Wobbely Pumkin

[DarkCrow]

Hi Guys/Gals

I'm Trying to grow Giant Pumkins and after some impaitence have finally manageged to grow 4 out of six seedlings into well.. non seedlings... problem is, 2 are doing fine,number 3 looks like sally gunnel after the marathon and number 4... well i think it's gonna be a small burial... as for 5/6 they didn't bother to get outta bed!! What can I do to make sure my fighting Pair make it to my plot? it'll be ready in about two weeks

Any help appreciated

[SMT]

The main thing is protect them from the frost. I was an eager beaver with my allotment plant and the wind chill killed it off. Luckily, my main plant at home is in the polytunnel with a heater.

They say a true giant pumpkin can only stay in a 3-4" pot for about 10 days before the roots start to get overcrowded, so plant it up into something like a 10" pot. A little tip is to get 2 x 10" pots and cut one in half from top to bottom. Tape it back together with gaffer tape then place it inside the 2nd pot. Come planting out time you will be able to undo the tape and extract the plant without tipping the large fragile plant upside down.

Make sure you keep the compost moist but not water logged.

If you want to feed I would only use a dilute seaweed and/or fish based feed.

Keep the young plant out of extreme heat as the new young shoots will simply boil and frazzle - My own lesson learnt from this season!

Come transplanting time make sure you gradually acclimatize them to their new environment over a couple of days.

[Two_Sheds]

make sure you gradually acclimatize them to their new environment over a couple of days.

Absolutely. It's known as hardening off (although 'toughening up' would be a more accurate term).

anything grown under glass or indoors has to be hardened off before it goes outside permanently.
Do this by putting the plants outside on nice days for at least 7-10 days, bringing indoors at night. Or by using a coldframe, and leaving the lid off for the same period of time.

It's also not worthwhile putting squash & pumpkins outside while the temps are still low, esp. at night. You'll gain nothing, but you will check growth and it can lead to non-setting fruit or rotting fruit.

[gojiberry]

I put a couple out a week or so ago and then we had those frost this week and I thought they would be gonners but they have come come through OK.
Hi Darkcrow, check the roots on your pumpkins and pot on if need be as you don't want a check in their growth, and follow SMT's advice. Good luck.

Ian