ubereglu Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 Hiya, Can any of you give me instructions on how to grow giant pumpkins. I know you have to start to get the soil ready at the minute, by digging a big hole and filling it with chicken manure. What else do you need to do though?????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 Hi Ubereglu The most important thing about pumpkins is that they are very greedy crops. As you said, dig a large hole and fill it with chicken muck and veg peelings etc all winter long. By Feb/Mar it should be full. cover it with soil/compost and let it rot down. You shouldn't plant the pumpkin out til after the last frosts by about mid may. The key to growing a really big pumpkin is to only allow 1-2 to grow per plant. Good luck Christian x x x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 A sister plant can take energy from the main crop, so best only 1 pumpkin per plant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 You also need the right seed - you can buy seed specifically for growing monster size pumpkins. All the seed catalogues are available at the moment - Google for them and order them to look through over the winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 Liz, i have some hundred weight pumpkin seeds i used this year so if you would like me to send you some just let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 allow plenty of room. our pumpkins too over our allotment nearly this year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 I'm not sure but presumably you could grow them in a bucket or barrel and it would restrict the root area and slow down the growing process so that you have medium sized pumpkins! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 I saw a programme the other evening about a lady growing pumpkins for competition. She made a 'juice' from nettles and watered that in around the roots. Nettles are supposedly high in nitrogen so make a good feed for giant pumpkins. Worth a try! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 I saw that, well I say saw it was on the telly whilst I was posting on here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted November 24, 2006 Share Posted November 24, 2006 I saw that, well I say saw it was on the telly whilst I was posting on here! Nothing to about Martin, that's doing 2 useful things at once and making your time more productive Otherwise classed as Multi-tasking..... a very useful skill and not one that many men seem to acquire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted November 26, 2006 Author Share Posted November 26, 2006 I dug a big hole today!!! It's probably about 2 foot across and 1 and 1/2 foot deep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted November 26, 2006 Share Posted November 26, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted November 27, 2006 Author Share Posted November 27, 2006 It was hard work. Chickens liked me digging though. I found lots of worms for them to eat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted January 3, 2007 Author Share Posted January 3, 2007 Well my hole is nearly full, so do I have to dig it all in now and then cover it so it can rot down now??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowcloud Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 It's all about space and food. Let each plant have 1 or 2 pumpkins only (I leave two on for the first few weeks in case one falls off, then when they are strong enough, about the size of a tennis ball, cut one off ()so the other has all the benefit). Let them spread out and get lots of sun, use lots of dug in horse manure on a regular basis and water, Water, WATER. They drink loads and will only swell with lots of H20. This is tricky when it is dry, but I have water butts nearby and use those. What do you want them for ? Carving or eating ? I love carving them, then one year tried a pumpkin pie recipe and it was FABULOUS! Good luck then...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
