Jack O'Lanterns.
By Chysom Scott
@CJscott (4187)
Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
April 10, 2009 4:57pm CST
Yes, I know it is no where near Halloween. But this year I decided to try something a little different. My aunt had some pumpkin seedlings that she was giving away at a family function recently, so I thought why not grow a Pumpkin this year. I plan to do it, indoors as much as I can. So I need to know a few things about pumpkin growing. Was wondering what kind of pointers you wonderful mylotters have for this kind of project. I know to re pot it, every so often. I have it in a pint cup now. the next step will be a 1 or 2 litre pail. Then into a big 16L pail. In this way I hope it will have enough room to grow. I will put gravel in the bottom third of the pails and fill the rest to probably about 3 inches from the top of the pail with the store bought potting soil. I need to know, how often I should give it how much water. What kind of nutrients does it need most. If that is a good way to provide proper drainage simulation in the soil. If a 16L pail will be of a sufficient size. And I think that is all. Looking forward to learning.
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1 response
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
18 Apr 09
Why are you growing it indoors in a container?!? A pumpkin patch is one of the most delightful places!!
Pumpkins require a long growing season so I have to start mine indoors a couple of months before I can plant them in the garden. But other than that pumpkins are very easy to grow... I had left a pumkin or two that had gotten sunbleached pretty bad out in the garden one year. The seeds from the rotted pumpkins came up on their own the next year. They never produced any pumpkins because by the time it was warm enough for them to come up, there was not enough time left in the growing season for them to reach maturity, but I didn't fertilize them or even pay much attention to them at all, other than to admire their vigorous growth and beauty. However, I do make my own compost and frequently add it to the soil.
Out there in California you may never have seen a buried septic tank or a stump for beheading chickens, but the growth around those areas is always abundant... thick and rich and green... so I like to periodically add manure and blood meal to my soil. But I realize that this is not a discussion about soil composition, so getting back to the subject matter I can only say that I have never grown pumpkins indoors and don't know what to tell you - other than pumpkins are easy to grow.
For sure I'd start with good soil. Fertilizer would help for getting lots of green growth, but I don't know if that's going to guarantee you any pumpkins... to get a fruiting plant to fruit requires long hours of sunshine and fresh air. I hope you post a discussion with the results of your little 'adventure' and that I discover it, because I am curious what your results will be. 
1 person likes this
@CJscott (4187)
• Portage La Prairie, Manitoba
19 Apr 09
It is indoors because I will be moving my residence before the growing season is over, and I did not want to dig it up in the middle of the season I thought that it would be too much of a shock for the plant. Thanks for all the information thought I will be sure to make good use of it.
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@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
20 Apr 09
Ah, I can see your dilemma. I have been raising the beds in the garden with builders blocks and using the boulders I dug up to build a strawberry patch over in my mother's yard. Now she says she's selling the place. At first I figured why should I bother with all this intense physical labor when I will not be able to appreciate the results, but then I decided that it gives me pleasure, and is very good experience for me, plus whoever buys the place will be damn lucky! Maybe I'll move into a place where somebody else had put a lot of love and labor into the property too!
Anyway, I knew you lived in Canada from that discussion on direction and smartass walking compasses, I don't know what had me thinking you lived in California when I typed up my first post. How polite of you not to comment! Or did you not even notice? Hehehe.
1 person likes this
@zigzagbuddha (4601)
• United States
9 Jun 09
Well, I'm not too surprised your pumpkin plant didn't make it. I tried to winter over some tomato and pepper plants last year and had incredibly dismal results. The room that I had them in got plenty of light, but I just could not keep it warm enough.
It doesn't look like any selling of our properties is going to be happening too soon after all, but when I do move it will probably be to a new state, or even out of the country so there will be no tasting the fruits of my labors then.
My time living in cities is done though... from now on I want to live in the country with plenty of property for my pets to enjoy their freedom on without antagonizing the neighbors, and I always want orchards and gardens around me, so it doesn't really matter if I get to eat THESE strawberries - I will always grow strawberries! Maybe I will have a flat in London or an apartment in Paris or something like that, just for short stays, but that is all.
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