Giant pumpkin question - Page 2

KLorentz · April 3, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by veggie babe

Welcome to TV, hope you enjoy the forum as much as I have. I bought a packet of giant pumpkin seed in a packet for the grandkids to watch grow. I have no idea what kind I bought but I think we will have fun.

I may have questions later that you can help me with. What the heck I might as well start now by asking---when do you plant your seed? Do you plant them in the ground or start them in seed trays? What fertilize do you get the best results with?

thanks,
neva

Hey ,

I always got good results with rabbit manure. It works very well. I also hope to add fish emulsion or a kelp based fertilizer as well. Here is a link to a site that should be of great help to you. http://www.howarddill.com

GL for a great harvest,

Kevin

justplayin123 · April 3, 2009

I always start my seed inside. File the sides of the seed except the bottom, then put into a pot of seed starter with enough warm water to feel like squishy bubbles when you squeeze it. Put the seed pointy end up. I use a 4 in pot and cover it with a baggie and rubber band. Do not water again until it emerges. Put it over heat between 75-80 degrees. No lights needed. When it emerges, wait for the first true leaf to show. It will vine out opposite the first true leaf so you know which direction to plant it. As soon as you see that first true leaf, get it in the ground.
You can start your seed any time now. You will need to protect it at night against frost and temp too cool. As far as fertilizer there is a lot of different approaches. This year I am using compost tea to feed my soil and will add some fish fert and seaweed when needed to feed the plant.
I can keep rambling on... so tell me if I answered your question...

justplayin123 · April 3, 2009

Ohhh... I do get my soil ready before I ever plant. I have a combo of OM and manure. There is a book that you should get if you want to grow for a weigh-off or competitions. It is "How to grow World Class Giant Pumpkins, II" by Don Langevin. He has 3 books in total but that one is the best in my opinion. It teaches you everything you need to know from soil prep to harvesting the pumpkin!
And I love the site KLorentz posted!

KLorentz · April 3, 2009

Glad you enjoy the site. Lots of cool stuff.

Kevin

robin303 · April 4, 2009

Welcome glad you made it here Chelle.

veggie babe · April 5, 2009

Thanks Chelle your information helps a bunch--looks like I need to get started. I may have questions later on. I won't be growing for competition just for the grandkids and my pleasure.

thanks again,
neva

justplayin123 · April 5, 2009

Robin, Thanks for inviting me over here! I am really enjoying the forum.
Neva, I will try to answer anything I can and will be glad to help! It is unlike anything you have ever grow. We actually marked a line at the end of the main vine one morning and by that evening it had grown just over a foot. Your grand children will love it! I have to warn it is rather addictive growing them. Next thing you know you will driving down the road with a giant pumpkin in tow going to a weigh-off.

There are a few things to you need to know about these fellas. Grow the main vine and the secondary vines off of the main, cut all other vines off of it. They are like suckers on a tomato plant. This will form the plant into a "Christmas tree" shape. Since you are just growing for fun, you can pollinate and keep a few pumpkins on the vine. If you were growing for major size, you would pollinate only on the main vine and then choose the one you want to grow to maturity by the growth it exibits in the first 10 days. They will look like a basketball in 10 days after pollination!!!
Cover the females up as soon as they form on the vines. I put a lawn chair over mine to keep the sun off. As soon as you decide which ones you are growing, put some fine sand underneath and keep it shaded. Cut the leaves from around the pumpkin because it will scar easily. You are well under way of growing a biggun....
There is so much that I could keep rambling about... I get excited talking about pumpkins!

veggie babe · April 6, 2009

gosh, I had no clue what I was getting into. Let me get my feet wet this year and see what happens. I drive a pick-up so I guess we could take it where ever we wanted.
thanks so much,

neva

justplayin123 · April 6, 2009

They are so much fun to grow! They draw you in like a good book!
You can just let them grow and not do all the trimming and pumpkin culling. They will still get bigger than the normal pumpkin but not huge. It is all about enjoying what you are doing and what makes it fun for you! Can't wait to hear your experiences this year!
Grow 'em big,
Chelle

veggie babe · May 1, 2009

Chelle, I am off to a bad start with my giant pumpkin project. After I planted them DH wanted me to dig them up so he could replow that area of the garden after all the rain and grass growing.

When I dug the seed up they were sprouting, I carefully put them in a cup with soil and when he finished plowing I replanted the seed. This was last friday and as of thrusday evening there is no sign of a sprout pushing thru the soil. Should I just give up and start over??????????????

neva

justplayin123 · May 1, 2009

Well.... they are not partial to being disturbed but I won't say it is out of the question that it could still sprout. If it were me, I would start another seed.

veggie babe · May 3, 2009

Thanks, I will start more seed tomorrow if it isn't raining. I thought that might be my problem. Hope you season is going well.

neva

Amigatec · May 3, 2009

I too grow Giant Pumpkins, I have 4 in the ground already this year. If you need any help Chelle or myself will be glad to help you.

The pumpkin in my avatar weighted 460 lbs when I picked it.

That's another thing, picking these things. LOL

geeboss · May 5, 2009

Trying to grow Big Max in a container this year. Its sharing some space with some winter sown vegies.

Polar_Lace · May 6, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by geeboss

Trying to grow Big Max in a container this year. Its sharing some space with some winter sown vegies.

geeboss,

I think you should have picked a larger container. Like maybe a ten gallon pot.

Read this on Pumpkin Roots Developement

And they don't like their roots to be handled or messed with. They're also enormous feeders and quite thirsty too. You need very rich, fertile soil also.

~* Robin

April 3, 2009	#17
justplayin123 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 10	I always start my seed inside. File the sides of the seed except the bottom, then put into a pot of seed starter with enough warm water to feel like squishy bubbles when you squeeze it. Put the seed pointy end up. I use a 4 in pot and cover it with a baggie and rubber band. Do not water again until it emerges. Put it over heat between 75-80 degrees. No lights needed. When it emerges, wait for the first true leaf to show. It will vine out opposite the first true leaf so you know which direction to plant it. As soon as you see that first true leaf, get it in the ground. You can start your seed any time now. You will need to protect it at night against frost and temp too cool. As far as fertilizer there is a lot of different approaches. This year I am using compost tea to feed my soil and will add some fish fert and seaweed when needed to feed the plant. I can keep rambling on... so tell me if I answered your question...

April 3, 2009	#19
KLorentz Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Stryker, Ohio Posts: 995	Glad you enjoy the site. Lots of cool stuff. Kevin

April 4, 2009	#20
robin303 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Austin, TX Zone 8b Posts: 531	Welcome glad you made it here Chelle.

April 5, 2009	#21
veggie babe Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: east texas Posts: 686	Thanks Chelle your information helps a bunch--looks like I need to get started. I may have questions later on. I won't be growing for competition just for the grandkids and my pleasure. thanks again, neva

April 6, 2009	#23
veggie babe Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: east texas Posts: 686	gosh, I had no clue what I was getting into. Let me get my feet wet this year and see what happens. I drive a pick-up so I guess we could take it where ever we wanted. thanks so much, neva

May 1, 2009	#25
veggie babe Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: east texas Posts: 686	Chelle, I am off to a bad start with my giant pumpkin project. After I planted them DH wanted me to dig them up so he could replow that area of the garden after all the rain and grass growing. When I dug the seed up they were sprouting, I carefully put them in a cup with soil and when he finished plowing I replanted the seed. This was last friday and as of thrusday evening there is no sign of a sprout pushing thru the soil. Should I just give up and start over?????????????? neva

May 3, 2009	#27
veggie babe Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: east texas Posts: 686	Thanks, I will start more seed tomorrow if it isn't raining. I thought that might be my problem. Hope you season is going well. neva

May 3, 2009	#28
Amigatec Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 208	I too grow Giant Pumpkins, I have 4 in the ground already this year. If you need any help Chelle or myself will be glad to help you. The pumpkin in my avatar weighted 460 lbs when I picked it. That's another thing, picking these things. LOL

May 5, 2009	#29
geeboss Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Fairfax, VA Z7 Posts: 524	Trying to grow Big Max in a container this year. Its sharing some space with some winter sown vegies.