Question on Pumpkin seeds

[johnny123]

You can go to Amazon an order one of Don Langevin's books on growing giant pumpkins.
The info in the book can be applied to any pumpkin not just giants.

[johnny123]

One year a vine from an Atlantic Giant grew out into the lake and I found this gowing in a foot of water.

125 pound lake monster.

[img]https://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb436/Jim3501/Picture001-3.jpg[/img]

[Chaesman]

Love the pics and information Johnny123 amazed it didn't rot sitting in the water.

The seeds I am getting hopefully today or tommorow are

Whyatts Wonder Pumpkins.

Any experiance with this seed?

The add said up to 200 with this being my first attempt what might I expect in reality?

Thanks
Jon

[johnny123]

I never grew them.
Give the plant plenty of 17-17-17 or 20-20-20
They are very heavy feeders.
Alot of water.
You should be able to get a 100+ lbs pumpkin without too much work.
Get some Pumpkin Pro for the roots.
If you use a feeder with a hose to fertilize and water try to keep the leaves dry.

[Chaesman]

a 100 + would be great..

I have only found 10 10 10 and 13 13 13 though.

Jon

[johnny123]

Check some water soluble Miracle-Gro Nursery Select.

[Chaesman]

I will check on monday when I head to town for the MG nursery select. Just got my truck running today after a week with out it so I am ready to head to town..

Thanks For the advice so far

also looking into giant pumpkin books

Jon

[Chaesman]

Well I filed the tips as suggested (Hope I Did it correctly), I also soaked them overnight and they will be started in the house this afternoon I have 6 big max
and 28 regular pumpkins to start. I had a fast question before I start.

Does the orientation of the seed matter when I place it in the starting media?

I thought I read somewhere to start them Point Down Just want to make sure this is correct...

Jon

PS Johnny123 I sent a PM to you

[SPierce]

Well I filed the tips as suggested (Hope I Did it correctly), I also soaked them overnight and they will be started in the house this afternoon I have 6 big max
and 28 regular pumpkins to start. I had a fast question before I start.

Does the orientation of the seed matter when I place it in the starting media?

I thought I read somewhere to start them Point Down Just want to make sure this is correct...

Jon

PS Johnny123 I sent a PM to you

I started mine in plastic baggies and on paper towels. I get plenty of germination from them and didn't have to do anything fancy! Although, I have big max's I was trying to start as well and none of them really germinated. The regular pumpkins, however, did nuts!

And, yes, point down since that is where the roots come out from- I would leave the rounded tip sticking up out of the soil though.

Would also (personally) recommend not using the miracle gro stuff on any plants, though. I used it last year and they got all busy, but never really produced anything.

This year, I just put them in the garden with some compost and good soil, and they love it

[Chaesman]

thanks spierce They are now in the starting medium and I guess we will find out about germination soon not sure how long to expect it though

jon

[johnny123]

Right, Point down.
You will probably see them up in 10 days depending on the soil temp.
The warmer the better.
Keep them moist.
I water and cover with plastic wrap until they are up.

[stella1751]

Interesting thread, guys! I always wondered which end of the seed should go up and which should go down. I like the bit about filing off the point, too. Good stuff!

[Chaesman]

Ok we are now counting down days till sprouts I guess. I will make sure they stay moist and they are indoors so the lowest the soil temp should get is 68 and the day time around 75 to 80 depending on weather and how much the lights heat things Up.

jon

[Chaesman]

day 4 no sprouts just yet still watching and keeping moist

JON

[johnny123]

Give it time.
If the soil is not 75 to 80 degrees it will be awhile.
This is soil temp not air temp.
Dig up a few seeds.
The root should just be getting started.
Look for a tiny white root at the pointed end of the seed.

[johnny123]

When I start them inside without a heat mat the roots start showing in 5 to 6 days.

With the heat mat I have had them popping out of the soil in less than 10 days.

No heated soil and they will be slow.
Pumpkins and squash like heat.
When you put them outside have some soil hilled up and ready for them.
Hilled soil stays warm.

[Chaesman]

Will do Johny123 thanks for the tip.

we are accually tilling up a 30 x 60 area just for the pumpkins away from the main garden read pumpkins like lots of space.

Jon

[johnny123]

That they do.
Alot of pumpkin growers that are trying to grow a big one just have one pumpkin per plant and cut the main vine and bury the end of it it after it grows 12 to 15 feet past the pumpkin.

I have had Atlantic Giants [Single Plant} take up well over 600 square feet.

[johnny123]

A few other things you can do:

After the pumpkin starts growing cut off the roots that start under the leaf stems on the main vine back around 3 feet or more so the vine can lift off the ground freely as the pumpkin get's bigger.

Loosen the soil and add fertilizer under every leaf stem on the main vine so the roots that will start growing from the main vine have good loose fertilized soil.

If you try Pumpkin Pro besides the main root also add some to the soil under each leaf stem on the main vine.
This fungus will help the roots draw more than they would untreated.

[Chaesman]

Excellent points Johny123 I plan on discusing vine care pumpkin selection pruning ect. as my vines develope. Pics of how to's would be awsome when the time comes right now I am just concentration on getting them germinated

UPDATE: 2 jackolatern sprouts started to break through today None of the giants yet but I am hopefull will keep you posted..

Jon

[johnny123]

Give them sun all day.

[Chaesman]

Ok will move them out in the sun today and see how they like that also I am up to 10 jackolantern still non of the big max? but I remain hopefull.

also should I carfullt remove the heavy husks or should I let nature work its course?

Today we are gonna till the patch then we will build the hills and get ready to transplant. Gotta have the ducks in a row

Jon

[johnny123]

I just let them fall off on their own.

[Chaesman]

Ok I left the hulls on them as mentioned and some came off today. I also had them out in the sun allday just brought them in for the eveing for warmth. They seemed to love the sun I was shocked when I brought them in a couple went from barley breaking soil to atleast 2 inches in about 12 hours.

Do they allways grow this fast?

Also noted it looks like 2 or three of the Big Max Pumpkin plants are getting ready to break the soil (I noticed it looks like the soil is being pushed up)

Didn't get the tilling done today ended up with a few other things that took presidence. I am going to attempt the tilling tommorow eveing.

I have a mound of chicken manure that has been composting in my back yard for 3 to 4 months now (high nitrogen)

should I go ahead and Mix that into the mound areas???

Thanks

Jon

[johnny123]

Be careful with that manure.
Just mix in a little bit.
Dig down as far as you can and prepare the soil and refill the hole.
The main roots will go deep and they get deep better in loose soil and preparing the soil with some manure will help.
I also like to mix in some time release fertilizer pellets that will keep feeding the soil for a few months.
Pumpkins are very heavy feeders.
Mound up the soil into a large hill for the plant.
The mounded soil will stay warmer.
This will be good for the roots.
In the mound I usually mix in a little triple phospate to help promote root growth.

[johnny123]

If the plant starts growing like a bean pole keep putting soil around the stem to support it and when you put it outside bury it right up to a few inches below the bottom leaves.

[Chaesman]

Thank you for the information Johny123 I am taking notes. Just sent my son after the gas for the tiller still have it planned to start prepairing the patch today forgoing unforseen priorities (I think I am free all day but that can change in a blink). On the Plus Side Horray we gave 2 big max giant pumpkin plants offically popping out of the soil this morning.

I am bottom watering at the moment will it be ok to add a diluted liquid fertilizer to the watering for the seedlings?

Jon

[johnny123]

Yes, I use a 10-50-10 when they are young to help with getting roots started.
I Tbl per gallon.
You don'r really have to dilute it for pumpkins.
Just follow normal directions on what you have.

[johnny123]

Chaesman, I sent you a PM.

[Chaesman]

Thanks for the information on fertilizer and I got your PM will start fetilizing next time I water the tray

jon

[Chaesman]

well the pumpkin patch has plants in it now.. I planted the 6 best jackolateern plants I had and one Big Max Giant pumpkin. They are all thriving and doing well. I also have 3 Whyatts wonder pumpkins that just sprouted they will be going out next weekend I think. I also have some Atlantic Giants seeds on the way to me I am hoping to recieve them tommorow or monday so I can get them Started as well

Jon

[tomc]

You have provided me with more information about pumpkins than I have found elsewhere so far. Just Currious How big do Your Pumpkins get?

Jon

It depends on the cultivar jon. A little pie pumpkin will max out at a couple pounds no matter what you do to it.

An Atlantic Giant on the other hand will only get to its biggest size if you pick off all the subsequent fruit. You've seen these fork-lift punkin's at the fair.

[johnny123]

Those must be some little pie pumpkins.
I grow Sugar Pies at 4 to 8 pounds.

[GardenGnome]

That's a lot of good pumpkin growing info. I'm going to have to go back and write it all down. Thanks.

[Garden_by_Faith]

I started my pumpkins inside about two weeks ago and I just discovered my first sprout this morning! I am SO EXCITED. Not only is this my first pumpkin sprout but my first sprout EVER! (this is my first year gardening)

[GardenGnome]

As long as your not going to try and pick that one on holloween your fine.
I started some also but I guess I did it months to early....opps
But you can store them for some months.
But mine are giant pumpkins idk how I would move it out of the heat.