From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Murphys, CA

How soon should I start seeds indoors in N. CA to get a good start outdoors?

2/3/2010 4:04:00 AM

Sacramento, Ca

I am in Sacramento. I don't start mine inside, I put the seed straight into the ground on April 15th.

2/3/2010 8:39:58 AM

Minnesota

150 days before weigh-off.

2/3/2010 9:35:31 AM

Nova Scotia

I agree with Midnight. if your weather is warm enough a seed started direct will start a little slower but will easily pass your indoor plant once it's transplanting. due to root disturbance in transplanting and hardening off.

2/3/2010 11:01:53 AM

Taylorsville, California

Cld9, it is not recommended that you direct sow AG seeds unless you have a bunch of generic store bought seeds. Most growers start their seeds inside some sort of germination chamber to control the environment better. Many of the seeds we are growing are bought at auction for 100-500$ or are rare so we want to give them the best chance for germination, and direct sowing seeds is not giving the seed the best chance to germinate. I live in northern California and start my seeds inside around 4/20 and they go outside early in May under a cloche,,email me if you have any questions about California growing,,Auston
austonrivers@yahoo.com

2/6/2010 6:43:34 PM

Simi valley, ca

April 25--to--may 5th

2/12/2010 5:14:02 PM

Citrus Heights, CA

Hi cid 92000,
Its not a good idea to plant directly into the ground. I start mine around may 01 indoors then plant outside about one week later. The California Giant Pumpkin Growers Forum
is in Elk Grove CA on Sat March 6,2010 10am to 3pm. I would highly recommend this to any giant pumpkin grower. New or oldtimer. If you want to learn about growing these monsters you need to go to this meeting. For more info
visit www.yourcsd.com or call Heather at 916-405-5300.
Hope to see you there. Plus you will get more seeds than you could ever plant.. for free.
Ron Root

2/12/2010 11:22:57 PM

Lodi,ca. San Joaquin County

bambam We have just returned home from the California Giant Growers Forum in Elk Grove. As a new grower we were thrilled with the info available. And all those free seeds, enough to share with the neighbors. We could have our own neighborhood weigh-off. The forum speaker was Don Young from Des Moines,Iowa whose 1658 lb. pumpkin traveled all the way to Half Moon Bay to win in 2009. And then to the Today show and also Conan O'Brian's show where they smashed it with a monster truck!
Your suggestion for other growers to not miss this get together was right on.

3/6/2010 8:52:30 PM