Monday, May 17, 2010

Giant Pumpkin Update


My giant pumpkins were planted just over two weeks ago. The vines are now only a few inches long.

It is difficult to believe that by fall they will bear pumpkins too heavy for me to lift!

I remember reading Laura Ingalls Wilder’s book “Farmer Boy”, where she described how Almanzo grew his pumpkin to a championship size.
 
As I recall, once the vine started to grow a pumpkin, he cut a slit in the bottom of the vine and laid it in a saucer of milk. The milk was replenished as needed.
 
I can just imagine my luck if I tried to do such a thing, especially during the hot summer days.
 
I wonder which creature would be drawn first to the stench of spoiled milk? The raccoon, the deer, or the bear? (oh my)

My giant pumpkins are going to have to be content with water, sunshine, a little compost, and love.

5 comments:

  1. I remember that chapter from Farmer Boy, too. I agree that placing a dish of milk in the field (or garden) might not be a great idea. :)

    I look forward to seeing your pumpkins when they reach full size. I'm trying to grow a few pumpkins in our back yard this year, but I don't know if we'll get anything off the vines, because the sunlight in our yard is not very good (small yard, and high fences).

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  2. Good luck with your pumpkins, Laura!

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  3. Heavy on the compost. This will be fun to watch.

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  4. good luck with the pumpkins :) :)

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  5. Thanks, Maybelline and cassie, it is fun to anticipate how big the pumpkins will get!

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I'd love to hear what you think.