I think we may have all lost the fair idea. my grand parents took all there best stuff to the faur every year to be judged. this year i am taking some plants there but instead of harvesting them i am going to take them alive to the fair and show them off while there still growing.
Not only can you show some great plants off but you can show how easy it is to have a hydro system indoors or out. a gallon bucket and fish tank
pump is all you need. just go deep water while your there. they should have plug some where for you.
I have a book on growing giant pumpkins in the dirt and there are some techniques they use like only letting 3 or 4 start and what ever is the biggest cut the others off and go with it. he talks about keeing the soil water enough for the plants to grow fast enough. HYDRO MY GOOD MAN CURES THIS I SAY.
generaly there is only a couple uses for growing giant pumkins. the first is obviuos its makes you neighbor (BOB) wipe that smile of his face with his enlarged stuff. and of course the second is to keep the wife in.
What stopped me this year from hydroing my pumpkins is i wasnt sure how to hold them? i was thinking of a tripod of sorts and placing the fruit in a giant fishing net that could hold the weight as well as let it breath. but i wondered if this would alter the shape and it would not look like a pumpkin. I was afraid of setting it on the ground becuase of rot? but thats how they gro i just thought when they get this big the dynamics change. the tripod was to also let me back the truck under it.
one thing i'm sure of you should probably pallet the beast when it first starts so that you can get fork lift to set it in the truck or on the front porch.
There is something very manly about firing up the chain saw to carve the pumkin in the front drive way. seems it really seperates the boys from the men when it comes to gardening. drop in a candle (please) drop in about 5k candle power in a 250 watt hid to give it some penetration so it glows like a small pumpkin does. maybe even better is your propane weed burner cranked up in there. Now where cooking.