Monday, February 11, 2013

PLANTING OUT THE BUTTERNUT SEEDLINGS - 5 November 2012

This is the first time I’ve grown Yates Pumpkin ‘Butternut’ and I’m a little suprised at how long it has taken for them to get to a reasonable size to plant out.  Nevertheless, they’re planted out now.
 
SOWING PUMPKIN SEEDS
I sowed these seeds on 02/09/12, so it is just over two months later that three of them are ready to plant out.  Five out of six have germinated.  I’ve given the two small ones at the back to one of my neighbours, as I don’t think two of us will be able to eat all the pumpkins that we harvest….provided we have lots of success!
PUMPKIN DISEASES
I’ve only grown one pumpkin successfully last year, so I figure that I’m best to have three seedlings on the go this year in case these seedling succumb to, dare I say it, cucumber mosaic virus…I think that’s the problem I had last year with my Yates Pumpkin ‘Hybrid Grey Crown’ variety.
EATING PUMPKINS
I love to eat butternut pumpkins – it has to be one of my most favourite varieties as I love to stuff them with all sorts of delicious things…and basically they’re a meal on their own!
GROWING PUMPKINS
Pumpkins tend to be pretty gross feeders from what I’ve experienced, so I’ve prepared the soil pretty well with lots of compost and blood & bone.  They all require a lot of water, so I’ll be keeping an eye on them to make sure they’re well watered.  I will use pea straw as a mulch when they’re a bit bigger and of course pinch out the tips once they’ve got lots of flowers and have a nice long vine on them.  Here’s hoping they’ve got plenty of room!!!

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