Guy's, I have some good news, No, in fact, some great news, I am going to enter into this years pumpkin growing contest run by the RHS.
I am so excited about this, as I have already a half-decent sized pumpkins growing down on the plot.
I was taken back when I saw the size of these bad boys growing under their leaves.
When I first started this bed a few months ago, I decided to interplant sunflowers and pumpkins together.
Sunflowers grew massive and are even taller than me and I am 6 foot, but the great thing about this bed was the pumpkins growing underneath.
Hidden under all the leaves are two of the biggest pumpkins I have seen at this early in the year.
You know when you plant something and don't check on them, and when you do and you see a size that you can only explain as mother natures work? well, this was one of these times.
I have decided to look after them and keep them well watered and fed, as I think I could really get these things into a monster size.
So I decided to use only nettle tea as the ferts for these vegetables to see how big I can get them.
I have also cut into the plants and berried some of the storks so each pumpkin has its own roots.
They have taken so well and I have noticed a size difference in the last few days of been down there.
I can only hope that I didn't plant these too late in the season, as I only have until the 17th of September to entre.
What's the biggest pumpkin you have ever grown?
until next time my friends stay safe.
Looks great. How often do you water?
Maybe you can give me some tips. I have a big healthy vine growing on my trellis. I get a new flower every day for weeks, but I have yet to find any female flowers. Any advice?
I only water twice a week, but both times has a food in it, I would be watering every other day but I am pulled out at work.
Normally a pumpkin has a male to female ratio of 10:1 male to female, but having no females could do with the nitrogen levels in your soil, or feed.
Have you tried pinching of the males to see if that brings on the females?
Thanks for the response.
Can I ask a follow-up question?
I have dozens of immature male flowers getting ready to open and no female flowers. The very tiny ones it is hard to tell which kind it is.
Should I snip them all off as soon as I recognize if it is male, or only the ones that are most mature?
This is the fourth year I've grown small sugar pumpkin vines, and I always fail to get fruit. Now it is August and I have a huge vine and again no fruit. Next year I was thinking of trying to grow a different variety, and was considering a more aggressive variety.
I have no idea how to test if I am fertilizing correctly for pumpkin or any of my plants. Most explanations for soil testing confuses me with the data charts and chemical adjustment plans. I usually start with a rich bagged compost for a container plant or worked into the garden soil, then add organic fertilizers, worm castings, and compost tea weekly or so during the season.
@creativetruth I would wait until you know if they are male or female, normally the female has a bigger bump under the flower which grows once pollinated.
With what you have said in which you use to plant your plant sounds like you are going way over the top with the stuff your adding to the soil.
When I am growing pumpkins, before the beginning of the season, I add only well-rotted horse manure to my soil and dig that in, that is everything.
I then only use water until I have fruit on the plant, that is when I use my nettle tea, this was something that @papa-pepper got me into and I have never looked back since.
I feed them twice a week.
I use worm castings I think they are the best thing ever, but I don't use them on my pumpkins.
I have read that male flowers normally come first on pumpkins at about day 55, and then after the males the females come along.
I don't know what country you're in, but it also could be too hot for them, or not enough bees to pollinate the plants, or the females are just too small to tell the difference.
I would hang on to the ones you have and see what happens, if your watering every day, cut it down to 3 days a week, if your not watering enough then make it up to 3 days.
I wouldn't give up.
The seeds I use are called jack o lanterns, they can grow about 100 pounds if looked after properly.
One last thought is to add some coffee beans to the compost you are using, this I have read is great for pumpkins. :D
Thank you for the extra helpful advice.
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