Once the Russians reached the islands in the 18th century they found a pseudo-etymology from Russian kurit (ÐºÑÑÐ¸ÑÑ - to smoke) due to the continual fumes and steam above the islands from volcanoes.
An early, indoor start - Giant pumpkin plants require 140 days or more from the time you plant a seed, to the time you harvest the fruit. Growers seeking to break the world record, start seeds in mid to late April, and harvest fruit in early October. That means as many as 160 days, from when the seed was planted!
The trickiest part is knowing when to plant pumpkin seeds. If youâre growing a giant that needs 140-plus days to reach its mammoth size, sow seeds from April 25 to May 15. If you garden where those dates still have a frosty feel, start seeds indoors. Most giant pumpkin seeds have a very thick seed coat. Youâll get better germination if you file the edges of the seed.