There’s still snow on the hills, but John de Jong would like to give you a gentle reminder that it’s a great time to start prepping your pumpkin patch.
John’s dedicated pumpkin spot has a pungent cocktail of coffee grinds, hop compost and horse poo, which will be ready to receive the spring seedlings in a few weeks’ time. John is one of the organisers of this year’s revived giant pumpkin competition, alongside Peter Hobson and David Miller.
The trio have fond memories of the Māpua-based competition, which ceased about a decade ago.
“We are hoping that the word has spread around a bit,” says John, adding that it is a great activity for kids to get involved in.
“It’s planting a seed for the future, and it teaches the child to look after something.”
He encourages people to check out giantpumpkins.co.nz to get some great tips on growing a girthy gourd.
The trio is eager to make the resurrected event an annual one, and so John is reminding people that it’s a good time to fill up your patch with compost and animal manure, to get it cranking for when the seedlings are available again in mid-October.
Details are still be finalised, but like last year, people will have the option of purchasing seedlings or growing their own, and the weigh-in event will be held in autumn.
