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Austria

Hi altogether

I live in Bregenz (at Lake Constance) and I`m looking forward to my first year of Giant Pumpkin Growing in 2005. Altough the climate here may not be as good as in the south (Styria) I`ll try anyway. I`ve read there are even Pumpkin Growers in Itzehoe (Northern Germany) or England. So for this I feel quite optimistic that at least the weather-conditions here where I live won`t be worse. I think that Pumpkin Growing here in Vorarlberg is not as common or popular as eg. in Styria where this has a great tradition (Kürbiskern-Öl). So with a bit of chance I might make it into the local newspapers even with my first pumkin - that`s of course not the reason why I want to grow an AG.

Hello to all again, I will be happy to meet some of you in Ludwigsburg if there`s a weigh-off there next year.

Greetings from Austria, Heino

11/9/2004 5:24:32 AM

Itzetown City

Heino, welcome to the pack!
If you´ve any questions, my mailbox is open for you.

11/9/2004 5:55:28 AM

Knopp, Germany

Welcome on board Heino, it is always good to see another new European grower in our midst. As Werner has said, if you have any questions ask away. Now is the time to do it, the winter can be very long.......owen

11/9/2004 6:24:59 AM

Atlanta, Georgia

Well said Heino!

Now I know your nickname Steel!
I'll be keeping my eye out on you....LOL!
Welcome and I know you'll receive all the help you
need here.
Michel

11/9/2004 9:34:07 AM

Cologne / Germany

Welcome Heino! Can you tell us what you want to grow next year or do you still look for seeds? No better place to get them like here on BP.com. How much space do you have to grow? Hope you´ll get a nice sunny first season next year :)
Ingo

11/9/2004 9:40:29 AM

Austria

Hello agaim and thank all of you for the warm welcome. I am happy to become a member of this amazing community here, It has not been long that I first began to get interested in the growing of Giant Pumpkins. Still I have already recieved quit a lot of tips and helpful advices. I appreciate this really much. Just can`t wait to open a diary here. Up to now I have different seeds of Owens Pumpkins of 03 and 04 (Thanks a lot Owen!) and Michel also offered me some (Thanks Michel, my letter is already on the way). I`m always happy to receive seeds and will certainly refund postage costs to all who will be so generous. I have about 50 m2 garden at my disposal at my mother`s house, where I can grow the pumpkins. I reckon to have about 5-7 plants altogether. Besides getting to know you really nice people, trying to learn as much about AG-cultivation as possible, before the season starts, is one of my goals here too, because the pumpkin-fever already got me! Thanks again for all the help and good wishes!

11/9/2004 10:55:21 AM

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Welcome to the sport Heino!
Jernej

11/9/2004 12:49:10 PM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

Hallo Heino!

Greetings from Germany!

Your climate should be better than ours here in Germany but probably not quite as good as some favourable places in Austria or Switzerland and of course Belgium, France, Spain, Italy...

My seeds are also available for the asking (and postage).
I have:

658 Reiss 02 (712 Kuhn 00 X self)
534 Reiss 03* (845 Bobier 00 X 712 Kuhn 00)
518 Reiss 02 (712 Kuhn 00 X self)
495 Reiss 04 (801.5 Stelts 97 X self)
472 Reiss 04 (801.5 Stelts 97 X 1016 Daletas 01)
401 Reiss 04 (783 Daletas 00 X 801.5 Stelts 97)
335 Reiss 04 (582 Hester 01 X 801.5 Stelts 97)
312 Reiss 04 (845 Bobier 00 X 801.5 Stelts 97)
269 Reiss 04 (810 Dill 99 X 1016 Daletas 01)
209 Reiss 04 (1016 Daletas 01 X 801.5 Stelts 97)
2004 Reiss cross (810 Dill 99 X 801.5 Stelts 97)

If you want to try any of them let me know...

However, deciding on one or the other seed from all the growers will be difficult. Especially newer growers often can't resist planting a seed from the biggest pumpkin although this is not a guarantee for success. The cross is the thing to closely look at!

Also, be advised that you should ideally only grow one plant in your 50 sq. meter garden, two plants at the most.

One plant can easily occupy 100 or 200 sq. meters if not pruned correctly, although this is not ideal. Ideal should be anything between 40 and 70 sq. meters per plant...

Later,
Martin

11/9/2004 2:04:32 PM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

I also have a 480 Reiss 01 (1026 Holland 00 X 940 Mombert 98). forgot to mention this one....

11/9/2004 2:05:54 PM

Austria

Thank you Jernej and Martin too, also for the nice seed offer, I will email you soon. Seems like I have been too optimistic what concerns the relation plant-numbers and garden-space. This means I will have to till more and make it approx. 100 sqm, which will hopefully be alright for my mother. Just took a look at your diaries. Man am I impressed. I saw you guys grow wonderful huge pumpkins, also using warm water bottles, infrared-lamps and stuff and last but not least elephants kicking around pumpkins in the zoo. Fantastic pictures and comments. By the way I called my self a "new grower" in the headline of my first posting, that may be a mistake, for I haven`t grown anything yet, let`s say I`m a becoming grower or grower in spe, to be correct. I will be ready to grow a big one, so watch out for me in 2005 ;-))

Best wishes to all of you!

Heino

11/10/2004 5:03:42 AM

Cologne / Germany

Heino, if you can make it 100 sqm it would be ideal (and stress-free for your first season) to go with 2 plants 50 sqm each. A bit more than 3 meter for your secondaries to the left and right and 8 meter for your main. Then you go the x-mas-tree style that should make it easy for you to manage plants and potential fruits. Choose 4 or 5 seeds in late April and go with the 2 strongest plants you´ll have in May.
It´s up to you but many growers could chime in here to tell how bad it is to have a crowded patch with too many plants later in the season...

11/10/2004 6:49:17 AM

Austria

@martinreiss

Hi Martin - sent an enmail over. I`m not quite sure, if you got it. Perhaps your email-Acc. changed or something.

H.

11/25/2004 8:18:11 AM

Atlanta, Georgia

I definitely agree with you Ingo that a crowded patch in fall is never any fun for any grower let alone someone with
a bit less experience...

....and Heino, your seeds will be going out soon!
There are two very good seeds and some of my own from this
year.
Michel

11/27/2004 4:02:53 AM