Our pumpkins are growing, growing...gone!

It's a time of year when the zucchini, squash, cucumber and pumpkins start to dominate our gardens.

This is the most beautiful of squashes or pumpkin - not sure which - that
I found growing in the Gardens.  Would be keen to find out more about it.

We have entered the Auckland City Council's "PumpKing Growing Competition. We got the official 5 seeds and we planted three plants in an area separate from our community brand of pumpkin.

 Trevor proudly showed me how large the pumpkins had already grown a month ago.

Trevor proudly showing me the fast growing pumpkins and how
the vines can cover up an ugly area of the garden

 Here is the pumpkin he showed me..

Sadly later that week we all got an email from Trevor saying that our two largest pumpkins had been stolen.  They would have been useless for the thieves as they would be unripe but it has put us on the back foot in the competition.

Then - suddenly they disappeared...

The vegetation was trampled in the area where the thieves took our two largest pumpkins.

But these plants are vigourous and they put energy into the two smaller plants that are enjoying an aerial life inside the fence.  At the end of January I photographed the largest pumpkin so that we can follow its progress.

Pumpkins love to climb - another pumpkin is growing against the wire fence
taken two weeks earlier

Today I visited the pumpkins again and it's difficult to show the growth on a photograph but it has again increased in size.

Photo of the pumpkin today - growing strong

We planted these competition  pumpkins to be kept separate from the others and in the process tidied up  an area and made a dead ugly wire fence attractive.

One of the loveliest things about the Cucurbit family are the bright yellow trumpet flowers.

This one is being visited by a friendly bumble bee.

The pumpkin seed we have used in the community plots has come from Christine and Arthur Winterton.  A pumpkin plant that just appeared in their plot and they were so impressed with the flavour of the pumpkin and the number of pumpkins it produced, that they saved the seed. The germination rate was 99% from the seeds we planted.  So thanks to Christine and Arthur everyone should get the opportuntiy to taste the Winterton pumpkin.   I look forward to seeing them mature over the next few months.

The pumpkin seedlings were planted out in late
November where the broad beans had been harvested.
The broad bean stalks were left to break down so that the
pumpkins could utilise the nitrogen produced by the beans

Pumpkin seedlings were planted early December in the area where the broad beans had been harvested ( you can see some of the broad bean stalks still evident).

The pumpkins late January

These were the pumpkin's progress the third week in  January.

The pumpkins are now flowering and the ground is
covered with pumpkin foliage.

And today 3 weeks later flowers are appearing.

But looking around the gardens there are some glorious lots of pumpkins far ahead of the community plant out, as well as sorts of squash, scallopini and courgette.

Yellow courgette f/g and in the back an attractive yellow and green
striped squash

Scallopini - worth growing for the shape alone

This one has a royal life with a carpet to lie on - a good idea to keep the pumpkin
skin dry to avoid rot and weeds under control.

Update on plantings from Work Day

Well it's been two weeks and I am pleased to report that the mass planting of Beetroot and Silverbeet

is doing really well.

The glossy leaves of the Silverbeet seedlings

Bulls Blood Beetroot

 I was surprised because we have had so little rain but Sarah told me today that they have  been giving the plants extra care and attention with a couple of feeds of seaweed and  bad weed tea.

One plot that caught my eye this week was John's planting of Bok Choy - they are a cheerful patch of leafy greens and look no insect damage - only problem is that they are all ready at once.  I can vouch for the flavour as I was lucky enough to receive one and if you visit my latest posting on my Jeannie's Kitchen blog you can see the Bok Choy and my beans featured.  

 I have never had much luck with Bok Choy but looking at John's success I might give it a try in our plot.   Also Bev informs me we will be planting a variety of winter greens including Bok Choy.