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Cornelius, Oregon

If a person had unlimited space, What would be the the size of the perfect plant in square feet, and what would the plant vine pattern be? Just some planning for 2010 and always a good topic for discussion...

8/21/2009 5:52:10 PM

I would probly have eight 800 sq foot plants Grown in the christmas tree pattern. Good topic.

Martin

8/21/2009 7:14:47 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

I think the size of a perfect plant in square ft all depends on soil conditions, fertilizer program and the rate at which the pumpkin is growing. As far as the vine pattern goes mine usually has to change as the growin season commences. Main vine breakage, wind damage ect.

8/21/2009 7:31:16 PM

Joliet, IL

35' x 25' with 17' to 18' secondaries. enough room behind the plant to start your first 2 seocondaries angled backwards to grow behind the original planting spot. the christmas tree looks more like an arrow to start with plenty of room for all strong secondaries to grow and then ends up lookin like the ace of spades pattern with the top squared off. the idea is to keep every strong secondary you can before the pumpkin and then thin out secondaries after
the pumpkin if you have to if the secondaries are stacking up too close together. i will call it the ace of spades pattern, but it is what most growers just call the christmas tree with heavily backward angled first 4 or 5 secondaries on each side of the plant.

8/21/2009 9:07:39 PM

South East

1000 square feet, full grown plant in 8 to 10 weeks and pollinating out 18 to 20 foot. 10 to 12 secondaries before the pumpkin and a 25 foot long main. First 3 secondaries 20 plus foot long,,growing shorter towards the pumpkin.

8/21/2009 9:11:17 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

No disrespect but i grew an 1144 last year on approx 400sqft.

8/21/2009 9:25:16 PM

Oakley, UTAH

Brett. i'm going on the 400SQ foot thing as of now,,

8/21/2009 9:28:22 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

Largest pumpkin in the world last year was pollinated at 12ft.(1536.5 Vankooten). 750sq/ft of plant. I don't think they back feed do you.

8/21/2009 9:39:30 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I'd agree on about 35 to 40 by 25 to 30 feet. This would give space around perimeter to work, walk, trim, put up permanent windbreak, etc. Christmas tree is pretty good. Jungle pattern is definitely OUT. (waaaay too much patch rash on that one). Eight plants is a LOT, Four is much more reasonable!!!!!!! [growing this year with 500 to 850 square feet per plant, some are modified Christmas tree to fit space... and eight plants] Still backing plants to each other for ease of running the hoops, but need more space to allow the back main to have space to save the day! Three plants this year have dinghummers on the back main....

8/22/2009 1:52:07 AM

I would ask, how big are your plants and what pattern are you using this year?

Mr "my fouth biggest at 398 OTT broke"? 8)

8/22/2009 6:01:21 AM

Ohio

I tried something new this year, setting a pumpkin 30 ft out on the main, and dont think Ill try that again any time soon, it just seemed like the plant worked to hard to keep all the secondaries going plus the pumpkin and that I wasn't getting the proper sink effect. After doing it I could see that things wasn't quite growing as I would have like them to verses to when I set a pumpkin 12 to 17 ft out on a main.
But maybe one good thing happened having a pumpkin out that far that might have worked in my favor, after losing the stump and about 6 to 8 secondaries I still have 20 ft of plant left before the pumpkin ( time will tell if this will help any at all with out a stump, ain't that right Dan?,,lol).

I like 600 to 700 sq ft to grow in.

8/22/2009 7:20:12 AM

Ohio

whats a dinghummer anyway?,,,,LOL!!

8/22/2009 7:22:46 AM

hamilton,Ontario

i have a very small tiny garden 4 x 14 feet.as far as patterns.it kinda goes were it goes......i try not to cross any vines but i have my biggest pumpkin on my main which crawlled up 6 foot fence is now on the other side of the fence.I dont think anyone interested in pumpkins should not grow because of space limitations.....see my diary

8/22/2009 10:48:47 AM

Rapid City, SD

hmmmm........500 to 850 square feet per plant Deb? you back yard must be humongous......post pics

8/22/2009 1:41:01 PM

Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia

a dinghummer is Gramama lmao

8/22/2009 2:05:08 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

I think she means a humdinger...but I guess you really never know....lol

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/humdinger

8/22/2009 3:44:47 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Matt, I have a third of an acre. I have posted what I needed to show... I will NOT crawl up on the garage roof for an aerial.

8/22/2009 5:56:31 PM

West River

pics, pics, pics.......me likey pics

8/22/2009 6:16:27 PM

Ohio

Pickie Wikie, we want a Pickie!!, Pickie Wickie, we want a Pickieeeeeeeee!,,lol!

8/22/2009 6:20:39 PM

Pemberton, BC

Brett I think ideally a fruit set at 15 feet on the main but with much longer side vines than has become the norm. Maybe pinched off at 16-17 feet or more if you can get the growth, with all secondarys left on to give more plant behind the fruit. In front every 2nd secondary pruned and the ones left pinched at 4-6 feet and let the main go to 30' and terminate that too. Basically you'll have a solid 600sq feet behind the fruit and about 125-150 in front of it. So I guess 8-850sq feet.This is what I tried to do this year anyways we'll see how it works out.

8/22/2009 8:50:04 PM

Preston CT

400-500 sq ft set at 10 ft out, 20-30 ft main, pumpkin right in the middle of the patch...worked this year so far...10 ft secondaries last 4 near fruit wrapped up to 20 ft long

8/29/2009 3:18:59 PM