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Mill Creek West by god Virginia

after the third round of high winds more rain than i want to talk about im about ready to quit, my indy fair plants have took a beating heck one is under water one twisted to the wind and back got one might be ok fall plants having hard time swimming in the patch arggggggggggghhhhhhh! man i wonder what the punkin gods are so mad about! guess i just got to smile and say hey at least im alive family is safe and somewhere out there in the pumpkin world a monster is growing! hope everyone else has survived the recent storms, god bless ya all keith

6/5/2008 1:17:25 AM

Netherlands

Sounds like Holland every year. Build a greenhouse. Chin up. Fight back. :)

Brad

6/5/2008 2:32:52 AM

Nova Scotia

ya Burrhead I've been noticing you americans have been getting a kicking from the weather. I hope all of you pull through all right.

6/5/2008 6:20:45 AM

Berlin,mi.([email protected])

I feel your pain Burrhead. I had three frost in a row. Lost a couple of plants and damaged some others. Then I had aphids on my plants for the 1st time ever. I sprayed all my plants in the ground and backups and apparently mixed my spray a little too strong. Two days later all my plants looked like toast. I just walked away in disgust. I am just waiting to see what survives. I have been giving thought to throwing in the towel for this year.

6/5/2008 7:09:37 AM

Johnston, R.I.

no quiting

6/5/2008 8:14:23 AM

Williamsburg,KY

Burrhead, we had rain, but now 90 degrees for the next 4-5 days..Im not ready to quit yet...

6/5/2008 8:19:25 AM

Frankfort Oh

well Keith ,,Hi ,,I`ve been threw the ringer three times myself this year ,,and have felt like giving up ,,,but something tells me, not to ,,we took a hard beeting our self`s on Tuesday,,Monday the 2nt ,,went to the patch to take pics ,,everything was great ,,,,,and got some nice pics to post ,,,witch I still will ,,,the next day ,,here comes over four inches of rain,,,high winds ,,50 to 60 mph,,,tornados every where,,Wed,,I didnt even want to go look at the patch ,,,but somehow ,,came up with the courage to go ,,,and found that my plants made it threw the storm,,,How i really dont know ,,except god had a hand in it ,,on Monday the 2nt I decided to build ,,wind blockers around my pumpkins,,,and I think 100% thats what saved me ,,the rain had nearly washed one plant clean away ,,my 667 ,,the one I have big hopes for ,,there was a river of water ,,running right passed it ,,,,and behold it held up the best ,,my 668 ,,was covered by the wind blocker,,,that had fallen in on the plant,,so I decided I, was going in after it ,,and found the plant was unharmed ,,,I mean , after looking at the patch I thought it was over! the rest of the plants ,,,had been pounded by the rain ,,for hours .and still to my supprize,,they looked like nothing had even happened,,So hang in there ,,you`ll bounce back!!God bless you and your plants ,,Rob

6/5/2008 8:27:04 AM

Never, ever, give up! These things are much more resilient than we give them credit for.

Keep doing what you can, forget about things that you can't control and have some fun along the way. Any fruit in Oct is a success, we sometimes loose track of that.

6/5/2008 8:32:08 AM

Pembroke, New Hampshire

As PAP says, it's a marathon, not a sprint.
To paraphrase..."damn the SVB's, full speed ahead".
Keep going..no quitting.

6/5/2008 8:34:58 AM

Knopp, Germany

Kieth, no one can understand your situation better then you, but we all have been there. The advice already given is very wise. With everything time heals all, hang in there buddy.

6/5/2008 8:56:05 AM

Wi

I started a 1213 Foss plant last year that ended up as a backup. I planted it outside with NO protection on May 5th. Luckily it was warm. I dug it up with shovel and re-planted in another patch after it vined. I probably cut over 25% of the roots.

Shortly after transplant we had a BIG wind day and the sticks we were using to train the vine severed about 50% of the main.

The plant recovered and we set a pumpkin on the 10th of July. A critter ate a chunk of the pumpkin at about D20. We did set a second about the 17th of July that grew over 500# in exactly 30 days.

At D30 we had a hail storm completely flatten / shred the plant. We stored the fruit in a shed until mid October and it made is solid to the scale.

These plants are TOUGH.

6/5/2008 9:04:56 AM

Littleton, Colo

.....every problem iz an opportunity in disguise !........

6/5/2008 10:16:16 AM

Indiana

At 25 years old, I have been in this game more than most. As good and as bad of luck as I have had, I have learned 1 thing. Time heals all. The poor weather of May and early June will be made back at some point. The plants may be battered, but they are still small. When they get big, the trials of the spring will all but be forgotten. We may even be looking back and saying this was a pretty decent growing season.

Just keep the plants healthy. Stay up on your insect and fungus prevention, and the rest will take care of itself.

Tom

6/5/2008 11:02:14 AM

Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia

Kieth
We have all had problems this year some with Germing ( me ) some with frosts, etc etc but you can't let the KY Pumpkin Mafia down! I wear your hat in your honour, to your never give up attitude. Things will work out.My fingers are crossed for you! Keep on keeping on.
Phil

6/5/2008 11:44:30 AM

Somers, CT

All I can say is to be prepared. Have a plan and be ready to change it at a moment's notice. I usually do not keep my plants covered but this year I did through the cold. Tomorrow starts a heat wave so now the covers come off and I have to protect the tasty buds on the main and sides that the bunnies and woodchucks like to eat. The rest is slow and steady.

6/5/2008 1:38:59 PM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

It has been a slow start for sure Keith. These plants always seem to surprise us though so hang in there. There is still plenty of time ahead for everyone to grow a slunger!

6/5/2008 2:09:08 PM

southwest MO

If you have life you have hope!!

6/5/2008 2:20:47 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

Pollinated on Jly 26[07].Patch was destroyed by 100km/ winds on aug9. Ended up with a personel best of 798. Never give up.

6/5/2008 3:10:11 PM

Eugene,OR

If it was easy to grow a slunger, everyone would be doing it. Then when you grew that slunger it would be no big deal because it was too easy and everyone else would have one too. Its not supposed to be easy!

6/5/2008 4:28:29 PM

i would throw up my hands but i don't remember swallowing them---ha ha ha

so far my meager problems have been to do with
cold down to frosting one week and now we have a
slight heat wave coming up. luckily i have a method for each to overcome these problems, and in the meantime i have a new foe or two, errr, should i say DOE and/or raccoon?! good thing i reinforced things for the wind and
that worked to resist animal damage as well---eric g

6/5/2008 5:24:32 PM

Minnesota

Quit?..my seeds would'nt even germinate for me, I have been given plants,,now that I'm set,,2 of the seeds I planted have come up, 3 weeks later. MInnesota is having a colder than average spring, it has'nt been sunny for a week and does'nt look like it will be sunny for another week. Storming right now. I have a hale hole in one of my plant leafs. But...."its all part of my plan" he he he

6/5/2008 5:56:40 PM

Ohio

4 out of 5 doing poorly for me. this is my first year, but i'm pounding away. learning more now these last few weeks than i have the last few months. i can't quit without reaching my goal..........a pumpkin!!

6/5/2008 6:15:46 PM

milford, CT,

Burrhead....I killed the 1st 7 leaves on all my plants and only had a green tip. I now have 3 ft vines and 8-10 leaves after only 2weeks. These plants are tough and resilient. If there is a breath of life they will come back. Mark

6/5/2008 7:00:00 PM

ordinary,VA

I hear you my West By God Virginia brother!!!
had enough of the wind and rain----
and now we jumped right into the oven.

6/5/2008 8:37:36 PM

Wi

I just had my 1068P flipped over by a thunder storm (literally). It was a 5' main and now there are a couple 2" secondaries and about a half dozen leaves left. The tip survived. If I thought all was lost I'd pull it. I bet it will be back to near full strength in a week.

6/5/2008 8:46:05 PM

Wood River, IL ([email protected])

Keith, I'm feeling your pain brother, 7 dry days in the last 8 weeks. Hail beat my plants to death a couple weeks ago. while they were in 5 gallon buckets because I couldn't get into the rice patty (aka patch). Have a second set of plant in the rice patty for a couple days now before rain all weekend. I'm hoping to have something set by labor day. lol

6/5/2008 9:36:00 PM

Sparta, NC

dont give up......dont ever give up

6/5/2008 9:54:12 PM

So. Maine

I second that Sambo ....

6/6/2008 12:19:43 AM

Southeast Texas

keith i feel for you i've had it bad from the start.germanating was were it started 500 wallace,1068 papez,1118 greene didnt germ,finialy got some going lost 5 right of bat to cuccumber beatles,one was your 609,919 richards,275 vanhook.now the svb's are taking over,done lost 2pumpkins fixing to loose the rest it looks like but,there is all ways next year keith,i aint giving up and i dont want you to either. paul

6/6/2008 8:33:21 AM

bliss,n.y.- heart of Wyoming County

" Try Not!"
"Do or do not."
" There is no try"
Yoda

6/6/2008 2:04:43 PM

Rhode Island

If Ron or i quit afer a defeat we would have packed it in a long time ago.
You can learn from every disapointment.
Many times we are our own worst enemy and looking back on some of our failures will make us realize that a lot of it was our own fault.
Yes a bad storm, or worse, can knock you down. But as long as the plant survives you would be amazed at the recuperative powers these plants have.
last year one of rons best and biggest pumpkins grew on a plant that the leaves (because they were so large ) layed a few inches off the ground for most of the season.
victory comes to those who dont give up.

A HEALTHY PLANT ,EVEN ONE LAYING MOSTLY ON THE GROUND, WILL PRODUCE.

pap

6/6/2008 4:12:26 PM

Sort of Sunny Sometimes, WA

"There's only one thing that can guarantee our failure, and that's if we quit."--Craig Breedlove
You can't quit Keith, you're gonna grow a slunger!

6/6/2008 7:49:21 PM

Manitoba,Canada

My biggest let down was on May 9, that is when my 1502 froze. I waited 2 year until I had my patch in shape. I wanted things to be perfect. Things were going good, when it got down to -15C overnight. I did learn something from it. My hoophouses were to big for the heater. Being 300 miles north of Winnipeg, Manitoba I heat the ground to 20C with a hot water furnace. I though the ground heat would have helped, but wasn't enough. I did have backups, but not a 1502. Man, that seed is something. 12 hours after germinating the root was 1 inch long, where the other seeds just started to sprout. It was the first plant to get leaves, it just took off. But it froze just like the others. I hope next year, I will get another change growing another Wallace! Thanks Derlan

6/6/2008 9:58:42 PM

porterville, calif.

Keith, I know how you feel. It seems like every time I think im going good something happens to mess me up.
This is my 5th year at this. I still can,t get pass 367 lbs. But Im not going to stop. I want that SLUNGER too!!. I will make it there someday.You will too. I don,t think you are a quiter. Hang in there you can do it. Your time will come too as mine will. Greg

6/7/2008 1:08:56 AM

No Place Special

Just got out of the basement here, Tornados in the area. As far as i can tell none landed but the wind was just a killer. Trees were horizontal for a while...LOL and so were the pumpkin plants from what I could see through the rain. Looks like I have some broken leaves but looks like the vines especially the mains are fine. Good thing I was all caught up on my vine burying and staking otherwise I think i could have been in trouble. Also just finsihed the wind fence this morning.

Keep your chin up Keith, I bet you will walk out with a new PB this year, I can just feel it! ;)

6/7/2008 3:49:52 PM