Dill's Giant Atlantic pumpkin diary

[MarkRainbolt]

Week #1:
View attachment 3828861

Looking GREAT!!!!!
Mark

 

[MarkRainbolt]

Two of three Whoppers are up.
View attachment 3828483

Everything is looking Great R2elk!!
Mark

 

[MarkRainbolt]

Well yesterday turned into a disaster. The kids and grandkids came over for Mother’s Day and a bbq. Well while I was tending the grill,my 4 year old granddaughter went in to the greenhouse and pulled all my pumpkin plants to give to her mother as a present. By time I got to them they were not salvageable to put back in the containers. So this morning instead of planting my pumpkin plants as I had intended to do. I am replacing the seeds in the containers. This will put me about 3 weeks behind. But I can not get upset with her because she is Papa’s little princess.
Mark

 

[R2elk]

Well yesterday turned into a disaster. The kids and grandkids came over for Mother’s Day and a bbq. Well while I was tending the grill,my 4 year old granddaughter went in to the greenhouse and pulled all my pumpkin plants to give to her mother as a present. By time I got to them they were not salvageable to put back in the containers. So this morning instead of planting my pumpkin plants as I had intended to do. I am replacing the seeds in the containers. This will put me about 3 weeks behind. But I can not get upset with her because she is Papa’s little princess.
Mark

You should be able to direct seed in the garden or container where you are.

 

[MarkRainbolt]

You should be able to direct seed in the garden or container where you are.

I could but I tend to plant more than I am going to grow. So I just do them in containers and give away the ones I don’t want to plant.
Mark

 

[R2elk]

I could but I tend to plant more than I am going to grow. So I just do them in containers and give away the ones I don’t want to plant.
Mark

Direct seeding where possible is better because they really prefer that their roots not get messed with. It is recommended to cut off rather than pull the plants when thinning to prevent disturbing the roots of the others.

 

[NanaK]

I could but I tend to plant more than I am going to grow. So I just do them in containers and give away the ones I don’t want to plant.
Mark

You could direct seed a few and plant some in pots.

I just direct seeded some melons, winter squash and pie pumpkins. Most came up in 4 days. I will trim out any extras.

 

[Sally PB]

I have to start my tomatoes and peppers inside in pots. This is how I do it. I use containers like this.

And cut the bottom off. Then I turn it upside down

And that's my pot. When it comes time to plant, I peel the lid off, and the taper of the sides makes it (relatively) easy to slide up and over the plant, with minimal root disturbance.

Some of those pots are on their 4th year. I'll be replacing a few of them, as the plastic is getting brittle.

 

[R2elk]

I have to start my tomatoes and peppers inside in pots. This is how I do it. I use containers like this.
View attachment 3831368

And cut the bottom off. Then I turn it upside down
View attachment 3831369
And that's my pot. When it comes time to plant, I peel the lid off, and the taper of the sides makes it (relatively) easy to slide up and over the plant, with minimal root disturbance.

Some of those pots are on their 4th year. I'll be replacing a few of them, as the plastic is getting brittle.

Tomatoes and peppers unlike cucurbits don't have the root disturbance issues. I use peat pots and rip part of the roots off when transplanting into bigger pots to help promote new root growth.

My growing season is so short I have to start all frost intolerant plants inside. I normally plant the cucurbits (melons, cucumbers, pumpkins) two weeks before last expected frost inside in fairly large pots so that the plants and their roots don't get too big for their containers before planting time at the end of May.

 

[Sally PB]

Tomatoes and peppers unlike cucurbits don't have the root disturbance issues. I use peat pots and rip part of the roots off when transplanting into bigger pots to help promote new root growth.

Interesting! I did not know that. Thank you.

I thought all plants disliked have their roots messed with, to one degree or another.