Topic: ONE SIDE OF MY PUMPKINS ARE FLAT

[Duke Ellington]

Where my pumpkins have been lying they have a flat side. I put them on a tile to stop them rotting. Is there a way to get a really nice evenly round pumpkin??
I know i sound  fussy but I could be doing something wrong. The supermarket pumpkins have a nice round even shape. Why shouldn't mine too  ???

Duke

[betula]

Put the two flat sides together and you have one extra large perfectly round pumpkin. ;D

[kt.]

I would be happy to be able to successfully grow just one pumpkin....  Even if it did have a flat side 8)

[manicscousers]

we shoved some straw under them to keep them off the ground, seemed to work for us, plus we turned them over from time to time, mind you, our biggest is four and a half pounds  ;D

[OllieC]

I think perhap variety may play a big part - I have 3 perfact for Jack-O-Lanterns which were just left to their own devices. They are "Ghostrider"...

[Jeannine]

The reason your pumpkins are flat is because you let them grow on their side.

If you want a nice round one next year, keep an eye on a couple of fruits and when they are still fairly small gently  turn the fruit till it is sitting on it's bum, it will grow perfectly round, it will also improve it's over all appearance as the paler bit which they get will be on it's bum too.

Shape is dependent on type..eg some are fat and round, some are very squat and some grow tall, but flat sided has nothing to do with type.

I buy different varieties to get the three shapes above if I am growing them for Halloween as they look good in a grouping.

XX Jeannine

[OllieC]

J, I've only ever grown about 10 different winter squash (including pumpkins) and, as you know, would always defer to your experience! But I have noticed some are more likely to do this than others, and yes, every time it comes down to the weight of the fruit pushing down on itself... I think what I mean is that some are more likely to avoid this on their own - either if they're lighter, or trail more (and in my case, land up on weeds!)...

[caroline7758]

A lot of mine have grown oval- look more like orange marrows! Think they must have cross-pollinated with something! I didn't realise there were varieties of Jack-o-lantern- I thought that WAS the variety?

[Duke Ellington]

Thanks for answering  ;D you are all helpful even you Betula hehehehe!! :P

Duke

[Jeannine]

Jack o Lantern is a variety but it also a mis used term like Hoover for a vaccum cleaner.

Pumpkins do come in all shapes and sizes, it is a good idae to look at a picture before you choose what to grow.

Ollie, by their variety there are winter squashes whose natural shape are not round and look square on the bottom.

Sometimes they will take on the shape of the land they are growing on too.

To get the best flat bottom I actually pop mine on a piece on board.

XX Jeannine