Pumpkins- how late is too late?

[hamamelis]

This year my pumpkin and winter squash plants are mostly being lazy; I planted 8, 4 got slugged, two have one nearly ripe fruit each, and the remaining two, while putting on OK growth, have just produced male flowers until the last few weeks.

Now, I reckon (though one seems to be really giving it a shot) that the little fruits that are just now appearing are too late to ripen, but I'm not really sure how long a smallish pumpkin takes. I've not had one put on a serious attempt so late in the season before, they've either been virtually ripe by now, or evidently futile tiny fruit that just drop off.

So, is it worth letting it have a shot? What's the latest pumpkin or winter squash you've managed to ripen?

[sparrow100]

What are the varieties? You'll have a chance with the smaller varieties if (BIG if!) we get sun and warmth for another month. Unless you need the space it's worth leaving them to it. My Sweet Dumpling has only just started producing female flowers.

[SusieG]

My butternut squash have only this week started to produce little fruits
......I was wondering the same thing ~ too late now to amount to a viable size ................?


Guess it'll be a wait 'n see thing with the weather ~ sun or no sun will determine the outcome ..........

Come on sun...!

[Snadger]

I imagine day length will play a major role. If not, frost or mildew will certainly put paid to the plants!
I'm just letting mine get on with it. I had a one the size of a football which just suddenlty stopped growing. Luckily another smaller one took over the mantle. I also have some the size of gooseberries and the plant is still going.
My plants of the Atlantic Giant and Hundredweight variety. They are neither giants or weigh a hundredweight........still, ya pays your money and takes yer chance!

[hamamelis]

I shall sing encouraging songs to it, and think growing thoughts, maybe it'll get away with it... It's not as though I need that bed urgently.

And after all, last year the first frost onsite was November 23rd!

[Jay-ell]

Last year some of my pumpkins were still growing in early Nov when I harvested them. I'm going to leave mine in till they die back (or at least most of them - I need one bed for the onions when they're ready to go in)

My sweet dumplings haven't started off yet, I have one Golden Hubbard, 2 Uchiki Kuri, a couple of Small Sugars, three Jack Be Little. My Hundred weight and Atlantic Giants are doing OK though.

[Small pumpkin]

My plants of the Atlantic Giant and Hundredweight variety. They are neither giants or weigh a hundredweight........still, ya pays your money and takes yer chance!

Mine are doing exactly the same......... Very little.

[cptncrackoff]

I'd say my Atlantic giant are probably approaching 45-50lb this year, a little better than last year although I did notice that almost as soon as the solstice came, the fruits stopped growing and started ripening!

I'd leave them to it, the fruits could easily put more weight on of the weather stays good, which it looks like it will!
Plenty of water of it doesn't rain and they'll be.l big enough for a small football size by the end of this month!

[SusieG]

I shall sing encouraging songs to it, and think growing thoughts, maybe it'll get away with it... It's not as though I need that bed urgently!

..........shan't be following in your footsteps hamamelis re the singing ~ that would instantly make everything in the vicinity shrivel up and die .........

I shall however, be chatting encouragingly to them, telling them how wonderful they are - and sending positive vibes .....

[Small pumpkin]

This should make you feel better. this is my hundred weight but i'm still hopeful i'll get something usable out of it.

[hamamelis]

This should make you feel better. this is my hundred weight but i'm still hopeful i'll get something usable out of it.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]68722[/ATTACH]

Maybe it read your username, and misunderstood what you wanted

I'm growing Tonda Pandana, which is a new one for me, but it looked funky.

[Jay-ell]

This should make you feel better. this is my hundred weight but i'm still hopeful i'll get something usable out of it.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]68722[/ATTACH]

I gather by the pallet that it hasn't quite lived up to your expectations.

[Small pumpkin]

I gather by the pallet that it hasn't quite lived up to your expectations.

If only I could enter more than one thing in the failure category of VVS.

[Guest]

I still have fruit setting and I am hopeful. Actually being a gardener I am often hopeful, but we will leave that at that. The problem I remember last year is a wet stint just as the fruit were maturing which caused a few to rot off at the flower end. There is just no telling what the weather will do and whether they will come good. If you don't need the space you might as well leave them.