Allotments 4 All
The Show => Pumpkin 'tastic => Topic started by: Leonnie on February 06, 2007, 21:44:00
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Is anyone insterested in another competition this year? I'm happy to organise it again if there's interest, unless someone else would like to volunteer as organiser :)
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Sounds fun to me ;D I have never grown pumpkins before, but am keen to learn.
cj :)
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Count me in please (for growing not organising ;D) Hope to grow something decent his year, thanks to Rosyred :)
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Hi Leonnie, Enjoyed comparing notes with people last year, so would love to take part again this year. Thanks so much for organising last years and really nice of you to do the same again for 2007. Three cheers for Leonnie!! :D busy_lizzie
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I will join in last years pumpkin was not to bad, and is good fun ;D
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yes i am in
are we going for size or quantity??
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are we going for size or quantity??
.......or germination :o This is my first year growing pumpkin, so I'll be happy with that ;D
cj :)
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carolinej its really easy you will be fine
just plant 2 seeds for every one that you want to grow.
What variatys are you trying?
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Big Max.
The name sounds promising ;D When is the best time to start the seeds off?
thanks
Caroline
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Great stuff, lots of interest again :D I'm happy to organise it, prize will be for the biggest pumpkin so photos at the end with tape measure around the biggest part of the pumpkin as proof. I won't be organising a prize etc for quantity but I see no reason not to post photos etc if you grow for quantity. I'll ask Dan to make this thread a sticky so we can chat about our progress through the season.
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I'm game. ;D
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yep, I am game, its a challenge to top last years ;D
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Thanks to Leonnie for organising again.
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Thanks Leonnie from me too. Looking forward to beating my own personal best though not aiming for any real whoppas - can't lift or cut them!.
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Go then..... Count me in again this year ;D
-Cheers Leonnie-
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will have a go to do like a competition ;D
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It's great to see there's lots of interest again this year :D
Have you all decided what varieties you'll be growing? Last year I grew hundredweight but this year I'm hoping to get some atlantic giant seeds because I think they grow bigger...not that I stand a chance against you lot ;) ;D
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yes i have atlantic giant seeds to try this year and i have a plan ;)
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So are Atlantic Giant the tallest variety there is?
cj :)
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Not the tallest as it is a ground hugging and covering plant.
Its the largest spreading with the largest and the heaviest form of pumpkin.(usually :))
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Got my seed today ;D
They are a direct descendant of the Al Eaton 1301.5, sibling to the current 912lb UK record holder and cousin to the world record breaking 1,446lb heaviest pumpkin .
Means nothing!!!! but sounds good ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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I'm in.
Thank you :D
TGF
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[quote
They are a direct descendant of the Al Eaton 1301.5, sibling to the current 912lb UK record holder and cousin to the world record breaking 1,446lb heaviest pumpkin .[/quote]
Nice to keep it in the family ;D
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May I join in please.Thank you Jeannine
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Me too! Atlantic giant again with hopes to beat my personal best of 138.5lb
last years was a sad 80lb
4th year of trying. got plenty of poo.........
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So let me get this right, the person with the largest pictured pumpkin ith a tape mesure around the largest circumference wins? and you can grow any type of pumpkin? any other rules i should know about
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any other rules i should know about
No inflatable pumpkins and no filling it with concrete ;D
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Gives me an idea ;D
(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c180/beckyandy/pump.jpg)
(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c180/beckyandy/cement.jpg)
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Rules are:
- Pumpkin must be grown by yourself
- Judging will take place on 31st October, halloween. But you can photograph your pumpkin and post the photo anytime before that date.
- Pumpkin must have been grown this year
- Sowing dates, what you feed, variety is up to you
- A photo with tape measure around pumpkin must be uploaded onto this forum in the appropriate thread (I will start one closer to the time) as proof
- It must be a real pumpkin, not a plastic or any other man-made pumpkin!
- Judges decision will be final
If anyone thinks there should be other rules please say so and I'll edit this post. :)
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I am going to grow Mammoth again this year, but I hope they will be even more mammoth than they were last year. Think I need to put more manure on the site this year. I have got loads of seed from last years, so will give them a try. :) busy_lizzie
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Cool then - I'm in
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Me too! Saved some Atlantic Giant seeds from my Harry Potter pumpkin. Let the magic happen ;D
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Just got my swap of Atlantic Giant pumpkins. Just plant them and stand well back ;D ;D ;D
cj :)
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Hi
Can I join Please i got some giant pumpkin seeds
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1st time for me bit I'me going for broke.XX Jeannine
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I would like to have a go subject to me being able to aquire a bit more space.
How are you going to validate the measurement? One or two folks just might be tempted to use a tape that has been knotted or photoshopped. I bet I'm not the only one to have thought of that. :P
If I can get the room I will grow Atlantic giant.
Someone diddn't have a clue what 1400lb was. Well it is more than half a ton and would require 16 strong men to move it safely by hand.
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Hi , I think somethings we just have to take on trust XX Jeannine
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Anyway, if anyone cheats, they will get a visit from the A4A 'mangement'. :o Do you have any idea what they do to you? It's terrible.
They get a sack full of bindweed roots, and spread them liberally all over your plot. Then they pierce your water buts and open a jar of whitefly into your greenhouse. And that is AFTER they have walked all over your raised beds.
Some people never recover, give up gardening and take up macrame.
cj ;)
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Caroline, you forgot the pot of blight germs XX Well done XX Jeannine
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Ooops, sorry Jeannine. That one is definately the first thing they do :o
cj :)
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Is there a category for the smallest pumpkin does anyone know. XX Jeannine
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I suggest that should anyone even THINK of cheating that they take a look at carolinej's avatar first :o
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I'll enter the competiton, it will be my first year of growing pumkins so the best i can hope for is beginners luck ;D ;D
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How are you going to validate the measurement? One or two folks just might be tempted to use a tape that has been knotted or photoshopped. I bet I'm not the only one to have thought of that. :P
Eristic there is no way for us to validate the measurement but I would hope that everyone entering will do so with good spirit and not cheat. :)
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Leonnie.
Will you please run a spreadsheet again this year with all the contenders details on ?.
If it is too much hassle we will understand though.
-Thanks-
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Mines and inch high already ;D
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Leonnie.
Will you please run a spreadsheet again this year with all the contenders details on ?.
If it is too much hassle we will understand though.
-Thanks-
Should be no problem, give me a few days though as it's a bit busy for me at the moment :)
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Count me in :)
My seeds have germinated and looking good.
The patch has a mixture of cow and horse manure and my secret feed is smelling very bad already.
Last years effort was no good, so hoping for better things this year.
Thanks for organising
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My two children sowed their pumpkin seeds today, Hundredweight. We have tried direct sowing this year.
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Is it too late to take part.
I have some pumpkin coming along nicely in my greenhouse & all beign well next week will be going to the plot.
CC
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It's never too late CC :) Judging takes place on 31st Oct so if you can get your winning pumpkin measured and photo posted here by that date then you'll have made it on time :)
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New to this site - I'm growing a couple of pumpkins on my plot - if it's ok I'll join in too!
Who won last year? What type of seed?
Cheers
Tried last year! (Also my first year)
(http://images.fotopic.net/ynjnm8.jpg)
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I will be having a go. My site shows last years effort which was my first, just to give you confidence. The amazing thing is that I did not use compost, it just grew and grew!
You can see how to grow one and the huge plant. There is also a link to how to move it on YouTube.
http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments_Vegetables_Pumpkin.html
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Anybody else's flowered yet ? Went down the allotment today after the rain had stopped and one had two flowers open on it and another plant should have an open flower on it tomorrow. I'm quite excited now :D
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How are peoples pumpkins doing ?
Mine are being beaten by my cucumbers :(
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I've got a country pumpkin [from Supersprout] doing nicely & just noticed a delicta [?] sugar loaf [from Jeannine] has set - no cobnuts yet though lots of courgettes a few patty-pans & a lot of downey mildew!
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(http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m208/crashndonna/Pumpkinchallenge.jpg)
Here's my contender!
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Wow!
My biggest one is only the size of a slightly swollen tennis ball. (so far!)
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I'm going to be selling guess's for £1 a go (min donation). Guess the final weight of the pumpkin. I added the photo above and put date it was taken, where the official weigh in will be and prize. I'm going to give £20 of my own money to the closest weight. All money raised will go to EACH (East Anglian childrns hospice). I'm hoping to sell guesses to workmates of mine and Donna's , round the pub and to friends.
Wish me luck.
P.S The seed was in some of last years compost that I used for this years toms, can anyone tell me what variety it is. It just grew and grew and grew...
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Here are pics of my biggest two both only about 20cm high. The green one has been that size it seems for ages, but the yellow one has really put a growth spurt on :D
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r96/vinylsteve/Allotment/GreenPumpkin020807.jpg)
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r96/vinylsteve/Allotment/Pumpkin0208071.jpg)
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My guess the final weight of the pumpkin competition is going well. £44 so far without me seeing any of my workmates. Guesses so far range from 4.8kg-90kg... I'm going to get their first £ then in a month or so print off another photo to see if I can get another £ out of them. Went to see it today and it's put loads of weight on.
Should I sacrifice the smaller pumpkins just to give this one more of the nutrients?
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All the photos are great to see, keep them coming :D
Good luck with the fundraiser Crash, it's a good cause so I hope you get loads of donations. :)
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This one of my pumpkins i have had to pick early due to bird dammage. I have no idea the variaty but its almost 6lb 3oz and just over 24inches around. I know its not the biggest but its getting there.
http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/cambourne7/Allotment/?action=view¤t=DSC00381.jpg
http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/cambourne7/Allotment/?action=view¤t=DSC00384.jpg
http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/cambourne7/Allotment/?action=view¤t=DSC00386.jpg
There is another one bigger still on the plant and one thats about 1/2 the size plus about 10 tennis ball sized fruits.
Cambourne7
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What variety are they Louise? They look pale like 'Ghost'.
I'm growing that variety this year, but only have 1 fruit on it so far...
(http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l47/dlp133/LateAugust2007107.jpg)
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HI
There Dill Atlantic Giant. The paleness might be my camera.
Yours looks big though.
Cambourne7
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It's about the size of a basketball at the moment...can't remember how big they can get! ;D
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Here are pics of my biggest two an "Atlantic Giant" and a "Hundredweight"
I have placed a ruler/spirit level on top of the pumkins for scale it is 18 inches long.
First the Hundredweight.
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r96/vinylsteve/Allotment/20070907PumpkinHundredweight.jpg)
and the Atlantic Giant with the Hundredweight in the background.
(http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r96/vinylsteve/Allotment/20070907PumpkinAtlanticgiant.jpg)
I am pleased with them both seeing as it is my first year :)
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oh wow, you've done really well legendaryone :D
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I've sent a photo to our work magazine in the hope that the company matches what I raise. I'm upto £99 now.
I was thinking of asking the landlady of our local if she'll put it on the bar and take donations after the official weigh in.
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hello, Id like to count myself in the pumpkin competiton, first year on our allotment so first year growing pumpkins too, its quite addictive this veg growing.
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Crash the fundraising is going really well for you, I hope your company will match what you have raised, that would be really good.
Remember everyone, take a photo of your largest pumpkin with a tape around it's girth at the widest part, the photo should show the measurement on the tape measure. I'll start a new sticky thread for photos only so your entries don't get lost in the discussion taking place here. :)
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My tape measure only goes upto 60" and it's bigger than that :D
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;D ;D Crash, Lucky you!
You'll have to find yourself a longer tape measure. Or you could use a piece of rope or string to measure the girth and then measure that against the tape measure if you know what I mean. :)
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We have picked our pumpkin today and it weighed 7kg. The variety was 'hundred weight'. It is not completely ripe yet so we are hoping, by keeping it indoors, it will ripen in time for halloween :-\ Although I planted our plant seed early, it stayed in a pot until about the beginning of Aug (due to no room on the plot). It seemed to pick up and grow well. Hopefully next year we shall get the plant in it;s final position much earlier on and hope for a much bigger fruit!
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My largst pumpkin, a hundredweight, was rotten when i went up to the plot this morning :'( :'( :'( It was my biggest one :'( :'( :'( It had some strange pink flesh on the inside ???
I have saved some seed so all is not lost.
I am down to one pumpkin now for the competion.
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I brought mine in yesterday. All the foilage had died down and it was VERY visable from the road... Also had to make a cmplaint about the field sec. and the way he handled contractors coming onto my plot to rod drains. He let them walk all over the plant. This is after we had a falling out over boundaries. Just after this dispute the "FOX" came and hit my pumpkin 3 times with a spade! I'm in the right he's wrong. I have the map to prove it... Anyway I'm going off on one so I'll stop. >:(
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I have atlantic giant, i have swapped my last big pumpkin for a load of horse manure which they helped me move to my plot.
I have 2 or 3 babys that are not quite football sized do you think these would taste ok now??
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Ive never had a year like it :o
Got just one pumpkin which is not such a great size and three or four squashes but ive still got flowers appearing everywhere ::)
Never had flowers in October before :o
The weather has been so odd this year and i dont really want to pick my fruit just yet as I feel they need a good few more weeks to reach maturity.
Oh gardening can be fun and frustrating cant it?
We never know what sucess we may have or not have as the case may be!
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yes my courgette is still flowering and i still have courgettes forming which is weird.
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My tape measure only goes upto 60" and it's bigger than that :D
Is it ok if I upload a photo with the string I used and tied in a knot folded in half next to the tape measure?
I'll be taking mine to be weighed at 9.30 tomorrow. I'll put the certificate next to the pumpkin.
DOn't know what the lady lady will think when she sees how much pumpkin soup she's got to make!
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My tape measure only goes upto 60" and it's bigger than that :D
Is it ok if I upload a photo with the string I used and tied in a knot folded in half next to the tape measure?
I'll be taking mine to be weighed at 9.30 tomorrow. I'll put the certificate next to the pumpkin.
DOn't know what the lady lady will think when she sees how much pumpkin soup she's got to make!
Yes I think that will be acceptable Crash :)
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forgot to photo for the competition >:(
Both were only about 45lb and gave them to infant school for harvest festival again this year. :D
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Here are a few pics of my first efforts at pumpkin growing. I haven't entered them for the competition as I only found out about it after I had harvested them, and so did not take the requisite picture with a tape measure. Indeed, I had to harvest the biggest slightly earlier than I would have liked, because I was including it in a book I have been writing (One Man And His Dig, hopefully out next year) and I had to weigh it in time for my copy deadline at the end of September.
Anyway, here it is, a Hundredweight, planted in lots of manure, fed on organic tomato feed (can't remember the brand!), and weighing a not-particularly-impressive 29lb 12oz. Still, I suppose it wasn't bad for a first effort.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2394/1711779851_a0b2f2ad56_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2169/1712594802_d8dc92da8b_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2045/1712574030_153a06544c_b.jpg
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well valentinelow, you did a lot better than me, I didn't get anything successful this year :)
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We had our halloween do at the allotment this afternoon and my pumpkin came second at 38 pound the winner weighed in at 78 pounds :o
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Leonnie, where would you like pics of our carved pumkins? All in one thread or individual?
Ours are ready to post! ;D
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Leonnie, where would you like pics of our carved pumkins? All in one thread or individual?
Ours are ready to post! ;D
A gallery of everyone's carvings might be nice, that way they're all in one place for us to admire. I'll go open a thread now. :D
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Thanks! :-* :-*