From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Trumbull, CT 06611, USA

Just wondering where everyone is at in regards to measurements. Just for comparison purposes, what is your fastest growing pumpkin, days since pollination and how big. Thanks. Ray Leonzi

Mine is on the 805 Pukos. The fastest grower is at day 7 and is 16 inches in circ.

7/16/2003 9:47:13 PM

Townshend, Vermont

hey ray, i'm in northboro, ma. and i pollinated a kuhn1177 on july 1st. this evening its 47x37x36 and is maintaining a daily average of about 3" in each measurement. this is my third year, 2001-137lbs, 2002-200lbs. i'm wicked nervous about its continued success. my patch is very small at 14x10 but its well amended and gets about 10 hours of sun. the plant is not in a xmas tree pattern. i have a pumpkin in each corner that were just pollinated recently, 2 of which appear successful. i'm thinking they make take some pressure off the 1st one. my fingers, legs and arms are crossed. good luck to you-jeff

7/16/2003 9:58:59 PM

[email protected]

Hi Ray,

We just started pollinating & don't expect much here for another week yet.

In White Plains today I saw 3 pumpkins over 100"CC! Dill 12, 1337 Houghton, & the 950 Boyton. All started earlier than us. Around 4-15 I think & pollinated around June 30th.

I posted pics in my gallery.

Steve

7/16/2003 10:33:58 PM

Townshend, Vermont

steve, whats CC

7/16/2003 10:41:51 PM

Joliet, IL

my 2 plants in my primary patch are the 620 boyton and
the 1007 brown. one pumpkin on each main, and the 1007
main snapped off 4" past the pumpkin due to my stupidity.
on day 18 "gus" on the 620 is 63" circ. + 49"s/s + 46"s/b
=158" OTT for estimated weight of 89 lbs.
on day 14 "J.B" on the 1007 is 46"circ. + 34"s/s + 34"s/s
=114" OTT for estimated weight of 38 lbs.

both have been growing 5" per day over the past 4 days.

7/16/2003 11:05:49 PM

Joliet, IL

i should have said 5" circumference per day.

7/16/2003 11:10:51 PM

Wood River, Nebraska

Ray, I've got 1 plant that has set everything I've pollinated and currently has six that I'll have to cull. #1 on main @ day 15= OTT 100.75", #3on secondary @ day 18=OTT 135.75. The largest has a stem crack and is on a secondary. What is the best way to cull it without risking blowing up the others?

7/16/2003 11:24:07 PM

porterville,california usa

i pollinated my biggest on Friday the 13th. circ measured 65 inches today. it was gaining 4" average daily but when i left it unattended for several days it stopped growing. i`m dumping a ton of potassium on it now in hopes of a comeback. it`s on the Clark 209. i have 2 more on other plants at 48" and 50". 4 at 24-30" on others. perhaps 12 more elsewhere around 4 days old, but it`s too early to tell if they set yet. i just planted 10 more seeds yesterday for my second season, including the 840 Derosiers for the contest.

7/17/2003 12:44:22 AM

Puyallup, WA

ALL NEW GROWERS.....Do not let these posts be cause for discouragement. Let me assure you that growth rates vary according to your location. Remember, "slow and steady wins the race" according to many of the "heavy hitters".
Many a giant has started out "slow", but really gained "steam" as the season moved along. For most of us, August is the month for the majority of the weight gain.
It is not uncommon for one's pumpkin to gain 600 pounds in August. It is very unfortunate, but many of these initially fast growing pumpkins might very well end up splitting or some other disaster. Don't forget...Tortoise and the Hare!! :>)

7/17/2003 1:14:42 AM

Knopp, Germany

thanks Stan.

7/17/2003 1:31:40 AM

Choctaw, OK

Best fruit for me...in central Wisconsin...946 Geerts 96. 14 days old as of the 16th of july. 40 inch circ, 31 side to side, 30.5 Stem to blossom. about 28 lbs est. the weather hasnt been good this year..now its cool again and its really hampering things. All other fruit are slower are slightly younger ages. Next week looks to be worse...lows in the upper 40's to lower 50's. highs not reaching 75 probably. late aug, early sept weather if you ask me...hope it doesnt hurt the rest of the season, still a long ways to go yet.
Casey

7/17/2003 1:55:23 AM

Townshend, Vermont

stan, i consider myself a new grower and didn't post a reply to ray to discourage anyone. your response has discouraged me.

7/17/2003 5:46:43 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

I don't think Stan meant any harm Vine, he was just trying to be reassuring.
I appreciated the reminder.....

7/17/2003 6:38:24 AM

Cologne / Germany

I guess everything in the circ. 20" (day 10) 60" (day 20) 100" (day 30) range should be okay to grow something nice. Just some basic values, also to make it easier to decide which ones to cull. As far as I remember it´s a rule of the thumb by Al Eaton.

7/17/2003 6:52:03 AM

Joliet, IL

stan, i am a new grower cuz this is my second year.
"slow and steady wins the race" is a great motto to
grow by and i haven't given my plants any fertilizer
since june 15th. does this mean my growth rates show
that i am pushing my pumpkins too hard too fast?
they grow how they want, and to any new grower that has
good early numbers, don't think they are gonna explode
because stan likes turtles.

7/17/2003 7:14:14 AM

[email protected]

CC = Circumference at Center. May not be correct term, but it works.

Even with Jim at 100" in circ. & us at or near zero, I'd have to agree that the wide differences in current growth performance are not cause for alarm. Recent sets can easily catch older ones as problems are encountered along the way.

60 days from now the current sets will be causing more sleepless nights than happy taping sessions anyway. IMHO

Steve

7/17/2003 7:48:53 AM

Commack, NY

i think the 10 day, 20 day 30 day measurements are okay for a guide, but you never know.....last year i had one fruit that was 34.75" in circ. at day 10........it ended up being 379.5 lbs. the reason?.......plant was very small......just keep everything consistant, and hopefully all the hard work and effort you put into the patch will reward you with a monster come october!

7/17/2003 8:10:16 AM

Puyallup, WA

shazzy....not necessarily! Growth rate varies according to location and weather.....and soil....and fertilization of follular sprays.
Trust me when I say, "I know all about pumpkins splitting"! :>)
Steve is correct in saying that a proper and far more accurate evaluation should be in 45 days. However, if you have a "really big one going", you won't want to tell anybody for fear of jinxing it!! :>)

7/17/2003 11:46:39 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

Third year vine grower...first time pumpkin setter. I can definitly say you walk with a different bounce and don't shudder as much when the neighbors ask how are the "Kids"! But man does it add to the learning experience and open up a whole new chapter on plant care. And I for one smile everytime I see a set for a new grower and can't wish them enough for all the best. I hope and wish everyone here get's listed in the AGGC this year! But if it's not this year there's always the next...right Al! Everyday I hold one on the vine it's a PB so if it was 10 inches at day ten it's better then last year..It took me 2 years and I learned how to grow a mean vine...maybe take a few years to learn how to grow a mean pumpkin but I've enjoyed the obsession. First set at ten days today is the 914 Letorneau X 455 Andrews...26 inches. ..It's never to Late...never to small...always next year...it's what we learn along the way....sometimes it's the journey not the destination that counts...Grow em Big everyone! Chuck

7/17/2003 12:52:07 PM

Roselle, IL [email protected]

My best right now is 67" at day 18. My best ever at this time. Here In Illinois I think your pumpkins should exceed the stardard measurment per date of pollination. I do not know of any pumpkins that have exceeded these numbers in the state. I have been watching Shazzyies numbers, and we should easily break the state record if all goes well.
George J.
9 years of numbers.

7/17/2003 6:06:52 PM

White Plains, NY

Second year grower and lots to learn.

Steve and all, my measurements are OTT (circumference, side to side, back to front) Today they measured (OTT) Boyton 950 = 120.5, Dill 12 = 117, and Houghton 1337 = 116.5.

Stan, why should the posts cause discouragement? The "Posts" are a learning tool. My present discouragement is burning the leaves off my plants after following the directions on Ortho's Daconil.

7/17/2003 8:19:52 PM

[email protected]

Woops! My mistake. Sorry guys.

Hey. I'll give you discouraging! Despite all I know about fertilizer, I gassed 2 plants this spring with ammonia nitrate volatilazation. Can't say I didn't know it was happening. But I was 50 miles away when the sun came out instead of the thunder storms that were predicted. But it just goes to show that if you play with fire.....

Yet at my son's school where I didn't get crazy, there are already two nice little sets with the first one ocurring on the golden July 9th. And for the record, my tape measure is still collecting dust in my office & will be for a while yet.

Steady goes the race.

Steve

7/17/2003 10:13:21 PM

porterville,california usa

well Stan ,you must have put a hoodoo on my pumpkin `cause since you posted up there my pumpkin that was gaining 3-4" per day is now gaining -1/2".(minus). could you post up some encouraging facts so when i read to it tonite it`ll start growing again? it seems to believe everything you say.lol. just say 12-18" per day is common in ags. i`ll back you up.

7/18/2003 4:44:10 AM