we are having at the allotments.
Sorry I can't answer your question but I was not planning on cutting my vine!
If the vine roots at the internodes is it not worth leaving as much vine on as possible as long as you take off the female flowers after you have a couple of pumpkins growing?
This should, in theory, give the plant the maximum amount of nutrients, should it not?

I am a pumpkin virgin myself so maybe a GYO accomplished pumpkin grower will be able to help us both!

muckman · #7 (**permalink**) 17-05-2007, 10:27 PM

Iv got 4 plants so I'm gonna have a little experiment with them all the pumpkin world is my oyster

TPeers · #8 (**permalink**) 17-05-2007, 10:37 PM

Coo, lummy! 'ow posh! I just let mine grow as they like! I'm after good eating pumkins though, not competition winners!

Good luck

Terry

Snadger · #9 (**permalink**) 17-05-2007, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lesley Jay

http://www.backyardgardener.com/wcgp...s/10steps.html

Snadger I was curious so had a read through some pumpkin sites and they do prune the vines. They also trim the roots off the vine on both sides of the pumpkin to allow the vine to move as the pumpkin grows. I have posted one link but there are other sites aswell.

I think the term 'both sides of the pumpkin' is the key. I new about the internodal rooting and even though both sides near to the pumpkin will be devoid of roots, there will still be roots either side of the pumpkin, but a distance away!

Our friends from across the pond and also the Canadians are well into pumpkin growing and as you know everything is supposed to be bigger over there, including there growing areas it seems.

I am not prepared to devote my whole allotment to pumpkins and may train the vine backwards and forwards along it's alloted path!

I thought about growing mine in a wheelbarrow in case I can't pick it up at showtime...............................then I woke up!

Snadger · #10 (**permalink**) 28-05-2007, 11:04 AM

The latest plan, if my pumpkin survives this cold snap is a derivation of the three sisters but without the third!

My pumpkin bed is fifteen foot long and four foot wide. On the Northerly end I have built a 'pyramid' four foot square at the base and approximately two foot high. In the top is a deep depression eight inches deep. I have just planted my pot raised pumpkin in this. I hammered four stakes in around the pyramid and surrounded them with green windbreak mesh. The pyramid has straw placed on the Southward end to act as a heat sink and hopefully keep the roots warm.The top has a polythene roll back cover which comes right to the ground on the Southerly side. The soil for the pyramid was taken from the second four foot of the plot and was replaced by well rotted manure. This is the secondary feed station for the pumpkin laterals. The remaining seven foot of bed will have sweetcorn planted in it and the ends of the pumpkin laterals can scramble through it.

Two hours after I planted the pumpkin in situ the heavens opened and we were blasted with large hailstones and copius amounts of rain. A freezing cold North Easterly wind followed and I had to put a board on the Northern side to try and deflect the wind.

It does not bode well for the pumpkin or the sweetcorn which is hardening off outside!

The joys of pumpkin growing!

Flummery · #11 (**permalink**) 28-05-2007, 11:40 AM

Heck Snadger - this post is a recipe for a deep depression for those of us (well, I mean me really) who have just bunged our pumpkins in the ground to get on with it! Mine seem to be doing that. They're holding on but not growing much - hoping for some warm weather like me.

Mrs Dobby · #12 (**permalink**) 28-05-2007, 11:58 AM

We planted out our first batch of pumpkin and squash at the end of April, which were doing fine until the weather changed, it didnt seem to be the temp that mattered as much as the winds, which damaged the stems of the biggest ones, but the second batch which were planted at 2 leaf stage about 4 days later are now romping away! We both think that as they were smaller they were better able to cope with the winds, but only time will tell whether they will produce a good crop this year!

coxievans · #13 (**permalink**) 28-05-2007, 12:31 PM

Hi i have pumpkins growing for the first time this year and they are doing great, i have fenceing around them for protection, my wife loves eating pumpkin as she comes from brasil. may be its this fenceing that has worked to keep a barrier from the cold up north where i live. they are really flying, larger and more leaves every day, previous house owners used my site for bonefires, and all my veg is flying, iceberg lettuce ready to eat potatoes flowering, but my pride is my first atempt at these pumpkins.

Snadger · #14 (**permalink**) 28-05-2007, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coxievans

Hi i have pumpkins growing for the first time this year and they are doing great, i have fenceing around them for protection, my wife loves eating pumpkin as she comes from brasil. may be its this fenceing that has worked to keep a barrier from the cold up north where i live. they are really flying, larger and more leaves every day, previous house owners used my site for bonefires, and all my veg is flying, iceberg lettuce ready to eat potatoes flowering, but my pride is my first atempt at these pumpkins.

Funny you should mention bonfires as the only place I could grow brassicas in my last allotment was where the bonfires had been. My theory is that the bonfires sterilised the soil and burned the clubroot fungus out of existance in this area!

Nowt to do with pumpkins I know, but the soil sterilisation would kill any nasties and up the pottasium content in the soil for the pumpkins also!

Flummery · #15 (**permalink**) 29-05-2007, 09:59 AM

Mr Flum is a pyromaniac (sorry, likes to burn the prunings!) - he uses a dustbin type incinerator in late autumn and/or early spring. I always request that he use part of the veg plot. When it's done (and cool) I rake the ash into that part of the plot. We're working our way around! I have no evidence that it's improving anything (nothing to compare with) but I do feel that it helps with sterilisation and potash levels.
Usually get good pumpkins too, but I'm not up for the biggest - just for 'big enough for a dinner' sized.

unconcerned · #16 (**permalink**) 29-05-2007, 11:20 AM

Hello
I have a pumpkin plant now just getting its first two proper leaves. It was indoors in a south facing window but has still got quite leggy (maybe 7 inches of stem before the leaves). Have repotted but hoping to move it again soon to the allotment. My question is, when I put it on the mound on the allotment, can I sink the stem or will that rot it? I am used to peppers where you can sink leggy plants into the soil to aid stability. Wondered whether pumpkins are different?

Thank you

Flummery · #17 (**permalink**) 29-05-2007, 11:27 AM

They can rot if over wet. Their natural habit is to sprawl and look a bit leggy so I wouldn't worry. Plant at its current depth and let it go!

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