2014 The GC Pumpkin growing and carving challenge

I have not needed the pallet either...yet. But I may well place them on pallets this year, but with a layer of polystyrene between 'kin and pallet.

Be VERY CAREFUL with young pumpkins and handling though, what starts as a fingernail indentation on a young pumpkin can develop into a gaping wound as it grows and then cause it to rot. So planning how and where to grow each vine can be critical, if another part of the plant touches the early fruit, again it can mark it for later expansion.

Steve...

 

I put a 2 foot square bit of wood beneath mine last year, just to aid water run off.

 

Here's my collection of squashes and Pumpkins from last year, note the abrasion marks on the Pumpkins caused by vine stems rubbing on the growing fruit.



I sat mine on a piece of slate or bits of wood last year to stop it touching wet/damp soil.

Steve...

 

Resting it on something stops mice/voles from burrowing into it from underneath. I use a half size pallet (makes the pics look more impressive) with almost solid slats (not big gaps).

 

I've had eight seed germinate now, all have been potted up.

Richard, both of the seed you kindly sent me have germinated as part of the above eight.

This years seed where kind of taking their time again, same as last year so after a few days I got another half dozen seeds on the go. I can see I will be giving plants away again this year as I only want three to grow myself.

Steve...

 

Glad they both germinated I had about 5 this year that just rotted will be nice to see how your ones from Danny town do mine are tiny plants the patons are small too

 

Is it right that when it's time to plant out you face the smallest leaf in the direction you want the vine to grow or is this just a myth?

 

From what I gather it should grow the opposite way to the side the cot leaves came from but I could be wrong

 

Well I guess we can run a small test between us as I have heard that plants will vine or move in the direction opposite to the first true leaf. I'm going to make a post on a pumpkin site to get some clarity on the subject for us.

Steve...

 

Thanks very much Steve,I don't have very much space to grow mine so it would be really handy to know 'which direction to point it' so to speak it would make nurturing it so much easier

 

Had a quick look around and pumpkins move off in the direction opposite to the first true leaf (3rd leaf overall) generally speaking, but there is also quite a bit of discussion about how plants grow towards the light and heat. Also added into the mix is some growers say don't grow your plants to the north, and some saying direction does not matter at all.

With such competitive growing going on I think we could read many points and counterpoints over the whole subject.

I have never tried the 3rd leaf thing before so will try it this year, I have just "trained" my vines very gently to go in the direction I wanted them to go.

I'm trying so many new things this year, the whole pumpkin business is starting to take over so I must remember I have other crops to manage too.

Steve...

 

Mine have always headed in the direction of the nearest rabbit fencing to try to get through the mesh and form a pumpkin just through the wire and 600mm above the ground.

I've found that pumpkins in that location acheive 100% pollination wheh others at ground level struggle to get bigger than a tennis ball.

 

Just got back from our hols and the 3 seeds I sowed in a propagator in a heated greenhouse the day before leaving a week ago have all germinated. I took a chance on trusting a neighbour to correctly water the seeds rather than correctly look after freshly germinated pumpkin seedlings. Looks like I got back just in time to move them somewhere cooler so they make sturdy growth (might also give them a bit of a boost under lights).

 

Well mine have gone out under a bit of protection