A new competitor joins us from North Carolina

We have some new competition this year and it's coming from a southern state. Sean has decided to join in the fun from North Carolina. We're having a virtual grow off here.

Sean planted Burpee seeds in early April and already has a few pumpkins. They were planted in fresh mushroom compost which may be contributing to the leaf color. NC soil is definitely different than what we're growing in, here in Colorado. All of us have had to supplement our native soil in some way or another .

Sean planted both regular and giant size pumpkins but the giant's have not fruited yet. I gave him a lesson in pollination so hopefully that will help his giants get started soon.












The 3 of us are using different growing techniques this year. Dave's plant is on flat turf in his front yard, Sean is growing his down hill, and mine is growing over the edge of a raised bed in my back yard.

The latest news today is that Dave's big pumpkin is starting to show signs of dying, so Sean and I may have a fighting chance this year. But, Dave let another bud pollinate, so he now has a backup fruit in the works.

I let another female bloom pollinate this morning to better my odds this year. My first fruit is about the size of a golf ball now. I have also switched to fertilizing once a week per Dave's advice.

We're at it again in 2007

It's another summer and we're growing pumpkins again. Dave provided me with 2 seedlings this year which I planted in the backyard. Shannon pollinated the first female bud for me on July 26. I've been using organic liquid fertilizer and feeding both vines every other week.

The 2 plants have taken over the boxes and are now proceeding into the grassy area. Fortunately I had already harvested the lettuce and spinach that had been planted there in the spring.

We were very fortunate this year to have NO hail. My vine recovered last year but I never had a fruit.




I plan to plant the pumps in the middle of the back yard next year so they will have plenty of room to grow. One of the vines has already broken off its leader vine when it spilled over the side of the box, despite the edge being padded.

I turned over 1/2 of my front this year (after living here 27 years) and planted the hot weather plants there, tomatoes, peppers, stringbeans, and cucumbers. They are all thriving beautifully and we've already been eating their produce. I was criticized by my competition for not giving this space to my pumpkins .














Dave pollinated his first female bud on July 4 and now has a fruit the size of a basketball.
He has given his plant the run of the front yard which faces east.