From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Deer Park WA

I am contempating throwing a couple of acres out back into Howden field pumpkins. I remember as a kid my Grandpa growing them with out irrigation or much else and selling them at the local "Megalow" for jackolanterns. I expect with a lot of help in the fiel around 3000 pumpkins per Acre, any real Farmers out there have any advice? PS the field are manured and deeply plowed.

3/6/2003 9:01:17 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Hire strong young backs at harvest time. A few of them. I supply a couple commercial growers. That's usually one of their greatest concerns. That & getting them out of the field in dry weather & on time.

Steve

3/6/2003 9:10:44 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Plant them around the middle of june, after you have disc the soil. They will beat out the weeds. I believe you guys out there are lucky enough to not have to worry about svb's.
There are some hybrids out there such as "gold rush" that are heavy yielders and are resistant to powdery mildew.
Shannon

3/7/2003 3:11:18 AM

Tipp City, Ohio

I have raised a mixed variety of pumpkins on an acre. 2001 I did ok enough to purchase a 6' tiller. 2002 hardly grew enough to just pay for the seed. This year I am installing a drip tape irrigation system on the whole acre to provide water when mother nature does not(ie. 2002). I have also contacted my local county extension agent for information....Tom

3/8/2003 11:53:04 PM

The landowners where I turkey hunt are farmers and grow and sell thousands of pumpkins every year. I don't know too much about it, they live in southern WI. If you want advice for big scale pumpkin growing, I'm sure they would be more than happy, just email.

3/9/2003 10:12:20 PM

Deer Park WA

Thanks Gang, I think it will be a learning season for field pumpkins. Would you direct seed hills, or start seedlings then transplant? I would love to at least break even this season...

3/9/2003 11:17:58 PM