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KENTUCKY

As I've posted before, I've been fighting a disease in my patch. Looks like i'm winning now. Garrell plant's vines are definetly starting to grow again!!!
My 1st fruit on that Garrell has never slowed down though. Only second year grower here, so is my fruit growing to fast? What should I look for if i'm pushing it to hard?
here is some info on this fruit:

pollinated 7/16
day 2 8 inches in circ
day 7 17 inches in circ
day 8 23
day 9 26+
day 10 30
day 11 35

I do have another female farther out on the main and 1 on a secondary. I've been keeping them as "buffers". The one fruit farther out is growing very well, too. On day 7 it is 16.25 in circ.
I've decided to keep the 1st fruit that's stats are posted above. I just don't want to "blow it up". Maybee i'm paranoid and this is a normal growth?? I just read the posts about day 10 20in. in circ. and I'm worried?

Thank you,
Mike

7/27/2003 7:50:41 AM

KENTUCKY

day 12 it is 41&1/2 inches in circ.
I am not going to do any pruning of vines nor any fruits anywhere on the plant until this thing slows down . I feel it is growing to fast. Am I right? Or is this going to be a rookie mistake?
Thanks,
Mike

7/28/2003 8:38:14 AM

Sydney, Australia

Mike,
Sounds like a fast grower there! I was just compared it to my fruit on the 762 Neuville, it was 39" on day 12.....not too much difference, so I wouldn't be too worried at the moment. Don't do anything too rash like a heavy weekly fertilize. Keep measuring and see how it goes(grows)......

Fruit on my 762 Neuville was 46" on day 16 and 73" on day 20.....fast start but held it together....gives you something to compare too! Guess growth rate is dependant on a lot of things. My 845 Bobier fruit was only 31" on day 12 but was at 72" on day 20. Different early on but close at day 20....
Good luck with it!!!
Ben

7/28/2003 9:43:50 AM

Washington State

I love reading all this info, but as a newbie man can it be overwhelming!! So am I understanding that if the pumpkin grows too fast something can happen? What? Heck...I am just glad mine ARE growing, however I am now looking forward to learning how to grow the BIG ONE!! I also notice there is alot of name dropping i.e.: 845 Bobier?? Where does one get the names or even these different varieties...Stokes? So much to learn.....I guess I will have to do my learnin' now so next year I can get the biggie!! Or is there hope for this year??? Thanks to all!!!

7/28/2003 11:10:59 AM

Cincinnati,OH

At day 20 I was at 66" circumfrence

7/28/2003 5:44:01 PM

Montoursville, PA

Stepha...you are hooked. I can tell. 845 was the weight of the pumpkin grown by Bill Bobier. It is a darn good one that seems to continue producing big fruit. The seed was selling for three to four hundred dollars in the auctions held on this site earlier this year. You can click on seeds on this site and for free or $3.00 handle get some very good seed just for asking. You should not buy one just yet.
Chances are very good some of us will give you a seed or two as you develop associates here. They can only be sold with permission. The auctions were state or area association fund raising with permission granted.

7/28/2003 6:06:27 PM

Sloughhouse, CA

Stepha. I had the same questions about the names that you did my first yr. growing. 358 Sheridan means this is the plant I grew my6 first yr. It weighed 358 lbs. The seeds planted the next yr. are called 358 Sheridan. some growers also put the year they grew the pumpkin. Everyone is great on this site and shares so much information. Good luck. Suzy in Sloughhouse.

7/28/2003 7:52:45 PM

Washington State

Thanks you guys!!! YOu are all so great! I told my husband we need to get a tape measure so we can start to figure out whats really going on up in the patch!! How do you tell the boy flowers from the girls??? Do the girls have that ball in there and the boys just a stem thingie??? Sounds funny...I get it though...I have a lot of bees gettin' busy for me up there, so I guess I can leave that to them......thanks again!!

7/29/2003 1:50:48 AM

Yup the girls have "that ball in there" underneath the flower, and the boys just have the "stem thingie". I love your terminology. LOL The males also have longer stems. In the How To section of this site, there's an article on measuring your fruit, and a chart you can download with all the weights that correlate with the measurements.

7/29/2003 10:31:45 AM