Growing Pumkins

[NZAmish]

I'd like to hear hints and tips from other folk on growing pumkins.
Thanks in advance.

NZAmish

[Jack]

Gidday

Heaps of poop is the answer. You can't over do the doo doos with them

[red]

We had a lot of success last year gorwing pumpkins where our compost heap had been. they like alot of food it seems

avoid the giant variaties.. much easier to store several small pumpkins than have to deal with a huge one all in one go.

[Chickpea]

Some good advice so far. Also be aware they take up a lot of space. Not a crop to try if you've only a small area. They're also tea-leaf magnets if you're in that kind of area. I think WelshGirl's dad lost one last year.

[Millymollymandy]

Welcome to the forum!

Lots of poo, lots of water, lots of potash and put straw under the growing fruit to keep it off the soil. Also if you can, try to turn the fruit to help with its ripening, though that is not always possible.

When you cut them, cut to leave as much stalk on the pumpkin as possible. It is supposed to lengthen its storage time.

When you harvest them before the first frosts they need to ripen up in a sunny frost free place. I still have some on a sunny windowsill (indoors) because they are still not 100% ripe!

[Wombat]

Yeah, welcome to the forum NZAmish!

If you are pressed for space you can grow them up over a garage or shed.

Nev

[red]

If you are pressed for space you can grow them up over a garage or shed.

Nev

ooo good tip - cos ours last year started climbing the chicken run fence - and we had to cut them back as we figured a pumpkin might bring the fence down - but if it were on a roof of some sort - excellent..

[Wombat]

Yup!

One year they grew up through the orange tree and we got aerial pumpkins.................big hint: Dont walk underneath

Nev

[NZAmish]

[Jack]

Gidday

I remember I had a pungkin driven by a possum dent the boot lid of my car once. I had my pungkins stored on wire netting in the garage above the car and one night possum got up amongst them and tipped one over the edge.

I had a hard job convincing the insurance company.

[supersprout]

lol@jack

If you want to grow giant pumpkin for exhibition, good advice at http://www.merebrow.com/home/mbgp/how_to_grow.html

If you're interested in winter squash - for flavour and storage - good advice here! I'd add:

Mulch heavily - 8" isn't too much - and you won't need to water as much
Harvest when the leaves start to die back - leave the fruit on the vine for as long as you can
When harvesting, cut each side of the stalk on the main stem, so you have a T-shaped handle, to prevent stem rot
Store somewhere cool and dry, but not cold
Keep a close eye on your stored pumpkins, immediately get rid of any that start to go soft or show mould. An exploded pumpkin smells dreadful and you don't want to be clearing it up!

[pskipper]

So how long should pumpkins/squashes store for once cut off of the plant?

[red]

ours was stored about 2.5 months and is just fine.

[Jack]

Gidday

If they are properly ripe and well stored, 6 to 9 months should be O.K.

[Chickpea]

Yep, they store really well as long as they are not damaged. I processed one the other week that was over three months old.