Pumpkin growing and carving challenge 2016

Oh I'm not giving up entirely, just for this year as my plants are now on the compost heap after this mornings work, and the bed mostly cleared.

I'm in for one more year 2017, same target as I have always had which is the same as yours, 1 fruit 500lbs or more.

Steve...

 

I planted out 2 Pumpkins, one didn't set any pumpkins and was a runt of a plant, the other failed to set any pumpkins until late in the season despite me hand pollinating every single one of the failures. A Pumpkin has only grown to about 15lbs. Saw 3 female flowers earlier this morning, no male Pumpkin flowers so used some from a Marrow, I only want then to grow to a few pounds for eating. Worst Pumpkin growing season ever.

 

It's worse than I thought, putting some scales underneath this morning (22lbs) I noticed it was going soft so cut and brought back to eat, so no pumpkin for Halloween this year.

 

This is brilliant news and gives us all something to aspire to

 

I did not know there was a record for "grown outdoors", thought it was just a UK pumpkin record. So I guess it was created this year in light of this pumpkin.

I think this was the seed that John thought I had bought earlier in the season...lol

Well done Matthew and give it another go next year!

Matthew's diary on Big pumpkins.com http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryView.asp?season=2016&grower=73948&action=L

Steve...

 

Harvest time, methinks.


Blooms despite the cool of autumn setting in.


Growth stopped at 151cm.


A 125Lt bag of Verve multipurpose compost weighs about 45kg, this pumpkin is easily in that region.


The scales shows maximum weight exceeded.


Loaded up and ready to roll.



My pumpkin is a mere tidler when compared to the magnificent efforts of some of the fellow growers in this thread but I am very happy with how mine turned out.

I now hold the record for the biggest/heaviest pumpkin grown in the community garden

 

Hi, its muzzzR here to relay some bad news.

It has always been misterQ's wish to grow a big pumpkin and to dazzle people with his marvellous carving skills. Sadly, this may not be possible now or, at the very least, for some period of time.

In his eagerness to show off his prized pumpkin for the camera, misterQ was met with an unfortunate accident whilst attempting the Atlas pose...





The scene was horrific but, luckily, only his head was squashed. His neck was still intact which means that I'll get to practice the unorthodox grafting techniques that misterQ has been drumming into me.

All I need to do now is to find a replacement head, preferably an awfully big one. Then, I think I will try the whip graft.

Fingers crossed that I'll be able to get the cambium layers to match up, everyone. And, that misterQ will be back to his usual self soon.

 

Like it

 

Before the carving starts, a reminder that there's other things to do with Pumpkins ...

Just fined last year's Pumpkin Wine ready for bottling in time for Halloween




To be drunk with baby Pumpkins stuffed with couscous, chopped onion, mixed herbs and grated cheese. Been getting loads of these recently (don't chuck the plant after cutting your biggun) and picking at around 100mm diameter, being Atlantic Giant type means there's no hard skin and the whole soft yellow skinned Pumpkin gets eaten.

 

Nice haul there John, well done you !

Steve...

 

Nice one John