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Wv

Hi!
We've been growing organic vegetables in our backyard for a lot of years, This year we'd like to grow a couple of large pumpkins, probably just 50 lbs or so.
I'm looking at Johnyy's seeds cause Johnny's seeds are usually good and I like their pricing on these seeds:
https://www.johnnyseeds.com/vegetables/pumpkins/giant-pumpkins/atlantic-giant-f1-pumpkin-seed-4428.html

My problem is I can't find the most basic information about how much bed space I'll need to grow a small Giant Pumpkin. Johnny's says 70 sq ft minimum. If I take that as a proper spacing for a 50 lb pumpkin, what configuration does that 70 sq ft have to be in? I can easily dedicate an existing raised bed for a pumpkin but the configuration would be 4 ft wide x 20 ft long. I can put picket fencing on the boarders of the bed to control a wandering vine (Can I?) but is it reasonable for me to think I can produce 1 pumpkin in this tight of spacing?

I'm just planning now for 2025. I have ordered a couple of Growing Giant Pumpkin books but they won't be here for a week (at best) Right now I'm just trying to find out if this is even feasible in my backyard.

I've searched for a 'beginner's guide' on this site and I haven't found it. Probably a personal problem. If there is one, please point me at it.

Great website this one is! I'm very impressed by how group cooperation has pumped up the evolution of Giant Pumpkin growing in such a short time!

Thanks

Allan in WV

10/27/2024 9:55:19 AM

Central NY

Yep.. you’ve found a gem in this website. If you have good organic soil, even with the Johny come lately seeds, and holding the plant to 80 square ft, I don’t think you’ll be able to keep the fruit under 50 pounds. Welcome to the site and good luck.

10/27/2024 10:43:15 AM

Jericho Vermont

Welcome to our crazy hobby and the only warning I will give you is that it is highly addictive. Like a boat owner always dreams of a boat that is at least another foot longer, giant pumpkin growers dream of a patch another couple hundred square feet longer or a pumpkin that is a personal best each year.

I suggest to new growers here to buy Don Langevin's How to Grow World Class Giant Pumpkins III. This can be bought on Amazon used for under $15 and will be worth its weight in pumpkin to give you many of the basic techniques. I would also highly suggest joining your local growers club that is usually inexpensive and a great way to gain knowledge.

10/27/2024 12:53:12 PM

Wv

@Porkchop and @VTJohn - Thanks for the Welcome and the info (and the Encouragement!)
I do have How to grow World Class Giant Pumpkins III on order. Should be here this week but it's from eBay ($3.49 W/ FREE postage ;-) so one never knows.

There isn't an equivalent 'getting started' outline on this website?

Thanks again!

10/27/2024 2:55:34 PM

Welterweights, Wa

You should be able to produce 3 lbs per sq ft under good conditions, or more under exceptionally good conditions and less (maybe 1 lb per sq ft) under marginal growing conditions. A raised bed should give good growing conditions. 80 sq ft x 3 lbs/sq ft= 240 lbs. Your plant may produce a 200 lb pumpkin! It will look huge! If you want a smaller pumpkins plant 2 or three or four plants in that space but we dont try for smaller around here...
Thats the last advice you'll probably ever get about how to grow something smaller. Field pumpkins can be fun though, and they are smaller, ranging from about 40-120 lbs usually.

10/27/2024 8:25:39 PM

Welterweights, Wa

This is a start, it may cause you to have more questions, the more you learn the more you'll realize you still dont know, but theres a "How to" section in the site menu:

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/HowTo/

10/27/2024 8:35:34 PM

Brooktondale, New York

For what it is worth.. if I was going to grow I would start with a good seed stock. Commercial seeds do not typically perform as well as many of the very affordable seeds you can pick up during the auctions that run over the winter. Plus then you can pick what inspires you the most. Most growers will share seeds if you "send a bubble " self addressed bubble packed envelope. That way the grower throws in in the mail and it's in you box within a week or two. You also need to pin down what type you want to grow. Atlantic Giant or traditional Jack-o- lantern. You should be good on growing space 80 sq ft is not a ton of room, however should get you your desired depending on you vine pattern. Oddly enough everyone's definition of a couple varies.. 2 big Jack-o-lantrens seems reasonable, or one good Atlantic. (he gave you a really important clue..."good organic soil").
The book will cover that in detail. Seed..sun..soil I believe is how that goes. Have fun, ask questions.
Nothing earth shadering, however I have plenty of seeds and would share whatever suits your fancy. Many of which I will be growing in the future. If you're interested post an email I will respond. More than anything else have fun.. it is very addicting :)

10/27/2024 8:54:05 PM

Syracuse, NY

If you want some seeds to practice on soon/winter fun-like and definitely to GROW as a more-sure thing next season, I can help with that, but I won't be able to send them out for about a week. Just in time for...You need input and my email I send to seed buyers will help you off to the side as you also get yer punkin' growin' books, he he. 1 before 2, 2 before..., butt whatever works, lol. I had a bad year - the first REALLY bad year, this one, butt my 166-pounder seed and my 940.6 seed held fast and the 166 is not only a beast of a seedling, but again, it did grow one of my remaining 2 fruits and the other 166 I grew was the third-biggest, but fell down to internal rot at the bitter end. Feast or famine, it was. Anyway, think about it and email me at
pumpkinpal@msn.com
with your snail address if you are interested, as I DO have other seeds and a description/outlook for each one;
I do sell them and also send them to those interested on here. When I plant one of my seeds JUST to have one growing, that says a LOT about it to even lil' ol' me, lol! For free, you could not go wrong. Please specify your SIZE intent as in if it were 900 pounds, would color matter, etc. Looking forward, and NO pressure if not interested - eric g/pumpkinpal2 - PS---I've never had a raised bed since a bunk one, lol, and an advisable in-ground patch size is from 150 to 1200 square feet, usually. eg Lol---As I meticulously type my dissertations, the world goes on by; Half of what I said is now said recently.
I had not said anything based on what has been, in other words. Cheers---eg

[Last edit: 10/28/24 7:05:09 PM]

10/27/2024 9:18:09 PM

Wv

Thanks everyone for your information and suggestions. I've learned a lot already

It seems to me that maybe I should be shooting for growing a big Jack-o-Lantern since that's actually what I want but didn't know was possible with common genetics.

What are the recommended varieties to find seeds for to grow a very large Jack-o-lantern pumpkin? And, if I'm going to be growing for the front porch and not for competition, will I still be welcome on this group? ;-)

Thanks again

10/28/2024 7:50:30 AM

Grittyville, WA

Go ahead and try growing both kinds. Grow a field pumpkin (c. Pepo) and the porch sized atlantic giant (c. Maxima) you got from Johnnys. You can post under the field pumpkin forum that you are looking for seeds. The genetics you can get from growers on this site (and at the seed auctions on here this winter) will exceed those available in the seed catalogues.

This was my best attempt at getting kicked off this site:

http://bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=283558

10/28/2024 12:06:07 PM

Hadley Ny

Almost every auction on Big Pumpkins has large Field Pumpkin seeds in the bidding lots and they are much bigger than conventional store seeds. Big Max ( which can be bought online) is another you might try for the space you have..50-100 lbs average. I grew a 40 lb Big Max from a 5 gallon bucket. Good Luck and I believe you would always be welcome here.

10/28/2024 12:35:29 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

I grew a 441 lbs pumpkin in a 64 square foot flowerbed without paying a ton of attention to it. The plant itself overgrew the flowerbed onto concrete walkway but just 64 square feet was rooted. You can have a lot of fun in this hobby in a very small area!

10/28/2024 3:22:21 PM

Germany

So, if I were in your situation, if I wanted to grow a giant pumpkin in 70 sqft, if my plots were in a shape of 4 ft wide x 20 ft long, and if I wanted to grow more than just one of those 70 sqft plants...then I would do the following:

- I would combine two adjacent plots (and use them for two plants).
- In that 8 ft wide x 20 ft long area I would plant the plants at 1 ft from the side and a bit off the central line, so that each plant could easily grow a 12 ft long main vine (because you never know how early or how late the first female flower will appear).
- Then I would grow the plants toward the end which is 12 ft away from the planting spot, and I would grow them in a flag pattern (so, the plants will be allowed to grow 7 - 8 ft long secondary vines on one side of the main vine).
- The first 2 or 3 ft of main vine length (the area where you would have overlapping secondaries from both plants) can be without secondary vines.

10/29/2024 10:28:23 AM

Wv

@Little Ketchup - That was an amazing try!! Good job!!
Better luck this year!! ;-)

Allan in WV

10/29/2024 5:00:30 PM

Ontario

Just something to add, it was a few years into my growing, but in 2023 I had a plant in about 5×15, and we mostly kept it into the area, and it hit 500 I think. And this was still as a fairly novice grower. I would say my advice goes as follow.
#1 get real seeds. The first year I grew other people's giant seeds I hit 720 pounds, and the joy you'll get from displaying that, the looks as you get down the road etc, no feeling like it. 90% of people, especially if you find someone in your state, will share seeds for free/for the price of shipping.
#2 the area you have is definitely small, I like a 20×30 area for mine. But, in your situation, if tilling up a large area isn't an option, I'd put the plant about 1 foot from a corner, grow it up the long side, and trim all the side vines growing on that side to make a "flag" pattern (grow up the left side and only leave right side vines growing).
#3 get some 20-20-20 miracle grow water soluble. Throw in a scoop every day you water, and a small 15$box should get you the season. I purchase these from farm supply stores in 30 pound bags, and it is a staple. With this in mind, water daily. Especially in a small area, you need to ensure it gets even water. Give it like 5 gallons a day across the whole plant, but do this at least 4 or 5 times a week spread evenly.
#4 keep it weed free. Pretty self explanatory. But it helps sooooo much. They steal light, water, fertilizer, and increase disease chances, so get rid of them ASAP.
#5 grow 1 fruit on the whole plant. Cut off all others. For porch pumpkins not that big a deal, but especially on a smaller plant, the growth will be limited, and every fruit you grow takes away from the size they'll reach.

Other things help a little, but if you only do these 5, you can probably hit 3 or 400 pounds and really impress your neighbors!
Plus, once you start, you'll never want to stop!

2/5/2025 3:47:01 PM

Syracuse, NY

NDV - I hope ABalliett sees that, 'cause it is really good!
Well-worded and covers a lot. If I were in my first few years (and even after 20!) I'd follow it and gain much---YAY! eric g

2/5/2025 6:19:40 PM

Ontario

Yeah, every once in a while I have a few good ideas lol
Plus it helps that I'm still a relatively new grower, only been serious for 5 years, so I still remember a lot of those first year or 2 of having no clue what I was doing!

2/5/2025 8:11:49 PM

Colorado

If youre after 50 lb sized fruit Id take Big t hoffs advice and get some quality field pumpkin seeds. Its Relatively easy to get multiple 50 to 80 fruit on a large field pumpkin variety seed. Howden biggie is a good commercial variety. auction field pumpkin seeds have even better potential.

2/5/2025 10:44:47 PM

Princeville, IL

If you are looking for a big field pumpkin from commercial seed I would consider Fat Jack. Produced many 50+ pounders from that variety when I was growing commercially.

2/6/2025 9:58:45 AM