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Pennsylvania

I measured my patch and found out that it only takes up 400 square feet. Is this enough to grow one plant?

5/9/2008 10:31:36 PM

Apple Hill. CA.

If you want to grow the next world record, NO! But if you just wanna learn and have fun! YES! Go for it!

5/9/2008 11:21:33 PM

San Diego

I would disagree. 400 Sq foot is a good patch size. Maybe not ideal to most growers, but a monster can be grown in 400 sq foot. For example, I grew in 400 sq foot in san diego where growing conditions are very hot. My plant lost the stump and 25 % of the plant to rot before pollinating. The surviving plant was 250 sq foot growing on secondary roots only and I got a very nice pumpkin. It split and went down early unfortunately at 950 lbs estimated, was on a pace for 1150 lbs. Take your 400 sq foot area and get the soil in top condition and grow a monster! It can be done.

5/9/2008 11:56:00 PM

Pinedale, WY

I'm confused, you ask the question "Is 400 square feet enough?", and then someone answers no, and then you argue with them and show evidence that it is enough space. So why did you ask the question in the first place, if you already had your mind made up on the answer?

5/10/2008 12:05:16 AM

South Finland [email protected]

Pastor,confused? First and third writer same person? no, I dont think so:)

Ia m going with about 400 square feet patches this year too. More space than in my first year, but finnish record is only 264 pounds. So for me 400 feet is more than enough to break that rec.

As Duster said soil condition is what counts.

Miika

5/10/2008 12:14:21 AM

Minnesota([email protected])

I think someone posted that Doc Liggett grew his plants to 400 sq. ft. He had one 1500+ lbs. and one 1300+ lbs. Not too shabby.

5/10/2008 12:25:38 AM

Minnesota([email protected])

I just checked on the AGGC.
1524.5 Liggett 07 grown on 430 sq. ft. plant.
1368 Liggett 07 grown on 475 sq. ft. plant.
Very Impressive!

5/10/2008 12:31:54 AM

Pleasant Hill, Or

I grew a 1524 in 396 sq. ft patch.
Don't think you need a huge area to grow a huge fruit, make due with what you have, and have fun!

Thad

5/10/2008 1:27:16 AM

Buffalo, New York

i only have roughly 368 sq ft this year, 23' x 16' patch.

i am growing 2 flag patterns. i hope to hit 100 pounds this year with leaving 2 fruit per plant.

5/10/2008 2:03:44 AM

Ohio

Thad, whats up brotha!,lol. Havnt seen or heard from ya on here for a while now!,lol!!

Anyway , not to get off the original post, Doc Liggett has grown more then one monster other then his 1524 in just 400 sq ft. I think most, if not all of the pumpkins that he has ever grown was grown in just a little more the 400 sq ft ,right Doug?

5/10/2008 4:05:37 AM

Colorado Springs.Co

having a small patch myself, Im intently following this thread.

5/10/2008 4:13:05 AM

Dummer Twp - Ontario

Which would you rather have? A 400 sft patch which you could take care of and keep your plant in tip top shape or a 700 sft patch which was in ok shape but a little large to properly take care of and you'd miss some of the SVB eggs as the plant was to big and some PM had crept in to 20% of it. I say decide on what you can take care of properly and go with it, sometimes I think we get caught up in the "my thingy is bigger than your thingy" senario!!!

Grow em big but have fun to - Kirk

5/10/2008 6:43:56 AM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

Doctor Liggett does indeed grow each of his plants in around 400 square feet. To see the size of his entire patch, one wonders how he does it.

Dr. Liggett has been at this hobby for around 15 years and starts with a fully amended patch according to his soil test. Then, its plant health maintenance throughout the season.

His first really notable giant(since I've been growing) was the 1353.5, which missed Jerry Rose's new state record 1370 by just a few pounds. I believe the following year, all his giants went down to rot. But last year was his shining moment with the new state record 1524.5. He has grown most of his notables off the 664.5, his bread and butter seed. Look out pumpkin world, Dr. Liggett has his sights set on the WR, and you can bet it will be off the 664.5 grown in less than 500 square feet.

Brooks, you really MUST visit us on the SOGPG patch tour August 17th. We're hoping for a visit by Russ Landry as well. You can bet the tour will include a stop at the Liggett patch.

5/10/2008 7:13:43 AM

Wood River, IL ([email protected])

I keep my plant to a little over 400 sq ft so I can fit 3 plants into my patch. What I was wondering from the growers that grow world class size pumpkins on smaller plants is.... Do you do anything different that you know of than growers that grow larger plants. Thanks Kenny

5/10/2008 9:53:05 AM

Jericho Vermont

4-500 square feet here because I am a backyard grower. In my opinion the smaller the square footage the more attention to detail you need to have. I spend 100's of hours just making sure there are no weeds to compete with and that every vine is pruned perfectly. Small patches can do well, but might require more work especially in our short cold season here.
John

5/10/2008 10:17:31 AM

Williamsburg,KY

Sam, do what ya can and enjoy it.., it should be fun. Croley

5/10/2008 10:21:13 AM

Apple Hill. CA.

Ok maybe I'm wrong. I thought it was about 700 sq ft. My patch is 750 sq ft and I always run out of room.

Scott

5/10/2008 11:13:43 AM

Rhode Island

once we grew almost 1,000 pounds with just the back ffeding from august first on out.( about 125 sq ft )
so id guess 4 to 500 will produce as well.
personally i like the insurance of 700 to 750 in case we lose any of the plant late season
pap

5/10/2008 11:26:31 AM

Minnesota([email protected])

Brooks,
I checked the AGGC. The largest plant size listed for Doc Liggett's pumpkins is 500 sq. ft. The 1353.5 Liggett had a plant size of 300 sq. ft.

5/10/2008 1:58:31 PM

Rapid City, SD

i know a feller that grew a state record pumpkin in an amended area of 36 sqaure feet or so......and let the vines grow out in the grass, the plant was approximately 350 to 400 square feet of plant

5/10/2008 2:14:48 PM

Colorado Springs.Co

those last two posts raised my spirits, I've got about 320 sq, great research, your hired.

5/10/2008 2:23:07 PM

Minnesota

I have 483 sq.(abouts), I was glad to see they can still grow giants in a smaller area.

5/10/2008 4:14:21 PM

Denver, CO

I would add that if you have the chance, pollinate a 5-lobe pumpkin. as these seem to need less space to produce a monster pumpkin then thier 4-lobe counter-part.

This is part of a post I made earlier this year after doing some research and statistical number crunching:

"If you have any doubts about this consider the case of Bob Liggett. He has done something which I think may be a testament to the greatest growing feats this sport has ever seen. Out of 169 pumpkins, 1200 pounds or greater, only 16 have been grown in square footage of 480 square feet or less. Bob Liggett has 4 of these pumpkins. That’s an amazing 25%. His 1353.5 pumpkin had a yield of 4.51 pounds per square foot of plant, and absolutely incredible feat! He also has a 5th pumpkin that is at 1172, just barely off the heavy hitter mark. In a quick exchange of ideas with Bob Liggett, I discovered that he has been forced to use such small plants due to environmental disease and insect factors that ravage any attempts at a bigger plant. This is exactly where this research shows a 5-lobed plant would be of advantage over a 4-lobed plant. And in fact, 4 of the 5 pumpkins grown by Bob Ligget where 5-lobed pumpkins. "

5/10/2008 5:29:06 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Geeze, I have grown both big and small from flags to trees and in between as well. Nothing seams to stop the splitters in my patches. I like to say there is magic trick here that would really solve the mistery. There just does not seam to be an absolute right way.

5/10/2008 5:47:36 PM

Salem, OR

We're going to find out! My 1689 Jutras and 937.5 Isom will be grown in 400 sq ft. each and my other two plants get 650 each. All of my plant is before the fruit, though, and I think that makes a big difference. "Less is more." More time to take care of the plants with less plant.

5/11/2008 11:11:00 AM