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Anaheim, CA

I’ve got an idea, and it’s going to work. I think I’ll get me that Howard Dill Award or maybe even another one this year, because it’s not too late. I’m going to dig a hole a little bigger than I believe my Extreme Pumpkin will grow, right where my baby Pumpkin is growing now. Then, I’m going to put a big box in that hole. Next, I’m going to line that box with water proofing or even put in a plastic tank liner. Then I’m gonna fill that hole with water that will keep my Pumpkin buoyant/gravityless throughout its entire growth cycle. My pumpkin won’t get wet or moldy because I’m gonna wrap it in something waterproof, like thick plastic before it goes in. Not only will it be perfectly round, it will keep it from accidental freezing and it will grow upright too. I won’t have to turn it around or anything. It will even be in the shade. If I use clear plastic to wrap it in, I can even watch it grow perfectly round. Then, when it’s time for weighing, I’ll just lift up the whole tank, water and all, drain it, and bring my perfectly round beautiful pumpkin in for pictures and admiration and no one will know how I did it. And there’s nothing in the rules this year that says I can’t, and there won’t be, because it’s an all-natural process. Plus, since these huge creations never naturally occurred in nature, we need to take extra measures to make sure ours grow right. Come on now, those big drooping lookin things will soon be a thing of the past because of me. :)

6/14/2009 6:20:34 PM

Massachusetts

wow.............

6/14/2009 6:33:21 PM

Anaheim, CA

I think I'll call it the "William's Float Process."

6/14/2009 6:38:32 PM

Bemidji Minnesota

I just put the flat side to the back of the display when it is carved.

6/14/2009 6:41:51 PM

Topsfield, Ma.

I was thinking of an infinitely adjustable girdle, say with velco straps...but maybe your idea will float? :-)

6/14/2009 6:51:33 PM

Long Island,New York

apparently hallucigenic mushrooms are 100% organic too

6/14/2009 7:31:01 PM

norway , maine

crazy bro... i like it but crazy

6/14/2009 7:55:56 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

lol...I think you might be right G.

6/14/2009 8:02:49 PM

Ohio

Wait a minute here,,,, If I recall correctly this exact same procedure has already been done before by Buck Evenstien from Ballawa New York,,, did you steal this idea from him?

6/14/2009 9:30:28 PM

[email protected]

Yeah wow...I'm usually happy to set one 12'+ on the main B4 July 4th. Trying to set one in a tub of water sounds.....interetsing???

6/14/2009 10:00:41 PM

Johnstown, Ohio

Forget round, I'm going for the 1000 pound pumpkin cube! Much more stable for transit! (lol)

6/14/2009 10:18:24 PM

Anaheim, CA

Now listen here, Mr. Brooks B, if your person Buck from NY has done this before, then so be it. But, when I saw all these giant gravity stricken vegetables, that's the first thing I thought of. I went to college too. There's no stealing of anything here. Just sharing my thoughts on the subject. I thought that's what we do here.

6/15/2009 12:27:45 AM

Ohio

Mr. Evenstien has the patten on growing pumpkins that way as you described, surely you heard of em,, he was part of the under ground pumpkin rail road back in the day. last person who tried copying it ended up inside there pumpkin in a compost pile. Just be careful cause this guy doesnt mess around,, but one thing is in your favor, he didnt go to college and only has a GED from a prison some where near Warshaw, Kansas.

6/15/2009 4:16:57 AM

Ohio

Just Googled Buck, never mind what I said, he passed away a couple years ago loading a pumpkin into his Ford Pinto station wagon (with the fake panel wood on the side). The pumpkin got caught on the hatch back somehow while he was trying to load his pumpkin and the chain broke while he was underneath it crushing his left pinky toe, he later ended up with complications and couldn't be saved. Amazingly though, it didn't disqualify the pumpkin because when it cracked the crack didn't go into the cavity.

6/15/2009 4:32:22 AM

norway , maine

mr. evenstien wasnt just part of the under ground pumpkin railroad, he drove for them... a conducter if you will. organic,dont listen to brooks b, buck has a degree from ITT tech.The man single handidly revolutionized the way milk is deliverd to growing pumpkins... however brooks b is right,buck does have the patten on the "float and grow" system.

6/15/2009 5:03:27 AM

Germany

if u have a 1500 pumpkin that is perfectly round,
it will blow, if u do it on a pallett..

6/15/2009 5:07:47 AM

norway , maine

i believe it was evenstien who said, "to be old and wise you must first be young and dumb". no wait that was socrates.. oh i got it now, evenstien say " man with hole in pocket feel cocky all day."

6/15/2009 5:37:28 AM

Netherlands, Rotterdam

:)

6/15/2009 5:56:35 AM

Cochecton, NY

The theory sounds good, but I think that a fruit wrapped in a waterproof (which is then airtight) something or other will over heat and turn to a big gravity stricken pile of rotted mush! Any takers on that theory? I could be wrong, just wondering!

6/15/2009 6:08:11 AM

Joliet, IL

giantjack's nephew?

6/15/2009 7:10:50 AM

Rhode Island

trying to grow a perfectly round GIANT PUMPKIN is a great thought.
i must say i have toyed with the idea myself but am usually very bust tending the plants properly to spend time on it.

if i really had a lot of time on my hands id grow one in a hammock type nest which in turn would be attached to a chainfall hoist set up under a tri-pod. the thought being to lift the hoist as needed to keep the bottom an inch or so off the ground.

but then agsin i also dont grow for a pretty pumpkin, just weight. if i get a good looking one its by accident. lol

pap

6/15/2009 9:42:42 AM

Westford, MA

I dropped a perfectly round,"Deuce" like that the other day after eating alot of cheese.

Hurt like Hell, but was award winning (IMO), AND
floated.

6/15/2009 11:03:43 AM

Minnesota([email protected])

Organic Solutions,
It's an interesting concept you've come up with.
Maybe growing it on some sort of hammock would be easier and more successful? I may be wrong, but I think Mr. Bobier grew one on a hammock. Maybe you could contact him, and see if it turned out round.
Also think of the possible problems of a round pumpkin.
1. It would roll quite a bit on a pallet, unless you really secured it well.
2. All the weight of the pumpkin resting on the small surface area of the round pumpkin, could cause it to split.
Good luck!

6/15/2009 3:28:28 PM

Winston Salem NC

Bill did grow one on a hammock of sorts. It was attached to a electronic scale so he could track the growth rate with the weather conditions.

6/15/2009 5:40:05 PM

[email protected]

Brooks you're killing me. LOL

6/15/2009 5:45:32 PM

Ohio

Im killing you Tremor?,,, what about Cheddah!,,,LMAO! he has my sides hurting!,,,LOLOLOLOLOL!!!

6/15/2009 8:27:45 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

.....Funny!....lol

6/16/2009 8:54:20 AM

Bemidji Minnesota

In all seriousness, as has been mentioned, you got to keep it rather still when transporting it, and that flat bottom sort of helps keep it from moving.

Some guys have tried putting the fruit on its blossom end while growing it, but that results in several problems. Blossom end Rot risk goes up, you got to cut away more secondary roots to let the vine come up as it grows as stem stress would be a huge issue AND the end shape actually looks silly as they can end up more vertically compressed like a miniature pumpkin, not just shaped like a wheel, more like tire.

I think roundness, and having less of a flat side (still need some for stability) is a genetic trait. Look at this 1317.5 grown by Jerry Rose, about the best shape a pumpkin grower could ask for (great color too).

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=77383

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=77384

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=77385

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/displayphoto.asp?pid=5537&gid=-26434

Sure it had a flat side, but looks around 80% round, and the flat bottom side could just go to the back of a display when it is propped on its blossom end to be carved into a Giant Jack-O-lantern.

There are plenty genetic lines that throw very round pumpkins. Yes they all have one side that is flat, but like Jerry’s giant beauty, it can be minimal and that is a genetic trait.

6/16/2009 1:21:52 PM

Bemidji Minnesota

LOl I said wheel or tire, after re-reading it that looks redundant. What I meant is more of a flat wheel than the regular wheel shaped ones grown on their sides if they are grown on the blossom end, which I would not do.

6/16/2009 1:26:42 PM

San Jose [email protected]

a few comments     

I’ve got an idea, and it’s going to work. I think I’ll get me that Howard Dill Award or maybe even another one this year, because it’s not too late. I’m going to dig a hole a little bigger than I believe my Extreme Pumpkin will grow, right where my baby Pumpkin is growing now. Then, I’m going to put a big box in that hole.

this big box is going to have to be AT LEAST 6' X 6'

Next, I’m going to line that box with water proofing or even put in a plastic tank liner. Then I’m gonna fill that hole with water that will keep my Pumpkin buoyant/gravityless throughout its entire growth cycle. My pumpkin won’t get wet or moldy because I’m gonna wrap it in something waterproof, like thick plastic before it goes in.

***if you wrap in plastic how do you keep all moisture out, this will mold, i think you are better off letting it float and add a little bleach so thing wont want to grow in the water***
Not only will it be perfectly round, it will keep it from accidental freezing *** you dont have to worry about your pumpkin freezing, just the plant****and it will grow upright too. I won’t have to turn it around or anything.***I dont know anyone who "turns their pumpkin around**** It will even be in the shade. If I use clear plastic to wrap it in, I can even watch it grow perfectly round. Then, when it’s time for weighing, I’ll just lift up the whole tank, water and all, drain it, and bring my perfectly round beautiful pumpkin in for pictures and admiration and no one will know how I did it. And there’s nothing in the rules this year that says I can’t, and there won’t be, because it’s an all-natural process. Plus, since these huge creations never naturally occurred in nature, we need to take extra measures to make sure ours grow right. Come on now, those big drooping lookin things will soon be a thing of the past because of me. :)

****good l

6/18/2009 10:01:53 PM

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

If you wrapped the whole pumpkin plastic, the moisture sweating from the fruit would cause it to rot quick.

6/19/2009 1:08:55 PM

Gold Hill, Oregon

i'm putting mine on a waterbed.

6/21/2009 12:23:26 AM