Atlantic Giant

Last year I tried to grow some big pumpkins. They are the most fun plant to grow due to the speed and size. The seeds were some I picked up locally (Hundredweight) and despite reaching football size the floods ultimately put paid to any ideas of grandeur and all was lost. But it had got me started on the right track and 2008 would be a much better year.

Having read up a bit I found the best variety are Atlantic Giant so this year I got a packet of “Dill’s Atlantic Giant”. I sowed the seeds in containers and started to research more such as soil preparation, feeding etc and then I discovered BigPumpkins.com. This is a website where serious growers from around the world share ideas and progress with like minded individuals. I read a lot and posted a few questions only to be told (in a nice way) my seeds would be rubbish…gutted.

To get the biggest and best pumpkins you need the right genetics and these have been steadily developed via enthusiasts (mostly USA based) over the last decades. You don’t just get these seeds from your local garden centre either its quite a closed group where seeds are mostly given away to friends but where the most sought after seeds from world record holders can auction for several hundreds of dollars each! Needless to say I carried on learning and after more research proved I was somewhat behind the seed auctions held over winter. It was mid May, getting on in the year and my plants should be in the ground not yet seeds....

...And then I got an offer from a UK grower who’s been an enthusiast for a few years. He sent me a collection of seeds two of which I have planted. These are no ordinary seeds and have very credible genetic history each coming from pumpkins over 900lb!! To say I was/still am excited in an understatement! I got both plants going asap using the airing cupboard for warmth and by the end of the first week they had not only germinated but had started to fill the three litre pots they were in. Right now they are in much larger 50 litre tubs but this can’t last for long. And so we come to plot 61 and the big idea.

Originally I reserved the last two beds on Plot62 for squash plants – butternut, courgette and pumpkin. However this is nowhere near enough for one plant let alone two. It became clear I needed a much bigger space of ground and hence the second plot came about. Right now I’ve cleared the weeds and will dig two pits in the next couple of days. Hopefully I’ll have the plants transplanted at the weekend. I recon I need half a plot for each plant - thats 15’x25’ each (yes really!!) and will try to use compost and possibly manure to give nutrients. I’m also trying to build polythene tents to protect my seedlings when transplanted. Its all a bit crazy and manic and possibly why some of the regular veg growing is having a slow start. But its so fascinating and exciting I can’t wait to see how it goes!

By the way the top picture is what I'm aiming for... Its a picture taken from BigPumpkins of the current world record holder. It was grown last year by Joe Jutras and reached a colossal weight of 1689lbs!

Plot 61?

Well I always knew one plot wouldn’t be enough and so for this summer only I’ve branched out to plot 61... the world takeover starts here!

Before you think I’ve gone allotmenting mad its only a temporary venture and I’m not going to take permanent lease of the plot. Instead its doing myself and my neighbour a favour whilst she is unable to make use of the land this summer. It gives me chance for some BIG ideas as my plot is fully in use and also a means of keeping the site tended and stopping the spread of weeds. What can I be growing?!

Spring catch up

Welcome back and thanks for still looking! Its been a long time since the last update and so many things have been progressing. I passed the year mark in late April but not before I’d got a whole load of potatoes and onions in. I actually started the onions in cells and they were 6” long by the time they were planted out. As for the spuds I think I went a little over the top… oops. Without really considering I bought four bags or seed potatoes – early (Arran Pilot), maincrop (Desiree) and second/salad (Charlotte). This all amounted to quite a lot of potatoes and despite giving them away I’ve still filled one and half beds! I recon I planted over 100 seed potatoes. Progress report: all coming along nicely!





In the next bed came the beans and peas. Each of the beds had been dug over by hand to remove the weed roots from last year. Its taken ages but so far appears worth it. Time will tell if it stays so. I put a couple of trenches of compost down for these as well as the standard canes. I’m growing scarlet emporer runner beans and Blue Lake French beans. They both suffered badly with a three night frost less than a week after planting but have survived and started re-growing. I think I’ll have to keep up with the watering as they don’t appear to like dry conditions.

After that came root plants. I’d already got parsnips on the go in huge tubes. These had been washed away in the mid Jan floods - or so I thought because now small plants are starting to form. I planted more seed direct including parsnip, carrot and turnip. So far its not looking good but maybe I’m expecting too much too soon. I’ve a few radishes in the same area which I’m hoping to catch crop.

The next bed is brassicas. I didn’t try these last year but thought I’d have a go at ome summer varietes. I’ve started everything in cells then transplanted the seedlings. A bit like the roots so far the jury is out but this is more my doing than anything else. In all the literature it says you must net these plants from the birds and butterflies. Unfortuantly the netting I got was rubbish and didn’t really cover the area it should have. What with the delay in me getting new stuff and fitting it the plants have taken a beating, or at the very least a good nibbling. The nets are half done so a big priority right now is finishing the job. I’ve got sprouts (Maximus) and Broccoli (Belstar?) in and Cauliflower (Clapton) waiting to be transplanted.

The last bed so far is for sweetcorn and tomatoes. I haven’t tried outdoor tomatoes before and this year I’m growing Tamina which is a standard sized one. I’ve also got a few cherry type (Gardeners Delight) which are the same as in my greenhouse. Sadly these got planted at the same time as the beans so suffered the frost. They were quite big when transplanted which might just be their saving Grace. We’ll see how they go. Also I think my sweetcorn is too tightly packed. Each is spaced 8” which is very close. I’m tempted to try and move on every other plant but as I also read they don’t like being disturbed I’m somewhat undecided. So that’s it for Plot62. I’ll try and get some better pictures of everything very soon. And I’ll keep blogging the year as we go.Cheers!