I rarely have any luck with growing the things. Even after purchasing a new property with a different garden/soil, the results for me are the same. I typically only get one runner grow, about 3m long with very small leaves and doesnt want to spread out. Im growing buttercup, as its my favourite, but crowns seem easier to grow.
Ive been told they only grow well in compost and should only be sown from seed put in the compost, never from a potted seedling.
Any ideas for next season?
Nitrosol helps a little, but not much.
russell.s.c,
Jan 5, 9:04pm
You have to feed them lots as they are one the grossest feeders in the garden. In others words they're greedy.
scottea,
Jan 5, 9:05pm
I have just the opposite - made the mistake years ago of emptying a pack of seeds way past the use by date on the pack as it was from an estate I was helping clear and for the past four years the vines just about take over the garden and it is a mix of spaghetti squash, pumpkins, watermelons, and regular squash. I tossed them where there had been an old compost bin and the overflow of the rainwater tank has a tank that has a slow drip into that area so I do not water there. I do not weed them nor feed them yet I still get great crops of all of them. When they finish this year I want to tidy up that area and will see what happens next year.
Had not heard you should not use potted seedlings but then what I have were just a collection of seeds I thought I would see if they would grow even two years after the best by date. .
Good luck in finding an answer.
nzoomed,
Jan 5, 9:19pm
I take it that they need a high nitrogen intake?
maclad,
Jan 5, 9:32pm
Big hole, (1M X 1M if it was me) lots of good soil and compost and lots of water and pinch tips out of runners for more fruiting.
fantail8,
Jan 6, 3:15am
they need lots of nutrients and lots of water as well. They are hungry hungry things. compost heaps are perfect, and even more so if there is regular water as well
junie2,
Jan 6, 3:53am
I'm like scottea - don't have any probs. I remember my dad always made a very rich mound to plant them in, but although I do actually plant a few seeds, most come up from the compost. Our garden is no-dig and I seldom go for a country drive without finding some sort of poo to bring home, but I don't go in for bought fertilisers much. Water seems to be their main need here. Some varieties seem stronger than others - Triamble does very well here, and kamokamo. ( In Chch)
junie2,
Jan 6, 3:54am
PS: prob not too late to get some going right now in Tga?
nzoomed,
Jan 6, 3:58am
Well i could try i guess. most are well underway by now though.
3ofeach,
Jan 6, 7:49am
When we were kids there was a big compost heap and every year we had self sown pumpkins growing out of it. Now I have the same senario but it's self sowed pumpkins from the scraps we feed out to the chickens. Last year we got 20 pumpkins, both buttercup and a grey skinned variety growing out by the chook house with no help from us. Tauranga has perfect conditions for growing pumpkins if you have seeds and lots of compost.
cantabman1,
Jan 6, 12:30pm
To O.P !: Plant out in mid to late November, as they need lots of heat to start well. 2: Plant out in a sunny spot, near or around blue flowers to attract bees.{no bees, no pumpkins] 3:Lots of water and food as above, leaf mulch,rotting sawdust,or mushroom compost will give you the best start. 4.As above ,pinch out the laterals to encourage more growth. 5: don't pick them until they have died off , as this gives them time to convert all the sugars to the seed for that sweet taste. 6: Store in a dark place on sacks, and away from any rodents,[they just love pumpkins to eat] 7: before eating, place in the fridge for a few days, this helps more for that sweet taste; Good luck!
blueviking,
Jan 6, 12:45pm
All my vege peelings go into my garden. Every year I get about a dozen pumpkins that self seed. One of them this year has 2 runners about 5m long each. Pumpkin is about the size of a volleyball and still growing. Nothing special, just water it.
kaylin,
Jan 6, 2:16pm
I have a worm farm. The seeds sprout in there - dozens of them. A bit like avocado I guess, their stones sprout like mad too. Both certainly prove the "heavy feeder" idea.
nzoomed,
Jan 6, 2:41pm
I think part of our problem was we had a very cold november! We even had the fire going a few days of that month!
harrislucinda,
Jan 6, 6:27pm
yes like warmth glass house ones blooming but in the garden taking a while to get going
vonkrum,
Jan 6, 8:57pm
i have loads growing at present. Just saved the seeds from a nice pumpkin we had bought and once they were big enough to plant we put in ground with compost and just water. They are everywhere. I have also just thrown out the seeds without growing to a plant first and it worked.
scottea,
Jan 7, 2:14am
junie2 - ditto on the gathering free fertilizer when driving in the country - then soak it for two days (just covered by about 2" of water and after about 12 hours stir it and leave for another hour to get the grass seeds out ( scoop them off the top as the float up). Do you do that as well?
junie2,
Jan 7, 4:16am
I do have what I call a "stink tank" scottea. That can sit for weeks/months. Just this week I got some llama poo and have layered it ( quite fresh ) thru the heap I am building at the moment. Sometimes I just sit the bags upside down ( so there's a bit of a leak ) for a few months under fruit trees, then spread it on the garden. Nature's bounty eh? Do the same with seaweed too.
cantabman1,
Jun 19, 11:11am
Agrees. We had a colder than normal spring here in Ch Ch, and this Summer is very much up and down in temperatures; although I have been picking tomatoes since Christmas. That is any the birds have not eaten out [a new experience for me as it has never happened before] I think a Starling is to blame.
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