Why do you grow pumpkins?

Liberty7

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I'm growing pumpkins for both Halloween and cooking to stretch the food budget.

I do want to tell everyone about my experience this year with growing pumpkins. I have 8 rows of corn stalks (don't remember how long the rows are;) but, I did 'intensive planting' with my corn seeds -- planted only 6-8 inches apart for a total of 200+ corn stalks. I have gotten OUTSTANDING ears of DELICIOUS corn which we're eating once a day plus I'm freezing LOTS & LOTS of whole ears for winter eating.

In the AISLES between my corn rows are where I planted 12 pumpkin seeds (sugar-pie pumpkins.) Incredibly, with literally NO sunlight getting to the pumpkin plants in these conditions, they have flourished beyond belief. The vines have grown from row to row, and I have T O N S of these pumpkins growing -- and, they are just now turning ORANGE!! Yes, it's 'early' for them to turn orange, but I have no control over this.
 

curly_kate

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Pumpkin bread is delicious! Pumpkin cheesecake is delish, too. I have never liked pumpkin pie because I really don't like the texture, but after I tried other recipes with it, I realized I actually like pumpkin, just not pie. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my 2 surviving vines will make it. I buried the stems after the squash borers got the rest, and they seem to be making a comeback. Not sure there's enough time to get some decent pumpkins before frost, tho. We'll see.
 

ams3651

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I grow pumpkins because its so easy and cheaper than buying them. I use them for decorating and this time of year when most of the flowers are done my pumpkins in my flower beds are thriving. My goal (one of these years) is to grow enough to sell but my field always gets ahead of me, lord give me a tractor. :fl

wanted to add, the easiest way to grow a pumpkin I have found is to take a pumpkin this fall, when it starts to rot and toss it in a flower bed. The pumpkin will rot and next year you will have pumpkin growing in that spot wonderfully fertilized. Works every time for me and grows a larger pumpkin than was tossed there.
 

davaroo

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ams3651 said:
... wanted to add, the easiest way to grow a pumpkin I have found is to take a pumpkin this fall, when it starts to rot and toss it in a flower bed. The pumpkin will rot and next year you will have pumpkin growing in that spot wonderfully fertilized. Works every time for me and grows a larger pumpkin than was tossed there.
This is sublime. Very nice.
 

ohiofarmgirl

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what are you kidding? there's NOT limit to pumpkin love!

* natural womer for hogs
* chickens love them - great for midwinter treats and entertainment
* little cats like to hide the jack-be-littles in your boots
* bread, muffins, pies, cakes, brownies
* baked, steamed, grilled

and the best of all bests.....

pumpkin, bacon, and sage pasta.....nothing better....
 
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