My pumpkin vine which started growing in late february is taking over my plant bed. I have found one way to make it look like a groundcover without letting it choke the life out of my other plants. Someone tell me if I'm doing something wrong but I prune the bunched vines and vines that are about to reach another plant. Then I train vines that I want growing around. It seems to be working fine and its been producing baby pumpkins about the size of my fist.
If I knew this thing would eventually become a monster I wouldn't have planted seeds around my house. But maybe I can sell the pumpkins, lol.
My squash vines look similar but are a lot smaller. They are also producing squash that are almost ready to be picked.
And watermelon vines are so hard to grow. They need so much maintenance, and seem to grow slower for me.
Oh, and sorry I'm never able to post any pics. I use my nextel blackberry for this site as I do not have internet at home.
gigantic pumpkin vines
Oh, I'm jealous! ;) I don't know about pruning....but I hear once the pumpkins get larger to set them on a pile of sand and turn them every once in a while to prevent flat spots....My watermelon vine is just sprouted!
Hi Mcorps, Im jealous too! I didnt know you could prune a pumpkin but it seems like its working for ya! Mine are just now getting a spurt of growth, it took them forever to acclimate to my garden site behind the chicken house, and sprout. I thought the fertile run off from the chickens would really give them a boost but so far its been slow in coming. My mini water melons(Florida Yellow) are there too and they have done the same. They look good but just retarded!
Oh and we havent spoken before,glad to have you to talk too. I have family in and close to Warner Robins.... Abbeville, and all over Wilcox County.
I've been in wilcox county, very rural, but a lot of nice people. I heard they were improving some things down there though, in pitts, rochelle, and abbeville.
Hi everybody! Here's a question... I've got a "wild" pumkin vine that was growing in my foxglove bed. Seems after talking with my neighbor, he had given out pumkins seeds to the birds and squirrels and one found it's way across the street to my flower bed. (Probably a pesky squirrel. I have had lots of problems with this Spring.) I moved it to a decomposting log pile and leaf area that is composting. Anyway my brother "the farmer of the family" said it would never have orange pumkins, just green ones. Anybody know if this is true? BTY It likes it's new home and is running all over the place.
Here's another pic. TIA and help me win my bet! I say it will make orange pumkins he says they will be small green ones.
Here's another pic. TIA and help me win my bet! I say it will make orange pumpkins he says they will be small green ones.
oops didn't mean to post it twice LOL
Mine look the same and they're already growing small orange pumpkins. I've been thinning all the unhealthy and bunches pumpkins and these things are growing like crazy. The vine itself must grow about a foot a day. I have never seen a plant grow so quick from seed, its pretty amazing.
Someone told me on the rec.gardens newsgroup that it just depends on the parent plants if I get orange pumpkins or not so I will just have to wait it out and see. They are hungry and thirsty little buggers kinda like my birdhouse gourds. I threw some 10-10-10 and cow manure on them today.