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Just wondering if anyone has any tricks, thoughts, secrets or opinions on how to gain a few extra late season LBS?

Here is my situation: I have a single fruit on my 804 Carlson (846 Calai X self)plant that is 67 days old today. It measured 155.5 c, 84 ee, 82.5 ss = 322 OTT or 685 lbs by the 03' chart. I desperatly want this pumpkin to weigh 700+ lbs with my ultimate goal being 785 lbs, which is double last yr's PB. Currently she is still growing VERY slowly with an avg. of about 2 lbs a day.

I have been giving calcium baths once a week because I heard this may help it go heavy. I have not fertalized this plant within the last 4 weeks. I have been maintaining a steady amount of water comparable to what it received all season.

I will try almost anything that sounds halfway reasonable. I am really hoping to get into the top ten this year at Anamosa. Last years 10th place was 745 lbs and im OOOOO SOOOO CLOSE!!!!

9/23/2003 10:25:05 PM

Caceres, mid west of Spain

Music, Mike, put music in the patch all daylight through, but not during night. What about Brandenburg Concerts of Brahms?
At least is very cheap.

9/24/2003 12:59:35 AM

Itzetown City

Small talk, Mike. If ever you can, talk with the pumpkins. Tell her the press will coming for a foto session. That will make her proud and they`ll become big shoulders for heavy weigh.

Seriously: I wish you that it come as you need it.

9/24/2003 4:10:58 AM

Bristol, ME ([email protected])

Mikey, I was putting down a 1/4" of water everyday until we started getting some decent rains..It was giving me a steady 7-10 lbs. It's a fine line to walk but it's something you can gauge and control with good results, guess it depends on the condition of the fruit and plant.
Just a thought.

9/24/2003 5:26:04 AM

Saegertown Pa.

Mike I would give it lots of extra water, Stunner is wright it's a fine line it all depends how bad you wont more pounds. I think your wright in not fertilizing that's not going to help you this late in the year if any thing it would probably shut the plant down.

9/24/2003 6:03:00 AM

Utah

in general- pruning promotes growth in all plants.
so here is my untest theory- wack off a couple of feet
off several vines... the main and maybe 1/2 the secondaries.
and ensure that all of fruit of removed from the plant also.
don't know if it will help you or not ... but i think it's 1/2 way reasonable.

if i were you i would fertilize some- very low doses applied daily or every other day- i'd used like a 10-10-10 or something comparable to that.

cover the plant and fruit with sheets and blanket to keep it warm at night even if it's not going to be freezing.

hope you reach your goal.

gordon

9/24/2003 10:03:07 AM

Utah

remove any other fruit you might have... not all the fruit... :)

9/24/2003 10:04:53 AM

Nova Scotia

i would say prune only things with not fully developed leaves (if there not a little bigger than the one befor get rid of it.) with a good watering followed by a light florial feeding and keeping it warm is a very good. now an old orchard trick that works. when it starts to get cold and she almost stops or does stop growing is to take a rolled news paper and beat the vines and pumpkin stalk. this will start the juices flowing again. sound nuts but works on trees

9/24/2003 1:06:26 PM

Syracuse, NY

hey, g1t, sort of like slapping-awake an unconscious person--it couldn't be any worse than to have the plant look alive and well, but the fruit not growing...i just might try this myself--i've got a week until Oswego, NY weighoff! thanks 'pal

9/24/2003 7:09:08 PM