Okay, it's not really a "patch." More like two plants, separated from one another by two zucchini plants. This one is called
rouge vif d'Etampes. When it's mature this fall, that shiny yellow orb should become a bright red color and significantly bigger than it is today. I've grown them once before with success. There are at least a half dozen forming on the vine. If they all survive, there will be a lot of pumpkin this fall.
This should become a big red pumpkin by harvest time.
I was able to get all the "grass" cut again over the weekend. I put grass in quotes because, as is usual in the summer months, the grass isn't really growing, but the weeds are. Many of them put up foot-high flower stalks and that forest of tiny yellow flowers is what needs mowing.
To get big fruits, you need to restrict the number the plant carries by pinching off the later ones.... but for couples like you two, and ourselves, letting them all grow usually means more "human" sized fruits.
ReplyDeleteWhat a bright yellow color, beautiful! A “forest of tiny yellow flowers” sounds enchanting.
ReplyDeleteAnd Bonne Fete! I wish I were there or anyplace other than Florida with all the deniers. :(
ReplyDeleteExciting. I've never grown pumpkin, but I always thought it would be a fun thing to do. Here in Spain, the word for pumpkin is calabaza. The word for squash is calabaza. It can be confusing [for us]. I would love to have a calabaza patch (huerto de calabazas... I think, but not calabazas).
ReplyDeleteI belive they will be ready for Halloween
ReplyDeleteWe went a bit wild. Well, I went wild with the squash this year. I planted five mounds with six seeds each. I think they multiplied. We now have a squash jungle. I did not expect each seed to produce, since they had been sitting in a cupboard for a few years. I know soma are kobacha, which we love, and maybe some pumpkin. I am not sure....time will tell!
ReplyDeletetim, I do snip off the ends of vines to keep them from taking over, but also to keep the number of fruits lower. I haven't removed any yet.
ReplyDeletebettyann, enchanting is not a word I would have thought of for weeds. ;)
mitch, here it's citrouille (pumpkin) and courge (squash).
gosia, I hope so!
christine, wow! You're going to be up to your elbows in squash!