Sure, I made a big fuss yesterday about our great pumpkins, but we love all of them. How could you not delight in the uniqueness of each one?
The larger pumpkins have peach-colored shells with a flame orange skin just below the surface. The rest of the pumpkins took on a more traditional color and grew to about half the weight.
Trio of Pumpkins
The pumpkin, below, is smooth and typically formed on one side, but something went wrong somewhere along the way. It already looks like it has two eyes and a mouth. No carving necessary.
We won’t need to carve this one. It’s already wearing a mask.
One of the earliest pumpkins started in an acorn shape. As it grew in size, the small scar opened up, leaving the insides exposed. Although it continued to turn orange, the rotting process started the minute it was off the vine. Then an amazing thing happened. I left it in the corner of the deck, figuring one of the night critters would simple eat it. Instead, the pumpkin warmed in the sun, creating enough moisture for the seeds to sprout. I tore it open, thinking I would compost the rotting skin, only to find a handful of seedlings.
Self-seeding Pumpkin
Rounding out the eclectic group of pumpkins, this little fella survived the expanding girth of one of the greats. When I pulled away the 50-pound pumpkin, this was growing just below.
My guess? The weight of the growing pumpkin slowly split the sides of this one, giving it time to scar over as it continued to grow. Unlike the cousin above, it’s completely healed over.
We have about five pumpkins yet to harvest, still yellow or green. We’ll see what nature has in store.
I love the one that is scarred over and the sprouting one (although kind of gross) was really cool too!
Thank you, Betsy. The imperfections make them interesting and unique…and yeah, a little gross.
Amazing – who’d have thought it would sprout?
I know! Not me. I assumed the seeds were too young. Now I know better. Always new discoveries in the garden, eh, PJ?
What will you do with the gruesome twosome? Too bad it’s not closer to Halloween, you could slice off the bad side and just carve the front. Do you have a costume planned for yourself?
I do! I’m dressing up as a Papyrus greeting card. Mike gave me a Halloween card for my birthday one year (they are both in October) and I loved it. I thought it would be fun to try to emulate the design. I already bought fabric and a pattern which I’ll need to modify. I need to get busy sewing…my costumes and Sharon’s.
Let me find the link.
That sounds like a pretty hefty project, I can’t wait to see you and Sharon dressed up. MMMmmm, yes a birthday is impending, I wonder what Mike has up his sleeve?
I’m overachieving again.
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