large uneatable pumkins

Not sure about canned milk, but I watched a programme about a couple of young lads who were trying to win a competition for the biggest pumpkin, the chap they were up against watered his with BEER!

I grew a Dills Atlantic Giant to around 170 lbs the other year, as a first attempt, by feeding it at the roots using tomato feed, or any other liquid fertiliser.

Just get a length of plastic pipe about 2" wide ( the sort used for kitchen waste pipes is ideal) and drive it under the plant roots at an angle ( best done when planted out) and water down the tube.

The method that involves piercing the stalk, and letting it soak up milk via a thread, or some wool, actually works better with sugar water, but runs a high risk of allowing infection into the wound, or causing the stalk to split, which stops all growth. I wouldn't bother with it personally.

The other thing to remember is to systematically pick off baby fruits as they appear, leaving about 4 to grow to the size of your fist, then reduce this again to the single most promising one. The plant will only support one really BIG fruit.

Also, put a roof slate, or similar underneath the fruit while it is still small, to keep the pumpkin off the soil, and prevent it rotting.