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Re: Starting dates

Pumpkin Guru,
   You don't say what part of the world you are from. If you are in North
America around 42 degrees N Latitude, you are WAY WAY too early. If you
create warm conditions for the young plant, you will have a fully mature
plant that has stopped growing by August....just sitting there for a month
waiting to rot. There is no reason to start earlier than the end of April for
most growers and some World record holders don't start until May. Young
plants do not perform well in pots and become pot bound  seedlings that
suffer transplant shock. You will grow a smaller pumpkin if you start too
early. I usually start seeds the end of April and transplant the first week
of May and they still finish by mid sept. I never leave a plant in a pot for
more than 10 days and usually less. When the seed breaks the soil, out it
goes.....no transplant shock, no hardening off necessary if the plant just
broke the ground. Seedlings under the best grow lights ( even 1,000 watt
ones) do not grow as well as good young seedlings that just opened up and saw
real sun for the first time and are alredy in the garden. I have seen plants
in pots that are so stressed out that they blossom before they have even
vined. If conditions are good in your area already, go out and work on the
soil or compost pile and resist the temptation for at least another 8 to 10
weeks. The early bird quite often comes in last.....hold your horses, it's
still winter.






                                                            pumkinguy@aol.com
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