Fairytale Pumpkins

13 years ago

Last autumn I got a "Fairytale" pumpkin on clearance from the grocery store. I managed to salvage a handful of seeds from it, and 2 have germinated so far. A lady at the store said she grew one the previous year and it produced a HUGE vine (took up just about all of the 1/4 acre plot). I have a couple of questions:

Will they grow only one pumpkin per vine?

Can I pinch the vines back (before they flower) to keep them a more manageable size?

Thank you in advance for any info/advice.

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Comments (5)

farmerdill
13 years ago
Fairytale is a large pumpkin. It is also a hybrid. So the results could surprise you from saved seed. Typically squash of this size are pruned to two per vine. Under good conditions they will set more, but the fruit may be smaller and more varied in size.Vines will run 10-15 feet in all directions. I am not an advocate of pruning vines unless absolutely necessary. It takes a lot of vine to develop 60- 70 lbs of squash.
nailgal
13 years ago
I found my Fairytale pumpkin last Oct 2, in Denton Tx at a market. Brought it home to Houston and just loved having it as fall decor in my home. When I decorated for Christmas I figured I better move it outside. It lasted until about the beginning of March, and when it finally 'caved in'.. I scooped the stinky, gooey mess into the trash, but made sure to wash some of the seeds into the flowerbed where it sat, in hopes they'd grow.. Lo and behold, I have about 5 vines growing, and I'm not sure what or how to grow them.
I put one into a pot, in case I lost the others, but they're growing quicker and bigger than the potted one. My concern is that the ones in the 'flower bed' are up against a fence, not on any type of 'hill'... Do I need to create a support or something when the fruit comes? Also, won't they be ready way before October? Thanks for any info!
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little_minnie
12 years ago
Fairytale aka Musque de Provence is a couple hundred years old - not a hybrid!!!

However, don't save seed from unknown things. The farmer probably also grew other c. moschata varieties in the vicinity. Pumpkins and squash can cross pollinate up to 1/2 mile! That would be a lot of one variety of pumpkin to grow to prevent cross pollination!
Just go on a seed trade forum and trade for a couple Musque De Provence seeds.

I grew only 3 plants this season of MDP and got many of them. Some are 30 pounds. Yes the vines are very long.
tracydr
12 years ago
I bought two of these wonderful pumpkins at the Mexican grocery. They make fantastic pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread. I think I need to get sone seeds to grow them. I'd hoped to just save the seeds but if they're hybrids I guess I should buy them.
salmonslayer1991
12 years ago
they are not hybrids.... (tracydr) they are heirlooms and WILL grow pure of strain if no crossing occurred