Pumpkins. Size does matter!
The Incredible Giant Pumpkin, some weigh well over 1000 lbs. An impressive sight to all, and nothing short of a great accomplishment and addition to your Man's Garden. Having a pumpkin in your garden will instantly convey a sense of manliness as it slumps in its patch like a giant orange testicle.
Growing one of these bad boys is possible by first following some simple steps. However, the art of growing a giant pumpkin can take a lifetime to perfect.
Big Pumpkins.com
Click on their seeds link to get free seeds!
The Pumpkin Patch
The Pumpkin Master
The Man's Garden also recommends the book, "How-to-Grow World Class Giant Pumpkins" the "Bible" on growing giant pumpkins. If you are a serious grower, and want the glory of winning a local weigh off, Then you will have to Get the Book.
Months of weather reports, watering, pruning, fertilizing and TLC. All you have to show for it is one big orange ugly blob, fat and purposeless. You may think so, however keep in mind the first prize at the World Pumpkin Confederation Weigh-off is up to $50,000 to the winner of the WPC competition.
Nice melons!
From Honeydew to Watermelon to Cantaloupe
HABIT: Sprawling, veining annual leafy plants to 10' bearing fruit with edible inner flesh. Sizes, shapes, colors, and flavors dependent upon species and varieties (see below). Maturity dates dependent on varieties 50-100 days.
SEED GERMINATION AND CULTURE: Melons do best in light sandy garden soil with humus (leaf mold, compost, peat moss, etc.) added and excellent drainage and a pH of 6.0-7.5. For best results, sow indoors in peat pots or pellets 3-4 weeks before night temperatures remain above 55 degrees. Keep moist, maintain 75 degree temperatures within the soil medium during germination which requires 5-7 days.
Shift to the garden when the roots emerge from pot walls and garden soil has warmed, setting plants in full sun, spacing hills of watermelon plants 3-5' apart each way, 1' apart in rows and all other hilled melons 4' apart each way or 18" apart in rows 4' apart. Small melons can be grown on a fence, supporting fruits with stocking slings or board shelf supports.
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