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Rhode Island

i dont know about you guys but im already bored out of my mind and its not even december yet.
when you are retired theres only so much you can do indoors to keep busy ( im almost done with the " will flash for pumpkins " series due out on bp hopefully the first part of december.)
i have a question for anyone wanting to reply.

have any of you ever tried using a form or mold on your pumpkins the first couple weeks of growth to encourage a certain shape or form?
did you know in the far east water melons are grown in clear plastic boxes ? to conserve shipping and storage space i guess?
i think it would be a cool thing to use a form on a giant pumpkins first couple weeks of life, then allow it to fill the form before removing.
lots of trial and error im sure will need to be done when you consider how to allow the fruit to expand those last couple days into the molds indentations.
not sure if it could even be done because these young fruit tend to abort so easily.( possibly a material that would breath yet expand a bit may be needed ) or ( a plastic or rubber mold thats drilled in many places to allow for air )
years back i made lots of concrete products as a part time venture so thats where i got this notion from.

i saw some pumpkin molds on the market many years back.
some might ask why do this? for me its just another reason to grow giant pumpkins and have some fun while doing it.
so , why not get a little crazy with it?
i got to much time on my hands possibly i should go back to work ? NOT

pap

11/23/2005 6:26:13 PM

Western NY

i've definately thought about it. i wonder if there's an "ideal" shape to avoid splitting? i may try to make a square one on a smaller one next year.

11/23/2005 6:47:30 PM

Garden

I saw pictures of pumpkins that were grown in molds that looked like heads. A lot more detailed than I thought was possible.

11/23/2005 7:07:52 PM

[email protected]

There was a guy on Mallorn last year that was using molds for his Howdens. I tried to follow his progress but we disconnected. He was involved with a Scout Troop somewhere I believe.

Sometimes older "head molds" will turn up in antique shops or flee markets. But these are for the smaller pepos.

It would be cool to try a larger mold on an AG.

11/23/2005 7:36:20 PM

Topsfield, Ma.

George Brooks would be the contact guy for sure. A wealth of info...He's frequent on the Mallorn List.

11/23/2005 8:23:17 PM

Indiana

There was a thread on this last year

http://bigpumpkins.com/DisplayPhoto.asp?pid=3447
http://bigpumpkins.com/MsgBoard/ViewThread.asp?b=3&p=99103

Steve

11/23/2005 8:38:22 PM

Mn

I saw someone grow a giant pumpkin with a lawn chair inbeded in it so it is very possible you could creat a large mold for a giant pumpkin. I would create a mold that would be for a pumpkin weighing 500 pounds. I say 500 pounds because (and i'm only guessing)when a pumpkin reaches 500 pounds it tends to hold the same shape(no matter how big it gets) as it did when it was 500 poounds. After it has reached 500 pounds I would take the mold off. For the demensions for the mold I would use the ott method. Hope that make sense.

11/23/2005 9:09:49 PM

Sort of Sunny Sometimes, WA

Moondog, that's just out and out creepy.

11/23/2005 9:41:31 PM

addison Il

They do that at disney can we guess what the molds are shaped like i can and guess what it works lol

11/23/2005 10:17:11 PM

Rhode Island

hey if nothing else we would create a new catagory for our weigh offs ( most realistic )
andy, probably the best bet would be a clear plexiglass mold cut and screwed together in the shape of a shoe box.
the edged could be connected loosly so that air could get in during the initial forming. then screwed down the last couple days to fill out the rest of the way before removing ?

11/23/2005 11:10:42 PM

Syracuse, NY

my friend Mark has been strongly suggesting that i do something like this with one of my pumpkins, just grow it in a box...but they're all soooooo nice the weigh they are!
lol----i think '06 is the year. i've got ideas----eric

11/24/2005 3:25:08 AM

Halifax, Nova Scotia

I work in an Engineering department, and I race pumpkin boats. Leave it up to a bunch of Engineers to try to find a way to win a the race without exerting any physical effort. We've discussed to possibility of a canoe shaped mold many times, and the usual end result is that any shape outside of a sphere is going to cause additional stress in certain parts of the pumpkin. It's hard enough keeping a mostly round pumpkin from splitting. But if anyone can figure this out and get it to work, let me know, I can get some titanium forms built up in the metal shop pretty quick.

11/24/2005 7:39:14 AM

Waquoit Mass

dick ive seen your mug go for the facial..I to am retarded i mean retired.And yes i think you have to much time on your hands .out behind your house is a good spot for a tree stand and theres some big bucks out there get outdoors pap have a happy turkey day bibboy

11/24/2005 9:43:29 AM

Long Island,New York

I would need a 42x54 box shape on the bottom and it can grow out the top all it wants....like a big square muffin......my truck bed is too small for a normal 1000lber.

11/24/2005 10:44:25 AM

ENGLAND

lol@ Glenn. What would you call them? Muffkins maybe !

11/24/2005 11:16:14 AM

Rhode Island

we could make x rated pumpkins for the howard stern show?

11/24/2005 11:31:04 AM

Knopp, Germany

lol @ dick, so many come backs...........better i leave it alone

11/24/2005 1:58:05 PM

Litchfield N. H. 03052

Dick its only Nov24, you'll never make till spring. Like you I am also retied, but can't seam to get all my proects done. You need to take up needle point or sonething.

11/24/2005 4:44:57 PM

SF Bay Area, California

Farmer John of Half Moon Bay, California grew a square pumpkin this year - it was cowinner of the prettiest pumpkin prize at the Half Moon Bay weigh off. Go to this link for a pic:

http://home.pacbell.net/diana_do/johnsqpants.htm

It weighed in at 127 pounds. He told me he used square pumpkin seeds to grow it!

11/24/2005 7:39:42 PM

[email protected]

Great link. That square pumpkin is awesome. Tangerine in the background is pretty cool too.

11/24/2005 7:45:31 PM