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Conception Junction, Mo.

I am following how to grow giant pumpkins II. I started my plants 4 weeks before the last frost. Set them in the garden 2 weeks later(April 25th). Remove the protective 8X8 structure yesterday. The primary vine is about 6 ft lond with 4 secondaries about2-4 ft coming of the primary in the first 18 inches. My concern is that the plant will begin to set fruit long before July 1st and the primary vine will be quite long by then also(I am not complaining). What should I do about fruit set time and location? I am in the far northwest corner of Missouri.

5/22/2000 11:41:09 AM

Commack, NY

i think that the saying about starting 4 weeks before the first frost is a little misleading. it depends on what you want to do with your pumpkin. if you are planning on enterring a contest, most are the first saturday in october with the exception of topsfield which is september 30th this year. if it takes between 120-150 days to grow a pumpkin, you count back from the weighoff, then give yourself a little extra room, like a week or two just in case things don't work out. that puts you somewhere in the first week of may, last week in april for planting range. you started a bit early for a contest. if you wanted, you could even start over again now and still have a pumpkin for the weighoff. your plant is going to be enormous, like you said, by the time prime fruit setting comes along. i'm not sure what you should do, as i have little experience with very large plants, maybe someone else out here can help you with that. however, your plant will continue to set fruit for as long as it is alive. i've set fruit in the middle of september, so dont' worry about that.

good growing,
scott

5/22/2000 1:18:13 PM