2014 The GC Pumpkin growing and carving challenge

yeah u can come do mine too steve i hate digging lol.

 

Looking good Steve

 

This bed is 39ft x 16.5ft, the top 9ft is for one plant to enter a comp elsewhere on the net, this is to grow the biggest 'kin you can from a 150 sq ft plot (9ft x 16.5ft = 148.5 sq ft).

The other 30ft x 16.5ft is for one plant only, I'm going for it this year and want a 500lb plus fruit on my fourth attempt to grow a really big one. Of course, so many variables to get one to a decent size, not least the weather. I've another patch to be dug and made ready that is 20ft x 15ft for my second plant, for this challenge here.

Of course the season starts later here and ends sooner than most people in this country so the chances of my plants filling these spaces in tiny, but if they do get away they will have the space to grow, that's the plan though.

Steve...

 

I have started the pumpkins today hoping for good germination I have done a few extra just incase some thing happens to some or some don't germinate also been working on the plot too still got some weeding to do on pumpkin side but there's still time

 

I haven't even decided which variety to grow yet...i've got a couple of 'Sumo' from last year i thought i might give another go ,they started off well but then flopped but i think that was more down to me...I'll get my finger out,it's surprising how time catches up

 

Lolimac if you need some seed I got loads can post you some

 

@Richard360 ...That would be brilliant ,thankyou...only if they're mahoosive ones though..
PM sent

 

Your plot is looking goo there Richard, not too much digging left to do. What sizes are your growing areas and how many plants are you intending to grow in them?

I reckon middle to the end of the month for getting my seeds on the go.

Steve...

 

Amazing space you have Steve, that is great thing to go for, a champion pumpkin. Last night I watched 'Blandings' 'Custody of the Pumpkin' from BBC. A good show in many ways but the way they have made Freddy a complete idiot is a shame - still, Angus McAllister is a great actor for the role of head gardener and the pumpkin is its own force.

I have pumpkin sprouts growing in my worm farm and moved one to a grape raised bed. I would just like a small one for a pie.

 

Hey Steve thanks the beds are 4m long and 2.5 m wide but will be doing pumpkins down far side with no bed think 2 on there and 3 on my fruit plot on the side I don't have any thing on yet but see how it goes as three really big seed are still to germinate so not holding out much hope on them now
How meany you going for Steve

 

2 on the big bed which is probably far too big, then one more on a smaller spot I have not shown photo's of yet, or finished digging over. I might have room for one more, but it will be tight.

I've now lost all confidence in my seed though, I'm fairly sure they are ok but I have noticed that the grower I got them from is not growing his own seed, maybe because he has altogether better seed or something, or maybe I'm just a worry wart lol.

I've not set mine to germinate yet though, are your sprouting them first or filing them and placing in damp towel in a heat source? Think I'll use the damp towel in a bag method, then place on a heat source.

Steve...

 

I would not worry Steve I think they are a good seed and are used to are climate more than the mega seeds I am growing two of his and so is my brother

I file my seed and put them on damp kitchen rool in a bag on top of my tank that's kept at 26.6 c they sprout in two or three days

 

....Many thanks Richard...got my lovely big Pumpkin seeds today.....Game on

 

I thought I would give a quick update. Here's the main bed for two plants with green manure now growing away. Part of this will be dug in before the plants go in, then more will be dug in as the plants grow.



Here is the second bed for one plant it's 20ft x 14ft and it needs some tidying up and enriching before planting time, fortunately the muck heap is just to the left of this shot.



I'll be starting some seeds of this week, everything starts happening very quickly from now on, especially as I have other crops to sort out and look after.

Steve...