From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Erlangen, Germany

This year my largest pumpkin was 8.5kg = 19 pounds (uow).

I know that's "peanuts" for this website (some growers here don't even notice this on their own plants)... but I had 3 things working against me:
1) I grow on a 20' x 6' balcony.
2) this year I was in England for my work from January till May. So I could start seeds only June 5th.
3) having heard in biology class (long time ago) that X-pollination is better than self, I was foolish enough to grow 2 plants.

I used "vegetable patch earth" (for the German speakers: "Gemüsebeete-Erde"). I started seeds in a 20'' bin, then as the vines began to grow, I placed flower boxes and led the vines through them, so I could bury them and they grew tap roots.
At one time I found they really grew fast: about a metre (3') a week. Secondaries stayed small (no tap roots).
I watered a lot, fertilised a little, no insecticides / herbicies were needed. Had to chop off everything that grew above the balcony railing, or else the wind would blow it off.
First females and pollination in early August.
Only 1 pumpkin per plant; pumpkins were covered with white cloth to prevent them from ripening.
Yesterday I found pumpkins hadn't grown since a week, so I harvested. Total weight of pumpkins grown was 15kg = 31 pounds.
The largest one really looks like a classical pumpkin (a "wheel" I think most growers would call it.)
I call them "bonsai pumpkins" since they had to grow in a confined space.

9/26/2005 5:38:01 PM

Erlangen, Germany

Next year I will do 4 things different:
1) only 1 plant.
2) start earlier: maybe end of April, indoors, then move outside when plant becomes too big.
3) more flower boxes: also for some of the xecondaries.
4) use better seed?? (This year's seed was store-bought AG.) If any of you growers is curious what his / her seeds can do in such a confined space, please let me know. At this stage I'll be happy with anything that's better than seeds from the store.

Any advice is also appreciated of course.
What do you think would be maximum possible weight in these circumstances?
I have been photographing during the season and could still start a diary if anyone's interested.
Best of luck to all of you at the weigh-offs,

Marijn

9/26/2005 5:44:46 PM

Puyallup, WA

Yes Marijn, you will need better seed stock. However, growing in such a limited space really limits the potential for a large pumpkin. Most successful growers will recommend a minimum patch size of at least 5 meters square.

9/27/2005 12:54:08 PM

Montoursville, PA

Diary or not...if you have pix of this year on the balcony I would like them mostly for my personal amusement.

I would say you did very well doing what you did.

9/27/2005 1:30:31 PM

Midwest

I had a friend grow a 46ft primary vine in big circle around a 15x4ft space. The vine wrapped around it 1.5 times and had many 12-16ft secondaries! You'll have to devise some way to contain the vines and let them root down into soil as they grow. What's the weight capacity of your balcony? These things grow BIG! How are you going to get it off if it gets big? LOL!
Greg

9/27/2005 1:40:42 PM

Erlangen, Germany

Thanks for the nice replies.
Of course I know I won't win competitions this way, it's just fun to see something grow. Still I think if I can do everything right, between 50 and 99 pounds should be possible.

docgipe, I'll see what I can do with the photo gallery here.

Greg, yes, that's mostly what I plan for next year. Start in one corner of the balcony, let the main vine grow out to the other end (20 feet) then turn around and back again. This year I used small stakes to contain the vines in the flower boxes, worked well.
The balcony is solid concrete, I doubt if I can grow anything big enough to make if break off :-) In Germany, balconies do not break off buildings very often. When they do, it's big news.

9/28/2005 1:44:53 PM

Western NY

nice pics. the leaves looked very healthy, i would expect you might have a shot at breaking 100 pounds in your setup. good luck, and keep us posted next year.

Andy

9/28/2005 3:12:07 PM