Pumpkin question?

Hi everyone, I decided to try growing a pumpkin this year but unfortunately I didn't have any space left for it on my raised beds. I know that pumpkins are not suitable for containers but I've had it in half a barrel at the edge of of my vegetable garden, letting it tumble down of the edge on to the ground (after I realised that pumpkins didn't grow upwards :lollol I'm not sure whether this is suitable or not? Now however, I have some space after my unfortunate potato blight incident, would it be wise to replant enabling the pumpkins to grow on top of the soil. The plant is currently on an area we're going to make into a path which has uneven stones on it. Any advice welcome.

The plant.


What I assume is a baby pumpkin?

 

How do I tell which is a male flower? Is there any need to transplant it, would the fruit prefer to grow on top of soil, is an even surface necessary for it to form properly? Thanks

 

If you are growing it from halloween this year have at least 2 plants as I made the mistake of having only one which didnt suvive and had to tell my daughter that she wont have that home grown pumpkin I promised her. :(

 

Awww :( I'm sure she'll have one this halloween! Thanks for the tip JerremyB, for me though it's really just an experiment this year, firstly because I'm basically a big kid myself & would like to have one for halloween & apparently they're great in veggie soups etc. I do hope it works out, I'm impatiently waiting for the flowers to open so I can hand pollinate.

 

just let it grow where it is now, as mentioned above u can move the stems and make sure u keep the fruits off the soil

 

i to have planted my first pumpkins this year, i planted 2 and they took off looking great! then we found out we are moving and i was suddenly horrified at the thought of leaving them.... so i dug one up and planted it in a pot to see if it would keep! for a couple of days it looked grim but it picked up again and is now growing way happy again, i have been advised to sling or hammock the pumpkins when they grow but hopefully i will be settled in new house with a more permenant position for them to stay
watch this space lol
jane

 

Can you pollenate a female pumpkin/squash flower that hasn't opened yet, or should it have opened of its own accord? I thought you had to catch it within so many days of opening. Hopefully, I will now be able to pollenate all my babies!
Liz