Ghost rider seedling
A new addition to the container garden. I have no idea about pumpkins, and the butternut squash was curiousity enough. I always associate pumpkins with the autumn and holloween, so we shall how this progresses over the coming months.
As you can see, there is a home made cloche over the top. There are some warm days forcast, so this may either help or hinder. Either way, we shall see I should have probably retained it inside and then hardened off, but who knows! Perhaps it will survive.....
Leaves as big as dinner plates
What a difference a few months can make. At least, I think it is a few months. With four months left until a harvest is anticipated, on the left is what the ghost rider pumpkin looks like at the start of July. Is very leafy at the moment, the leaves are as big as dinner plates. A single flower can be seen nestled by the base. With the warm weather, a lot of watering is required.
Butternut and pumpkin side by side
These two must be conspiring to take on the world or something ridiculous.
little baby pumpkins
Had to peer into the belly of the beast, and all that foliage. There are two baby pumpkins. Very tiny at the moment.
Ever more triffid like
There has been a profound amount of growth with the fine weather. My concern in that the flowers won't see much sunlight, or even get polinated.
There were lots of babies. Has been somewhat traumatic seeing which ones will actually survive. With a lot of foliage, and a number of flowers, watching the pumpkin grow is really quite curious.
There were many instances where female flowers opened, the males did not, and vice versa. One day however, there seemed to be a little synchronisation with both opening. Cue a mad dash to swab cotton buds in places.
Flowering and trailing pumpkin
There have been some fruits that may well have been pollinated.
Pumpkin that survived!
What a difference some time and warm weather makes! On the right, is the one sole surviving pumpkin. This was harvested 11th September 2011, purely as the weather is becoming increasing more inclement. It is now sat up right on the window sill basking in the sun. It weighs just over 5lbs, which isn't bad for a first time crop! There are seeds for next year, to see if the feat can actually be repeated. This was bought as nought but a seedling, and it blossomed! I am really happy with it, so I will see just how orange it will become for Halloween.
Getting ripe further
Is still sat on the window sill, and getting more and more orange. Still has six weeks to ripen up properly.
ripening
Well, would you have it. Pumpking made it. From seedling to frying pan.
Curried Pumpkin