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Grants Pass, Oregon

Hi everyone, I just tilled up more space for my pumpkins. Is this ok for 4 pumpkins or should I till up more? Thanks a lot in advance for your help...Carrie

2/17/2002 12:31:11 PM

virginia

Carrie plant the flag style. Put 4 plants in the middle about 4 feet from one another.Thats the way pumpkinguru dose some of his plants

2/17/2002 1:20:40 PM

Deer Park WA

Hi Carrie, 1150 for four plants seems kinda small that will only give them like 280 feet or so each :~{ ....
I think you could grow two nice ones in 1150 ft if you were creative. Alot depends on just how fertile your soil is, and how much sunshine the site recieves. this year I have 800 sq ft for one site, and 1200 sq ft for the other. One plant per site. If you have the room and time I recomend adding atleast another 1000 sq ft if you really want 4 full sized plants. Best wishes and I hope to see you again at Canby this year Carrie, I'm certian that you beat your previous weight. Gerry

2/17/2002 1:52:17 PM

Long Island,New York

Carrie...I grew mine in 400 and 450 sq ft last year....and its just too small. 4 per 1150 is even smaller and I wouldn't recommend it.Till up a little more and grow two there....Brett's flags---as i understand it--are still 700-800sq ft or so each............G

2/17/2002 2:05:50 PM

Rexburg, Idaho ([email protected] )

I expanded to 1300 feet for each plant. The more leaves, the more photosynthesis, the bigger the pumpkin.

2/17/2002 6:22:05 PM

Topsfield, Ma.

carrie, i squeeeze two plants in a 1200 sq ft patch, by
heavy training and lopping off every other secondary. four plants sounds way crammed to me ! just my 2 cents worth...

2/17/2002 6:32:43 PM

Puyallup, WA

Hi Carrie,
If it were me, I'd plant two plants. Seems to me that very few BIG pumpkins come from less than 600 sq.ft. out here in the Pacific Northwest. The Easterners seems to be able to grow in smaller patches. If you wish, I'll ask Joel Holland for you this Thursday when I see him.

2/17/2002 8:11:10 PM

Down Stream

I would agree with the others on the 2 plants if you want the bigest pumpkin. But I would try to plant a couple of proven seeds. you may even want to keep more than 1 pumpkin per plant if they are doing great to make the best out of situation. Thats your choice.

2/17/2002 8:43:09 PM

Utah

Dot-
you can always start out with 3-4 plants and cut down
to 2-3 depending on how they do, how big they get, what
you have one them and what you want to do with them.

gordon

2/18/2002 4:17:54 PM

Leicester, NY

Carrie,
I think the size of patch you have there will support 2 plants. If you go to "In the Patch" and look at the picture in my garden of the "805 Pukos plant" that shows my 1100 square foot patch where I had 2 plants growing back to back. At the time the picture was taken, I had already pulled up the other plant. The remaining plant growing in 550 sq. ft. grew my 1061...Joe P.

2/18/2002 11:00:29 PM

canal winchester ohio

I will agree it would be better to have a large patch so you could have backup fruit. But year in & year out I've seen growers who grow 2 on their 1000-1100 sq ft patch. I've seen 2 1000 lbers off 1 plant, I've seen 3 on 1 plant 700+,750+, & 900+. And both were on plants in 1200 sq ft or less. If it is true that a fruit gets most of its energy from the main it's on, then the twin 1000 lbers were grown in appx. 550 sq ft each & the triplets I mentioned were grown in appx. 400 sq ft each. What I'm getting at is I believe with the proper soil balance,sun,water, fertilizer & I smile from above a 1000 lb + pumpkin ( or squash) can be grown in a area of 400 sq ft. So those of you with smaller patches don't give up,it is possible & you CAN do it. The only thing is you have to be right on everything you do as you don't have room for error.
I'm really curious how some of you others feel about the idea I just expressed, please respond & let some of the smaller patch growers know your ideas........Paul

2/19/2002 7:29:36 AM

Roanoke Il

Two out of the past 4 World Records where grow in patches right around 400 sqaure feet. Bret Hester said that his 862 was grown from flag stlye pumpkin in which he only gives alittle more than 250 sq feet per plant. There has been other big fruits grown from 500 sq feet. I would think you could grow two plants with no problem carrie. But let the more aggessive plant have more room. I personally give 600 sq feet per plant. best of luck this year mark

2/19/2002 6:11:32 PM

Roanoke Il

I meant 2 out of 4 world records where grown on 400 sq foot plants not patches.

2/19/2002 6:14:01 PM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

I agree with Joe P. Two plants sounds like the right number to me in a 1150 sq.ft. plot. My patch is 60 x 20. Last year I planted 2 plants giving each 20x30. With proper pruning they fit and I ended up with personal bests of 660 and 797. I have contemplated going with one plant but after reading the posts I will go with 2 again this year. It should insure a better chance of having something come weigh off time.

2/19/2002 11:00:30 PM

Grants Pass, Oregon

Thanks everyone for the imput. I will just put in two plants there, and find other spots for the other ones. Should I put the 735 and 805 Pukos together in the same plot?

2/20/2002 11:43:42 AM

Amherst, WI

Could someone please explain "flag style" for me? Thanks, Randoooo

2/20/2002 10:49:42 PM

canal winchester ohio

The flag style is where you grow 1 main & only let secondarys set on one side of the main vine. You also only set fruit on the same side you let 2ndarys grow. The theory is that the fruit only gets most of its energy from the 2ndarys on the same side that the fruit is on.....

2/20/2002 10:52:30 PM