More info for the new growers .

The best way to provide a decent shape to your pumpkin is to set it level and keep it level when it is about soccer ball size and larger .

1. Only make adjustments on a warm day late afternoon or evening time when everything is more flexible . Otherwise you might hear that horrible cranking or snapping sound we all do not want to hear . Do the adjustments SLOWLY .

2. Always make sure there is a bit of slack in the vine in the area where the stem connects before making any adjustment moves . Meaning if you have a tap root under the vine at the joint where the stem connects to the vine carefully pull the tap root free out of the ground OR cut it with a knife .

3. Most growers put something under the pumpkin while its small ( mill fabric , sand , thin plywood ) to keep the pumpkin off the wet ground if you have a rainy period plus if you need to slide it back away from the vine at a later time it will be easier to move .

4. You basically want to keep your pumpkins stem and blossom about level so that when it gets bigger and bigger it will keep a better shape and also at seasons end if you use it for a giant jack O lantern it should be easier to prop up on either it's blossom or stem end depending on how it's shaped and how big it is .

If you end up growing a big one for a jack O lantern most times it's better to position it upside down from a normal Halloween pumpkin ( having the stem against the ground ) before you carve it as the stem area of a giant pumpkin is so thick there compared to the blossom area so that if you were to set it up to carve it out like a normal pumpkin by having the stem sticking up then after you carve the face out the pumpkin , the shell is now weaker and can cause it to split or crack in the area thats carved .

Good luck growing the rest of the season ! .