Naked-seeded pumpkin project

[capsicumguy]

Thanks @Zeedman . So what I'm going to do is plant between 2 and 4 of each line, do one self per plant, and per @flowerbug 's advice do one cross from another child in the same line. I'll track the parent (e.g,. 2021-04) and whether it's selfed or from another child of the same line.

It's wonderful to hear you're finding time to prepare your own home plot; hope you're finding some comfort for your soul out there among the dirt and the flowers. And wow, 1500 sq ft is a lot! We have 3000, but we're also feeding eight people!

 

[flowerbug]

@Zeedman, looks like all four lots have sprouted. big deer walked right through (going for the comfrey) the planting hole of one lot but it looks like the plants didn't care.

 

[Jack Holloway]

Unfortunately I won't be able to grow mine this year. Killing blackberries is much harder than I thought it would be and the weather isn't cooperating that much.

 

[meadow]

Blackberries are tough. I once helped my daughter clear some on her place and uncovered an apple tree. Okay, it was a very small apple tree.. but still.

 

[Jack Holloway]

Blackberries are tough. I once helped my daughter clear some on her place and uncovered an apple tree. Okay, it was a very small apple tree.. but still.

Indeed. I'm almost ready to hit them with CrossBow.

 

[Zeedman]

Well, last night I sat down & did a late re-design of the plan for my home gardens. Although those gardens total about 1800 square feet, that took a lot of triage, since after abandoning the rural garden this year, the original garden plan was cut by 80%. The silver lining is that it is too late to plant cool-season vegetables, which opened up enough space to make room for some pumpkins... 2 each of the 4 lines. the ground is still too wet to cultivate, so will be starting those seeds in pots today. I'm well aware that time is running out for any seed crops, so will start the pumpkins (and cukes, bitter melon, luffa, limas, etc.) indoors, to accelerate their germination.

 

[Zeedman]

A cool day with little wind, and perfect soil moisture - so I transplanted the pumpkin starts today, 2 each of the 4 lines. A couple days ago, something crawled up on the table (or walked up next to it) and nipped off all pumpkin seedlings in the outside row. Fortunately, the next row back was untouched - leaving just 2 plants of two varieties, which is what I needed. This is why I always over-plant!!! I kept those survivors safely in the greenhouse until planting time.

All plants are covered with spun polyester floating row cover, to keep out the SVB (which should be hatching soon).

 

[flowerbug]

we have deer grazing things intensely this year - i'm not sure of what i'm going to get until i see the fruits actually get ripe. i think i have all four lots growing, but i'm not certain in one case. in another case the plants are really exposed and i don't know if i can protect them well enough.

 

[Zeedman]

All plants are covered with spun polyester floating row cover, to keep out the SVB (which should be hatching soon).

And right on cue, I saw the first SVB moth today. It was apparently confused, hovering over my tray of backup bean transplants. Good thing I covered the pumpkin plants right away this year! Hopefully the SVB egg-laying period will have passed (or wound down) by the time flowering begins & the cover needs to be removed.

Past experience says the cover is likely to protect from the first hatch of squash bugs & cucumber beetles as well. Squash bugs (not SVB) killed all of my squash plants in the rural garden last year.

 

[meadow]

And right on cue, I saw the first SVB moth today. It was apparently confused, hovering over my tray of backup bean transplants. Good thing I covered the pumpkin plants right away this year! Hopefully the SVB egg-laying period will have passed (or wound down) by the time flowering begins & the cover needs to be removed.

Past experience says the cover is likely to protect from the first hatch of squash bugs & cucumber beetles as well. Squash bugs (not SVB) killed all of my squash plants in the rural garden last year.

What is SVB? Squash vine borer?

I saw a beetle on a winter squash yesterday and dropped it into a container of soapy water. I've gotten quite good at smashing them too (previously too squeamish, but I've declared war on wireworms and I think this one golden beetle is the adult form and they're so fast I've no other choice than to grab and squish ). It hadn't occurred to me to cover the squash with cloth though. hmmm. What kind are you using?