Help - attack of the giant pumpkin

[droberts7357]

Hi peeps,

I have had a very successful pumpkin end up growing overhead in bird netting. This colossus is currently 16 inches top to bottom and 11 inches across the bottom.

I'm hoping for some support tips. I am willing to cut the netting to get it down to the dirt, but I worry the stem will get damaged.

Any suggestions on supporting

it for another 6 weeks or so?

 

[Tetters]

Welcome to the forums If I were you I would leave the pumpkin where it is, and maybe hang an extra bit of nice strong netting underneath for additional support as it is getting so big. These plants like to climb. I reckon you must be doing something right

 

[redback]

Yes, leave it there. strengthen the wire supports. You might pinch out the growing tip to see if it will sprout down at ground level or elsewhere that you can train back to the ground. Loose runners can be directed by hand.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Old polyester clothing or woven polymer cloth can stay dry and breathe and make a hammock strong enough to grow with the pumpkin. Cottons and such can get wet and that is dicey as to whether it rots.

 

[Mr_Yan]

Get creative with some 550 paracord. One year I made a bunch of nets for squash to climb and had 50+ pounds of butternut squash grown on trellis.

That was back before I had kids, when I had time...

 

[DirtMechanic]

Get creative with some 550 paracord. One year I made a bunch of nets for squash to climb and had 50+ pounds of butternut squash grown on trellis.

That was back before I had kids, when I had time...

I went and bought some queen sized pantyhose for vertical watermelons one year. It seemed like a good idea at the time.