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Location

Message

Date Posted

Pinedale, WY

Let me reintroduce myself, it has been awhile. I grew pumpkins in Colorado back in 2005-2008. I live in Wyoming now but we are up in the mountains and it is a totally different animal here, even from the rest of the state. We are about 7,500 in elevation and long winters and short summers. We have ice on the lakes until mid-May here. We are buying land and building a house in the spring. So now is the best time to build in some stuff to prep to get back into pumpkin growing. What advice does everyone have to try and combat these elements? I realize I'm not going to grow a state record or anything, but I love growing pumpkins and want to figure out how to do it in this environment. My science teacher in high school use to always say that "You can grow bananas on the north pole, it is just money, time, and technique." So how do I grow a giant pumpkin in Pinedale, WY?

10/16/2019 9:32:56 PM

Dillonvale, Ohio

Build a greenhouse. It's the best way to get the heat you need early and late in the year

10/16/2019 9:51:06 PM

Wisconsin

Heated greenhouse, heated soil, done, maybe supplimental artifical light but you can add that later

10/16/2019 9:59:42 PM

Colorado

Hi Duke,Yep gotta grow under plastic-only to keep it warm enough,long enough for pumpkins.Glad to hear your getting the itch again.

10/16/2019 10:19:23 PM

Colorado

"only way"

10/16/2019 10:20:25 PM

Bethlehem CT

Look to Dale's and JD's diaries. If they can do it in Alaska, you can do it too.

10/17/2019 7:33:25 AM

Central Illinois

Don crews has underground tubes to warm his soil,look at the last several years of his diary

10/17/2019 7:48:30 AM

Colorado

Duke you should pick Jamie Johnson's brain for growing at alpine valley type conditions.He goes by arvada boy on BP and lives by deer valley Utah. He gonna have very similar conditions to yours.

10/17/2019 2:11:03 PM

President - GPC

Welcome back Duke,

Andy Corbin in WY can give you some tips, plus there is a great support group up in the Worland area and Ron Hoffman is still crankin out big weights as well.... Good Luck. A high tunnel would work in your area where as Andy said his got too hot and out of control....

10/17/2019 2:47:44 PM

President - GPC

PS. Ask Jamie about the high tunnel hit got for cheap from the AG.

10/17/2019 2:48:31 PM

Pinedale, WY

Thanks guys, it is good to hear from a lot of you again. I remember Jamie, I'll look him up. Ron has way better conditions in Riverton than I do here. I'll check out the diaries that were mentioned too.

10/17/2019 4:06:25 PM

Midway, UT

I live in Midway, Utah which is the other side of the mountain from Park City ski resort. I'm only at 5,600 feet but kind of in a bowl in the mountains so night time lows are typically 54 degrees with late frosts and early frosts. Greenhouse is kind of a must. It doesn't help with the night time lows but it does give you way to heat the greenhouse if you need to at night and it heats up much faster after sunrise. You can see my setup here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvBglCXqkA0

10/19/2019 7:07:06 PM

Anchorage Alaska

Wow .. Jamie ..nice set up ..I love the smart plug idea

10/19/2019 9:37:36 PM

Pinedale, WY

Thanks, Jamie. I'll definitely be in touch with you, I will probably come down in person next spring, we are about 3 hours or so away from you.

10/21/2019 2:36:30 PM

Pinedale, WY

After looking at Jamie's set up, I think that is the way to go. So I'm going to start the application process to get a high tunnel, and look to grow in 2021.

10/23/2019 1:26:42 PM