120 days vs 150 vs Eternity
Dennis:
Most people I know accept the range of 120 to 150 days for the life cycle of
a pumpkin plant. However, as we now have some growers "cloning" their plants
which in essence is simply keeping a piece of the plant growing inside during
the winter and then putting it outside in the spring, we could have eternal
life for a really good plant. That is, if someone does the work. I have been
planting my seeds inside each year in early May. Some years my pumpkins are
done growing in mid September and sometimes they are still going when I cut
them off the vine. I have actually reduced the size of my temporary
greenhouse in the garden and have tried planting a little later. It is the
pumpkin I am trying to grow and not the plant. If your pumpkin is done
growing early you have concerns about disease taking it. If it is still
growing when you cut it off you lose a few pounds. My conclusion has been
that the only way to know exactly when it is best to plant is if you can
predetermine what the weather will be. Also the weather is different in
different places as to when the last and first frost will come. Some of us do
a lot of protection early and some have to do it late. So, again, this is all
a personal thing depending on where you live, the weather that year and how
much chance you want to take. I don't know what to do so I start here in
central PA in early May. Did this help you? Or are you worse off than you
were?
Marv in Altoona, PA
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