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Squash and Pumpkins get Big, Pic heavy-open at your own risk

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 10:16 am
by jal_ut
Give these guys some room and watch them grow.

[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/squash_july4.jpg[/img]
July 4

[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/squash1_aug8.jpg[/img]
August

[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/cornucopia.jpg[/img]
Some of the harvest.................

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 10:32 am
by alaskagold
show off. ;)

:lol:

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 2:54 pm
by jal_ut
[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/crookneck1.jpg[/img]

[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/crookneck_plant.jpg[/img]

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 3:06 pm
by jal_ut
[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/squash_harvest.jpg[/img]

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 4:07 pm
by jal_ut
[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/squash_summer.jpg[/img]

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 5:16 pm
by tedly
Quick question for you Jal, do you start your pumpkins and gourds in seed trays or just direct sow them?

Keep putting the pictures up, that's awesome!

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2011 6:32 pm
by jal_ut
I direct sow all squash cucumbers and melons.

[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/squash2_aug8.jpg[/img]

[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/2zucchini.jpg[/img]
Zucchini

[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/harvest06.jpg[/img]

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:51 am
by Gary350
That is a very large garden you must have a tractor. I am shopping for a new house I found a place with 7 acres and I will need a tractor. Any suggestions about which tractor to buy?

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 10:14 am
by annastasia76
That is a very large garden you must have a tractor. I am shopping for a new house I found a place with 7 acres and I will need a tractor. Any suggestions about which tractor to buy?
My only suggestion is to stay away from lenar, we got one and then the company went out of business, there are no owners/repair manuals for them and you can't get replacement parts for them. (we bought ours second hand without researching first)

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 10:15 am
by annastasia76
jal_ut

are those pics from last year, they can't be from this year.

Tractor

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 10:27 am
by jal_ut
OK, I confess. Yes, I do have a tractor.
You can take a boy out of the farm, but you can't take the farmer out of the boy.

I use the tractor for tilling, mowing, and moving snow. I really don't know what to suggest for a tractor for you. This one is 55 HP. It is probably overkill for my 1.5 acre lot. However, when it comes to doing anything it is great to have the power. I do a bit of custom tilling. This is an older tractor with a new paint job.

Tractors are expensive, and perhaps you can find a used one? I don't know what to suggest if you are going for a new one. I would see if there are any farm implement stores around and go talk to them.

[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/johndeeretill.jpg[/img]

Posted: Mon Mar 07, 2011 10:38 am
by jal_ut
are those pics from last year, they can't be from this year.
You are right. My lot is still covered with snow today the 7th of March. I am thinking that by posting these pictures now, it may excite someone to plant a few of these giants if they have space to do it. You can get a fantastic yield from squash. In my first picture you can see how the hills were spaced, then later see what it turned into. I plant 5 seeds in each hill and let whatever comes up grow.

Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 7:29 pm
by Gary350
I wish I had a few acres for a larger garden but then I would need a tractor. One thing leads to another.

Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 8:19 pm
by bwhite829
after researching, I'd get a draft horse or 2 if I had a couple acres to put it on. more time consuming for care than that of a tractor, but for a tiny percentage up front of what you'd pay for a tractor, plus from the research I've done, it seems like the maintenance of a tractor is a bit more expensive than that of a horse too, or at least comparable.

its a moot point for me. I'm going to be building on my grandfather's land soon, and he's got a mid 60's model ford that he's had I think since it was new. its a bit overkill if he was just gardening, but the bush hog does quick work of corn and other crops when starting a new garden, and it definately gets the job done with like a 5-6 ft deck compared to a regular lawn mower.

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2011 2:29 pm
by jal_ut
Yep, I have a 5 foot pull behind deck. It sure makes mowing the area an easy task. The tractor has power steering and a comfy seat.