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Anyone else growing giant pumpkins?

shack

Active member
Well, I'm no expert but love to try and grow a big one.
I've been at it about 5 years now.The last two years turned out to be disappointing as I had the soil(ph) all messed up.
Started with 10 plants this year,and I'm down to three,due to disease and other problems.
Hoping for a 1000 pounder.
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buddah

Life is one big grow........
Veteran
Hey bro,

look nice!! Have been interested in growing a big one, too!!
but i am realy not an expert!! Do u let grow more as 1 one each plant!!!
i red this is one point of succes
 

shack

Active member
Hey budda, yes one pumpkin per plant,and it should be on the main vine.
and for a really big one it should be at least 12 to 15 feet from the root system.The thinking being,the more plant behind the pumpkin,the more there is to feed it.
My biggest pumpkin to date is a little over 500 lbs. That is actually small my giant pumpkin standards.
The world record being 1,687 lbs.
If your series about growing a big one,I'd recommend getting Don Langevin's books,How to Grow World Class Pumpkins I,II,III.,lots of good info there.
I'll help you where I can Bro,any questions I can answer I will.
 

Moldy Dreads

Active member
Veteran
I really hope you succeed, those plants remind me of growing up as a kid near more rural areas..

How to Grow World Class Pumpkins I,II,III.,l
and holy crap, how many books do you need to learn how to grow a big pumpkin?
 

Hazy Lady

Prom Night Dumpster Baby
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Great stuff Shack, i hope you get your 1000lb'r, do you grow Comfrey to make tea for them?.
 

resin_lung

I cough up honey oil
Veteran
Nice shack. a buddy of mine is trying. His are doing O.K. I guess. I thought they were doing great till I saw your pics. I'll cruise by and take some pics later. His are tiny by comparison.
 

Mr. Greengenes

Re-incarnated Senior Member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Atlantic Giant developed by Howard Dill, I think he's in Nova Scotia. Northern growers have the advantage(s) of longer daylength in midsummer as well as much higher content of organics in the soil.
 

shack

Active member
OrganicMeds What strain of Pumpkin are you growing to get the BIG ones?
Organic Meds-I'm growing Atlantic Giant Pumpkins.And like Mr.Greengenes has said,Howard Dill is the man responsible for them. He has done a lot of work to get them where they are today.
I buy my seeds at auction,every fall at Big Pumpkins.com.They have a bunch of auctions every fall.The auctions usually benefit a certain states Giant Pumpkin Growers association.
A seed is usually named for the grower and its weight.
For example I'm growing,:
1502 Wallace,
1347 Wallace
1123 Dalletes
895 Grande
622 Wiz
and if you think marijuana seeds are expensive,I've paid 350.00 for one seed.But you don't have to pay that much to get good genetics.
 

shack

Active member
[QUOTEand holy crap, how many books do you need to learn how to grow a big pumpkin? ][/QUOTE]
Moldy D.-yeah,believe it or not,there is a lot to know.Growing MJ,is a lot easier to grow than a giant pumpkin.Pumpkin plants are susceptible to all kinds of diseases and certain insects love to munch them.It can be very frustrating.
thanks for the encouraging words.
Hazy Lady Great stuff Shack, i hope you get your 1000lb'r, do you grow Comfrey to make tea for them?.
Thanks Hazy Lady. I do make teas for them but not from Comfrey(I don't know what comfrey is).I make tea from bat quano,seabird quano,kelp meal.Yopu can see in the one pic,a 150 gallon tub in the background.Thats where I make the tea,and then use the siphon method to get it to the plants.
resin_lung Nice shack. a buddy of mine is trying. His are doing O.K. I guess. I thought they were doing great till I saw your pics. I'll cruise by and take some pics later. His are tiny by comparison.
Sure thing Resin Lung,stop by with them pics.Actually mine are a little behind also,I got a late start this year.
ddrew This is cool, I would like to get into this myself.
ddrew-give it a try next year,its a lot of fun.You'll need lots of patience and at least a space 20'x20' for each plant.
buddah should be a atlantic giant, or??
That right budda,they are Atlantic Giant Pumpkins.
Mr. Greengenes Atlantic Giant developed by Howard Dill, I think he's in Nova Scotia. Northern growers have the advantage(s) of longer daylength in midsummer as well as much higher content of organics in the soil.
Mr.Greengenes-right on MR.G,Howard Dill is like the God of Atlantic Giant Pumpkins.
thanks for looking in everyone.
 

med_breeder

Active member
Shack,
Looking great so far.

I have a question.

Would buring portions of the vine, to create more roots enhance the final weight?
I would think so.

peace
 
L

LolaGal

I hope you live somewhere up North Shack, that's the only way to get a big un.

they love cool weather.

I have used an IV with a large bore needle, and run it into the main stem near the pumpkin and give it a pail of milk every day through the IV. They love this.
 

Moldy Dreads

Active member
Veteran
Moldy D.-yeah,believe it or not,there is a lot to know.Growing MJ,is a lot easier to grow than a giant pumpkin.Pumpkin plants are susceptible to all kinds of diseases and certain insects love to munch them.It can be very frustrating.
thanks for the encouraging words.

Tell me about it! Mine were covered in Powdery Mildew and then some insect had a lot of fun with it...but the pm was BRUTAL! What do you use as deterrents?
 

Mr. Greengenes

Re-incarnated Senior Member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
I'm in SoCal and we got PM like crazy down here. My biggest Atantic Giant was less than a hundred pounds. I'm 'organic' so I only sprayed and dusted the PM with sulfer, I've heard that neem works too. I was thinking about trying a giant watermelon variety next time!
 
L

LolaGal

You can grow a big one anywhere if you want to buy a lot of Miracle Grow and give em about 5 gallons a day.

Also if you are rich, build an enclosure and air condition it.

My biggest was 174 pounds, but it was 7 feet wide.

It quit growing at the first sign of temps over 86 in late May or early June.

Air conditoning will get a huge one or living in Canada.
 

DoobieDuck

Senior Member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Doobie Grows Um

Doobie Grows Um

Shack funny you should ask..I grow them..just for something to do I guess..and take up a big space in the corner of my garden. I donate mine to be auctioned off each year for charity! I'll add to your giant P thread as we go along..fruit is just starting here in Cali..yours look great! DD

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dubwise

in the thick of it
Veteran
:badday: i could not get my seeds to sprout. guess I'll try again next year.
the guy i bought the seeds from told me to space them in the ground as I would watermelon...i did and nothing came up. I even tried starting the seeds inside...with no luck.....shack & doobie your pumpkins look great!
what are you guys doing to start your plants?
 
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