Pumpkin growing and carving challenge 2016

Hmmm maybe pumpkins aren't for us I def do not have space for this fella :(
Though it looks sooooo like my courgette plants! The Pumpkin plant has lots of what looks like buds on the main stalk (it only has the main stalk so far, maybe about 6 leaves)

I'll need to get a photo to upload.

 

Got my 4th and final pumpkin planted this morning, I'll take some photo's tomorrow.

I have to cull/cut one tomorrow also...painful times !

Steve...

 

I had a choice to make here as there are 2 plants growing, the one closest to me is twice the size of the other so it was a no brainer. The other was just cut off near the soil rather than pulled, so I did not disturb the roots of the other.



I gently straightened the remaining vine to grow in the direction I wanted it to, this vine is already 3ft long.

Under the next mini tunnel is just one plant, normally I put two together but this is the only one that has the potential to ripen orange, so I took a chance with just the one.



Both plants where wrapped up again in their respective temp tunnels.

I mentioned in my last post that I had planted another one yesterday, well I discovered this morning that the main vine had split so I pulled it out and planted the backup instead.



And this one has a rather larger tunnel to grow in...28 x 18 ft !



I've only just finished making and fitting the doors on this tunnel and still need to final tension the cover and finish burying the plastic so no real time to get it ready for actual crops, so for this year it will grow one pumpkin plant and over winter I will prepare the tunnel for proper edible production.

Steve...

 

Could anyone help me, I have 5 plants planted they are alantic giants but the leave have started to turn yellow still getting flower etc but doesn't seem right. First it was just the one but now it appear to be spreading to the others. Any idea anyone?

 

Not sure if this picture has been put on right but this is what it looks like

 

Here is mine, definitely doesn't appear to be creating vines like other photos here?

 

Another view

 

Your pumpkin will grow the same as any other plant, upward, eventually it will get too heavy and flop over, that is the vine part, so the fact that you have a growing plant...is that it is already vining by growing upward.

Hope that makes sense.

Steve...

 

Daniel, it may be your plant has a magnesium deficiency, try watering with a diluted Epsom salts mixture.

Steve...

 

Ok thanks Steve will have a go with that, it's the first time growing this type and only the second year of growing anything so hoping they will grow okay

 

Hmm will keep going for now to see what happens!

 

I too would say it will vine up snow baby just give it a bit of time they are slow growing at the minute with the cooler temperatures but one it warms up and more sun they will soon grow like mad

Here's a picture of mine not as impressed this year with the growth but I did not get the seed I really wanted to germinate so had to use a back up

 

Ah...but it will soon get going Richard, you have it growing in favourable conditions right now.

I love the porthole ventilation at the back, perhaps we can name your plant "Popeye".

Steve...

 

Good idea Steve I did not want it to be getting too hot in there and cooking but no chance of that at the minute with this weather

 

Sunday morning.

Since planting, the pumpkins in the temp tunnels have been gathering pace. After 17 days I'm having to extend the tunnels so they can continue growing undercover for as long as possible.

This one, grown from a seed of a 1684lb pumpkin by the grower Willemijns has now reached the end of the tunnel and for the last 3 days or so has grown 6 inches a day. It's 8ft long now and the leaves are 22inches across. This one should produce pumpkins that are a pinkish colour, it has female flowers on it now but I will be cutting those off and polinating one much further up the main vine so it has more plant behind it. I've extended the tunnel a couple of feet.


1684 Willemijns


1684 Willemijns


1684 Willemijns

The next one, the 1714 Lueders is a little behind being only 7ft long with 19-20 inch leaves but this is the one I hope does the best as it will ripen orange, I'm ready to extend this temp tunnel when needed and it also has female flowers on it.


1714 Lueders


1714 Lueders

In the main permanant tunnel, it is not quite so good. As the tunnel is still not quite finished and proper catches fitted to the doors, they blew open one night so the plant may have been checked by cooler overnight air. I have an 1872 Willemijns in here that has grown only inches since planting 7 days ago and is now just 3ft long. Hopefully it will pick up this week. This one will also be a pinkish colour.


1872 Willemijns

Steve...