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Nj

What is the relation between pumpkin size and patch size?

I am debating between 25x50 patches, or 25x30 I know that common sense would say, go big, but I wonder what size heavy hitters use? I have been told that 600 square feet is good, but I wonder if I would get a bigger fruit from a bigger plant? Any ideas?

Thanks, John

2/20/2004 3:39:23 PM

Nj

I think that patch quality is more important than patch quantity.

Either way you go, 25x30 or 25x50 puts you well over your 600 sq ft suggestion.

Of course I am no heavy hitter either... ;)

2/20/2004 4:10:07 PM

Commack, NY

you could easily grow 2 plants in a 25x50 plot. thats' 625 square feet per plant. MANY big ones have been grown in smaller sized patches than that. My 1030 isnt enormous by todays standards, but i grew it in approx. 425 sq. feet.
Scott

2/20/2004 4:36:09 PM

San Diego

I think many growers are switching to smaller plant sizes with aggressive pruning strategies, rather than having huge plants. Many large pumpkins have been grown in 300 to 500 sq foot plant sizes. Look at the daletas pumpkins. His 1016 and 1230 came off of the same plant in the wishbone style, each pumpkin had about 450 sq foot to support it if I remember correctly. A famous quote in the Lagevin book says, "were not growing salad, were growing pumpkins". this is one opinion of many but I like it. Jim

2/20/2004 5:08:44 PM

Woodburn, Indiana

my 24x24 or 576 sq feet raised bed grew a 814 pounder. anything is possible! quality not quantity

2/20/2004 6:16:28 PM

Nj

What do you guys feed these pumpkins?!? an 800 pounder in a 24x24 place! Let alone a 1030 in 425 square feet??? awesome. I think I may just have to downsize my paches a bit. I wonder what size pumpkin I can get from a 200 square foot pach? This will be interesting to experement with :)

2/20/2004 6:21:00 PM

quality not quantity...

400 square feet of good dirt will most likely grow better than 600 square feet of icky (don't you love my scientific terms guy?) dirt.

2/20/2004 6:31:20 PM

Paradise Mountain, New York

Do the math. With the Christmas Tree style of growing a pumpkin, you need less space.

2/20/2004 6:40:05 PM

Mastic Beach, New York

I grew 1 plant with 2 pumpkins on it in 250 sqft space and got a PB of #560 and on the side vine was a #326..hope this helps

2/20/2004 7:08:30 PM

Norton, MA

I think I will be trying my experimental method on all my plants this year. Take a look, it's the newest entry in the photo gallery. Alex.

2/20/2004 7:28:14 PM

huntsburg,ohio

2 1300 lb plus in 600 sq ft a piece.Jerry

2/20/2004 9:49:09 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

I'm with Carlos, Brigitte and Billy! We grew in 375 square feet and got a 577.5 & a 511 from 1 plant. My buddy Steve grew in around 300 square feet and got 2 as well that weighed in at 411 and 244. Good dirt is a must!!

Glenn

2/20/2004 10:05:13 PM

Wichita, KS

OK, say you had 2600 square feet of growable space, and wanted to grow the most possible competition quality pumpkins within this limitation. How many plants would you plant, and what shape would you prune them? This is my dilemma. I've narrowed my seed selection down to seven seeds, and cannot make up my mind on what to eliminate. Maybe I don't need to eliminate any?
Toby

2/20/2004 11:53:00 PM

Caceres, mid west of Spain

I only would set four plants y in your 2600 sq ft. You need to walk among them, so it can be 600 sq ft per plant with the paths, more or less.
Some guys have grown over 1000 in less than 400 sq ft, but in a great soil quality; not only good soil quality, but awesome quality.
If you do not have the best soil, maybe you need a little more room than them.
Don't be afraid of eliminate seeds, seedlings or plants. You will have to do it with the fruits to choose the keeper, so go and begin to experience it.

Carlos

2/21/2004 4:26:13 AM

Saegertown Pa.

my 1107.5 and my 1057 were grown on less than 400 sq feet the garden was new and less than a year old and the soil was not great you need water water and more water.
Quinn

2/21/2004 6:25:59 AM

Norton, MA

Sprout, what dimensions do you have that make up your 2600 sq feet? This makes a big difference. Alex.

2/21/2004 10:09:58 AM

Caceres, mid west of Spain

Hey Quinn, that info about your soil is amazing. I knew your plants size, but not that your soil was so young.
Please, tell us how long and width were your plants and if you cut every other secondary, some ones or none of them?

Carlos

2/21/2004 3:07:36 PM

Tipp City, Ohio

Don't forget to ask about Quinn's rocks! Lol.

2/21/2004 3:43:16 PM

Commack, NY

you beat me to it Bantam, i was just gonna say the same thing!
scott

2/21/2004 6:29:28 PM

Wichita, KS

Ok Gr8 pumpkin,

I have 4 areas slotted for pumpkins/squash:

1. an Isosalese triangle plot of 840.5 sq ft (2 equal sides of 41 ft)
2. another Isosalese triangle plot of 840.5 sq ft (2 equal sides of 41 ft)
3. a rectangle plot of 420 sq ft (10x42)
4. another rectangle plot of 420 sq ft (10X42)

actual total square footage is 2521.

I posted this several hours ago, but it didn't take for some reason.

Toby

2/22/2004 3:14:13 AM

Wichita, KS

Oh yeah... you can call me Toby. Mr-sprout takes too long to write, and among this crowd I fear it sounds pretentous. :o)

2/22/2004 3:18:43 AM

Saegertown Pa.

Carlos
one side of the main was 18 feet and the other side 2 feet so I end up with 20 feet across the pumpkin set at around ten feet so I have 200 sq. feet from stump to pumpkin. All my plants were a little differant I never do anything quite the same, some were longer on the side vines some of the pumpkins were set father out. I grew them this way so I had more room to grow as many plants as I could. I did not cut every other secondary off but might try that this year with plants a little bigger.
Quinn

2/22/2004 7:09:24 AM

Norton, MA

OK Toby. I'd say in each 420 put one plant. BUT if you want to try something new make the plants with 10 ft mains and 21 ft secondaries. I just think 5 ft secondaries and a 42 ft main is not a good shape at all. In the triangles just do a big Christmas tree pattern. Alex.

2/22/2004 4:42:49 PM

Wichita, KS

You know what? I think I'll try it! Sounds pretty interesting, the 10 ft main idea. I have a couple of plants that I am growing for color only, so I'll experiment with that shape on them. The Christmas tree pattern seems to be pretty well proven, so I'll plan on using the triangles on my "big genes" seeds.

Thanks GR8 Pumpkin
Toby

2/24/2004 1:29:40 AM