Your comments and tips

01 Apr 20, Phil (Australia - temperate climate)

Actually, if you just have small skinks or geckos in your vegetable patch, this is a good thing as they'll be feeding on any potential pests (well, they may not necessarily discriminate between what insects/invertebrates they feed on!). Anyway, I have many small skinks running around my garden/vegie patch and I consider them a sign of a relatively healthy garden. My best advice for looking for pests is to sneak outside at night and see what's happening. Many pests are 'nocturnal' or easier to spot at night. For example, root weevils (which love my basil!) and green caterpillars (loopers) which may be a culprit of pumpkin leaves. If you look for leaf damage that looks somewhat like a mosaic of holes, turn the leaf over and I can almost guarantee, you'll find a little green caterpillar smiling at you!

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30 Dec 19, Anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Snails come out at night I think. Early in the morning or late afternoon check the leaves for grubs.

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22 Dec 19, peter (Australia - tropical climate)

I lived in Victoria Australia every Christmas grew turks head pumpkins. gave them out as presents I want to do something similar up in tropical queensland.what can you think of please

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24 Dec 19, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

You could grow the Turkish pumpkin, you would have to plant the seeds mid winter and have warm soil to germinate the seeds.

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23 Dec 19, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I live near Bundaberg and at the gardens I work at, a lady planted sunflowers 2 months ago. We are picking the flowers now - quite stunning a bunch of five heads in a vase. I have Kent or jap pumpkin growing now but won't be ripe for another 4-6 weeks. I say so often here it is too hot to be growing crops in late Nov and Dec unless you are protecting them from the sun. Sweet potatoes would probably grow. They grow here all year round.

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14 Nov 19, Tim Dare (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Hi, I’m curious about the advice not to plant potatoes and pumpkin together. Some sites seem to suggest that the two won’t do well if planted too close together. Is that right? I have a large potato patch (about 40sqm) and was planning to plant pumpkin in about 2sqm at one end. Would that be a mistake? Thanks

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15 Nov 19, Another gardener (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

A few pumpkin plants would need half your potato patch to grow in - not 2 sqm.

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14 Nov 19, Liz (New Zealand - temperate climate)

Some plants produce chemicals in the soil or extensive root systems which affect other plants. The advice is generally to avoid planting curcubits (pumpkins, courgettes etc.) and potatoes together. If you have room grow them in separate plots.

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02 Nov 19, Natalie (Australia - temperate climate)

Hi :) this is my first go at pumpkins so I planted my own seeds straight from my pumpkin I placed them in a pot that has a maple tree. When should I move these sprouts please

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04 Nov 19, anon (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

After they produce their first or second set of true leaves. Protect them from the sun the first few days when planting out.

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