Killer pumpkin

Gumbysqueak · July 22, 2011

This is our first year vegetable gardening. We have two healthy cherry tomato plants from seed. (Three more plants donated to Granny). One healthy yellow pear tomato, herbs, peppers, watermelon (sad/runty), honey dew and two KILLERS bought from a store. Main killer is Killer (giant pumpkin) and his sidekick Cuc (cucumber). Killer is huge, I estimate his vines total about 20-30 feet and his little "tentacles" keep grabbing my other veggies. All reside in a 4 by 8 foot raised bed. The bed is surrounded by well kept grass I don't want Killer and Cuc killing by growth.

What do I do?

cornbreadlouie · July 22, 2011

Reseed the grass in the spring and find a better place to plant your vines next year.

kath · July 22, 2011

Yeah, it's pretty much the grass or the vines. Some people prune melon vines after fruit set but I don't have personal experience with that. The cuke could be trained up a trellis and also any smaller melon but will cast shade, of course. Many herbs do fine with partial shade. Melons may need slings if it's a type that will slip from the vine when ripe.

platys · July 22, 2011

I found this link where they trained pumpkins up a trellis, but it looks like they did pretty small ones. Maybe if the trellis was on a slant, out over the grass?

http://blog.diggingearth.com/2009/09...pumpkins-2009/

Gumbysqueak · July 25, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by platys

I found this link where they trained pumpkins up a trellis, but it looks like they did pretty small ones. Maybe if the trellis was on a slant, out over the grass?

http://blog.diggingearth.com/2009/09...pumpkins-2009/

Great idea! Looking at Killer tonight (plucking blossoms as recommended) he is super long. Perhaps stetting some cages to lift the vines from the yard and maximize a few big boys growing potential?

Gumbysqueak · August 21, 2011

Our first vegetable garden is doing great. I move Killer's vines once a day so the grass is doing fine. Tons of tomatoes (Elmo one and two from seed) all cherry tomatoes. We have two orphans. Little Annie and David Copperfield were discovered at the local grocery half dead for 50 cents. Davis set fruit and Annie is hanging in there.

Here is Babygumbysqueak's garden. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tgQYvuxMog

July 22, 2011	#1
Gumbysqueak Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 15	Killer pumpkin This is our first year vegetable gardening. We have two healthy cherry tomato plants from seed. (Three more plants donated to Granny). One healthy yellow pear tomato, herbs, peppers, watermelon (sad/runty), honey dew and two KILLERS bought from a store. Main killer is Killer (giant pumpkin) and his sidekick Cuc (cucumber). Killer is huge, I estimate his vines total about 20-30 feet and his little "tentacles" keep grabbing my other veggies. All reside in a 4 by 8 foot raised bed. The bed is surrounded by well kept grass I don't want Killer and Cuc killing by growth. What do I do?

July 22, 2011	#2
cornbreadlouie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: SF bay area... north bay Posts: 242	Reseed the grass in the spring and find a better place to plant your vines next year. __________________ Do You Like Worms?

August 21, 2011	#6
Gumbysqueak Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 15	Update on Killer Our first vegetable garden is doing great. I move Killer's vines once a day so the grass is doing fine. Tons of tomatoes (Elmo one and two from seed) all cherry tomatoes. We have two orphans. Little Annie and David Copperfield were discovered at the local grocery half dead for 50 cents. Davis set fruit and Annie is hanging in there. Here is Babygumbysqueak's garden. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tgQYvuxMog

July 22, 2011	#3
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	Yeah, it's pretty much the grass or the vines. Some people prune melon vines after fruit set but I don't have personal experience with that. The cuke could be trained up a trellis and also any smaller melon but will cast shade, of course. Many herbs do fine with partial shade. Melons may need slings if it's a type that will slip from the vine when ripe.

July 22, 2011	#4
platys Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2010 Location: Naperville, IL Posts: 176	I found this link where they trained pumpkins up a trellis, but it looks like they did pretty small ones. Maybe if the trellis was on a slant, out over the grass? http://blog.diggingearth.com/2009/09...pumpkins-2009/