Pumpkins in the USA

[David Hare-Scott]

Wikipedia says pumpkins are a warm season crop and in the US most grow in Illinois and are planted in July.

obviously the US is a big place and has different climates in the north and south but in my experience pumpkins need a long growing season to allow the fruit to reach full size and to ripen. Here they grow between last frost and first frost, about 8 months, even so a number are not full size or ripe as the vine keeps flowering and setting fruit up until death. I grow table (not cattle) pumpkins and in that time I get about 30 mature fruit (100kg, 250lbs) per vine. The vine is quite large!

If it is too cold to plant until July how long can the season be, two or three months? Does this mean that each vine only ripens the first set fruit in the limited time? What kind of yield per vine do they get?

Could somebody with relevant experience who is not too far from Illinois shed some light please.

David

[Jim Elbrecht]

There is a subtle difference-- but what IL is claiming is that they provide 95% of the "Processed" pumpkins. not Jack-o-lanterns. That might be in large part because Nestle is there- not because of their 'perfect for pumpkin' climate..

The Sugar Baby pumpkins that I used to grow for pies were a 60-70 day crop- unlike the big ones that are 120+.

-snip-

I'm not in IL- but I'm zone 5. My sugar baby's were a long time ago, but if I remember correctly, the vines would set a 1/2 dozen fruit and they'd ripen. Kind of like a determinate tomato.

Jim

[Jim Elbrecht]

-snip-

I can't find "Sugar Baby" -- but further thought & a bit of poking around makes me think these were more like 90 day pumpkins. I planted them 2nd week of June & first frost was usually mid-Sept.

This page has a bunch of pumpkin varieties and mentions the vine, which reminded me that these things I used to grow were 'bush' pumpkins.

Jim

[Jim Elbrecht]

That would be *this* page-

[Derald]

These may help:

In my latitude (±28°N, USDA 9a), the daring may plant in late February or early March but the occasional late chill makes late March to mid April more practical. A general rule of thumb in this warm humid climate is to get squashes in early in order to get a crop before the mildew and bugs do!

[FarmI]

David you'd know that I'm nowhere near the locale you're asking about, but a USian in another ng who visits Oz often said that the pumpkins we have in Oz aren't pumpkins but marrows.

I know she's not a gardener at all so probalby has no idea what she's talking about and she and I don't like each other so we tend to butt heads often, but that comment may be worth keeping at the back of your mind. Another poster in that thread suggested that our gramma may be closer to the US 'pumpkin'. I've still go no idea about the subject even though I've read the US 'Seed to Seed' on the topic. I've often wondered aobut using a Queensland Blue in a sweet pie and the thought makes me gag - certainly a savoury pie, but never a dessert.

[Frank]

Reminds me of stories I've heard about huge pumpkins growing in Alaska:

short growing season, Alaska's long summer days make up for it.

[Jim Elbrecht]

The get some incredible tomatoes up there, too.

But a 1000 pound pumpkin? In 2007 that was 'big'. Now it is just an also ran-

2011 - 1810.5 pounds- Wisconsin 2009- 1725 pounds - Ohio 2007- 1689- Rhode Island 2006- 1502- Rhode Island 2005 - 1469- Pennsylvania 2004- 1446- Ontario, Canada

The biggest pumpkin I've ever touched was 600lbs, more or less-- These

1000 pounders boggle the mind. Interesting that the records for the past 10 years are mostly all in the Northeast US & neighboring Canada. [Wisconsin is north central- and there are a couple or Oregon records- representing the Northwest]

I imagine part of it is the lack of intense heat as these vines soak up gallons of water on a hot day. We must have the right balance of heat & humidity to promote growth without stressing the plant.

Jim

[The Cook]

Wiki also says "In Australian English, the name 'pumpkin' generally refers to the broader category called winter squash in North America."

Winter squash are Acorn, butternut, spaghetti, etc. Here is a link to the Burpee seed co. with instructions for growing.

the page for their winter squash seeds. I noticed that the dates for the average first & last frosts are the same for USDA hardiness zones are the same for zones 7a and 5a (Chicago) are the same even though the average low temperatures are about 10 degrees different. The last frost is given as mid April and first frost is mid October. I used zip code 60601, (Chicago) for Illinois.

I live in zone 7a (western North Carolina) and I just got my plants in the ground this past week. I probably could have set them out sooner but didn't have time. I start mine in the greenhouse. I planted Acorn and Butternut squashes and Pumpkin. I also planted green and yellow zucchini.

[Billy]

Thanks for the search. Typing "Sugar Baby" into Google was quite titillating ;O)

[David Hare-Scott]

We have an productive cumquat tree. My wife went googling "cumquat jam". You do get some recipes but not all are to do with boiling fruit with sugar.

David

[Billy]

DAVID, WHY DO YOU HATE AMERICA?!!

Ah, there, that feels better ;O)

Anyway, I'm always ready to give it a go, so I typed "cumquat jam" into Google, and all I got was boiling fruit with sugar:O( However when I type in "Sugar Baby", I get "Seeking Arrangement", The Guide to Mutually Beneficial Relationships ;O)

Who are you interested in meeting? I Want Sugar Daddy I Want Sugar Baby Strictly Sugar Daddy Serious Relationship I want a Gay Sugar Daddy I want a Baby Boy

ect., etc.

[Steve Peek]

Don't even think about Googleing "fudge".

[David Hare-Scott]

I don't. Why did you say that? I don't see the connection.

D

[Billy]

Do you have any sense of humor?

[Billy]

I'm sure that all Americans who read this know that I'm pulling your leg. Do you need that translated?

[David Hare-Scott]

I still don't get it. Is it an allusion to some sitcom or a local politician perhaps? Never mind.

D