On March 12th, I planted my giant Large Marge pumpkin seedlings in the garden. These large pumpkins are capable of growing up to 40 pounds. I used 1/3 kitchen compost and rabbit manure, 1/3 organic topsoil, 1/3 potting soil with some minerals, and bone meal for my amendments. I dug a 2 foot deep hole and backfilled it as I turned the soil to combine my native soil with the added amendments.
Then I gently tipped the pumpkin plants out of their gallon pots and planted them about a foot apart in the hill. Planting two plants together may not be the best way to grow a giant pumpkin, but these will grow just fine this way. I should get some sizeable pumpkins for fall decorations this year.
Then I used cardboard boxes, leaves, pine straw, and old hay as mulch. I have to protect my plants from armadillos, so I used chicken wire around the bottom and placed a cage around them. In my zone 8b climate, I have always had better results with pumpkins by planting them early, and then I have to look for squash vine borer eggs every other day.
The Tulips and Daffodils are blooming!
Lake Mary Gardens 