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Pumpkins, Squash & Gourds

NEED ADVICE ON MY PUMPKINS

10 years ago

MY WIFE & I HAVE BEEN GROWING PUMPKINS FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS. WE HAVE A PATCH ABOUT 150 FT X 50 FT. WE GROW ATLEAST 250 PUMPKINS EACH YEAR. EACH YEAR WE HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF PUMPKINS THAT ARE NOT HARD. I ASSUME THAT THEY DID NOT RIPEN ON THE VINE. WE PLANT THE PUMPKINS TO MATURE IN THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER. PLANTING DATES VARY DEPENDING IN THE VARIETY (80 TO 120 DAYS). DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR US TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF "SOFT" PUMPKINS? WE GENERALLY HARVEST AS SOON AS THE VINES START TO WITHER. IF WE LEAVE THEM IN THE FIELD, THE CUCUMBER BUGS CAN BECOME A PROBLEM. THEY EAT THEM.

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Comments (3)

nailem81
Original Author
10 years ago
THANKS FOR THE REPLY. AS THE PATCH IS SO LARGE, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO NOT HARVEST ALL AT THE SAME TIME. ROWS ARE NOT DEFINED. WE DON'T PRUNE ANY VINES. WHAT GROWS, GROWS. WE PLANT ON DIFFERANT DATES TO TRY TO GET ALL THE PLANTS TO MATURE ON THE SAME DATE. WISHFULL THINKING, I KNOW. WE PLANT OUR ROWS 12 FT APART & THE HILLS 4 FT APART. THE VINES GO WHERE THEY WANT. SOME VARIETIES HAVE VINES THAT ARE OVER 30 FT LONG. TO BE HONEST, UNTILL WE HARVEST, WE ARE NOT SURE WHAT WE REALLY HAVE AS FAR AS NUMBERS & QUALITY. WE PLANT AS SOON AS WE CAN IN THE SPRING FOR THE 120-115 DAY PUMPKINS. SO, WE CAN'T PLANT ANY EARLIER. THE PAST 2 SPRINGS HAVE BEEN VERY COOL.

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