Halloween 2009 Pumpkin Growing

[spinergy2002]

I did a little research, just an FYI.... if you properly store in a dry area at 50-55 degrees, most sources say they can last well into december.

Last week I started my big max seeds, I've never had too much luck with the giant varieties, but I'm hoping this year with a lot of fertilizer and good pruning that I will have at least one monster. either way it will be fun..... I'll post pics soon after I till and set up this weekend....

I've been reading about a few ways to conserve space and organization when thriough the growing season, one way I have found interesting (and I think i may try) is to guide the vines. The set consists of sections of 2 by 4 wood, it is layed down flat and every 4-6" there is a 2" nail protruding. The vine essentially finds the nail and continues its path throughout the season, all you do is add more length in the direction of your choice as it grows.

I never thought about guiding the vine like this, the last two years I have had a mess of vines and it made watering and weeding really hard. this year will be all organization any ideas anyone?......

Also the other day I decided I might pick-up a composting setup, so I went to Lowes in search of the perfect compost tower. I could not believe the cheapest compost setup was around $100!! Its no wonder people do not try to be environmentally friendly these days. If you want anykind of designed compost unit you pay a rediculous amount of money for it.
I'm probably just going to use plastic storage bins and run wire mesh so they are breathable and see how that goes. If you want to be environmentally friendly these days and reduce your foot print, its really not economical. Being green is becomming more and more a hobby of the wealthy, I usually buy seeds in a package, they go for about 15-25 cents at wal-mart, This year they dont have those seeds, they have the "select varieties", all that means to me is the same amount of seeds are $1.50 more than last year.

Does anyone else think this is stupid? has anyone noticed this? Its as if companies are trying to capitalize on the horrible economy because now more people are growing there own food. I think that this is a bad thing because most of the seeds you can buy now at a wal-mart or an agway type of place are genetically enhanced, I dont want to sound like a Glenn Beck but I think even with this market we are starting to see a change for the worse. ............... Anyway that my rant for the week!

[spinergy2002]

From June this year.

[adrian]

i'm digging your set up

what we've done in the past to grow monsters is just simply deciding which pumpkins are growing strongest

locate their vines

clip the main part of the vines of the smaller pumpkins (it will kill them off)
in doing this, the stronger pumpkin will be able to absorb more nutrients from the vines that way

keep the pumpkin rotated to insure and great shape and color

my brother grew one to nearly 100 pounds.. 96 if i'm not mistaken... and that was using regular seeds (not sure which brand, this was four years ago)

[spinergy2002]

That sounds a lot like what we do, this year was a really rough year, it was so wet and humid every other day we had to spray fungicide just to keep our vines healthy. We ended up with a couple big ones, I'll have to post more, I actually just took them off the vine. It a fun hobby.

[adrian]

growing pumpkins is a lot of fun and if you like halloween its really rewarding i understand how you feel i'll post some pictures of our feilds when i get back out there

[MyersFan1]

I've always wanted to start a little pumpkin patch somewhere but I have never had the room or time required to successfully grow them. I think it would add so much fun and excitement to the fall season and Halloween as the pumpkins grow to their full size. I would also feel like i accomplished so much and it would be so self satisfactory if I got to carve a pumpkin that I grew from a seed. Maybe this year I'll but a plot of garden space that my neighborhood offers and hopefully I can have some pumpkins by next year.

[adrian]

you don't even have to start this early even *good news* pumpkins can go in the ground by mid summer or a tad later

[spinergy2002]

You would be suprised how little room you need to be successful. I have friends that grow them on their decks, they run the vines around the railings, and as fruit grows they just add support to it. My pumpkins came off the vine a week or two ago, and they will probably be good well beyond Halloween as long as they aren't carved. (They will be carved.) But it is a very rewarding hobby and it offers a great sense of accomplishment come Halloween, I recommend it!