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Garden Gate:  Pumpkins  |
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Duchess
True Blue Farmgirl
109 Posts
Iowa
USA
109 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 02 2007 : 10:17:43 AM
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In another lifetime there was a pumpkin patch on our place and the people would sell them. I love the idea of doing this but am totally in the dark as how to go about it. I would like to sell pumpkins for carving and ones that could be used for pies. I am also thinking of gourds?? They seem to be very popular and making birdhouses out of them seems like a fun project. Does anyone have experience in doing something like this. I have a large open space to plant in so that is not a problem, do I need to build some sort of support for the gourds? I also uncovered a strawberry patch, I have no idea how old the plants are or what is needed to bring them to life. There were lots of weeds, so many that I did not even see the fencing around it until I ran into it with the mower,lol. The plants looked healthy, green etc. this was in late fall so no berries. Thank You all for any help. Pumkin farmer in training, Barbara |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Jan 02 2007 : 10:50:22 AM
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Your success with selling pumpkins will mostly depend on which varieties you choose to plant. I plant three different kinds to sell:
Bush Spirit - doesn't ramble all over the place, produces an average of 8 perfectly shaped, uniform-sized pumpkins per plant for carving, not too big (my biggest seller).
Snack Jack - small in size, but loaded with hull-less, nutritious seeds and is nice as a vegetable as well.
Atlantic Giant - those monsters that win prizes for size. Ours only average about 150-200lbs, but they're a real draw to the farm as folks love to bring their children just to look at them. I sold one last year to a guy that relief-carved it into a cowboy, it was stunning. Believe it or not, all five of them sold and we loaded them into trunks with the tractor!
Gourds - we grow them in a greenhouse here as they need lots of heat and a longer season. Most kinds can sprawl on the ground with good success, but for nice uniform-shaped gourds, particularly the larger varieties, I find it's better to let them grow up netting and tie them up as they get heavier.
Strawberries - a lot depends on the variety, ie. if they are a spring-bearing variety or day neutral. If they are old plants, they are not likely to produce very well. I would suggest making new rows and transplanting all your runners into them this summer. I put well-rotted manure on mine very early in the spring and then no more for the rest of the year...the idea being you don't want huge healthy plants at the expense of no fruit.
Hope this helps a little...I can get kind of windy as this is my favorite subject!
Di |
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Duchess
True Blue Farmgirl
109 Posts
Iowa
USA
109 Posts |
Posted - Jan 10 2007 : 8:10:39 PM
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Di Thank you so much for the great answer, so much help I really appreciate it. I will print this and use as a guide.
Thank You again, Barbara |
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gardengirl
Farmgirl in Training
20 Posts
Stone Ridge
NY
USA
20 Posts |
Posted - Jan 17 2007 : 8:25:59 PM
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Diane ... thank you for the pumpkin info ... I have a question ... how do you care for your pumkins ...ours got beetles and did not make it ...I really don't want to dust ...any suggestions? Thank You, Nicci
Together we make a difference! |
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DaisyFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
1646 Posts
Diane
Victoria
BC
Canada
1646 Posts |
Posted - Jan 18 2007 : 12:29:34 AM
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Hi Nicci and welcome! The only care my pumpkins get other than regular watering is to be mulched well once they've become established to help keep the moisture in the soil and the growing pumpkins clean. We don't have a beetle problem here, but do have black aphids by late summer. I can use diatomaceous earth for the aphids, but I'm not sure just what to do about the beetles. I'm sure there has to be an organic solution though...let me look that one up in my book!
Di |
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Garden Gate: Pumpkins |
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Pumpkins
