When we say our pumpkins are bigger than footballs we mean they are bigger than footballs! Our Cornish grower, Hugh Kneebone, has perfected the combination of art and science that results in giant pumpkins. The fields at Mellingey Farm at Perranwell Station between Falmouth and Truro are full of the ginormous orange squashes just ready for Halloween carving .
Lots of organic input (manure in other words) and then careful management are the twin secrets of huge pumpkins. The plant is known as a vine and the pumpkins are pruned like grapes to allow the remaining fruit to flourish. The best fruit tend to be those whose stems are perpendicular to the main vine, rather than at acute angles. Serious growers take regular measurements and select the fruit which grow quickest in the early stages as ‘keepers’, they then continually monitor the speed of growth. A good pumpkin can expand by four to six inches in circumference in a twenty-four hour period. Don’t forget that as well as great carving they also make good eating - perfect for spiced pumpkin soup they work really well with a hint of orange, coriander seed and other ‘curry’ spices.
The eagle eyed among you will have spotted that the football is only a size 4 not a size 5 but even so the pumpkins are whoppers!
Our huge Extra Large pumpkins are only £3.00 each this week, Large pumpkins (which are still very big) and only £2.25, talk to our sales team to get your hands on them…
Recent Comments