Pumpkin Growers Start Late for Halloween 2009

[ElfBot]

Summer is only beginning, but a few farmers around the West are already thinking about Halloween.Pumpkin growers have begun to plant in preparation for the hordes of families that will come and help them celebrate the harvest season.One of those is Redding farmer Bob Nash, who offers a haunted house, corn maze and other attractions [...]

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[Mumof2]

Oh,I can't wait to go Pumpkin picking,and eat candy corn..mmm

 

[Undrtakr]

We planted ours at the right time. Hoping we have pumpkins in the garden this year!

 

[Christmas-A-Holic]

We planted pumpkins for the first time ever. I am excited! I hope they do well!

 

[MsChristmas]

A good sign that Fall isnt too far away umpkin: I cant wait!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ballcoach]

How hard is it to grow pumpkins?

 

[JanaBanana]

Its not hard at all. We always threw our old jack-o-lanterns in the garden they would produce new pumpkins the next season

 

[Christmas-A-Holic]

Its not hard at all. We always threw our old jack-o-lanterns in the garden they would produce new pumpkins the next season

Glad to hear! I am planting them for the first time and a bit nervous if they grow well.

 

[ChristmasAddict8906]

I got a pack of pumpkin seeds that I want to plant is it too late to plant them now? it says on the package Late June - July for the area i live in
so would it be too late to plant them now?

 

[ChristmasLovers]

Since I wasn't sure if we would be moving any time soon, I only planted one pumpkin seed. So I went big and planted a Dill's Atlantic Giant. My first attempt at growing a giant pumpkin, well any kind of pumpkin lol. I got a late start though and didn't plant until June 9th.

 

[ChristmasLovers]

Here is a picture of my pumpkin at about 40 days after planting the seed. The main vine is about 18-24" long off to the left and it has a female flower starting. The female is the one that produces the pumpkin, for those that don't know, and is different from the male because of a ball at the base of the flower, the pumpkin.

 

[Christmas-A-Holic]

Here is a picture of my pumpkin at about 40 days after planting the seed. The main vine is about 18-24" long off to the left and it has a female flower starting. The female is the one that produces the pumpkin, for those that don't know, and is different from the male because of a ball at the base of the flower, the pumpkin.

Yours is doing great! Mine is over 40 days after planting and not striving as well as yours. I am an amateur at it, first year to try and grow them. I read it needed lots and lots of sunshine and unfortunately my backyard does not get that much sun. It's growing though and I take good care of it but just a little slow.

 

[ChristmasLovers]

I too am an amateur, but I think what might help is where I planted it used to be, well still is, a horse corral. We don't own horses, so we just end up mowing it. I think the manure might help a little lol. I never did test the soil or add anything to it to adjust the ph. From what I have read, with plenty of sun and at least 1-2" of water a week, the vine will grow about 12" every day or 2 and when the pumpkin starts, it should gain about 25 pounds a day. And yes, sun does play a big part, mine is in plenty of open space where it get's sun all day.

I don't expect this one to get to over maybe 200 pounds, but it might surprise me lol.

 

[loksi]

You guys are doin' great! Don't forget for those really big ones to cull some of the fruit when it comes on and leave only a couple on the plant to get huge. But if you want numbers of course, just leave 'em all on. My son planted 7 or 8 hills only recently, as we have a later season I think he'll do ok. He's 10 and wants to have some to sell at the farmers market, but he planted the smaller varities.

 

[ChristmasLovers]

I was planning on just leaving 1 on, but I might see how long the main vine gets first. That might give me a clue as to how big the pumpkin will get, I hope lol.

I was going to plant some pie pumpkins too, but as I mentioned, I am not sure if we are going to move or stay at this hose. So I didn't want to leave the new owners with my pumpkins lol. If we decide to stay, I'll plant a lot more stuff on the 3 acres we have open.

 

[ChristmasLovers]

Here's my pumpkin after about 2 months.

 

[Christmas-A-Holic]

Wow! I am doing something wrong! I planted mine early June and all I am getting is big leaves with no pumpkins.

Yours is beautiful!

 

[ChristmasLovers]

Thanks!

I planted mine on June 9th. On one hand it's doing better than I thought, but also not as well as I had hoped lol. But it seems to be doubling in size every week.

 

[Christmas-A-Holic]

Thanks!

I planted mine on June 9th. On one hand it's doing better than I thought, but also not as well as I had hoped lol. But it seems to be doubling in size every week.

What all are you doing to get it to grow? I fertilize and keep it well watered and all I am getting is big healthy leaves and that's it! I planted mine about the same time as you.

 

[ChristmasLovers]

Actually, to be honest, I haven't done a thing, even with watering since it's rained a good amount lately. The only thing I can think of has to do with where I planted, in an old horse corral. So the soil might have gotten some help there. But I haven't done anything else. I think mine would grow faster if it didn't have to compete with the surrounding grass.