How to Grow Giant Pumpkins
You'll Have To Ask a Psychologist Why You Have This Urge. Plus a deeper dive into growing pumpkins and popcorn, discussed on Ep. 151 of the Garden Basics Podcast. Also: shop now for next year's seeds!
How To Grow Giant Pumpkins...If You Dare!
We discussed much of the history and uses of pumpkins on Episode 151 of the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred Podcast. One of the interesting pumpkin facts illuminated by Warren Roberts, Superintendent of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, was that dried gourds, including pumpkins, were essential for keeping the home fires burning:
Moving forward to the 21st century, for most families, growing pumpkins that top out at 18-20 pounds are the perfect weight for display or carving. We will refer to these gardeners as, “reasonable, rational people who are advancing the human race.” If this is your goal, good varieties include Cinderella, Fairy Tale, Magic Lantern, Sorcerer, Jack-O'-Lantern, Connecticut Field, Ghost Rider, Orange Smoothie and the white Lumina.
But for you masochistic, large-space gardeners with a yearning to grow pumpkins that are of ugly, hernia-inducing size (not to mention time-consuming), here are some tips for growing giant pumpkins:
Buy fresh seed.
Giant pumpkin choices include "Atlantic Giant", "Big Max", Howden or "Prizewinner". Most will average 100-200 pounds when mature, except Howden, which maxes out at 40-50 pounds. If your local seed rack doesn't stock these varieties, check with mail order seed companies such as Burpee, Territorial Seeds, Johnny’s, and Harris Seeds. Expect to pay more for these seed varieties; for example, 15 Atlantic Giant pumpkin seeds from one catalog costs $5.40.
Choose the right location and time.
Plant these giant pumpkin seeds away from other pumpkin varieties. Cross-pollination could inhibit your giant pumpkin's growth potential, so isolation is necessary. For maximum growth, plant in an area sheltered from hot, dry winds. Pumpkin seeds will germinate quickest in warm soil but before air temperatures get regularly into the 90’s. After Mother’s Day is ideal, but try to get them in the ground before the end of June.
Use lots of aged steer manure.
Work at least one shovel full into each mound; rototill in at least a dozen shovels full of manure surrounding the mound because every place the vine touches the ground will result in more roots.
Plant on raised mounds, three to five seeds per mound.
Thin each mound to the two most vigorous plants after they are a couple of inches tall. Space the mounds twenty feet apart to allow room for the vines. Plant in late May.
Feed each plant every ten days with a diluted fertilizer solution containing a 5-20-20 or a similar formula that encourages fruit formation, not leaves and vines.
Water plants at first sign of wilt in hot weather, that could be as much as every day. Don't overhead water; wet leaves encourage disease.
Control squash bugs and beetles by hand-picking or with a portable vacuum.
As the plant grows, cut off most of the vines except the one with the first (or the most vigorous) fruit that appears. Do this for each plant. Tie off the amputated vine ends with string to prevent insects from entering the vine. Remove all blooms regularly to prevent further pollination so that the plant directs its energy to the one remaining pumpkin.
Place a board (or a wooden pallet) under the pumpkin to help avoid rot.
Invite several strong friends over in October to help move your masterpiece.
Will Spring 2022 See a Repeat of the Past Two Springs?
I’m referring to vegetable and flower seed availability. You might recall that many seed companies ran out of seed packets by February and March in 2020 and 2021, thanks to all the new gardeners who were at home during this age of Covid. By now, you may have some mental notes about what you will be planting next year, thanks to your own past experience and the experiences of your gardening friends. The phrase, “you gotta try this!” may be ringing around in your head.
If that’s you, then now is the time to be choosing the vegetable and flower seeds that you will plant next year. And, look for bargains. Online, check the major seed catalog companies for seeds on sale this time of year. Get on their email lists so you know when the sales will take place in the fall (while supplies last!).
Among the seed purveyors who have been advertising sales lately (especially with online popup ads or deep discounts on shipping costs) include Burpee, Park, Harris, Johnny’s, Renee’s Garden, and Baker Creek.
It doesn’t matter that the seed packets on sale now at your local nurseries and garden centers might say “packed for 2021”. Store them correctly, and they should be fine to use next spring. “Correctly” includes keeping them in their original packets; putting them in a cool, dry place; and avoiding storage areas where the temperature and humidity fluctuate a great deal, such as the garage or garden shed. In the vegetable crisper in your refrigerator is a good place, but put all those seed packets into a larger paper bag or glass container first. That’s also true for other storage areas, such as a basement or under your bed. By the way, leave yourself plenty of notes that say, “SEEDS UNDER THE BED”. Otherwise…well, you know…the dust bunnies will consume them. Here are some more tips from the University of Minnesota:
Store seeds in tightly sealed glass containers. You can store different kinds of seeds, each in individual paper packets, together in a large container. Keep seeds dry and cool. A temperature between 32° and 41°F is ideal, so your refrigerator can be a good place to store seeds.
A small amount of silica-gel desiccant added to each container will absorb moisture from the air and help keep the seeds dry. Craft supply stores sell silica gel in bulk for drying flowers.
You can also use powdered milk as a desiccant. Use one to two tablespoons of milk powder from a freshly opened package. Wrap the powder in a piece of cheesecloth or a facial tissue and place it in the container with the seeds. Powdered milk will absorb excess moisture from the air for about six months.
Be sure to label your saved seeds with their name, variety and the date you collected them. It is easy to forget the details by the following spring. Use saved seed within one year. The older the seed the lower the germination and vigor.
Popcorn Can Store for Years
I had a pleasant surprise last week. I found a canning jar, in the back of the pantry, labeled “Pennsylvania Butter Flavored Popcorn - 2016” and it was unopened. The pantry can be a cool, dry place for long storage. But this long?
That heirloom variety is my favorite to grow. It’s small, crunchy and best of all…those leftover kernels at the bottom of the bowl that you just popped? They won’t crack your teeth fillings if you accidentally chomp down on one (hopefully. you know the quality of your fillings better than me.).
But five year old popcorn? Would it even pop? I opened the canning jar. It took some pressure to pop the lid after screwing the ring off. That’s a good sign. I stuck my nose into the jar. Would their be the off-putting vinegar-like aroma of mold? Nope. Did the kernels pour singly into the popper, not stuck together in a clump. Yes! And next, for the big test: WOULD IT POP?
Oh, yeah! For more harvesting and storage tips for homegrown popcorn, give a listen to Episode 151 of the Garden Basics with Farmer Fred podcast.
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