[joiner]

hi,

my little girl wants to grow some pumpkins and i have never tried it. anything special that they need?

[gobs]

A load of pooh and a good summer.

Do not give her butternuts.

Actually, if you can spare a couple of quid for the project, T&M do some intruguing shapes of squashes just for such purpose. But any gourd will also do, of course.

[Salmo]

Start them in pots at the end of May.

Plant out when they have 3/4 true leaves about the end of June.

Dig a hole 40 cms across and fill it with compost or manure.

Plant and keep watered. Mind the slugs do not eat them.

You can grow one of the giants like Atlantic Giant or hundredweight and you should get a 50 cm+ pumpkin with no problem,and probably much bigger. 

The giants are spectacular but one of the smaller varieties such as Amazonca, Becky or baby bear might be preferred. These are ideal for halloween and are better for roasting.

The plants will send out runners which have flowers and fruit at the nodes. When you have 2 fruit on a runner cut the tip of the runner off leaving 2/3 leaves beyond the fruit.

Some varieties are bush plants with no runners.

[DD.]

"Jack of all Trades" is a good sized one for kids, carving and eating.

It's quite compact & productive. This is what came off three plants:

[Salmo]

DD- that photo has to tate alongside you peas for being a show off.

[DD.]

These were Mrs Digger's!