Hit the Dirt
|
||||
|
Will the Great Pumpkin visit your house this Halloween? If you get busy now, he just might! Growing the great (or greatest!) pumpkin has become an addictive obsession for gardeners across North America. Raising a giant pumpkin is like raising a child because of all the time, effort and emotions involved. The resulting gourd might be so huge you can turn it into a child’s playhouse. In some areas, regattas are held where people float down rivers in giant pumpkin shells. Yes, these babies are BIG. Last year’s winner, grown by Joe Jutras of Rhode Island weighed in at 1,689 lbs., a new world record. If you get serious about growing a giant pumpkin, get ready for a life-changing experience. Here are the 4 secrets to success: fabulous soil, the right seeds, lots of food and water, and daily attention. Before you even think about the 4 secrets, consider the location. It should be in full sun with sufficient space to allow the vines to extend at least 10 feet in each direction, so allow at least 100 square feet. Growing the “great pumpkin” is not for the faint of heart or spatially challenged. Fabulous soil Pumpkin roots grow best in deep, fluffy soil, so to start the process, dig a hole at least 18 inches deep and 4 feet square. Fill the hole with equal parts of organic compost, manure (chicken, steer, horse, whatever you can get), and topsoil. Add some calcium in the form of horticultural gypsum to break up wet soils and reduce the risk of fruit rot. It doesn’t affect the pH. Mound these materials so they extend at least 12 inches above the existing soil level. Test the soil to determine the pH and amend it to reach a level of 6.5 to 6.8, (slightly acid). The correct pH enables the optimum intake of nutrients. The right seeds The variety called Dill’s Atlantic Giant yields the most world record-sized pumpkins. Start these seeds indoors in a peat pot filled with good-quality potting soil mixed with a half teaspoon of time-release fertilizer. Keep it moist. When the plant has four leaves, you can transplant it outside, pot and all. Point the first true leaf opposite where you want the vines to travel, and plant at a 45-degree angle so the vines drop quickly. Be sure to water it well and keep the soil evenly moist. Plants need 40 to 50 gallons of water per week, sometimes more. Water along the entire vine and spray water on the leaves. Food and water Pumpkins are heavy feeders and fast growers. When you transplant the seedlings, fertilize with 9-35-15 to provide phosphorus for root growth. As the vines start to grow, switch to a balanced fertilizer such as 15-15-15. Keep granular fertilizers off the leaves. When fruits begin to develop, switch to fish emulsion. A product pumpkin growers swear by is called Neptune’s Harvest. It can be diluted and used as a foliar spray as well. Keep the soil moist. When fruits start to form, switch to a formulation that contains a high percentage of potassium, such as 1-1-2. Daily attention Look at your plant every day. Choose 1 or 2 fruits per vine and remove all the others, but only after your main pumpkins have reached the size of a baseball. These should be located toward the end of the main vine. Prune secondary vines to 10 to 15 feet. Cover a part of the vines with soil. This results in more root growth to help with water and nutrient uptake. Remove all weeds. Check every day – keep pruning the vines and removing new fruits. When a fruit reaches basketball size, place a wooden pallet under it. This will enable you to move the final product with a forklift or crane if needed. When daytime temperatures go higher than 85 degrees, consider providing shade to the pumpkin so it doesn’t crack. If Santa Ana winds are predicted, provide a windscreen to prevent the leaves from wilting. Evelyn Alemanni is a regular contributor to Southern California Home & Outdoor Magazine. Pumpkinmania Stuart Shim, Southern California’s own giant pumpkin enthusiast, runs pumpkinmania.blogspot.com, which posts tips and news about pumpkin workshops and events. You can meet him in person at pumpkin growing workshops; check the website for details. To enter your pumpkin or get inspiration, check out the 2008 Pumpkinmania Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off & Contest on Sunday, October 19, 2008, at The Centennial Heritage Museum, 3101 West Harvard Avenue in Santa Ana (centennialmuseum.org). Registration (free) is from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., weigh-off begins at noon Cash prizes will be awarded for the largest entries. Trophies and prizes will be awarded for Best Color, Funniest Shape, Ugliest, Unluckiest Grower, Youngest Grower, Most Experienced Grower and more. For attendees, there will be prizes for a “Guess the Weight of the Two Biggest Pumpkins” contest. |
||||
RSS Subscribe
Digg This ArticleRELATED ARTICLES
