maturity question

[GardenGirl]

I was wondering what it means when the seed company tells you __ days to maturity? For example, I bought small pumpkins for my DS and they are supposed to mature in 90 - 110 days. Is that from the time you put them in the ground, from the time they sprout, or from the time they flower? I am trying to calculate my pumpkin planting for early - mid October and if I go from seed in the ground I am planting in mid-July! Seems late. Any help is much appreciated! Thanks!!!

 

[obsessed]

I think it means days til the plant allows harvest? And I think that the days to maturity will vary depending on your location and climate.

 

[patandchickens]

Days to maturity will not do you much good except to compare to other varieties the company sells.

For most plants it is seeding-to-first-harvest (for a few things that are typically started indoors, it is transplant-to-first-harvest); but that is SO dependant on local growing conditions, especially temperature and weather, that the number on the packet just cannot be depended on to have anything to do with what you will actually observe in your garden.

And even if you know from experience that a certain variety will take X days to first harvest if sown on May 1, it is *not* generally true that if you plant it six weeks later it will mature six weeks later. Because of different temperature and weather regimes as the year progresses.

If you haven't grown it before and really want a harvest for Halloween, either ask around to see what other people do locally, or plant several hills in succession, maybe 2 wks apart over 6 or 8 wks. This hedges your bet.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[GardenGirl]

Thanks Pat, I will do that. I'll start one tomorrow and go from there. :coolsun

 

[GrowinVeggiesInSC]

I've often wondered about that myself. It makes sense that you can't pinpoint an exact date for maturity. Good question, good answers.

 

[GardenGirl]

You know, I never really gave time to maturity too much thought because I figured when they are ready, they are ready. I worry about last frost dates. But this year is the first year with pumpkins and to be honest it is for my 3 yo who asked if we could plant them after travelling to the farm to pick them last year. When we ordered seeds, he saw them and asked for them, I thought he forgot. So, we picked out a small pumpkin for him that is meant for smaller gardens and then the question of harvest for Halloween came up! I will keep records on this type this year and keep my fingers crossed for him to have fall pumpkins.