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Murfreesboro, TN

Ok, I'm new one to pumpkins. I've grown about everything else to eat or sell but never to "weigh-in". Looks like fun. I know I don't have the time to try to set a world record but what exactly is a "field" pumpkin? I see that category and the weights are something a little more my speed.

10/13/2009 3:52:40 PM

Long Island,New York

Field pumpkins are whats known as halloween pumpkins mostly.....stuff like connecticut field pkns,pie pkns, etc. They are generally green when inmature then turn orange and other colors when "ripe". What we grow as "giant pumpkins" are really squash...start out light yellow,bright yellow, white, green etc and then change to other similar colors when mature. They also have whats called a "soft" stem...not a "hard" stem or wood-like stem typical of "field " pkns.
Stuff like Atlantic giants, prizewinners,etc are NOT field pumpkins............

10/13/2009 5:28:52 PM

Murfreesboro, TN

I figured that must be the case but like I said, I've never grown pumpkins. I have grown lots of squash (mostly crookneck). So this is really good to know. I didn't think they were specifically the CT Filed Pumpkins but I couldn't find an explanation anywhere I tried.

So are there certain restrictions on growing the field type as to what seeds qualify or should I just make sure they aren't "giants"?

10/13/2009 6:22:34 PM

Franklin, Tennessee

The field pumpkins are all different strains of the same species (Cucurbita pepo, I think?) while most of the giants come from the C. maxima species.

10/15/2009 11:32:18 PM

Murfreesboro, TN

Got it. That helps a bunch. I looked at some catalogs and from what you are saying the pumpkins are pepto and the squash/giants are maxima.

10/23/2009 12:53:00 PM