From

Location

Message

Date Posted

North Port, FL.

Hello all giant pumpkin grower.

I wondering if anyone could share some growing experience
of setting young pumpkin at the early stage,
what is the best way of setting the pumpkin at the early stage ?

1.do all pumpkin had to be set side way ?
to grow a big pumpkin
2.or is not wise to set the pumpkin bottom down ?

Kenny.

5/30/2009 8:48:54 PM

Rhode Island

huh?

5/31/2009 8:04:34 AM

ExtremeVegetables.com

Kenny.
One would prefer to have the pumpkin set sideways.
If pollenated bottom down the vine may not have enough room as the pumpkin grows. The blossom end is also more susceptable to disease and or rot if grown on the underside of the fruit.

5/31/2009 8:44:43 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

You want to get the vine set so that it curves away from the pumpkin at both sides of the stem. That will help prevent stem stress. You need to cut off the secondary vine that grows at the pumpkin: if you don't the pumpkin will grow over it, and tear itself off the vine. You need to cut the vine roots at the pumpkin and a couple of nodes each way from the pumpkin so the vine can be raised as the pumpkin grows. I use blocks of styrofoam to hold the vine up. When moving the vine and pumpkin, do it during the heat of the day when the vines are more flexible and less prone to breakage. And move things just a little bit each day. Too much at one time and things will snap. I try to get a couple layers of landscape fabric and some clean sand under the pumpkin to protect it from disease and burrowing mice. I usually spray the soil where the pumpkin will grow with Daconil when the pumpkin is small to prevent fungal infections.

And NEVER set the blossom down on the ground.

5/31/2009 9:13:54 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I use mill fabric under my pumpkins, harder for mice, voles, moles, and various bugs to come up underneath... I install that at 10 days when I decide I am keeping the pumpkin and it's small enough to handle easily. Make sure to get the fabric far enough under the fruit, it will grow towards the stem direction as well! (yes I had one grow off the fabric last year). I'd rather install the fabric early and later lose or cull the fruit, than try to move a fruit bigger than 30#

I had one accident grow down, it touched earth on blossom end around 70# and grew (est, I found it near 200#). Vine over it grooved and choked growth of the fruit, and there were other issues... don't do it. Lay the fruit on side and grow it that way! If you want a pretty fruit, stand it up AFTER it is weighed, it will have a good face for carving.

5/31/2009 10:58:26 AM

North Port, FL.

"Thank you" for all your respond to my question above

I appreciate all your precious experience of growing
giant pumpkin, there is so much to learn, and I have learn
a lot today.

"Good luck" to all this season.
Kenny :0)

5/31/2009 6:52:00 PM