Gardeners step inside...

[fishinwrench]

What is this thing?

It popped up a month ago and is trying to take over the whole back yard. I thought it was gonna be a pumpkin but it has nothing on it that looks like the start of a fruit/vegetable.  How can it be this big without producing something?   

And why don't the deer and rabbits want to eat it?   They chew on everything else around here.

For a size reference, the pool is 18' in diameter.  This is all a single plant.

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

Sent that pic to a buddy that farms pumpkins down here, he said his guess would be pumpkin. He said depending when you plant them they could be ready to carve today or in this stage.   

[jdmidwest]

They made a movie about a plant like that. Wait till it heads for the clouds. 

[tho1mas]

FW - Name it Jack.

[MOPanfisher]

Could be any of  several different pumpkin/squash/gourd/melon varieties, or who knows what that came from the seed of a hybridized one of those.  I usually get either a pumpkin, squash, watermelon, or cantaloupe vine growing out of my compost pile.  This year it was an acorn squash (doesn't have the same leaves as the one in the picture) and it is actually producing better than anything I have planted in either garden. 

[fishinwrench]

If it turns out to be a pumpkin I'm gonna mow it down.   Some zucchini or squash would be worth having though.  

The farmers of such must have alot of land, if it takes that much space to grow one.  Good grief.

[ness]

That's what we gardeners call a 'weed'. It must be killed. The sooner the better. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

2 minutes ago, ness said:

That's what we gardeners call a 'weed'. It must be killed.

Genius 

[fishinwrench]

In a small plot next to the dog kennel we planted potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and jalapeno peppers.  All of that failed miserably, but this "thing" pops up randomly and appears to be loving life.  Go figure.

[snagged in outlet 3]

Maybe try a little with ranch dressing