Growing Pumpkins Vertically

Hi

I grew giant pumkins this year which were very successful.  However, I want to save a little space go for a smaller variety and try to grow them up a trellis/poles.  I remember Monty doing it earlier this year but can't remember the suggested variety he used.  Can anyone help please?

Many thanks

Funny you should ask as I organise the Autumn Pumpkin Festival in Southampton. I would suggest the green Rolet/Little Gem as they don't grow bigger than a cricket ball and the trellis can take the weight. Jack be little and other smaller varieties like harlequin would be fine and you could always make them a bit of a sling from old tights to support their weight if they get too heavy (actually put them inside it to mature). Some butternuts would also do well if supported.  If you are in the Southampton area you should pop along to our festival which attracts over 8,000 visitors and hundreds of pumpkins squashes and scarecrows Its on Sat 13th Oct in 2012.  

Hello Sonja,

Thanks for your pumpkin info. While we're on the subject, do you have any tips for people who want to go to the opposite extreme and grow giant pumpkins?

Emma.

gardenersworld.com team

I started my squashes off last week, and I always grow up! The varieties I use are Uchiki Kuri and Hunter (Butternut). My neighbor grew a variety called Mars, and he grew his in an old tin bath up thick blackthorn sticks! I used three myself as lanterns on All Hallows Eve.

Im growing an Atlantic Giant this year, this is the 2nd year that Ive have grown this variety, last year was unsuccessful. I have added loads os organic manure this year so will keep you posted.

I always grow my pumpkins up a support.  We've made a boundary fence between our veggie plot and the arable field by recycling climbing fram timber as posts and attaching sheets of metal grid - 5m x 2m - that's normally used for reinforcing concrete.   It's strong enough to hold utchi kuri, butternut, crown prince and a larger yellow skinned one whose name I forget.  It means the pumpkin plants don't take up the whole plot and the fruits are up in the sun for better ripening and avoiding slug attack.

Just need to make sure the pumpkins ripen on our side of the fence cos one year some perisher came and nicked all the ones on the field side - the big, yellow, easy to spot from the road ones!

Emma Crawforth wrote (see)

Hello Sonja,

Thanks for your pumpkin info. While we're on the subject, do you have any tips for people who want to go to the opposite extreme and grow giant pumpkins?

Emma.

gardenersworld.com team

Emma, first you'll need a variety that's genetically predisposed to size. Atlantic Giant is a popular one. Then it's a matter of forcing the plant to maximise the size of the fruit. The biggest pumpkins I've seen involved restricting a plant to one single fruit - in other words, after the first fruit sets, remove any others, and nip out the growing tip of the vine. Once the fruit has set, use a fertiliser higher in potassium about once a week. You just have to be careful not to pump up the pumpkin (so to speak) to a point where it splits.

Hello Italophile,

Thanks for the info. It always sounds like fun, although could be difficult harvesting the pumpkin and taking it home!

Emma

gardenersworld.com team

I've planted Pumpkin Mars seeds this year for the first time in growing pumpkins! I've been told they grow into large plants. How big are the pumpkins & How big a container or supporting canes do I need? Any help please? Thank you.

Umm, I've planted a couple of seeds I saved from last year's Hallowe'en pumpkin bought in Tesco.  What do you think my chances are? 

Steff, it all depends whether the pumpkin was a hybrid or heirloom variety. If heirloom, a pure variety, the seed should produce true to type if there was no cross-pollination.

If a hybrid, the result of deliberate cross-breeding between varieties, it should produce pumpkins, but not identical to the parent. Some might well look like the parent, others a bit different. By planting the seed you're on the road to unravelling the gene pool created during the original cross-breeding process. It's always fun to see what you end up with!

A.M wrote (see)

I've planted Pumpkin Mars seeds this year for the first time in growing pumpkins! I've been told they grow into large plants. How big are the pumpkins & How big a container or supporting canes do I need? Any help please? Thank you.

My sister's kids have grown them. They're on the small side, for pumpkins, around a couple of kilos.

All pumpkin plants can grow into monsters if you let them. You can control the size by nipping out the growing tips of the main vines when they get to 6 or 8 feet. The bigger the container the better for pumpkins, in my experience. They need plenty of moisture in summer and small containers will dry out too quickly.

Pumpkin vines can be left to trail if you have the space. Or you can grow them up a trellis or fence.

Cool!  I thought you were going to say that they wouldn't germinate, but I'm chuffed with that.  I'll wait and see

The only reason they wouldn't germinate is if they're sterile. Some proprietary veg - vegies created/developed by seed companies - contain seeds deliberately rendered sterile by the developer in order to stop people regrowing them, hence having to buy fresh ones each year. I doubt your pumpkin fell into this category though.

They made very good lanterns

I grew pumpkins one year as an experiment but they took over.  I was continually chopping off long shoots which kept making a bid for freedom through the hedge to next door.  It was interesting but I don't think I will be doing it again!  I did end up with four nice pumpkins though.

That's a shame. You can, as I suggested above, nip out the growing tips of the vines to contain them. Some people even think that it produces more pumpkins. Stopping the growth of the main vines tends to encourage the growth of smaller off-shoots which - some people think - produce more pumpkins.

It was an incredible plant and grew at an amazing rate.  I had a feeling that I should not stand next to it for too long because it would reach out and grab me.

Ah! Maybe it was a Triffid in disguise ...