From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Ohio

I would like to know how much leaf footage do you need to grow a 1000 pound pumpkin. Right now I have a nice oblong pumpkin growing about 20 feet out from the main. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

6/21/2014 9:26:41 AM

Austin MN

Twenty feet is a bit far but should still grow a big one! I'd let the side vines grow out around 13ft than tapper down in size towards the pumpkin like a Xmas tree

6/21/2014 10:25:59 AM

Lodi, California

Any distance beyond about 8 feet should work. If you grow closer to the stump the pumpkins upward growth will pull the vine up, and you wont have much growth before the pumpkin. 20 feet should work just fine. The 2009 was grown 18 feet out, and as long as the main vine is growing nicely, you can baisically set them at anyreasonable distance (a not so reasonable distance would be 50 feet)

6/21/2014 12:01:00 PM

Lodi, California

Another reason why people like to set the pumpkin at about 10 to 15 feet is because it would just take too much time to set a pumpkin further out, but that is not your case, as you seem to have a timely pollination.

6/21/2014 12:03:33 PM

Lexington, Ky

I don't think the previous responders understand what leaf footage is. Off the top, Matt D is one grower that calculates
leaf footage but I can't say for sure if I've ever seen him post his actual footage at the end of the season.

6/21/2014 12:27:41 PM

Lexington, Ky

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=219854

6/21/2014 12:32:59 PM

Lodi, California

Buckeygrower mentioned that his pumpkin was set at 20 feet, so I think that there is some confusion.

6/21/2014 12:45:05 PM

Lodi, California

If your asking how many square feet total for 1000 pounds (which would not be related to Matt's Method of estimation, which is only for triangles, unless you are growing in a triangular patch) I am sure that you can grow a 1000 pound pumpkin in 300 square feet, though 500-1000 or so square feetis best.

6/21/2014 12:50:21 PM

Ohio

Thank you for all your help. Last year we grew a 608lb pumpkin on roughly 250 square foot of plant. We ran out of room. We are just learning and appreciate all help.

6/21/2014 3:14:52 PM