Cheyenne Bush in a container

[Kelly]

Hey everybody - this is my first time ever growing a pumpkin (it's true!) this year, and I decided on Cheyenne bush, 1. because it's early and I need that in my shorter season, 2. because apparently it can be grown in containers.

Now, I'm adding two brand new 170sqft plots to my yard this summer (along with the 120sqft one I have which will be expanded to around 150sq ft), but even with all that added space, I'm thinking that I might be running out of room, and I should put this guy in a container.

Problem is, I've never grown a pumpkin in a container (quite obviously, since I've never grown a pumpkin at all!). Even though it's a bushy/compact pumpkin, I still want to make sure I get good production out of it by making sure I have a container big enough.

Any wise words from anybody here? How big should I be looking at? And it'd be a bonus to have ideas that aren't just absolutely huge pots - recycled items or not your ordinary containers are welcomed suggestions. One reason is cost, the other reason is, I like to have things look a little bit out of the ordinary in my yard .

[grungy]

Have you considered interplanting?

[flowerpower]

Maybe an old bathtub? Couldn't you put something else in a container & put the pumpkin in the ground? What about New England Pie Pumpkin? You can always but the vine if it gets too long. The fruit are about the same size and it has a much higher sugar content.

[Kelly]

Val - I always interplant, I don't think I've ever grown anything a standard way (if you can call it that) since I've had my own garden - besides the corn that is, and that's only to help with wind pollination. I'm thinking even with interplanting I might run out of room though!

Flowerpower - Well, I'm already planting a whack of tomatoes in containers, but mostly everything else is going right into the ground because it needs it. I figured because this was a bush pumpkin it'd be a good candidate for a container, and an old bathtub would look awesome! Unfortunately I don't know of anybody remodelling their bathroom right now, hah . I was thinking I'd give New England Pie a chance next year - this year I already bought the Cheyenne, so I figure I might as well follow through with what I got. Plus I figure if I'm not so hot to trot on the taste of the Cheyenne, I can always use them for Halloween!

[flowerpower]

OK you already have the seed. lol How long is it supposed to get? Maybe one plant in a whiskey barrel size container. And you may have to water it every day. Mix some composted manure in the container.

[Kelly]

Haha - there's the rub, I can't seem to find anywhere that actually lists how long it's supposed to get, just that it's a "bush pumpkin" and is "good for large pots or containers".

Watering every day isn't a problem, I'm usually out there anyways doing it (summers get REALLY hot around here)

Whiskey barrel is a good idea though, I'll have to keep my eye out. Thanks!

[juliekru]

Kelly,
I have also used an extra large dog crate turned upside down with holes drilled in the bottom as a container. The crate comes apart in the middle so I ended up with two large planters. The crate was given to me for free by someone who no longer had Great Danes and I wasn't sure what to do with it at first but they held tomatoes just fine!
Julie kru

[Kelly]

That's a really interesting idea Julie! I never would have thought of that .

[flowerpower]

Kelly, SSE is carrying the Cheyenne Bush this yr. I've copied the description. But you might want to go to their forum and ask about the vine length.

"(C. pepo) Extremely early bush pumpkin especially useful for small gardens where space is at a premium, or in large pots. Compact bush habit, high yields of 5-8 pound pumpkins. Fair table quality. Developed from a cross of Cocozelle and New England Pie by the USDA Field Station in Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1943. 80-90 days."

Who woulda thought cocozelle was in the gene pool? Very weird combination.