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maine

i bought a 60+lb pumpkin for halloween, 100+ seeds were growing inside the pumpkin, i planted them all in styrofoam cups. I wanted to know can they be grown indoors? I grow all my vegatables inside, tomatoes, green beans, but wasn't sure about the pumpkins. Thanks

11/2/2000 11:01:33 AM

Commack, NY

you could try, but i hope you have alot of stryophoam cups! i know someone on the list cloned a plant last year, and kept it going all winter long. but he was cutting the tip and reclonig it, so it never got to full size.

11/2/2000 3:56:25 PM

maine

I have 60 cups all over the windowsills, my husband thinks I'm crazy. How much sunlight/shade do they need to grow?

11/3/2000 8:31:48 AM

Commack, NY

personally, i think that if you were to have any success at this, a smaller variety, like jack be little might give you better success.

11/3/2000 4:02:59 PM

Buffalo, Minnesota

i believe farmer scott is right, i mean i tried growing the bigger pumpkin varieties inside last winter, and haad no succes whatsoever, i mean they just grew small and slanky, but the smaller varieties such as baby boo or something might actually grow? i think i may try that this winter.

11/4/2000 12:53:04 AM

Colorado Hail, CO. Elev. 5,900 FT

You can grow pumpkins inside! And, tip cuttings can be done, but I have found they are difficult to do, and a pot to pot method of rooting is the best way for a 100 percent success ratio. The do grow kind of small indoors, and you would think they will not get big, but they do outdoors once out there. The clones I raised last winter were given to 2 growers, a 1st and 2nd year grower, both of which grew them and had 200 pounders on them. Once outside, they begin to grow just like any pumpkin would, with the stems and leaves getting gigantic by the 2nd week.

11/4/2000 10:53:28 AM

When clones are planted in outside, do they develop a stump?

11/5/2000 10:33:37 AM

Colorado Hail, CO. Elev. 5,900 FT

Umpy, Oddly enough,no. They send out vines at the base of the plant in various directions, but the plant will "determine" what vine it wants to make a main vine. That vine will get the fattest of all vines, and where it takes off, it does develop characteristics of a stump, getting wood like skin, and getting wide and fat. The strange thing is it has about a one foot "stump" where it decides to become a main vine, rather than a 3 to 8 inch stump. We did not try to do any major pruning at all during the season just to see what it did on its own. It seems that it just grows just like any other pumpkin once it determines it's main vine area, as any other vine which may start out like the "main" vine slows down growth and acts like a side vine.
Marc

11/5/2000 11:29:07 AM

maine

I planted them November 1st and about 1 dozen are 3 inches-4 inches, and the stems are about ¾ of an inch.I think there doing alright.I don't know a thing about growing them, all I know is the seed goes in the dirt and they need to be watered. What is "tip cutting" and the "pot to pot method"?

11/6/2000 1:22:14 PM

maine

i have another pumpkin and want the seeds for next year to plant, how do you store them?

11/6/2000 1:39:07 PM

Colorado Hail, CO. Elev. 5,900 FT

A tip cutting is just as it sounds, a cutting made about 5 inches from tip of plant to about the 3rd or 4th leaf down the stem and cut right below the last leaf. Pot to pot is placing one pot next to the one with the original pumpkin growing in it, and letting the vine grow over the new pot, buring the vine as it grows, then cutting it from the main pot once the new tip is growing over the new pot. Are you just into growing the smaller varities or are you interested in growing one of the larger one? If so, toss those seeds and get some "big-uns". If you are bent on saving them, just dry em out for about 2-3 weeks, and put em in a cool dark, and dry area. They will keep for years.

11/6/2000 10:58:07 PM

Buffalo, Minnesota

help help everyone,my seeds from my biggest pumpkin are getting some mold on them, what do i do, why is this happening, the seeds from my smaller pumpkin are not getting mold on them, do they just need to be spread out more, thats what i did and i will see if it works, also, anybody need seeds? i got about 600 seeds from my biggest.

11/7/2000 1:28:54 AM

maine

Madman- I'd like to grow the "big-uns",the bigger the better! But have no yard room. I want to see how big I can get them to grow inside, I know they won't be 100 lbers. Do you buy the seeds for the "big ones"? If so what kinds of seeds should I look for? BTW, Thanks for the tips.

11/7/2000 9:36:18 AM

Colorado Hail, CO. Elev. 5,900 FT

Ask around on the net, you can get good genetics from other grower usually for free. I have some from mine to give away, but they are not near the superior genetics some growers have. E mail me privatly if you wand some of my seeds. I'll fill you in on the genetic parentage, as well as my address. I do not belive that the atlantic giants will grow indoors, unless you are doing them in a greenhouse or if you can provide enough soil to root at least 200 square feet of plants and roots!

11/8/2000 10:20:44 AM

maine

I've heard you need a male and female plant to produce fruit, is that right, if so how do you tell the diffence?

11/10/2000 10:57:20 AM

Connecticut, USA

Maine, See the article about hand pollination in the How To section of this site for pictures of male and female blossoms.

11/10/2000 11:31:55 AM

Buffalo, Minnesota

catakins, pumpkins are bisexual,lol they dont need no other plant to produce fruit,not like and orange tree or something where you need at least two trees. ~Bill

11/13/2000 2:03:25 AM

maine

wildbill, lol! thanks for the info. So I don't need to "hand pollinate"(when and if they flower)?

11/13/2000 1:05:43 PM

Long Island,New York

Hand pollinate = Unless you have a bunch of bees in the house you do !

11/13/2000 5:18:51 PM

maine

All but 1 plant died. I think the windowsill they were in was too cold

12/13/2000 2:02:48 PM

Buffalo, Minnesota

yah, you still need to hand pollinate, i just meant you dont need two plants to make pumpkins.

12/14/2000 12:57:05 AM