i have never grown pumpkins and wonder if it is too late to start them. i dont want enoromous ones just typical size for the kids to carve. i think it would be interesting for them to plant the seeds and harvest and carve their own pumpkins. i got two packs of the 'jack o lantern' ones.
kelly
growing pumpkins
Kelly, I planted gourds and Winter squash last year at this time and they grew well, but I had a heck of a time with worms coming into August and September. I planted an heirloom New England type pumpkin on May 18th, that looks like a zucchini and turns orange late, with hopes that it will harden off a bit before the onslaught of worms. Two packs of seed is an awful lot of plants. Each plant that makes it will give you two or more on average. They need lots of space to sprawl (like ten or fifteen feet each).
Laurel
I planted some Jack-be-little about 3 weeks ago. They are only 3-4 inches or so in diameter. I want them for my granddaughter to paint. I might get some for Halloween, might not.
A few photos of my pumpkins. Here is the lovely bloom...
BTW, we do love to eat the male flowers stuffed with all kinds of goodies, sauteed in olive oil with pasta or in frittatas. They are so good. Yellow quash and zucchini flowers are even better as they have more substance.
Here are these unusual Long Pie Pumpkins. I hope I didn't post them elsewhere here as I've posted them on other fora. They are the size of zucchini left unpicked and are supposed to be very high sugar. I tried to tape and hand pollinate one female with four males. When I woke up this morning all the blooms had broken the tape off (remind self to stop fertilizing with Viagra). lol
Laurel
Actually, I have French round zucchinis and the leaves look just like miniature water melons. These are a trip! I've got to be able to hand pollinate as the seed is heirloom and was a gift. I also have some very weird squash on the run...Uncle David's Dakota Buttercup. I hope the taste is as good as the name!
What's with your garden and clean up? Are you almost back to normal? We are two weeks away from a start date on repair and clean up. Not news worthy up here. :)
Laurel
Laurel... That is very interesting about eating the pumpkin flowers. I have never heard of anybody doing that before. What do they kinda taste like. Are they peppery or mild. You have a way to discribe them?
Slightly flowery, very light tasting. Squash blossoms have a squash flavor. I sautee them in olive oil so the oil probably hides the delicate flavor. The texture is what is interesting. Springy but not rubbery. There are numerous recipes on line. Filling them and then batter frying is popular. I had pumpkin, zucchini and yellow blossoms sauteed first and added to an omelette for lunch. Been buzzing around like a bee ever since!
Speaking of Viagra on the news the other day it was reported that waternelon rinds contain the same substance that viagra does and they think it works the same magic. Now where did I put those seeds?
Get out!!!
I swear. They said the meat of the melon had some but the rind was full of the chemical.
This message was edited Jul 14, 2008 11:48 PM
i am so glad you brought up the watermelon issue my husband thought i was crazy when i told him about it lol.
now i didnt know you could eat the blooms! wow that is a neat looking pie pumpkin.
I don't have any watermelons but I'll keep you posted on the pumpkins. The Uncle David's Dakota Buttercup squash is looking unique too.
Laurel
So what's with everyone's pumpkins and squash (or did they all get ripped out to plant watermelons?) LOL I'm growing the mini-crop along, but want to hear what's going on with your plants.
Laurel
Y'all just put me to shame with all your veggie growing. Next year, I'm growing some tomatoes. Please someone, remind me.
Well, Deb, I'm glad you don't have my address and snowballs in July, but my motto is, "If you can't eat it, why grow it?" I love every sort of flora, but garden on my stomach. I'll be sure to poke you and offer seed. I think endive is as beautiful as any other flowering annual and we ate it for three months.
Laurel
The only edibles I do grow are for the butterflies I raise. Endive. Humm How do you cook it?
You can cook it but it's generally used in salads as one of the many "bitter" herbs to enhance flavor. Most of us don't realize that what we now know as salad used to have flavor. Salad was a collection of wild and cultivated greens and herbs. A fresh, homemade dressing makes the difference.
L
i planted my pumpkins and they are doing good so far i planted 1 pack which all seeds sprouted i think : ) now maybe we will get a couple of good pumpkins... i planted the one named 'jack o lantern' and i counted up the days should be ready to harvest if all goes well around oct 20th just in time for halloween ...now thats cutting it close. yall wish me luck! my 3 kids really want to harvest their own pumpkins and carve them. kaylee is so interested in the growth of them...she is 6 and she runs out every morning in pjs and her shoes and says "mama i am going to look at the garden"
kelly
Kelly, pumplin growing memories for your kids will be such a sweet memory. Take plenty of pictures for when they are grown they can say that they remember that particular jack-o-lantern because "we watched it grow!".
i know it will be so much more rewarding for them that buying the pumpkin : )
kelly
Awwww that so sweet. : ) If she so intereste din the pumpkins, maybe you cna find her some other fall crop to grow a few plants of.
Oh Kelly, I remember my little ones going out to inspect the garden too. They learn so much this way. Think we still have those little "safe" pumpkin carving knives waiting for grandchildren.
L
So what's going on with everyones' pumpkins and, for that matter, can we include other winter squashes? I need to go out and take a few photos, but would like to see how your patches did. Please post the progress of your squash patches. My buttercups that were not hardening off are getting wormed.
Laurel
my pumpkin vines are doing okay i had a huge attack of the darn cucumber beetles and they almost killed them all before i put seven dust on the plants now they look good. still no pumpkins yet.
kelly
anyone having luck with your pumpkins? well after the cucumber beetles attacked i had 5 plants survive. four plants look promising. i want three good pumpkins maybe i will get them if not i sure hope for 1.
i am feeding the plants weekly with miracle gro....crossing my fingers and toes at this point lol : )
kelly