Bruno the Ghostrider Pumpkin

[horticultural_hobbit]

Meet Bruno, the Ghost rider Pumpkin that Ma foisted upon me.



He has babies. I am concerned that he is going to go the same way as Gladys the BNS. The leaves are massive, and the buds themselves are nestled right in the belly of the beast. I felt as though I would be swallowed up whole whilst taking that pic. One thing is for sure, the boy knows how to look after himself. Spikes don't have scratch.

I'm not sure how old it is, when I bought him, he was nought but a two leafed seedling. But halloween is four months away, as a end point milestone. I have no idea about carving pumpkins, but I do know that curried pumpkin might be an option

[Florence Fennel]

Healthy plant that HH I've 4 of 8 or 9 that are struggling in the open ground (the others are in car tyres), so I could really do with some heavy downpours to get them going.

[taff]

But halloween is four weeks away, as a end point milestone.

don't know whether time is different in brummieland, but halloween is more than 4 weeks away here

[horticultural_hobbit]

Yes I clocked that this morning! Indeed it is four months. Was having a moment!

[Florence Fennel]

I have a lot of those moments HH, senior ones. I'm hoping for bigger pumpkins than last year just for the children to make even bigger lanterns!

[horticultural_hobbit]

I will be astounded, Florence, if anything actually crops, never mind carving! There are three little babies, about the size of a marble. If it is anything like Gladys the BNS, then I may well be onto a losing battle. Fingers crossed, though. If they do actually become pumpkins proper, how does one protect them? I was thinking of using Aunt Margaret's old net curtains or an onion bag like thing.

[Florence Fennel]

Prepare to be amazed HH, I thought last year that one plant hadn't produced any fruit and then found a whopper hiding behind a dalek. Last year I put wooden pallets in front of the plants and put the fruit on to that, anything will do really to keep them off the earth. I didn't need to cover them at all, but I did have to gently turn them to stop them getting "bed sores", if you'll pardon the expression.

[maytreefrannie]

Two years ago, I grew a lovely pumpkin for my grandchildren plus a smaller one for ourselves.

Last year, having saved the seeds from the successful ones, I got for my trouble a great big non-lovely marrow.

I believe, as the pumpkin matures, you need to remove smaller ones and leave on one or two pumpkins on each plant. Don't take my word, though, there are other, wiser heads here that'll give good advice.

[Florence Fennel]

That's right MTF, if you want big uns, you can only grow one or two per plant. Last year I had a beautiful orange marrow-shaped pumpkin that made one of the best lanterns I've ever seen. Strange.

[jacob]

Every year I try to grow pumpkins and squash. Every year the plants take an age to get going, then if they ever get around to producing a female they drop all their fruit. Best I've had is a pumpkin smaller than a tennis ball. This year I've got them in the ground earlier than ever and dug in more compost than ever. But will I get anything? I'm not confident, I reckon it's just too cold up here.

[Florence Fennel]

I suppose you could put fleece over them Jacob, but then you'd have to hand pollinate the flowers.

[jacob]

I suppose you could put fleece over them Jacob, but then you'd have to hand pollinate the flowers.

I have to admit I'm toying with the idea of doing one in the greenhouse next year! I quite often attempt to hand pollinate anyhow, just in case...

[horticultural_hobbit]

I now feel very evil. Bruno had six or seven babies. I have now reduced this to two. Doesn't feel right! There are both boy and girl bits, but will they actually do the tango together? Please tell me that was the right thing to do...else I will be somewhat miserable about it.

[horticultural_hobbit]

Bruno is acting in spite of me. There are now four babies. Two are swelling nicely. Have just spotted two tiny ones.

[rustylady]

Don't remove anything just yet Hobbit. Bruno may decide for himself that he can't cope with four babies.