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Hi all,

How is everyone doing?? I have just 1 plant left the 901 hunt and have 4 pumpkins growing on it. Lost my other plants 2 x 1161 rodonis and a 1288 wallace. Has been a bad year for me but I hope to grow some big ones in a new patch next year.

Grow'm BIG!

Martin

7/12/2009 9:53:26 AM

Cincinnati, OH

I was doing great, but i'm at war with the borers. 50-50 chance of survival at this point. I believe I got em, time will tell. At any rate, chances for the prized one have diminished greatly. Pumpkin is 27 inches, but growth has slowed down.

7/12/2009 10:33:58 AM

Oklahoma State Record Holder

My 1081 Leonzi hit 405 lbs yesterday.

7/12/2009 10:44:16 AM

[email protected]

What happened to the plants you lost Martin?

My plants seem to be doing well and I'm happy with where they're at.

7/12/2009 11:16:08 AM

Cincinnati, OH

Amigatec, didn't you mean grams instead of pounds? Hard for me to believe that, but if its true, you go man!

7/12/2009 12:43:42 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I think he's messed up on units too :)

I'm not worried until I cut my monsters off and get the heavy equipment to lug them off to weigh. Wrecker has a sliding boom winch lift and a flatbed they can put a semi on, he said $75 to load and haul.

I'm seriouly fighting heat, finally had a few slowpokes kick it up and take off... and some are set and some still setting.

7/12/2009 2:18:57 PM

Oklahoma State Record Holder

I pollinated on June 7th, I did that to set fruit before the heat set in.

7/12/2009 2:27:43 PM

Cincinnati, OH

Never heard of anybody pollinating that early, very few even have males by then. Do you live on the yellow brick rd?

7/12/2009 4:14:07 PM

Minnesota

Good & Bad, flatvine and broken main tip on the other, but, should be able to get some great genetics using the side vines.

7/12/2009 4:28:11 PM

Cincinnati, OH

Rookie mistakes cost me, tonight if the pumpkin does not grow I know i'm doomed and will pull up. I learned a lot though and should be prepared next year. I did not take it serious until after the first pumpkin set and started growing rapidly, now I realize you have to get serious from the get-go.

7/12/2009 4:39:14 PM

[email protected]

Aside from needing to dry out up here and warm up, plants are growing and I'm almost done pollinating. If I can stay ahead of the weeds and SVBs I'll be doing well. But with highs barely reaching 70 for July it's been tough to do. Weeds are beating me, and I can't stay ahead on the spray programs for bugs and fungicide. Every time I do we get a gully washer like yesterdays storm.

7/12/2009 5:42:31 PM

PA Punkin' Pharmer, Not sure what killed them. Some kind of disease that stopped the growth and would not let pumpkins set. Still looking into it.

Martin

7/12/2009 6:15:18 PM

Cincinnati, OH

It's an ongoing saga for me. I may be back on..after a brief spell of no growth (vines nor pumpkin) both vines and pumpkin are growing again. Measurement of pumpkin this evening showed 1/4 inch growth in the last two hours. Tonight will give me the story of doom or delight. I believe I won the battle with the vine borers, at least I killed them that is, but the future of the pumpkin is at stake. They appeared to do minimal damage on the vine, compared to what they are capable of doing that is. This web site ROCKS! I appreciated all the help regardless the outcome. Amigatic, I would like to see pictures of your monster you claim to have. No doubt you have knowledge well beyond mind but I have my doubts on what you claim.

7/12/2009 7:20:11 PM

Oklahoma State Record Holder

I started my seeds on April 4th and planted out on April 15th. I am Zone 7 so my last frost day April 15th.

I have posted the pictures in my diary.

7/12/2009 7:55:48 PM

Johnstown, Ohio

Whats wrong with 400 pounds? Anyone growing for an early weigh-off had better be there by now or they won't be able to compete. It takes a large hoophouse/greenhouse, but worth the effort if you can get the big one early! We have three early ones going fairly well, but two need to go to the Ohio SState Fair for carving before the first weigh-off. :-(

7/12/2009 8:54:01 PM

Cincinnati, OH

Absolutelt no problem at all with that, I applaud it loudly, I would like to see pictures though, I could tell you as easy as anyone I have a 400 pounder, but that is far from the truth, I have a pea compared to that. I wanna see what a 400 pounder looks like this early.

7/12/2009 9:20:34 PM

Oklahoma State Record Holder

It's not that I have an early WO, it was just that I was trying to beat the heat. The 1st week of July is very hot here. I had problems that year with the heat. And I hope the extra month will give me some good growth, I don't want ti growing to fast, just enough to keep it alive and split free.

I hope to keep it alive until Oct 3rd for the WO, but I have a place that I can weight it earlier if I have to.

7/12/2009 9:28:25 PM

Oklahoma State Record Holder

Also in this zone I don't need hoophouses or heating cables, my soil was running 70*-75* in mid April.

7/12/2009 9:31:31 PM

[email protected]

Martin, thats too bad, I hope you get it figured out.

Good luck with your remaining plant!

7/12/2009 10:10:14 PM

Columbus Ohio

Squashcarver, you do not have a 400 pounder going, I have been to your patch. It was only 396 today, I should know I measured it.
Seriously, I grow with squashcarver and we have a 400 pounder in the patch. I will get pics tomorrow and post.

7/12/2009 10:12:13 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Difference that a grow zone and two thousand less feet elevation makes. I'm glad I invested in those heat cables.

Our weighoff is two weeks later, so. Heat started earlier than ever and enough vines took their time, so I have shotgunned starts (some here, some there...) but. What gets to the scale is all that matters. You've had to duck a lot more bad weather Pat.

7/12/2009 11:54:32 PM

Fresno, CA

I pollinated about the same time as Amigatec. It was a lot earlier than last year's first pollination. However mine is only 80 pounds. That is probably due to a lot of factors. I'm using store bought seeds on a lawn with no soil amendments and I don't have misting in yet even though the temps have been over 100. But I could see how doing things right, Amigatec could be at 400 pounds by now. Look at how Brodie got to 580 by starting early in Lousiana.

7/13/2009 12:09:41 AM

Cincinnati, OH

WTG amigatic, pictures make me more of a believer. I now know what a 400 pound pumpkin looks like mid july. When do you think it will reach it's median weight? I'm learning through mistakes, I am fortunate (thanks to advice users of this sight, thanks okiegal)I think I won the war against the vine borers. I caught 'em early after they entered the vine and needled them to death. My pumpkin is back growing again, only two inches overnite, but at least it's growing. She is now 29 inches. How much gain should I expect in the coming week? Being a rookie, I set my goal low at 200 lbs. I'll be happy with that mere midget if I get there. Fun Fun....I will probably become an addict.

7/13/2009 7:19:23 AM

Rhode Island

mine are so big i can hardly see them---lol

7/13/2009 9:08:00 AM

Cincinnati, OH

The borers or the pumpkins? lol

7/13/2009 9:41:09 AM

Cincinnati, OH

Next year I think it might be easier growing a Giant Borer.hmmm, now that's a thought, wonder what the world record is.

7/13/2009 9:42:24 AM

Gettysburg, PA

lost seven pumpkins over the weekend to rabbits and deer. Oh well, won't have to make the hard decision on which ones to cull. :-) I did pollenate another AG this morning and have a few others ready soon.

I still have one AG that's growing 3"cc per day. Its' 30" at day 13. Also have one Prizewinner that's 27" at day 12. Keeping right up with the giant. I'll be installing protective measures tonight around those two, and the whole patch if necessary.

7/13/2009 10:26:02 AM

Oklahoma State Record Holder

My season may be over, for the last 2 days I have had no measurable growth in the patch. Both the 1081 and the 1112 haven't grown much, (1/2 inch maybe) but it's been 100* for 4 days and we have another one coming.

I am watering for 4 hours a day now just trying to get enough water to keep the soil damp.

7/14/2009 8:38:40 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I hope that's sand Pat you're putting in that bag.

I've been fighting the heat since about the first of the month, triple digits.

7/15/2009 9:04:11 AM

Oklahoma State Record Holder

I go have some growth but very little the soil is just to dry I have increased the watering to 8 hours a day. I have to get some water into the soil.

7/15/2009 8:02:33 PM