Pumpkin Shortage This Year

[silly billy]

I have just read on the bbc's teletext service that a farmer who normally grows 2 million pumpkins each year is warning that there is going to be a shortage of pumpkins due to our poor summer and most will also be green instead of orange.

So if like me you are growing some for your children it might be worth picking them and storing them before they get stolen from our plots by others desperate for a pumpkin.

[silly billy]

[Stevens706]

I can understand that, my one plant only produced a single fruit, this is the same for others on our site.

My baby is now safe in the garage.

[Sparkly]

If the pumpkin is still green at this time, will it is ripen? I have 2 pumpkin plants. One wth quite a large fruit (still green) and one with a small fruit which seems to be starting to ripen. Is there any hope for them now?If they stay green could I still use them? I was going to use the small one to make a cake and the large one for halloween.

[RosieMcPosie]

cambourne7 also posted this!

http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,36186.msg360196.html#msg360196

;D

[Debenvalley]

I harvested mine two weeks ago when the weather turned. Since then they've been sitting on the garden bench soaking up the morning sun  :)

I kept to a single fruit per plant and they are a good size, the biggest dificult to carry. But they are very pale, a pale apricot colour rather than orange, I guess due to the lack of sun. This picture was taken back in early August they are a bit darker now but not much.



Darren

[cambourne7]

mines the same, what variaty was that?

[cleo]

Guess I got something right this year then?

[cambourne7]

very nice cleo

[cornykev]

Looking good Cleo, I have a few of similar colour but not quite as big.  ;D ;D ;D

[cleo]

Pumpkin and pecan pie anyone?

[Suffolklad]

sigh

I think we'll be fed up with pumpkin soup and pie this year  ;D

[ruffmeister]

sigh

I think we'll be fed up with pumpkin soup and pie this year  ;D

what variety?

[asbean]

Saw on TV this morning a farmer with a large warehouse with heaters set at 20 degrees to ripen the pumpkins. Yet again the supermarkets are dictating what we want (must be orange).  Yes we want them ripe to eat, but what the h*ll does it matter what colour they are if they are going to have holes cut in them and then thrown away?  Can't the kids learn that not all veg is uniform size, shape and colour?

[Trixiebelle]

I agree Asbean - seeing fruit and vegetables on display in major supermarkets makes me wonder what happened to all the fruit/vegetables that are shaped like MINE grown naturally & organically on the allotment.

Maybe they go to pig-fodder?

As for pumpkins, I've got ONE that's turned orange. In fact I've only GOT one!  ;D

Does anyone know if Atlantic Giants are good to eat or are they just for show?

[Tora]

Couldn't agree more, asbean! My OH was telling me that as a child he had to use turnips for lanterns since pumpkins were too expensive. I thought why not, turnips are in season around Halloween too! :D

[manicscousers]

we used to use turnips, mum used to make halloween and bonfire stew with the insides  ;D

[Tora]

Awww you did too? :) Stew sounds like a plan, actually! I'm going to save big turnips for halloween. ;D I hope pumpkin thieves aren't reading this topic, I might need to guard my turnips as well now. :-\

[froglets]

Cut out turnips and dooking for apples.  That's back then when it was fun and cheap.

[Debenvalley]

mines the same, what variaty was that?

Hundred weight.

Shame about the colour, I think I'll try a different variety next year.

[Pigletwillie]

We grew some 20 plants this year, under new fruit trees.

Crown prince came good with 3-4 per plant, a self setter gave me 18 small ones just right for two people but everything else was poor with some yielding one pumpkin and several none.

http://pigletsplots.blogspot.com/2007/10/some-for-this-year-some-for-next.html