From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Utah

is it just me ... or are a lot of growers are starting their seeds earlier this year than in year past?

4/17/2008 11:14:42 PM

Rapid City, SD

not me........i know better.....no wiegh-offs to hit in mid august..amazing ain't it.....i have noticed that also....very uninteresting

4/17/2008 11:27:57 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

I was thinking the same thing Gordon. I'm in no hurry.

4/17/2008 11:35:26 PM

Santa Rosa, CA

Gordon,

It is not just you. Last year, I had a pumpkin that was still gaining 5 to 6 pounds a day when I cut it off the vine for a weigh off. I am planning on putting some of "the girls" in the ground a little earlier this year. Also, we have had a very dry spring so the patch isn't too wet.

Chuck

4/18/2008 12:10:54 AM

Frankfort Oh

some of us are going to Indiana state fair ,,Aug 17th ,,,I`ve never started this early before ,,but i`ll let you know if its worth it or not,Rob

4/18/2008 1:26:22 AM

Bemidji Minnesota

Once as a test, I started jack-O-Lantern pumpkins in April. They are smaller, but AG's only need about 20 more days to mature.

Anyhow, the April 15 start JOL's were RIPE in July. Granted, I gave them the care one would ussually give to an AG (as far as water, organic material in soil, compost etc..., but I did not prune off all the other fruits), and I had about 2 dozen of them ripe, off of only 3 plants, growing in a 300 Square foot area, but it was only the middle of JULY.

I actually planted a second crop, and had more ready just in time for Oct-31.

So, if you add in the extra time that AG need to mature, you still would not be too far behind if you had none germinating until May 10th I believe. I think it would be less trouble to get one going with a late start than trying to store a fruit in the hot summer until weigh off.

4/18/2008 4:14:23 AM

Rhode Island

nothing wrong with starting a couple early plants, weather permitting.
not only for an earlier weighoff but just in case you get one that wants to grow longer than most.

4/18/2008 6:15:31 AM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

lol...every year I read the same post...lol

4/18/2008 7:08:31 AM

southwest MO

As you get more southern growers they have the option to start earlier than in the North.

4/18/2008 9:28:58 AM

Georgia

Im starting the same time here as last year...indoors the 25 th of April and set in the ground as soon as possible. The only advantage here in the south I dont have to use hoop houses.

4/18/2008 9:48:32 AM

Pocatello ([email protected])

Last year Brian C started a week earlier and had his best season ever. I'm starting earlier because it's much easier to keep the plants from freezing at the start of the season than at the end. Our average first frost is the first week in September! State fair, last week of August... and every year I struggle to get first pollinations 10 feet out before July 10th...

I'm going to start filing and soaking seeds this evening. And crank up the nitrogen, baby!

4/18/2008 10:56:41 AM

Pocatello ([email protected])

This is what I figure... start seeds in pots tomorrow, the 19th, all up by Wednesday the 23rd... transfer to one-gallon pots one week from now, the 25th, and set outside in nice warm hoophouses May 1-3. You may have seen Joel Holland's demonstration of one-gallon pots cut in half, and then reassembled with duct tape. That's the plan.

Every location is different. I don't need to worry about my plants growing too quickly in the early season.

4/18/2008 11:24:04 AM

Minnesota([email protected])

Seems to be some valid reasons for starting early.

4/18/2008 12:41:44 PM

Pocatello ([email protected])

lol... Seem to be valid now... hopefully I don't freeze the plants on May 5th...

4/18/2008 1:17:22 PM

Statesville, Nc

I've started one patch.... But I am waiting for some seeds and some help from ron and rog for the second patch. Evidentally the my first patch pumpkin will only at max grow 187lbs

4/18/2008 1:35:55 PM

Salem, OR

If you've had a big pumpkin that was still putting on weight at the end, you have to wonder if you should have started a few days earlier. My pumpkins have never stopped growing before, so I'm starting a bit earlier this year. Also, I think that it's important to remember that if we add 10 days, that's ten extra very long days at the end of June. Obviously it's a lot better to extend the first of the growing season than to add a few extra fall days when the nights are longer than the days.

4/18/2008 1:42:37 PM

Utah

I guess I was wondering if people who are starting earlier have a good reason for doing so.

4/18/2008 2:02:37 PM

[email protected]

Earlier than what?

Now that we have some Ohio Valley Hooches I suppose we will start a little earler than 2007.

4/18/2008 4:04:02 PM

Anamosa, IA [email protected]

Not starting early this year. The ground is way too cold. I estimate that we are at least 2 weeks behind normal.

4/18/2008 5:06:41 PM

Denver, CO

In the past I have always had a hard time hitting the July 4th pollination mark. Virtually all large pumpkins here in Colorado must be set no later then July 10th. Thus for me, getting 2 weeks earlier growth has meant hitting the July 4th polination mark. (By using cloches and soil cables and etc). But the risk is extreme, especially here in Colorado where it can take some heroic efforts to save a plant when a surprise mid-May snow storm dumps 20 inches of snow.

It's making the pollination mark that should be the decideing factor in my opinion. If you can start later and still make it, by all means do that because the risk of loss of plant is far less the later the start.

4/18/2008 7:42:45 PM

San Diego, Ca.

I started a little earlier because the weather allows it here south of most you guys and that there are no weighoffs here is another reason why...I guess most folks around here are too busy rushing here and there rather than slowing down and enjoy the finer things in life like growing giant pumpkins. It would be cool to have a weighoff but there just isn't the interest here. Oh well, they don't know what they are missing.

4/18/2008 8:07:54 PM

porterville, calif.

I have 2 in the ground now. I always have problems with the early july heat. I want some thing to set like maybe a month sooner before we early get hot. I want to see if I can get something past 500lbs. If I start early even if it comes off too early for weigh offs. We do have a early County Fair here. I could take it there

4/18/2008 9:14:04 PM