Subject: Help w/pumpkins!!!

From: [email-masked] (Ott John)
Date: 29 Mar 1995 05:03:21 GMT

Hi there. Thank you for looking in on this post.  Here is my problem... 
There are FEW books out there on pumpkins, if ANY.  I want to know if 
there are any tricks to growing *HUGE* pumpkins.  I have grown 100 lb-ers
using nothing but fertilizer, but i was wondering if there was any 
pumpkin specialist that could teach me a few tricks to growing pumpkins 
bigger than the neighbor's kids!!!!  I have heard of cutting the vine and 
pouring milk into the plant, but I don't want to try it unless someone 
else has AND it has produced for them.  Well, thank you for your time, 
and I would ask if you could reply to this post by mail, as it would be 
SO much easier.  THANKS A LOT, AND GOOD GROWIN' TO YOU!

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John A. Ott			"Greenthumb's the name, 	 
[email-masked]	   	  plants are my game" 
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From: [email-masked]
Date: 30 Mar 1995 04:16:41 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Ott

> SO much easier.  THANKS A LOT, AND GOOD GROWIN' TO YOU!

I'm not really a "pumpkin specialist" but I do know quite a bit about
growing both large pumpkins and squash.

First of all you'll need the correct seeds....Atlantic Giant produce the
largest pumpkins. You can get this seed from just about anywhere. 

Next, if you live in the northern area, like I do, get a head start by
starting the seeds about 3-4 weeks prior to the last freeze date in your
area in peat pots, the large ones (3" work great)

When you set your plants out dump a generous amount of well rotted manure
around the area you'll be planting and a little in the hole. Make sure and
buy the manure, and don't use fresh manure or you'll burn the hell out of
the plant.

About the last thing to be aware of is to prune off all the other pumpkins
on the vine when one gets growing. That way the plant can devote all it's
resources to developing that one pumpkin.

I've heard a little about milk, but have never tried it. If you follow my
directions you should be able to produce at least a 250 pounder without
much effort, and who knows, it may be larger.

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 30 Mar 1995 04:16:41 GMT

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From: Simon Thompson <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 2 Apr 1995 20:10:00 -0700

OK Mr Pumpkin, here's a couple of ideas that may help you to grow a 
really big pumpkin. Try putting the little pumpkin on a paint can full of 
water. This keeps the baby warm. Also, use a cloche to warm up the soil. 
Pumpkins like the soil to be toasty warm, and because they also like an 
early start, you have to help them along in the early stages. Water like 
a madman! Water water water. And use good seed stock - I had a nice 
Atlantic Giant. Also look at Horticulture - The Magazine of American 
Gardening Oct 94 which has an interesting article on growing giant 
vegetables - it includes current records for pumpkins. And don't forget, 
prune to one pumpkin per vine. If you don't do this, you may have your 
potential prize winner aborting itself. And you can try starting the seed 
out in a pile of manure. Lots of sun. That's all. Good luck. Simon

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From: Simon Thompson <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 2 Apr 1995 20:10:00 -0700