2012 TEG Giant Pumpkin Contest - weigh in by 15 October

[Collector]

I had 7 giant pumpkin seeds, out of those 1 sprouted. The sprout just up and withered out and died! I am planning a come back for next year though, so look out lol.
Congrats Emsevers on the great pumpkin.

 

[catjac1975]

I have never had much luck with the giant pumpkins. They are more closely a squash and are very soft. The times I have grown them they often rot before they mature. Same if they set fruit too early. I have had a couple over the years that took 2 people to lift-don't know how much they weighed. If you have seen any of the people that enter the contests it is a life's passion for them. They have special beds and slings that the pumpkin grows on, all sorts of growing secrets. I even have read that there is sabotage among the contestants. Often their gardens are a big secret and when reporters try to see the pumpkins they are turned away. There's too much chance of the farmer losing their prize. My Dad once acquired seed from one of the giants and gave it to me. I had the same luck with those seed as you did. So there are secrets to growing the monsters that elude me.
I like the Connecticut Field Pumpkin for a few Jack-o-lanterns. I have found there are years when I get dozens of nice pumpkins and then years where I get just a few. I have NO LUCK at all with the weird pumpkins.

I had 7 giant pumpkin seeds, out of those 1 sprouted. The sprout just up and withered out and died! I am planning a come back for next year though, so look out lol.
Congrats Emsevers on the great pumpkin.

 

[nachoqtpie]

congrats emsaver!! This is my 2nd attempt to grow pumpkin (because my son is addicted!! LOL) and both time vine borers got them!!! Next year I'm getting a floating row cover and will hand pollinate. It's going to be the only way that I'll be able to get pumpkins without using chemicals. :/ Oh well!! 83 pounds is a pretty big pumpkin!! My son said "I wonder how many pies we could make with that!!"

 

[Emsevers]

Oh well!! 83 pounds is a pretty big pumpkin!! My son said "I wonder how many pies we could make with that!!"

Would this kind of pumpkin be good for pies? People keep asking me what I'm going to do with it.

 

[nachoqtpie]

Oh golly... I don't know! I guess it would depend on what kind of seed you planted. From my knowledge (as small as it is... LOL) the pie pumpkins are the smaller ones. I imagine that you could try it and see if it would make good pumpkin pie filling.

 

[nittygrittydirtdigger]

Nice pumpkin, Emsevers! (and a cute hubby, too!)

My "big" pumpkin weighed 14 pounds. It will make a nice jack-o-lantern for the kids, but it's pretty average in weight and appearance.

Can't wait 'til next year!

 

[MontyJ]

This is my first post here at theeasygarden. If you have a giant pumpkin contest next year, maybe I could offer some advice to the growers. I have grown several over 700 pounds and my largest was 1095 pounds. I can post some pics of a few...when I figure out how to post pics here Growing giant pumpkins takes a lot of work and patience...and can bring a lot of heartache.

 

[desertlady]

welcome MontyJ ! that will be awesome to learn how to grow pumpkins ! I grew white pumpkins for the first time and only grew about 7 inches. then the vines withered! I found mices holes underneath. GGRRR!! I am going to grow Big max next year in my Desert garden !. Probably wont get very big !

 

[catjac1975]

Place your pumpkins atop of a large plant pot to keep the mice from tricking you.

welcome MontyJ ! that will be awesome to learn how to grow pumpkins ! I grew white pumpkins for the first time and only grew about 7 inches. then the vines withered! I found mices holes underneath. GGRRR!! I am going to grow Big max next year in my Desert garden !. Probably wont get very big !

 

[desertlady]

next year I am going to put it in a different location. I do have a question. somewhere I read says not to start seeds indoors because it will damage roots when transplanting. Is there a better way? I tried to experiment, I did try to plant them in composted pots, I planted about 8 weeks before spring , I had pretty vines but they started to die before they made it to the garden ! Also do you put straw around it?