We have pumpkins!

[spacehopper]

 ;D

Baz is just back from watering. There are some golf ball sized pumpkins. I can't believe how happy I am about growing some squash. I find it amazing that somehing I planted from seed is actually growing. Simple things for simple minds, as they say.  ;)

[spacehopper]

[Mothy]

Not at all, I now very well how you are feeling....and everyone else on here too, I bet!!   ;D

[weedin project]

Yup, my squash are the size of golf balls too.  Nice to see, isn't it ;D

Only problem I've got is that the plants' runners seem to be heading off in the one direction I don't want them to go, so I wonder if I prune the runners will they compensate by heading off in the direction I want them to?  Any wisdom on offer ???

[Mubgrub]

I think you can train them by pulling the growth round to where you want it and then securing it with a couple of sticks.  Others will know more.

[Mrs Ava]

Congratulations Caz and Baz!  I am the only member of the family who actually enjoys eating members of the squash family, but they all love looking at them, so I grow far to many, and each one is a joy! 

And yup weedin, that is exactly what I do with mine when they start heading in the other direction, yank them around and stick a bamboo in to keep them on track.  ;D

[spacehopper]

Congratulations Caz and Baz! 

lol, thats what I said to Baz when he phoned me from the allotment to tell me...congratulations, is it a girl or a boy!!  ;)

[wardy]

They are a bit wayward aren't they?  I have a Marina at last and it's already quite big.  I did a search in the undergrowth and had a job telling which squash was which amongst all the different varieties we've grown.  The Marina (thanks Loz) is green and stripey but it should go very dark and knobbly :)  I'll get a pic today if the rain stops.  We've got some quite elonged very pale green ones which I think are Blue Hubbard.  I can't find the labels  ;D  Unfortuntely one of my Sweet Mama's has dropped off  ;D
We are hoping for a veritable squash fest for a fund-raising plant sale in October.  If we manage to grow loads, and they save til then, the stall should look very  colourful.  That's the plan anyway but folks round here haven't really got round to the idea of eating pumpkins yet so it could be pumpkin at every meal  ;D

[busy_lizzie]

I am the proud planter of squash too, and  the squash and pumpkins seeds I got off Doris P are looking fantastic.  All have yellow fruit on them now.  Will try to take a pic so you can see them.  First time every in growing them so I am as "pleased as punch".   :) busy_lizzie

[ellkebe]

Have a couple of good sized pumpkins so far - small beach ball size - and several smaller ones.  Mainly growing them for son for Halloween, so should I pinch out the plants once they've got a good sized pumpkin or two?  Or can I keep letting them produce pumpkins but pick for eating when still quite young?  If I do, will the good sized ones carry on ripening ready for October?  Sorry if this is glaringly obvious , but I'm still finding the infinite variety of allomenteering a bit confusing to say the least  :)    Eg, the old hands on the allotment were all giving me advice on rotation the other day and my head was spinning by the end!  I guess it gets easier with experience - like most things  :)

[wardy]

I think Gavin only allows two to develop but that maybe cos he wants giants.  I only want reasonable sized ones so I think I'll let more than that develop, and let some go mad and do what they will  :)

[silverback]

hello
my pumpkins are about the size of golfballs does anybody know when they are  ready to use.

I have grown butter nut squash as well as maxim, butter nut seem very slow.

[wardy]

I think it depends on the type.  check back on your seed packets and it will tell you on there  :)

[Mrs Ava]

And it depends what you want them for.  Normally....she says tentatively, you leave the fruits on the vine for as long as possible so the skins get nice and hard and the fruits can be stored for use over the winter, however, if I need a squash for something, then I have been known to use baby pumpkins, when their skin is still quite soft.  I usually gather all of my babies together in mid October, before the worst of the weather comes in, and before the risk of some local scallywags spotting my pumpkins and coming in and pinching them!