Pumpkin Query

[sleepyowl]

Has anyone here used them as a clearing aid? I have a patch of land at my friend's place and have dug one metre square patches out of an otherwise weed infested area in the hope it with help block out light & be beneficial in clearing weeds, does this work & if so how well?

[Millymollymandy]

My pumpkin patch is always a dreadful weedy mess at end of the season because it is difficult to hoe around the plants and they also grab the weeds with their tendrils, so I would think the answer is no. Annual weeds will always come up and pumpkin leaves shading them doesn't seem to bother them in any way!

[indy]

I did try it last year having read about it in a book and it does work to some extent but I would agree with mmm, it wasn't enough to warrant me trying it again. As mmm says its hard trying to hoe round the pumpkins

[gregorach]

It can work fairly well in warmer climates... I've seen it done in northern New South Wales, where pumpkins grow very enthusiastically indeed. In the cooler climate of the UK, they just don't seem to be anywhere near as vigorous - at least, mine never are.

[sleepyowl]

Well I shall get digging round them a little more then.

[indy]

Fair point, in hotter climes they do grow more vigorously, certainly where my family are in germany their summers tend to be much hotter the pumpkin plants are mahooosive

[chadspad]

Jumping on this thread.............

Ive planted a pumpkin by tomatoes now the HUGE leaves are shading the toms. Can I cut some of the leaves to allow the toms to grow OK or will it kill the plant?

[gregorach]

Should be OK provided it's established - plants are well adapted to cope with losing leaves.

[grahamhobbs]

Chadspad, lucky you, here in the UK the pumpkins are sulking since the weather turned cooler

[chadspad]

Thanks Dunc - will give it a go then. My tomatoes will be happy

Graham, theyre going mental! Usually grow a small variety so didnt realise how large these things get Will have separate bed for them next year me thinks

[Henwoman]

But the bigger they are the more you have to turn into soup. Last year was the first year I've ever grown pumpkins and when I made pumpkin soup I was amazed at how delicious it was. Couldn't stop making it. Wanted to freeze some, but it never got to the freezer!