Giant Pumpkins 2014 - Anyone growing this year?

[Dandytown]

Just curious to see if anyone is planning on growing a giant this year?

[Dandytown]

[Jayb]

Hi Dandytown 

I'm going to try growing a couple of pumpkins, better than I did last year, for something big. But nothing like in your or Mal's league.
Have you started your grow diary for this year?

[Squash64]

I would like to - if anyone has a spare seed or two. (not a very subtle hint, sorry) 

[Spireite]

   Yay...preparations under way...I just wish there was a little less rain so I can get out and dig and prepare my allocated patch....maybe Hubby will get me an allotment next year if he grumbles about the pumpkin taking over the garden 

I will keep you all posted. 

[Dandytown]

Hi Jayb,

My first pumpkin back in 2008 or 2009 was tiny so we all start from somewhere.  If your driven to grow big then you'll grow big but most allotment holders that I know (where I live) are not too keen on giving away so much growing space to something they do not plan or want to eat. 

Yep, dairy started some time ago for this year ;)  There are some interesting photo's in there.
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryView.asp?season=2014&grower=55348&action=L


Betty, do you still have my email address?  If so send me your address and I'll get some seed sent over to you!

I'm expecting something big from Spiriette this year if the weather is good as I have heard how much preparation she is doing.  Looking forward to seeing your pumpkin!

[Tashsteve]

These seeds were from and 250 lb pumpkin last year will give these a go!

[Squash64]

Hi Jayb,

My first pumpkin back in 2008 or 2009 was tiny so we all start from somewhere.  If your driven to grow big then you'll grow big but most allotment holders that I know (where I live) are not too keen on giving away so much growing space to something they do not plan or want to eat. 

Yep, dairy started some time ago for this year ;)  There are some interesting photo's in there.
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryView.asp?season=2014&grower=55348&action=L


Betty, do you still have my email address?  If so send me your address and I'll get some seed sent over to you!

I'm expecting something big from Spiriette this year if the weather is good as I have heard how much preparation she is doing.  Looking forward to seeing your pumpkin!

That is really kind of you. I will email you now.
Betty

[squeezyjohn]

I've had a dabble in this area for the first time this year ... bought some giant seeds from Clive Bevan under pressure from my kids who want to enter the local competition!

And now I've made myself a hot-bed that's up and running at a nice 25ºC powered by a mixture of horse manure and spent hops I thought I'd chuck a few of those seeds in one side and let it spill over out of the frame when the weather warms up.  It gives it a nice early start in the place it will end up growing ... and once the roots get through the soil layer when the bed stops emitting heat it should have plenty of food to make big pumpkins!

If it doesn't work I'll probably get several Jack-o-lanterns of normal size so that will do me!

[gaz2000]

I grew some large pumpkins a few years back so will go for a try again this year.Enjoyed delivering them to the family for halloween

Ive bought a handful of atlantic giant seeds off a trusted ebay seller ive used before,so fingers crossed

[Dandytown]

Gaz, send me a message and let me know what atlantic giant seeds you have and I'll let you know if they're any good.  If you buy the standard 'Atlantic Giant' from a T&M,Wilkos or anywhere similar then they are not very good.  You really want to be getting them from a grower not a comercial source.  Most growers will be happy to give seed away for the price of a self addressed bubble envelope.

Ideally you want to know what plants produced your seed   e.g  978 Geyelin 13 (854.5 Frei x self)   This shows the weight, grower, year grown and then in brackets, the female plant and male plant (pollinator).  The weight is irrelevant but the genetics are important.  For example  a seed from a pumpkin that weighed 220.3 lbs went on to produce one that weighed 1774lbs (because it had good genetics).

[gaz2000]

Thanks dandytown.The seeds I bought were just off an ebay supplier,not much details other than that there atlantic giant tbh but have had seeds from them before.Had to have help lifting the pumpkins in the past,not monster but much bigger than on sale.

I mainly grow as big as I can for the kids but would love to grow a true giant at some point so will look out for seed swaps ect,and learn more about the varieties

[Dandytown]

If you need some seed send me a message and I'll let you have my address.  Just send a self adressed bubble and I'll get a variety over to you.

[slyfox-mal]

just finishing off my  new homemade tunnel 35 x14 ft and I shall have a go at a pkn in there this year not really going  competitively this year just a bit of fun  this will probably be my last season growing giant pkn im going to have a bit of a chill out for the next couple of seasons its great growing a big pkn but the logistics of moving it and transporting it about  sort of spoil it a bit for me

but  like I say to all the newish growers   have fun while it lasts these things are freaks of nature and have been known to put on 50lb plus per day when they are in full swing
all the info is out there on how to grow  look on bigpumpkins.com  so great people on there  and almost all of the greatest growers in the world are there just spend some time reading the diary section both myself and peter  (dandytown) are on there

and as peter has said make sure you get quality seed  please don't waste your  hard earned cash on generic atlantic giant seed you will most likely be disappointed with the end product go on bp.com in the seed  section and be polite and ask for seeds  but always offer to  send a  jiffy envelope  with return postage covered  and you get offered world class seeds for the price of a bubble  envelope and postage  have fun people  and grow em big  regards mal

[Dandytown]

Great advice Mal.

Well, I hope you go out with a bang this year and smash your pb.  There is a new GPC site at York Maze and it would be good to see any growers in that region at the show with your pumpkins, big or small!

http://www.yorkmazehalloween.com/pages/pumpkin_comp.html

The logistics of moving these things presents as much a challenge as growing them and you certainly need some good friends and volunteers to help out along with a good plan.

Anyone close to me (Nottingham) would be welcome to some help nearer the time.

Good luck!

[slyfox-mal]

this is going to be home for the pumpkin this year if I ever get it finished

[Steve.]

Thought I would look in here and see if a challenge is up and running, and there is!

3rd year in a row for me now and taking it fairly serious too, I have some of Peters pumpkin seed already kindly offered to me via BigPumpkins, so I am looking forward to having a good go at it this year.

Just received two more seed today also, which leaves me in a quandry of which to grow now.

Steve...:)

[Dandytown]

What did you get Steve?

[slyfox-mal]

seeds are all sown   and tunnel is  almost ready for the planting out  an about ten days time



let the fun begin all over again 

[slyfox-mal]

well everyone is keeping quiet about their pumpkins so far this year should I be worried yet

[chriscross1966]

I've got a couple of big ones going, but they're outdoor so won't win anything against you lot, though I have hopes of beating my (outdoor) personal best.