kareng
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Pumpkins and hi :)

Glad to be here

I ordered some baby bear (I think that was the name) pumpkin seeds from pinetree, I tried 4 containers about a month ago and they never came up, I planted another 4 cells 2 weeks ago and no luck either.

Is it too late to order and start another type of pumpkin? There are always some in garden centers but I really wanted a different kind.

region 6a

thank you

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rainbowgardener
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You didn't say where you are located. Whether or not it is too late depends on your average frost dates and the variety of pumpkin you grow. Pumpkin varieties vary in days to maturity at least from 85 to 125 days (from when the seed sprouts to harvesting first pumpkin). So if you are worried about whether you have enough time, grow one with shorter DTM, like Early Sweet Sugar Pie (90 days)
If you don't know your average frost dates you can look them up by zip code here: https://davesgarden.com/guides/freeze-frost-dates/#b

So as long as you have left until average first frost at least the DTM of your pumpkin variety + at least ten (to account for time for the seed to sprout and in case of earlier than average frost.) you should be ok.

Pumpkin seeds are best planted directly in the ground as long as soil temperature is at least 70 and preferably warmer.

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applestar
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What rainbowgardener's said ^^^

Also -- How warm was it when you started those seeds? Pumpkins need soil temperatures in the 60's to germinate at all -- at that temperature it would take 3 weeks. At 80-90°F, they should germinate within 1 week.

Also, if you had the containers outside at all, I've lost pumpkin and melon seeds to corn seed maggots before. They come out early in spring. I would gently dig up the seeds and see if they are still there. If you find empty husks and reddish brown fly pupae, or husks with maggots inside, you know what happened.

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jal_ut
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Welcome to the forum! The pumpkin is a big plant. It is best to plant seed out in your garden plot directly where it will grow. No need to start them and transplant them. I put 5 seeds in a spot then take two steps and put 5 more seeds. The plants come up and the vines go out like the spokes of a wheel. It would still be OK to plant pumpkins here in Northern Utah zone 5. Have fun!

HoneyBerry
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I planted those same pumpkin seeds a few years ago and had the same problem. The seeds eventually did sprout. I'm pretty sure the late sprouting was due to the soil not being warm enough. I planted them too early. The other problem I had was powdery mildew. So next time, I will trellis my pumpkins.

kareng
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Thank you all, good advice, I am zone 6a

I planted another round of the seed pack 2 weeks ago and they didn't come up either
a little disappointed when you plant, water and check check check

I would like to order another similar variety but here in CT it is almost memorial day and it would take the seed probably a few days to get here, is that too late to just put them in the ground and hope for the best?

This *is* a helpful gardener forum-glad I found it

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applestar
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Nope. Not too late. I usually don't start pumpkins until Memorial Day, especially ones that I want for Halloween. You start them too early and they will ripen way too early to keep until then.

Depending on when you get your first HARD frost and freeze, of course. But you would have 120 days until end of September. You don't have enough time for really late varieties and giant pumpkins, you are probably safer staying away from those listed at exactly 120 days to maturity, but 100 - 110 day varieties should be fine.

I do have problems with SVB's so I actually don't grow the typical pumpkin species (C.pepo and C.maxima) much -- I stick with C.moschata -- hope you will have better luck.

kareng
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Thank you! I have about 120 days until frost and these are supposed to take 105.

I ordered the seeds for the same pumpkin from Burpee, hope to have better luck and will plant them directly into the ground.

Thanks all :D

kareng
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I am so disappointed the second shipping of the baby bear pumpkin seed from Burpee did not sprout either! I have 1 plant that made it and now all that is left locally are giant pumpkin plants :cry:

There may be some wee be little plants around, from what I read they are so great for eating

Is it too late to start with another type of pumpkin from seed?

If so any suggestions on ones that are easy to grow?

Thanks

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rainbowgardener
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Is it too late to start with another type of pumpkin from seed?

One month ago you said you had 120 days left until average first frost. That suggests you are now down to 90 days left. That's really not enough time, even for baby pumpkins, unless you get really lucky and have a late frost. (The frost dates you see are just averages and in these global warming times, it isn't unusual for frost to come later than average.)

For next year, you need to figure out what you are doing wrong. The problem isn't the seeds, it's how you are treating them. There's generally only two reasons seeds fail to sprout: too much water or too little water. If seeds once they have come out of dormancy and are getting ready to sprout are allowed to dry out, they die. But since we all love to feel like we are being good seed moms, way more seeds die from over watering than under. If they stay too wet, they rot out and die. This problem is worse if the soil is cold (or even cool in the case of pumpkins).

Part of your problem apparently is that you planted ALL your seeds, so when they failed to germinate, you didn't have any left to try again? Seed packets are usually at least 15, maybe 30 seeds. Unless you have a farm, you have no reason in the world to plant 15 pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin plants are gigantic. Plant a few seeds. They should sprout in anywhere from 5 - 10 days. If they haven't shown up in 10 days, try to dig some up to see what happened. If you didn't water enough, the soil will be dry and the seeds will still be sitting there, dry and shrivelled. If you over-watered, the soil will be very moist and the seeds will be mushy and rotten, unless they have totally rotted out and disappeared by the time you check. Then plant again!

Taiji
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I'm having some trouble with some squash and bean seeds sprouting this year. Very unusual because they are normally among the easiest things to sprout. Luckily enough squash did sprout that I won't be totally skunked. I'm going to try Applestar's method of pre-sprouting in zip lock bags that she describes in her ongoing garden progress thread.

It's too late for the squash for this year, but am going to try it with beans. Plenty of time left for them. :) Come to think of it, there is time for the crookneck yellow summer squash. That's one of those that just would not come up for some reason. Brand new seed too.

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jal_ut
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Plant those crookneck seeds 1.5 inches deep and then cover the area with some newspaper for 3 days.
Oh, always step on the place where you planted them so the earth will be firmed up well around them.
Is your soil damp? Perhaps you need to plant then sprinkle the area then cover with newspaper?
You gotta have moisture and temperature to get them to germinate.
You can always soak them overnight in water, then put them in a damp paper towel and put the towel in a plastic sandwich bag and place it on the kitchen counter. Watch for the lil tails to come out then go plant.

kareng
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You all were right, too damp and too cold, I am just going to plant the one I have (if I don't kill it)

maybe I'll luck out and find some plants somewhere, I am not interested in the giant pumpkins and that seems to be all there is around.

Advice for next year was very helpful! Thanks

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jal_ut
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I planted the 5th of May as usual, then the first week of June it froze hard. Had to start over a month late. We will just plant and hope. That is gardening........... one never knows what the weather will do to us.



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