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Small town in California heart land

I have little space and where my pumpkins are growing now is not the best spot. I have taken over a spot at my mothers home on the side of the house. I live in a appartment and had a crazy thought... If I used a wine barrel planter could I grow a pumpkin plant?? I have gardners that mow the gras and prune the bushes so I would have to re-rout it tons..perhaps take over my drive way??? which gets full sun.....

Does any one think I could do this or should I just get the Idea out of my head? Im just plotting for next year..

7/14/2004 11:38:02 AM

Edmonton, Canada

You can grow a plant in a barrel. However, I wouldn't recommend letting the vines grow over the driveway. On hot summer days, they'll fry, and they won't be able to put down any roots. Could you get the gardeners to simply mow around the plant?

7/14/2004 11:51:02 AM

Utah

just till up the lawn early next spring... the mowers will be happy that they won't have to mow any more ! lol !

7/14/2004 11:55:58 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I have this picture in my minds eye of an Atlantic Giant grown in a series of interconnected pots where the pots are added at the secondary vines axial points as needed. Perhaps even a series of hydroponic units like FriendlyPharmer has in his this years diary.

It would be much easier to manage this task with smaller Pepos like Howdens or Jack-Be-Littles. Even in containers so long as good nutrient practices are followed.

7/14/2004 12:19:06 PM

Wichita, KS

You may want to do what I have done... ask a friend with a good patch of unused dirt if you can sharecrop. If they say yes, you grow a couple of beasts on their property, and give them one of the pumpkins in October. The reason I opted for this is because I no longer have space in my own yard (just moved), and pumpkins take a lot of space when growing them to a satisfying size.

That doesn't mean you can't grow a nice fruit in the space you described. Once, I grew a 67 pound pumpkin (big max variety, maybe the variety you are growing right now) on a 15 foot long vine that I trimmed all the secondaries off of; it grew in a two-foot wide space between my driveway and my fence. This proved to me that I can grow pumpkins with limited space.

Either way, the more soil your plant has to spread roots, the better results you will get. It all depends on what is going to satisfy you in October.
Toby

7/14/2004 1:29:16 PM

Small town in California heart land

You rock Mr sprout. That sounds pretty amazing. As far as the gardners... well the land owners would be the ones Id have to talk to... I dont think they would like all their landscaping taken over by a huge vine...lol

But I might be able to talk them into the side area its only 10 feet wide by about 15 long. Its got a ickey sappy tree in it now...

Thanks for all the input guys..

7/14/2004 11:01:28 PM