Perhaps I posted this in the wrong forum?

I don't know florida real well but if tampa is the same as tampa bay then your first fall frost date is January 3rd. I don't know what "giant" pumpkin you have but the big ones need 110 - 130 growing days to reach maturity. 'Dill's Atlantic Giant' is the biggest. If the frost date is correct you should still have time.

If you are attempting to get them as big as possible you start getting ready for them the season before you plant them. In fall you would pile leaves and manure and other organic matter essentially making a compost pile. And by mid-May or June you should have a nice pile of organic matter. Now you mix this organic matter into a 30 foot circle (diameter, and yes really 30 feet) at the center of the circle make a hill 8 - 10 feet in diameter that is a foot high at the center gradually tapering down to the ground level. Each vine will take up at least 1000 square feet and may take up 2000 square feet. Plants should be spaced 50 feet apart for the Atlantic Giant or 20 feet apart for the smaller giants. Plant 4 seeds in the hill and when they have 4 true leaves cut out all but the best one. 'Dill's Atlantic Giant' seeds can be hard to germinate and at sometimes started in a cold frame but your soil should be plenty warm by now. They prefer neutral soil (pH 7.0) so you should test your soil and treat it accordingly. There is much more to do to take care of the plants but that is how to get them started like you asked.

If you aren't concerned about size just mix some organic matter into the soil (the more the better) plant some seeds in a hill and thin to one plant. Give them lots of space and as they grow you can keep the vine in contact with the soil to encourage more roots along the stem at the base of the leaves and make a stronger plant. The closer you space them the smaller the pumpkins will be and the more pumpkins you leave on each vine the smaller they will be.

Hope that helped.

Yes, that is very helpful. I appreciate your info. Even if I get a pumpkin that's not huge, my 9 yr old son will still love it, and then we can work on getting better at it.

Granville

Granville,
If you go to this website, you'll find information on any and every aspect of growing giant pumpkins. You can research the archives to find past discussions on anything.
The people who frequent this forum are the "who's who" of giant pumpkin growers, and most, if not all, are more than happy offer their advice and expertise.

Good luck,
John

Here is a link that might be useful: Atlantic Giant Pumpkins