The Green Take-Over has expanded. As written earlier, during a wonderfully wet Missouri Spring, we had about a gazillion pumpkin seeds sprout in the compost pile. The Easter Freeze was hard on them, even though I covered them with oak leaves.However, the big freeze didn’t totally kill them and they came back with a vengance. Because I have an empty trellis, part of this year’s green plan was to put pumpkin vines on it. I love the green leaves and bright, ginormous flowers. I didn’t care if we got pumpkins or not. The pumpkin germination had two centers. I used a grain shovel to lift compost and sprouts from one center, laid it in a wheelbarrow and moved it to the Trellis location where it was put on top of a mound of more leaves, garden dirt and fertilizer. There was some shock effect that sort of slowed it down.
The remaining center was left to its own devices. Devices which have been to creep over the compost bin toward the peach tree and another small abandoned bin in one direction. All over the nearly empty side of the big bin, out into the grass and head for the leaf pile. There are huge leaves and beautiful blossoms AND darling little pumpkins.
The vines at the trellis have submitted to some training. When the tendrils curl tightly, they are very strong, but trainable. I can loop one around the trellis bar and back to itself where it will hold and continue to grow, reaching ever outward and somewhat upward. This sweet little pumpkin is balanced on the boards of the fence
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It’s ongoing vine is headed all over the trellis, but movement of the pumpkin won’t be necessary. Moving the vines usually results in the death of the pumpkin.
