From

Location

Message

Date Posted

San Francisco Bay Area

My Name is Mike, I am growing my first pumpkin patch in San Rafael, Ca. I have no clue what I am doing, and could use some advice!

I have one Atlantic Giant vine (purchased from a local nursery as seed, planted directly in the ground)and it seems to be doing OK. The vine is about 20' long by 8' wide. The planting area has partial shade, in the afternoon. It is growing in a Northwest-Southeast axis and has started to send off branches perpendicular to the main vine, about 4-5' long. I have one fruit about the size of a mature cantelope on the main vine and I have been pinching off the baby pumpkins and flowers as they reach about 2".

We water frequently (twice daily) and I feed with Miracle Grow every fourth day. I read somewhere that I should add cow manure but I am very busy with work and a baby coming so I haven't done much beside water and occasionally break up the top soil.

I planted the seed on a mound in 2 yards of vegetable mix soil over our lawn and lightly tilled the soil. The grass is now establishing itself all around the planting area. I am concerned about the grass.

My goal is a modestly large pumpkin with minimal additional effort this year. Could I have some pointers? I will try to post some photos.

Thanks!

6/26/2008 10:47:38 PM

Colorado Springs.Co

If you are doing that well someone else will have to give you pointers,but welcome.

6/27/2008 1:01:30 AM

San Francisco Bay Area

Thanks for the reply. I measured the vine tonight and it is 15'long. I took some photos but I don't see where to post them. The single fruit is at 7-8' from the tap root.

A concern I have is that the lateral vines are reaching into unamended soil. The main root (tap root?) and vine are in good soil, but the laterals are going to soon reach into soil that is poor. I am watering like crazy aver the whole area, but I don't know where the vine takes it's nutrients from. Do I need to amend the entire growing area, or can I continue to get by with just breaking up the soil in the radius?

Sorry for the cluelessness. I started to research this stuff a few months ago when I planted, but I learned just enough to be dangerous.

Mike

6/27/2008 1:27:15 AM

Colorado Springs.Co

my secondaries will be in wild country that is totally unamended. Are you a sandbagger? you seem to know too much. respectfully asked of course.

6/27/2008 3:03:50 AM

Colorado Springs.Co

I'm second guessing my decision to spend hundreds of dollars to be beat out by someone who tilled a bit of lawn and stuck a seed in the ground.lol

6/27/2008 4:04:18 AM

Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

Have you read the books "How to Grow Giant Pumpkins" volumes I, II, and III? They cover the basis of everything we do and it's very good reading. A must for any grower.

"My goal is a modestly large pumpkin with minimal additional effort this year"

Sounds like you have things going pretty well there for a rookie but that one statement could be your downfall. This hobby is not for the person who wants to put out minimal effort. It takes work to even get "modestly large" unless you get lucky. I only have 2 plants right now and I still spend an average of 2 hours a day tending them and I still feel I'm not doing enough. Good luck to you!!!

6/27/2008 11:50:32 AM

San Francisco Bay Area

LOL- I'm not a sandbagger! I worked as a gardener in College, that's it. I have forgotten much.

We are also growing tomatoes, squash, peppers, string beans, etc. All are doing reasonably well. I started about 6 pumpkin plants and then pulled all of them except for the one that is thriving. I put them in very early and was actually shocked when they finally started- I thought that the critters got them.

We have had pretty good weather here for pumpkins, nice and hot.

I am only concerned because having come this far, I don't want my luck to run out now. I don't mind adding some effort right now, that is why I am here- I'll look for the books.

It sounds like the soil is OK.

6/27/2008 12:56:07 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Mickdog,
So from what I understand, you're essentially growing your plant over sod. Is the planting area well tilled....if so how large is it?

6/27/2008 1:38:34 PM

San Francisco Bay Area

The planting area is about 450 square feet, and the amended area is 150-200 square feet. I put almost two yards of vegetable soil over old lawn, then watered it in and turned it by hand to a shovel's depth. The seeds were planted in mounds of pure vegetable soil about 8" higher than grade.

From what I am reading here, I may need to bring in more soil to cover the vines, but I wonder if much effort is warranted at this point since I it looks like I blew it by using store-bought seeds....

6/27/2008 1:52:37 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Mickdog,
It's your decision how much money and work you want to put into it. I recommend giving it water when needed, foliar feeding with a fish/seaweed product, and maybe a regular soil drench of the same. Do good vine management, pruning, pest and disease control...and weed within reason. I'd use this year as a learning experience, and you may end up with a very nice pumpkin. If you grow next year, get some seed with known genetics, and till your growing area well this fall. You can ammend with manure then, if you choose to. Good luck!

6/27/2008 2:50:44 PM

San Luis Obispo, Ca.

You go mickdog!

6/27/2008 2:58:27 PM

San Jose [email protected]

sounds like you are doing well and if things go ok you could have a really nice pumpkin on there do as doug says and bury the secondary vines, keep slack in the main vine so your pumpkin has room to grow. I am in san jose if you ever want to have a little (very little) patch tour you are most welcome any weekend except this one lol will be out of town till july 5

gary

6/27/2008 8:59:38 PM

San Jose [email protected]

oh yeah email me if you want

[email protected]

6/27/2008 9:00:02 PM

San Francisco Bay Area

You guys are great. The most pressing issue right now is that the main vine is about to hit the fence. At this rate it will be tommorrow! I wonder if/ how I should termninate it. Should bury it, cut it, or try to turn it?

Also, the pumpkin is growing very close to a large leaf stem and I wonder if I should just let it be or if I should cut the stem to make more room for the pumpkin.

If you guys could point me in the right direction for posting photos, that would be a big help. This is a big site..

Skid-Mark, I used to live in SLO and Morro Bay. Where are you?

Gary, my Mom lives in SJ and at some point soon I might just take you up on that. Our baby is due tomorrow and a lot is going on. Part of the reason for the patch is to have great baby photos...

6/27/2008 9:19:59 PM

San Francisco Bay Area

Instead of waiting for a reply, I just went ahead and turned the main vine away from the fence. I will let it grow a few more feet and then terminate it. I also have pruned off some of the tendrils to allow for vine flexibility. I then removed the leaf stem that was close to the pumpkin. I will now try to steer the pumpkin stem to a more perpendicular orientation from the main stem. It is an acute angle right now and I am worried that the pumpkin will damage the stem- they are on a collision course. I hope I am not too late with this. This pumpkin is growing pretty fast.

I did notice that there are several secondary roots going down from the main stem. I read that that is a good thing. One is about a foot from the pumpkin so I am concerned with the flexibility of the main stem. I will let that go for now.

Mike

6/27/2008 10:52:34 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Get those books!...Sounds like you're doing fine so far. some of those tap roots will have to be cut to allow the vine to be raised with the pumpkin. the additional stress will sever the pumpkin from the vine or cause a split into the cavity. if you have to you need to block up the vine to reach the desired height. good luck! GrowEmBig! Chuck

6/28/2008 7:41:27 AM