Daily Inspiration: Pumpkins!

Has it really been almost a month since my last blog post??? Wow...that's kind of embarrassing! Thank you to our faithful blog readers for putting up with such a long absence! We have been very busy (not a great excuse, but one, nonetheless). :) I hope you have all enjoyed your spring- we sure have! We love to see everyone getting busy in their gardens, to hear about what new things you are trying, and we just plain love to see you in the nursery! This is my latest...

I am gearing up for a growing experiment this year. I want to try to grow a massive pumpkin! I have heard of people growing these and have seen pictures, but have never tried it! So here goes!

I started with 5 'Dill's Atlantic Giant' Pumpkin seeds...

I direct-seeded on May 12, 2012. (For cucumbers, melons, squash, pumpkins, gourds, etc., we prefer the direct-seed method.) The guys built a raised bed in the back of the nursery for the project- we filled it with a mix of top soil, compost, and peat moss.

On May 18th seedlings appeared! Happy and healthy!

On May 24th, I gave them a weak solution of Fox Farm's Grow Big (my favorite organic fertilizer).

So, we will see how the project goes! I have read about people injecting the vines with a milk mixture (not sure I will go THAT far), but I know I will have to eventually provide a piece of carpet (or something soft) for the pumpkin to lay on and I will have to built a shelter/shade for it when it gets really hot!

I will keep you all updated!

~Laura