Pumpkin sizes on pumpkin patches?

[nao57]

So... if my pumpkins in the pumpkin patch were too small,... which type of mineral would be best to fix that? Any suggestions on this? They are producing lots of pumpkins. But all of them are like softball sized. They are a smaller variety but still should get to about volley ball sized. Think they are Jack Be Littles or something like that.

I'm thinking maybe a certain mineral might could fix this? But I'm not really great on pumpkin knowledge as I'd only done them a few years and not that many.

Thanks.

 

[NatJ]

They are producing lots of pumpkins. But all of them are like softball sized. They are a smaller variety but still should get to about volley ball sized. Think they are Jack Be Littles or something like that.

If they are really Jack Be Little, they are only supposed to be about 3-4 inches across, and 2 inches high. That is much smaller than a volleyball.

Sources for that size estimate:
https://www.botanicalinterests.com/products/jack-be-little-pumpkin-seeds
https://www.gurneys.com/product/jackbelittle_pumpkin_
https://www.highmowingseeds.com/organic-non-gmo-jack-be-little-pumpkin.html
https://www.burpee.com/pumpkin-jack-be-little-prod000861.html

All four of those ^ gives a size in inches, and also describe the pumpkins as "tiny" or "miniature" or "fits in the palm of your hand" or something similar.

So... if my pumpkins in the pumpkin patch were too small,... which type of mineral would be best to fix that? Any suggestions on this?...
I'm thinking maybe a certain mineral might could fix this? But I'm not really great on pumpkin knowledge as I'd only done them a few years and not that many.

In general, if the pumpkins are smaller than expected for the variety, I would suggest something basic like adding chicken manure in the fall, to hopefully grow bigger pumpkins the next year. Adding fresh chicken manure this year might not be a good idea, unless you keep the amount very small (to avoid burning the plants.) Some other kinds of fertilizer might be safe to add this year. Chicken manure has small amounts of many things (including all the minerals chickens need in their feed), so it has a chance of helping a bit with just about any deficiency.

But if you are correct about the variety of pumpkin you planted, the best solution is to grow a different kind next year (one that is supposed to get a bit bigger.)

 

[nao57]

If they are really Jack Be Little, they are only supposed to be about 3-4 inches across, and 2 inches high. That is much smaller than a volleyball.

Sources for that size estimate:
https://www.botanicalinterests.com/products/jack-be-little-pumpkin-seeds
https://www.gurneys.com/product/jackbelittle_pumpkin_
https://www.highmowingseeds.com/organic-non-gmo-jack-be-little-pumpkin.html
https://www.burpee.com/pumpkin-jack-be-little-prod000861.html

All four of those ^ gives a size in inches, and also describe the pumpkins as "tiny" or "miniature" or "fits in the palm of your hand" or something similar.



In general, if the pumpkins are smaller than expected for the variety, I would suggest something basic like adding chicken manure in the fall, to hopefully grow bigger pumpkins the next year. Adding fresh chicken manure this year might not be a good idea, unless you keep the amount very small (to avoid burning the plants.) Some other kinds of fertilizer might be safe to add this year. Chicken manure has small amounts of many things (including all the minerals chickens need in their feed), so it has a chance of helping a bit with just about any deficiency.

But if you are correct about the variety of pumpkin you planted, the best solution is to grow a different kind next year (one that is supposed to get a bit bigger.)

Oh wow. Reading your post I just realized that I accidentally planted Jack Be Littles. I'd gotten them mixed up with the other variety that was like smaller but grew to like 6 inches.I get so busy and plant so much and so many projects that I just didn't realize what I was doing.

If these grow smaller than normal pumpkins... does that mean they will produce more to make up for the smaller volume? And is it possible to have the numbers of the smaller ones add up to get close to the weight of what you'd have grown if they'd been a larger variety?

Thank you for helping me solve this. That's amazing that you caught onto it.

 

[nao57]

If they are really Jack Be Little, they are only supposed to be about 3-4 inches across, and 2 inches high. That is much smaller than a volleyball.

Sources for that size estimate:
https://www.botanicalinterests.com/products/jack-be-little-pumpkin-seeds
https://www.gurneys.com/product/jackbelittle_pumpkin_
https://www.highmowingseeds.com/organic-non-gmo-jack-be-little-pumpkin.html
https://www.burpee.com/pumpkin-jack-be-little-prod000861.html

All four of those ^ gives a size in inches, and also describe the pumpkins as "tiny" or "miniature" or "fits in the palm of your hand" or something similar.



In general, if the pumpkins are smaller than expected for the variety, I would suggest something basic like adding chicken manure in the fall, to hopefully grow bigger pumpkins the next year. Adding fresh chicken manure this year might not be a good idea, unless you keep the amount very small (to avoid burning the plants.) Some other kinds of fertilizer might be safe to add this year. Chicken manure has small amounts of many things (including all the minerals chickens need in their feed), so it has a chance of helping a bit with just about any deficiency.

But if you are correct about the variety of pumpkin you planted, the best solution is to grow a different kind next year (one that is supposed to get a bit bigger.)

The ones I planted last year were the small sugar pumpkins. :O Those were pretty good. And they lasted pretty long in the basement also stored. (Not sure why they called them sugar pumpkins though).

 

[NatJ]

Oh wow. Reading your post I just realized that I accidentally planted Jack Be Littles. I'd gotten them mixed up with the other variety that was like smaller but grew to like 6 inches.I get so busy and plant so much and so many projects that I just didn't realize what I was doing.

If these grow smaller than normal pumpkins... does that mean they will produce more to make up for the smaller volume? And is it possible to have the numbers of the smaller ones add up to get close to the weight of what you'd have grown if they'd been a larger variety?

Thank you for helping me solve this. That's amazing that you caught onto it.

I don't have much personal experience with growing pumpkins.

But from what I have read, yes the plants do make more small pumpkins or fewer large ones. Whether the total pounds come out the same is something I do not know.

The ones I planted last year were the small sugar pumpkins. :O Those were pretty good. And they lasted pretty long in the basement also stored. (Not sure why they called them sugar pumpkins though).

I think that variety was traditionally used for making pumpkin pies. So I can see two reasons to call it "sugar": maybe it is a bit sweeter than other pumpkins, or maybe because it is cooked WITH sugar in the pie