new member to the list

hi - I subscribed to the list and thought i'd post a quick message to say hello.
I am getting started late in the game but thought i'd give it a try anyway.
I live a little west of Boston and have planted 3 different types of seeds... The first batch (Ace Hardware jack-o-lantern pumpkin seeds) was planted around June 1, the other two (Burpee big max and "prizewinner hybrid") planted a few days ago. I didn't do anything real special - I used a pitchfork to remove a layer of grass in the yard (i've got about 2 acres) for each group of seeds. The Ace Hardware batch are about 4 inches high and have two round leaves and one jagged edged leaf with a little one coming out... The Burpee seeds haven't sprouted yet, although I did cover the mound of dirt with some burlap and maybe something good will happen in the next few days. I put 4 seeds in each mound about 6 inches from each other - when they get so large that they're competing for space i'll sacrifice the weaker looking ones.
I guess I should have started this around May instead of the middle of June but if I get one nice big pumpkin out of all of this i'll be happy. Last year for Halloween I spent $30 on a big pumpkin at the local fancy-schmancy farmer's market. So far i've got about $10 in seeds invested in this so i'm ahead of the game. I have a few Big Max seeds left - I may try planting some more on July 1 and August 1 to see what date works the best for having a nice pumpkin for my 3 year old boy to brag about.
I noticed the animals haven't touched the pumpkin sprouts although EVERY one of my sunflowers have been eaten by the squirrels or rabbits or something - very annoying. Apparently pumpkin leaves aren't as tasty as sunflower leaves.
Next year i'll try to do this right by putting together a proper pumpkin patch to grow a big'n - for now i'm just trying to read and learn as much as I can. The seeds and plants i'm trying to grow now should be good practice! 

thanks - jason

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Pumpkin-growing archives: http://www.hort.net/lists/pumpkins/
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PUMPKINS
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index