Your comments and tips

02 Feb 10, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Hi just like to say i love this site,Great to see so many people contributing..Coraki NSW

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27 Jan 10, Evelyn (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

Ben I believe that if you place some of the leaves of the vine over the pumpkin this shades the fruit and less likely to split. In the hot Canberra summer I have had great success with part-shade for growing the pumpkins. A friend advised that overfertilizing during the growth phase is not good either. Better to have the soil fertilized at the planting stage rather than topping up in between. She may have a point.

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23 Jan 10, ben parker (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

do u know why pumpkin split just before they ripen?

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19 Jan 10, Dougie (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

re Marlen Traynor - pumkins like a clay or heavy loam and not really a sandy soil. Add some clay by getting a few bags of brickie's loam that brickjlayers add to their "mud"or china clay as used by potters or animal feed manufacturers to your soil. Can't cause any harm.

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18 Jan 10, Kym (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi, I have recently planted pumpkin (approx 6-8 weeks ago) our first vegie patch. How do I know when they are ready to pick?

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13 Jan 10, Troy (Australia - temperate climate)

Can I just dry the seed and then plant it?

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18 Dec 09, kelly from adelaide (Australia - temperate climate)

hi, i want to grow a pumpkin plant. is it too late to plant a seedling? and will i be able to grow it in a large pot?

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12 Dec 09, Lisa van der Lee (Australia - temperate climate)

I have some pumpkin seedlings given to me by a friend. Prepared the soil a few days ago and I can't wait to get them into the ground. First shot at growing them. My cucumbers have been really successful so I am motivated to try pumpkin as we eat it alot and the kids love it. Fingers crossed they grow well!

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30 Oct 09, Russ (Australia - temperate climate)

the female flower is the one with the small pumpkin at the base. the others are male. i usually break off bits of the center of the male flower with the pollen and drop it in the middle of the female flower. Sounds like the pine needles are acting like mulch and stopping the sandy soil from drying out as fast.

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13 Oct 09, Marlene Traynor (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

I am from Brisbane, but I actually live in Spokane, WA, which is snow country. I manage to get one pumpkin to grow a year, which keeps me going in seeds. I also have the problem of lots of pumpkins start, but then they turn yellow and quit growing. How do you tell the difference between male and female flowers so that I can start self polinating. Also, we have sprinkler systems so I can either give them a lot of water, or a little water. What do they like. Our soil is sandy and gets very hot in the summer. By accident, I found that I have better luck if I throw the seeds in my pine needle pile. If anyone can email me any tips I would be very grateful. Pumpkins are my little bit of home that I have with me and I would hate to run out of seeds. Marlene

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