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San Diego

my pumpkin in the best shape for my weigh off. I live in san diego, our weigh off is Oct. 12th, I think it's way too late for this far south. Anyway, my pumpkin looks like it will be done growing in another 7 days or so. A new PB at over 300lbs :) I will have 4 to five weeks before my weigh off so I want to keep the pumpkin as heavy as possible. I have two ideas, one, my plant is dying from PM and mosaic, so I thought I might take off all vines and leaves and just leave the stump and the main vine to the pumpkin and keep watering the stump. My pumpkin is still in a shade structure and september is a very warm month here. Second, would be to cut it off and store in the garage, I saw pic's of people cutting the vine a foot on either side of the stem and taping water bottles on the vine. Well, this is my second year growing, first time to a weigh off so I would really appreciate some expert advice on what to do here. Thanks, Jim

8/25/2002 3:21:04 PM

Long Island,New York

Keep treating the plant for powdery mildew and allow tertiaries to pop up and keep the fruit alive on the vine. Prevent the fruit from getting wet or hot and hope. I believe its better off protected and on the vine than in storage. Storage may be ok for hard stemmed fruits like real pkns but these squash have always done better on the vine for me......just my 2 cents.....G

8/25/2002 3:36:15 PM

Joliet, IL

thanks LI, i was gonna eventually ask the same question

8/25/2002 4:11:18 PM

San Diego, CA

Jim, I was wondering what weigh offs you are going too? I live and San Diego as well but hadn't heard of any local weigh offs. I won't be entering a pumpkin so don't worry about any competition :-) but if there is a local event I would definately want to go check it out. Thanx

8/25/2002 5:29:37 PM

San Diego

hey neo,


It's nothing huge, but this is the first year. Armstrong Garden centers are sponsoring a yearly giant pumpkin weigh off. It includes los angeles and san diego. I believe there are four locations over all. Each location gives out 50 to 100 dollar garden gift certificates for top 3 prizes. The winner of each location qualifies for a 1000 dollar gift certificate given to the biggest pumpkin in the whole thing. My location is the Armstrong Garden center in El Cajon, I believe it's off of main street very close to Greenfield dr. It's on Oct 12th, weighing starts at 9 am, come by and see it. Jim

8/25/2002 6:09:24 PM