Just Currious when is the best time to start my Pumpkins indoors so they can be transplanted and ready to harvest by early october?
Also any tips on Starting them and transplanting them would be appreciated
Jon
Thanks for the advice I guess I will shot for the last week of may or first week of june to start them and see what happens unless some others provide input on thier experiances with Pumpkins. I am still looking for some seeds for giants they don't sell them locally that I have found.
any other advice on pumpkins will be appreciated
Thanks
Jon
any other advice on pumpkins will be appreciated
Thanks
Jon
if you want an honest answer- I'm not sure. However, since I'm starting inside I figured this would be a good of a time as any. This is my first year growing them- but I got starter plants last year that did a whole bunch of nothing. I'd rather get a few pumpkins early (believe it or not, most of my pumpkins last me anywhere from a week (rare) to 4 months if I don't carve it before they begin to rot. As long as they don't get eaten by a squirrel, and are ready for harvest somewhere near Halloween- I'll be OK.Chaesman wrote:Wow started already SPierce, When Do you project your harvest will be?
Do the Giants require an earlier start time?
thanks for any info
And yes, IMHO I would start giants earlier than the others. They need more time to get bigger!
well I guess we will be figuring it out together since this will be my first time growing pumpkins as well. I do have one or two plants in my mellon bed allready as of two or three days ago I will be starting more this next week end and thursday or friday I am suppose to recieve some giant pumpkin seeds I will start at the same time They are not atlantic giants but they are still suppose to yield 100 to 300 lb pumpkins. Since my wife and I love halloween I am hopping to have 2 to 4 Pumpkins at 150 + and at least 2 dozen at 20 to 30 lbs Hope I am not being to ambishious for my first try But if they do well I will be harvesting the seeds from the giants when they get carved.. Hmm time to start eyeing up new carving tools..
Oh before I forget.
Happy Mothers Day to all you mothers here!!!
Jon
Oh before I forget.
Happy Mothers Day to all you mothers here!!!
Jon
Been growing pumpkins for many years.
Start them around 3 weeks before you will think night temps will stay in the 60's.
File the point off the seed and soak in water overnight before planting.
This let's moisture get into the seed faster.
Make sure the potting soil is very warm.
See the post below {Potting up newspaper pots}
and make large newspaper pots.
Leave the bottom of the paper pots open and just set them on a piece of cardboard in your platic trays.
When they come up give them full sun all day.
When you put them in the ground wet the cardboard real good so the roots don't stick to it and and remove the cardboard and put the whole paper pot in the ground deep enough so just the leaves are just above the grounds.
Get yourself some Pumkin Pro 1061 - Mycorrhiza -Symbios
for the main roots and the secondary roots that will grow out of the vine under each leaf stem.
extremepumpkinstore.com
Look under root stimulants.
Harvest most in early october after a frost.
Keep the pumpkin in a cool place out of the sun until Holloween.
Give it a bath in a mild bleach and water mixture to kill off bacteria on the skin to help preserve it.
You can also build a platic tent out of a blue plastic tarp to keep the sun off the pumpkin while it's growing. Build the tent high off the pumpkin and leave the ends open for air circulation. The leafs need the sunlight but the pumpkin doesn't.
This help the pumpkin retain moisture.
Start them around 3 weeks before you will think night temps will stay in the 60's.
File the point off the seed and soak in water overnight before planting.
This let's moisture get into the seed faster.
Make sure the potting soil is very warm.
See the post below {Potting up newspaper pots}
and make large newspaper pots.
Leave the bottom of the paper pots open and just set them on a piece of cardboard in your platic trays.
When they come up give them full sun all day.
When you put them in the ground wet the cardboard real good so the roots don't stick to it and and remove the cardboard and put the whole paper pot in the ground deep enough so just the leaves are just above the grounds.
Get yourself some Pumkin Pro 1061 - Mycorrhiza -Symbios
for the main roots and the secondary roots that will grow out of the vine under each leaf stem.
extremepumpkinstore.com
Look under root stimulants.
Harvest most in early october after a frost.
Keep the pumpkin in a cool place out of the sun until Holloween.
Give it a bath in a mild bleach and water mixture to kill off bacteria on the skin to help preserve it.
You can also build a platic tent out of a blue plastic tarp to keep the sun off the pumpkin while it's growing. Build the tent high off the pumpkin and leave the ends open for air circulation. The leafs need the sunlight but the pumpkin doesn't.
This help the pumpkin retain moisture.
Thank you so much for the information Johnny123.
You have provided me with more information about pumpkins than I have found elsewhere so far. Just Currious How big do Your Pumpkins get?
I am gonna let my wife read over your directions also so she will better be able to assist me to make sure I don't mess up to bad on my first attempt at Pumpkins.
Thanks again
Jon
You have provided me with more information about pumpkins than I have found elsewhere so far. Just Currious How big do Your Pumpkins get?
I am gonna let my wife read over your directions also so she will better be able to assist me to make sure I don't mess up to bad on my first attempt at Pumpkins.
Thanks again
Jon
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
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!Chaesman wrote: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
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
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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
UPDATE: 2 jackolatern sprouts started to break through today None of the giants yet but I am hopefull will keep you posted..
Jon
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
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
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
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
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.
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.