We didn't plant these--the vine appeared in our big compost pile and things happen . Note to self--next year, do not put pumpkin seeds in compost pile. We also have zinnias growing in the compost. Best garden we've got!
I love volunteer crops. survival of the fittest growing... such as we should all do. allow only what survives to save seeds from and regrow. it is one of my goals.
Pumpkin loves to grow in compost pile. Whenever we had pumpkin, I will get pumpkin seedling growing in my compost pile. The do not have a chance to grow because they get destroyed when I turned the compost. When we were in Europe for six months one managed to grow and bore a few fruits but only one fruit survived from the monkeys. My daughter picked it and said that it was yummy! Carolyn I guess those pumpkins must be extra good!
Netty, I've made pumpkin tea bread (to be served at tea, doesn't contain tea!) and I have several cartons pre-measured and frozen for pies. Of course, pumpkin cookies, and roasted chunked pumpkin and apple chunks to go with pork or chicken.
What luck! Well......luck? I dunno, that depends upon your perspective. I think that the British Victorians used to grow their marrows and courgettes on compost with a layer manure under that for the warmth during the cooler months. I have a great series of the Victorian kitchen garden and how they did what they did. It was an old series from the BBC. I always like learning new things....in this learning old things/techniques.
I visited the compost pile to make a deposit this morning, and found two more pumpkins! They are green and won't ripen for a while, but with the warmer, dryer winter predicted for us, I may have to start looking up more pumpkin recipes!
I happened to walk to the back 40 yesterday (actually just up the driveway to the excavating shop) and I happened to see a cherry tomato hanging ripe in an old compost bed... hmmm, the nicest tomato plant I have ever seen outside on the 6th of November... I ate one and wasn't terrible impressed as it tasted very green. I bought the other on in to ripen a bit and then maybe save the seeds to grow it next year. we will see what happens. maybe a new more disease resistant variety.
Very nice volunteer pumkins Jane,..i bet there are gardeners someplace finding it hard to grow pumkin,..its amazing the boost compost gives to that which we want to grow,..even where i have dumped a pile of weeds and dead headed blooms,..something tends to begin its life there,..of late its just nasturtiums. Carolyn,..nice find,..you could well be on to a good thing with the results from those seeds,..to have survived outside up to now and to be also looking good is a good indicator,..fingers crossed for you.