Topic: West Indian Pumpkin

[sweet-pea]

I'm growing west Indian Pumpkin for the first time this year, I can't remember who sent me the seed, but I was wondering how big they get as the one I have is already football sized.  Also do they need to be left on the plant like winter squashes for the skin to harden or can I pick it now?  I'm just a little worried the rat is going to 'harvest' it before I do!

[Robert_Brenchley]

Any pumpkin needs to be left to ripen; this is a bit of a difficulty for me as well owing to rodent activity round my shed. I'm not sure what size they reach - I'm assuming typical pumpkin size - but they're romping around like nobody's business.

[sweet-pea]

Thanks Robert, I hope you manage to beat the rodents too.  I'm thinking of maybe trying to make some 'cages' for my squashes next year to try and prevent them from nibbling at them.

[Squashfan]

Cages might do the trick, sweet-pea, amke sure the mesh is fine as rats are crafty buggers. Fortunately for us, the foxes keep the rodent population down in our allotments. I'd be gutted if rodents started eating my squashes... :(

[amphibian]

Cages might do the trick, sweet-pea, amke sure the mesh is fine as rats are crafty buggers. Fortunately for us, the foxes keep the rodent population down in our allotments. I'd be gutted if rodents started eating my squashes... :(

There used to be rodant problems at our site, but now we have a family of foxes living in the brambles, we have no issues. They sometimes dig a bit when you use chicken manure, but I quite like them.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I used to have foxes and fairly minor rodent problems. The foxes died in a mange epidemic, and I rarely see them now. The result was that the rats flourished.

[redimp]

We have foxes and few rodents.  Rabbit population rises during the early good weather but soon levels out.  No rat and mice issues really.  Tolerate the odd vole that lives on my plot on a cuteness factor.  Just wish the foxes had wings so they could sort out the pigeons.  There are peregrines nesting on the cathedral - our lotties are the nearest ones.  No impact on the pidgies though :(

[Robert_Brenchley]

The peregrines probably have too many pigeons to choose from; they certainly have an impact on the one they're after!

[sweet-pea]

I heard at the weekend that there are a couple of foxes around our allotments, so maybe they will catch the rat at some point.

Only managed to make one cage at the weekend as it was such a fiddly job and it was too hot!

[Robert_Brenchley]

I used to see foxes quite frequently round the site; on several occasions they walked straight past me while I was working. These days I rarely see them at all.

[Rosyred]

When you say leave the pumpkin to ripen what do we do?

[supersprout]

See http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/joomla/component/option,com_smf/Itemid,72/topic,15825.0 ;) :)

[Rosyred]

Thank you printed that off ready for later in the year.  :)