RE: virgin pumpkin grower

My wife offered to tend to my pumpkins while I was gone for the weekend,
then she declined and looked at me funny when I told her that you can't
just water them, you have to talk to them too.  Glad to hear that I am
not the only one.

As far as Pumpkin to soil contact, avoiding it will help you avoid rot
or disease and also pests.  I have mine placed on a piece of pink
Styrofoam.  I have heard of folks making it a day at the beach for their
prized fruit by setting them up with a bed of sand to help drain away
excess moisture.

Pinching and training vines is something difficult at first, but truly
in a few days you will see the benefits to limiting the length and
number of secondary vines.  My main feeder doesn't get much more than
4-6 feet from the fruit before I pinch it off.   I have read much on the
benefits of burying the vines, but I am also guilty of letting that
detail slide.  I need to get out to my patch so I can build a blind and
bury the rest of my vines!

Chris, have you taken any measurements using the OTT method yet on your
pumpkins?  Tracking these measurements should help you to determine
which pumpkin has greater potential.
(http://www.backyardgardener.com/weight.html)

I too am a first year grower of Giants, third year growing pumpkins at
all.  I seem to learn something new at every turn, this is great.

Good luck to you all!

Scott


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pumpkins@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On Behalf
Of Steve Haberman
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 3:19 PM
To: pumpkins@hort.net
Subject: RE: virgin pumpkin grower

I would pinch my vines to allow for fruit growth. Bury them in soil to
prevent loss of moisture. As for the choice of pumpkins.....Have you
ever played poker? Watch them grow for another week or so and then
choose. If you are careful you can manipulate the vine at 90 degrees on
the large fruit, even if it is a little bit each day. Try covering the
friut with a canopy of burlap or white plastic so your fruit is not hit
by direct sun. It helps....trust me. Good luck! I talk to mine a lot it
also helps. Your wife may think you are insane but I think everything
deserves a bit of praise now and then.


Steve Haberman
Insurance Management
959 E 4th St.
Marion, IN 45952
Cell: (574) 551-5601
Email: shaberman@insmgt.com
Fax: (765) 664-0761

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pumpkins@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On Behalf
Of dave oldfield
Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2008 2:58 PM
To: pumpkins@hort.net
Subject: virgin pumpkin grower

Hello

  I wondered if I could ask for your advice. I am e-mailing from
Cheshire in England using my husbands e-mail account. I am a virgin
pumpkin growier in need of help.

  I am in a competition for pumpkin growing the final date is the 17th
October 2008. Each competitor was given a seed to grow and cultivate.
Well I planted my seed and started it in the greenhouse (its cold over
here) but the plant soon grew too big, so I moved it carefully outside.
A vine sprouted and shot off down the garden and is now about 12 foot
long/ It had
3 pumpkins on it, but one aborted.

  I now have two, one is bigger than the other but the stem is short and
not at a good angle the other is smaller but at 90  degrees. Should I
keep the biggest? Also should I put something under the pumpkins or just
let them sit on the soil? Finally what do I do with the vines, I now
have two, and they grow feet everyday, should I chop them off or cover
in soil.

  Help!!!

  yours a complete - know nothing pumpking grower (but loving it!!)

  Chris Oldfield
  Chester
  Cheshire
  England


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