pacing out the pumpkin patch
March 30, 2010
I am obsessed with pumpkins. So, to convert an entire patch of my front field into prime pumpkin growing territory sounds like a good idea to me…
Last night, my friend (and partner in pumpkin crime) Jay and I went out to stake out the dimensions of the patch. We staked out a very very large patch, and aren’t exactly sure if we will use the whole thing or not…it is huge. Somewhere around 100 feet by 35 feet. I have to say that my eyes tend to be bigger than my stomach, so to speak.
We haven’t exactly figured out how we are going to prepare the bed. I guess it depends on how big we actually make it. We are going to research how to plant pumpkins, and prepare beds, and see what we come up with. We have a little bit of straw, and an endless supply of cardboard for mulch, which will probably come in handy. And lots of pumpkin seeds, rotten pumpkins, and ideas for seeds to get. And we are thinking of adding gourds, maybe some butternut squash, and why not some watermelons…? Oh dear.
living in the woods and making stuff 
March 31, 2010 at 2:15 am
yay!!! you should talk to jocelyne about squash planting, i think she has a good and simple technique.
make sure to flag everything and talk to the mower!
April 1, 2010 at 3:59 pm
Since you are doing a large bed for the pumpkins and other vines, you will need to kill off that grass. Cardboard with straw will work, but should have technically been put down last year. Another suggestion for this spring is clear plastic. Here is a site to start the research. http://www.simplegiftsfarm.com/why-clear-plastic.html
Mowing beforehand is a good idea as Claire suggested. You may also want to mow around the bed in the summer to keep the insects at bay and drier area for the fruit to sit on.
April 2, 2010 at 1:03 pm
Do the words TEST PATCH hold any interest? Just asking.