Allotments 4 All
The Show => Pumpkin 'tastic => Topic started by: 1066 on March 10, 2011, 17:30:12
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Well, it's the time of year when I start to think about what to grow, have a peek at my seed packets, and then make piles of definitely, maybe, not sure, and next year! I try and look at what I know and like, what I've tried and didn't quite work out well, and what's new :D
And then no doubt I will look at the piles and start switching things around, then I'll wander around the plot, thinking where the heck am I going to squeeze them all in, then when I get to sow some seeds, I'll probably change my list again, ::)
So far, on the yes list I have -
Anna Swartz Hubbard
Bon Bon
Boston K/A Boston Marrow
Burgess Buttercup
Cornell's Delicata
Crown Prince
Green Striped Cushaw
Guatemalan Blue
Kikuza
Little Gem Rolet
Long Island Cheese
Mountaineer
Orange Cushaw
Pink Banana
Queensland Blue
Rouge Vif D'Etamps
Summer Crookneck
Vegetable Spaghetti
Victor
only 19 on the Yes pile :-X ::)
Maybe -
Ash Gourd (from India)
Australian Butter
Bitter Gourd - Kerala
Black Futsu
Blue Kuri
Conneticut Field Pumpkin
Jaune Gros De Paris
Kabocha
Lunga Di Napoli
Marina Di Choggia
Musquee De Provence
Potimarron
Sucrine de Berry
Uchiki Kuri
Violina
decisions, decisions.....
so go on, fess up, what are you planning ;D
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Gosh..somebody is eager to start ;D...I've only marked the planting 'spots' with canes so I've got some idea how many I can fit in.. :-X
I've got plan to get OH to turn over another bit of land (this weekend) and then bury the soil under the bedding from chickens pen..that should provide some extra room for later on for few more....
As for now I can fit about 20 squashes but as what is still undecided..
I'll have to get tomatoes out of way first.. ::)
Are you growing one of each?...or planning to produce some seeds too ;)
This year I'm definately growing more for seed..last year was still 'practice' year.. ::)
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Im thinking that I must have a very small plot!
For me some Uchiki Kuri and BNS but some wonderful person on here sent me a load of pumkin seeds so I am going to be trying a few new ones this year..
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Gonna have another try at Butternut squash. The only pumpkin I am trying is Ghost, for halloween. Never ate squash.
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the usual bns, potimarron, uchi kuri, hooligan and jack be little
some wonderful person on here sent me a load of pumkin seeds
me, too, lots to grow for our schools and special needs group, gives me an excuse to sow more ;D
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My squash list isn't quite that long... ;D
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Ah, but Saddad your tomato list is rather lengthy ;) Any new ones for you this year?
Well, Goodlife, you are ahead of me, I haven't marked out anything yet, this is the starting list, and I'll wander around at some point and try and figure out where the heck I can squeeze them all in. And I'm already altering the list in my head, to include Potimarron, want to give them another go as they weren't fab last year. And I haven't decided on how many each, I know for the Crown's and the Little Gem's I'll grow a couple, but as to the rest more likely 1, but again it depends on space :D
KT - give some a go, lovely roasted alongside some spuds etc .... and then there is always soup :)
I'm thinking that I must have a very small plot!
Me too!! you know the expression your eyes are bigger than your belly, well in gardening terms I reckon my seed list is bigger than my plot :D
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For me I will be growing only one giant pumpkin from seed oflast years UK record 1504 lber. Would have egrown 2 but I am running out of space.
I am growing the following:
Blue Kuri
Uchiki Kuri
Black Futsu
Tuffy Sweet
Thelma Sanders
Spagetti Squash
Delicata
Queensland Blue
Rouge Vif Etampes
Ash Gourd
Rolet
Loofah
Tromba di albenga
Hooligan
Bon Bon
Kikuza
Saw some peat bags for sale on the allotment shop/shed the other day and am seriously considering buying a bag for the p[umpkins. Can't remember the size but its big just like the price.....£15
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I forgot to ask, do you think peat will be a good investment for cropping?
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Loving the list Dandytown 8)
I forgot to ask, do you think peat will be a good investment for cropping?
Not quite sure what you mean, what are peat bags? Is it for storage?
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Loving the lists and have to say I'm still in the undecided zone, but have got as far as a (long) shortlist ;D
Choosing from,
Anna Swartz Hubbard
Australian Blue Pumpkin
Baby Blue Hubbard
Baby Boo Pumpkin
Bon Bon
Bush Buttercup
Chirman
Gills Golden Pippin
Gleisdorfer
Green Crinkled Pumpkin
Guatamalan Blue
Japanese Pumpkin
Jumbo Pink Banana
Pomme D’Or
Prostrate Squash
Pumpkin Nuts
Shlshigatana/ toonas makino
Sibley
Small sugar
Sugarloaf Delicata
Sweet Dumpling
Sweetmeat
Table Gold Acorn
Table Queen
Thai Rai Kaw Tok
Triamble
Valecciano pumpkin
Vitaminnaya
Volzhskaya Seraya 92
Whangaparaoa
But everything may change and help with narrowing it down a little would be fantastic ;D
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........ help with narrowing it down a little would be fantastic ;D
Not sure you are in the right place for help to narrow it down :D
Some lovely squash in there, heard about some of them, grown others but there's a few newbies on there, like Gills Golden Pippin, Gleisdorfer, Shlshigatana/ toonas makino, Valecciano pumpkin, Vitaminnaya, Volzhskaya Seraya 92, Whangaparaoa so will just have to take a look, pure scientific reasoning here ;D
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Jayb, can you grow them all? ;D That's some list and I havent heard of many of them but then again the list of squashes in the world seems almost endless.
1066. With regards to peat, It first caught my attention when I read an article in the paper concerning the brothers that grew the UK's largest pumpkin in 2010. I think they break the record every year. Anyway, they mentioned that they used peat instead of manure. I think this might be becasue pumpkins prefer a slightly acidic soil (pH 6-7)
Peat moss has a pH of 3.0 to 3.5 and is therefore good for lowering the pH of heavyly limed/basic soil (alkaline if you like). However, I am not sure how carefully the peat needs to be used.
The 'peat bag' was simply a compost bag but with peat in, maybe in the region of a 200L bag?
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Ah, the light has been switched on now, thanks :)
It would be interesting (if you can afford it) to try a comparison, with the same variety of squash planted in the ground as per normal and 1 in peat.
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For us it will be the usual stuff we eat every day of the week with enough to stock the freezer till next year like we have done this last growing season, my aim this year are to grow my four varieties of chillis and also hopefully to have a bumper crop of garlic so I can make my chutneys and anything else you can put chillies and garlic in, :)
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I haven't got as far as looking though my seeds yet.
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Crikey, I didnt realise it was 23rd March already :o Last year I sowed early, around 7th April and my plants did well despite being quite big when I transplanted.
That means in two weeks I could in effect, start sowing but I know I should wait a little longer :)
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I am giving myself till next week to finalise everything as i had planned on having the greenhouse in place but not going to happen so i am having to rethink things. Which is not a bad thing as i am now reconsidering what to do with the space destined for my greenhouse and am thinking that i might try out a few ideas :)
But will look at your lists with interest :)
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Still trying to work out where to put everything, so far, I have planted Roosters and Javelins, my Da has got me the following seeds:
Boltardy Beetroots
gardeners delight tomatoe
mixed lettuce
radishes
Runner beans
(bless him, he knows I'm a Learner) :)
Well I have opened up a whole new shopping experience for my friends, so for my birthday I have asked for all sorts of herbs, sunflowers, squash, parsnips, and lots of sweat peas. However, judging by the conversation we had in the pub on Friday night it appears the idea of pimping my shed is a much better idea??? will keep you posted.. :)
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PS I have stolen some of your lists to compile my own...thank you ;)
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PS I have stolen some of your lists to compile my own...thank you ;)
That's the pleasure in sharing :) My firends have also suggested pimping sheds, and have now suggested that I buy a sun lounger and install a cocktail cabinet in my greenhouse. Friends huh!!
Looking back I sowed mine at a similar time dandytown, and will also try and resist the urge to sow some squash. But having said that Jeannine always recommended sowing and then potting on and on and on, to get the best and strongest plants before planting out. I realise this takes more time and more compost, but so far I have to say I've always had good squash plants following this method, and had very few losses on my exposed and windy plot! :-\
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The general theme was a bar, a couple of suggestions of sunloungers and a bbq...however that is inspired installing a cocktail cabinet in the greenhouse, very funny :)
Someone else mentioned to me about sowing and potting on too, especially with butternut, I may just try a couple to see how I get on, and dandytown list and recommendations look pretty sound to me too. :)
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1066, I did find that to be the case..... potting on and on and on. I only got one broken one but it was my black futsu which only gave me just one pumpkin in the end (shame as it was so tasty). The other Futsu was given away as on potting on the name taggy label thing fell out and I forgot what it was.
I will resist the urge up to the 7th but there is no stopping me after then ;D and whilst this is a pumpkin blog, I have, just started some melon seeds chitting in a seed bag with some wet kitchen towel in there. Have never tried it before and will let you know how it goes. Considering putting them in the airing cupboard.
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Ohh...sounds like 'we' have some 'itchy' fingers for sowing the tender stuff...careful.... ;)
I'm waiting patiently..err..sitting on my hands ;D...until end April before anything start happening with any of these sort of stuff.
I BET..now that we've had some summery weather this early, we are going to pay for it...once this ends the monsoons arrive following some late snow and pumpkin size hail ::)
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once this ends the monsoons arrive following some late snow and pumpkin size hail ::)
Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!
A few of us last year had a Melon competition, I know I know :-X, anyway from 5 of us, only 1 person managed to grow some, in her garden in a very sunny and protected spot! The greenhosue owners failed last year. Not sure if we will repeat the fun and games this year or not. But good luck, and yes let us know how you get on.
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Where are you going to put all those pumpkins/squashes. Looks like you are going to need several allotments just for them.
I have a packet called Lakota and I have found the rest of my packet of blue hubbard, and with trompetto d'albenga climbing about the place that should fill the space quite nicely. Also got Kamo Kamo.
I am still thinking about carrots, broad beans and brassicas. Might get a couple of courgettes going on the windowsill. Our site far too windy but hopefully the peas will soon be tall enough to shelter them.
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Thanks for the reality check goodlife. The early warm weather does have a habit of lulling both the experienced and inexperienced to sow too early. Rain and wind yes but hail and snow :o :( :(
Interesting info about the Melons. Alarm bells should have started when I found out that no one else grows them on my site. I am growing a quick maturing cantelope (Alaska F1) and an Asian variety (Sun Jewel F1). Will read up as much as I can but any success can only be down to begginers luck.
Digeroo, I read that tromba is a very vigorous climber that some grow up there apple trees. If they do I think it will be a talking point for the other plot holders to see those unusual and large fruits dangling from the trees