Pumpkin Watch 2011: Linus and Sally

I realized today, it's been almost two months since I last posted about the pumpkin patch. And sadly this might be the final update. Back in early July it was lush end to end with growing vines. There were numerous buds then that seemed to have potential but only one grew into a pumpkin - a little guy I first called Jack, but have affectionately renamed Linus.

By early August, all the vines lost steam and stopped growing. Just when I thought Linus was all alone as in the Great Pumpkin story, to my surprise I discovered he had a friend hidden under a large grouping of leaves and off-shoot vines. I've named her Sally.

Today, the entire patch is spent and naturally withering. It would be a Halloween miracle if any more pumpkins appear. Linus is looking ready to harvest and Sally is catching up turning orange.

Although both are really small, they will find a place of honor sitting together as our coffee table centerpiece this October.

Pumpkin Watch 2011: One Month Later

We interrupt our regularly scheduled Raiders of the Lost Ark 30th celebration with this important pumpkin patch update.

Since my last pumpkin watch post almost a month ago, things are looking great. The patch is really healthy. The all important female bud flowers are starting to arrive in abundance. I've counted at least eleven so far and the vines haven't even grown to their full length yet. Finger's crossed that my unexpected green thumb this year holds out.

Pumpkin Watch 2011: The New Patch

Trying to grow pumpkins again this year. This time, they have a very long garden bed created just for them off our backyard patio. So far, so good. It may just be my enthusiastic rose colored vision, but now that they're well established in the ground they seem to grow almost an inch daily. If we only get one decent pumpkin I'll be happy.

Week Three

Week Five

Today: Week Nine

My luck with them in the past has been so-so. First time, several years ago, I was overzealous and went for the giant mammoth variety. The vines grew too big of course weaving into every other backyard plant, bush and shrub. We did get 2 or 3 small pumpkins though.

The next year's attempt was foiled by our dog Grover, he was still just a pup and loved digging. The pumpkins didn't stand a chance. As a matter of fact, almost every plant in our yard barely survived Grover's landscaping hobby back then.

I gave up on pumpkins for awhile. I did try an experiment last year by container planting and tomato cage growing a vine. I had read somewhere it works. It did not. It started off well, but the vine had stunted growth and never bloomed.