Topic: WHAT'S UP WITH MY PUMPKINS?

[carrot-cruncher]

I sowed some pumpkin seed on 25th may & they're still not through.  

Do they take a long time to germinate or are they likely to have died?  They were planted in individual pots & left in my greenhouse to help them along.   All the other seed I planted on the same day have germinated & are coming along a treat.

Is it worth planting a second batch or just giving the first batch another 7 to 10 to start showing before I try to buy some plants.

CC

ps. i planted the bright orange variety 'cos i wanted the pumpkins for halloween

[Ceri]

I do remember mine taking a while - can't remember how long though - I was so keen to grow them I even dug about in the pot to see if the seed was doing anything!  It was luckily so I covered it back up gently and waited a bit more!

[The gardener]

I would expect germination within a week to ten days at this time of the year.

Try emptying out one of the pots to se if the seed has rotted off.

I would say you still have time to get another batch on the go.

p.s They do not like being too wet at this stage, I normally give them a good soaking at sowing time then no more until the seedlings emerge.

[Mrs Ava]

Yup, I would have a poke around in the pot and see if anything is happening, but then I am sooooo impatient!  ;D  Tis curious tho, some of my squashes came through really quick, and others seemed to take ages!  And my cucumbers....never did!  >:(  (Note to self, must try to remember to nip to the garden centre tomorrow and buy a couple of plants)

[Tenuse]

If it's anything like butternut squash, I had 6 plants in a mini-greenhouse (unheated) and after 4 weeks only 2 have germinated, I put two in pots in a propogator and they were 2 inches high after 5 days!! So perhaps pumpkins need a bit of extra heat?

Ten x

[carrot-cruncher]

Well, came home from work yesterday evening to find five out of the six pumpkins I plants have now germinated.  Two are streaking ahead so perhaps they got wind of my concern & decided to make an effort before being chucked out as no good :)

I had actually moved their tray up a level in my greenhouse to see if it would jolly them along & so far it seems to be working

[Moggle]

Hurrah! Glad to hear that they've germinated.  :)