In article ,
Frank J Warner wrote:

In article , Omelet
wrote:

In article ,
Frank J Warner wrote:

Years ago my father used to grow pumpkins in his front yard. They'd
grow thick and lush and he'd have enough to eat, put away, and give to
the neighborhood kids for halloween.

I thought I'd try the same thing in my front yard this year but didn't
think I'd have any luck. His yard was rich alluvial soil. Mine is
pretty much beach sand. But lo and behold I've got four great looking
plants spreading over the whole yard with a dozen or more rather large
fruit (?) on them and more on the way; they're still blossoming!

So, two questions:

1. When are they ripe enough to pick and eat? (I know, when they turn
pumpkin color, dummy! But that might not be true. After they turn
completely orange, are they completely ripe, or should I look for some
other sign?)

Wrong. They are delicious as a green squash when they are small and
green!

Yes. I did a search on pumpkins in this ng before posting my questions
and have heard you say that, but I'm interested in yer regular
run-of-the-mill orange jack-o-lantern pumpkin pie pumpkins.

The pumpkins we grew were discarded halloween pumpkins from the grocery
store. The vines grew out of the compost heap. ;-)

I've never bought pumpkin seeds.
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people
until they put their foot down." -- Stephan Rothstein