Hello list.
How did I get started growing giant pumpkins? Well, I was in my local grocery store last year and for some reason started looking at a display of vegetable seeds. They had seeds for a variety of pumpkin that would grow up to 110 pounds. I have never grown any vegetables before but I bought them on a lark. To make a long story short, I grew a 122 pound pumpkin that won my local fall fair. After that I was completely hooked.
I will try to post some semi-regular features including some pumpkin facts and whats happening in my own patch this year.
Fact #1. Lets talk about what pumpkins actually are. The following is taken from the book How to Grow World Class Giant Pumpkins by Don Langevin. Pumpkins belong to the genus cucurbita. This genus is a member of the cucumber family and includes all of the vine crops defined as cucumbers, melons, summer and winter squash, gourds and pumpkins. Cucumbers belong to an entirely different genus, cucumis (quit snickering Kim) and plant scientists place their origin in Asia or Africa. As such they do not enter into the equation of which defines what a pumpkin really is. A pumpkin is not a cucumber or a melon.
OK, I really dont understand what he is talking about either and I promise not to use any more greek words.
There are three basic ingredients to successfully grow giant pumpkins good seeds, good soil and good luck.
More about this in my next post.
Drat
How did I get started growing giant pumpkins? Well, I was in my local grocery store last year and for some reason started looking at a display of vegetable seeds. They had seeds for a variety of pumpkin that would grow up to 110 pounds. I have never grown any vegetables before but I bought them on a lark. To make a long story short, I grew a 122 pound pumpkin that won my local fall fair. After that I was completely hooked.
I will try to post some semi-regular features including some pumpkin facts and whats happening in my own patch this year.
Fact #1. Lets talk about what pumpkins actually are. The following is taken from the book How to Grow World Class Giant Pumpkins by Don Langevin. Pumpkins belong to the genus cucurbita. This genus is a member of the cucumber family and includes all of the vine crops defined as cucumbers, melons, summer and winter squash, gourds and pumpkins. Cucumbers belong to an entirely different genus, cucumis (quit snickering Kim) and plant scientists place their origin in Asia or Africa. As such they do not enter into the equation of which defines what a pumpkin really is. A pumpkin is not a cucumber or a melon.
OK, I really dont understand what he is talking about either and I promise not to use any more greek words.
There are three basic ingredients to successfully grow giant pumpkins good seeds, good soil and good luck.
More about this in my next post.
Drat