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Entry Date
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Nick Name
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Location
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Friday, December 19, 2014
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cucurbits
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Northern California Foothills
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Entry 13 of 14 |
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704 in front.
The good: This is my personal best and it was only my third year growing giant pumpkins. The plant received essentially no fertilizer. Having no experience fertilizing plants I didn't want to risk making a costly mistake. I used a small amount of fish fertilizer as well as a small amount of mycorrhizal fungi. I doubt either of these made a significant difference in fruit weight.
Patch preparation consisted of adding burro manure and leaves. Neither were added in large quantities. Topsoil is only a few inches deep in some spots and then its clay.
The pumpkin was pollinated on July 16 and picked in early October. It was still growing when it was picked and probably could have put on another 50 pounds. The plant was around 270 sq feet.
I did not expect to break my previous personal best of 540 pounds in 2012 and somehow I managed to grow a 704 pound in bad soil,basically no fertilizer,small plant,high temperatures, and set late. I'd like to believe this is superior genetics and not just like. The 704 Shea will see a spot in my 2015 garden. The current plan is for 3 of my 7 plants to be the 704 but obviously plans can change. I will be growing at least one though.
Feel free to email me if you have any questions. I don't expect anyone besides me to grow this but if anyone does I'll be thrilled.
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