From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Cincinnati, OH

I would like to know how many of you had successful first seasons of growing.

7/16/2009 10:18:06 PM

Picton,ON ([email protected])

I grew 721.5 lbs 1st year. PB 1170 last year. Been growing for 5 years

7/16/2009 10:31:21 PM

ordinary,VA

first year .572 on the scale another one left home 631 est to ugly to take to the fair you learn fast its not a beauty contest :)

7/16/2009 10:47:06 PM

hamilton,Ontario

grew 3345.45 lbs first year.decided to cut it up with a hack saw..didnt want national attention from tv , enquirer or the hassel from the pumkarazzzzi....

sorry to many canadians this evening.vacation!off for 1 week..wooooooooooooooohooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!

7/16/2009 11:46:54 PM

Midway, UT

I think any grower that got one to the scale was a successful grower their first year. Grew one 755 pounds my first year after the plant got pummeled by hail twice in the spring. Its not easy growing in Colorado.

7/17/2009 12:37:23 AM

Medford OR.

This will be my third year.My first 2 years I did everything wrong and had no idea what I was doing,and grew one 103 Lbs. It won most beautiful at our contest here $100.00.At that point I was hooked.This year I have a lot more info and have been doing alot more right.My biggest as of today measures 109 OTT=35.7 Lbs.If I can get it to the scale I am sure to hit 400-1700 Lbs. Whatever the pumpkins gods giveth!!!

7/17/2009 1:11:45 AM

Paradise Mountain, New York

824 first year and won fifth place at Altoona, Pa.

7/17/2009 8:25:43 AM

[email protected]

My first two seasons, same thing, knew nothing, and did everything wrong of course. First season 256, second season 275, third season 802, and 938. This season jury still out!

7/17/2009 8:45:06 AM

Cincinnati, OH

It is great reading all these replies. I hope more come. My bar is set low..originally I was going to happy with a 150-200 pounder, now I just want to make it to the end of the season!

Countykid---that sounds like a winner of a first year

Ed---So you had a Beauty and the Beast, that's a love story enough to get you hooked.

Eng6900--have fun on vacation..forget the pumpkins ..eh?

Arvadaboy--I been back to Colorado 4 times in the last year (I say "back" because I grew up there) You guys have bee bombarded with a huge amount of hail this year. The last day of my last trip, you had 6" OF HAIL!! It looked like a good snowfall. If you get to the scales..everyone should "hail" to you as king.

Ron--Yours appears to be a carbon copy of mine, (without the hassels i'm sure) i'm just under you at 108OT, I at least made it to that scale! lol

Pumpkinbrat--A great first year that was sure to get you hooked

7/17/2009 8:54:05 AM

Cincinnati, OH

Diamondlady--Sounds like third times a charm for you. I'll be happy with results like that. Starting out, I thought I could just plant these, do a little watering, and watch them grow! Boy was I wrong!

7/17/2009 9:48:29 AM

hamilton,Ontario

forget the pumpkins.........no chance in .........

For me its always been about the kids..I started this when one of my boys was young and showed interest..first year..i grew field pumpkins.then got hooked .I know with my garden size ...around 4X14 i will never grow a record.but come halloween and I have a pumpkin on the front porch and you here the kids and parents going oooooo and awwwwww ..it makes it worth it x 10000000000000.....to the people real interested i give them a couple seeds....for the upcoming season......it is for me relaxing....fun and my buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...and YES I WAS already in the PATCH at 7:30am this morning

7/17/2009 10:01:48 AM

hamilton,Ontario

as for your borer problem......look at my old diaries.......it is my life.just when.I got some good insecticide this year.we will see.last year I paid my daughter a dime an egg.and had a bounty of 10 bucks for every mama.I think i doled out about 46 bucks last year and I got 3 mama borerws myself....it is frustrating expecially with the ban this year in Ontario..keep going it is well woth it in the end

7/17/2009 10:05:06 AM

Pocatello ([email protected])

Some of you in your first year are growing fruits that would have been a world record 15 years ago!

I made it to 240 my first year.

7/17/2009 10:11:34 AM

Cincinnati, OH

Ron...bad math on my part, Reading ruler backwards as it is under the pumpkin. Mine is 98OTT, still enough to get me on the other scale though.
Eng6900--I gotta love it when parents take the time to make lasting impressions on the kids at a young age. You only get ONE SHOT at them, and the benefits is a lifetime of good memories. I painstakingly had a tradition with my daughter of building snowcastles after every big snow storm. One year I built one 12 ft. high and 16 ft. round. I cut in windows and doors and even made furniture inside. We then colored it with water-food dye solution. The local paper did a story on it. A memory that will never leave her. TAKE the time, dad's especially, to take advantage of these opportunities so you don't regret it later on. When the kids get older, they will continue to let you know just how happy it made them feel

7/17/2009 10:20:16 AM

Cincinnati, OH

Your right Cliff, I was reading that in my studies. Unbelievable how quickly the records have been falling. When will we get that one that weighs a ton? Is it even possible? 1000 seemed impossible just a short while ago.

7/17/2009 10:23:38 AM

Springfield Il

my dad bought me some Dill seeds and challenged me to a contest last year. I did nothing except water occasionally and got a 140 pounder. Impressed all my friends and neighbors. Now I'm hooked and obsessed with bigger and better results this year. But somehow I angered the pumpkin Gods and things aren't going well. Had to pull out my biggest and best vine due to what i think is yellow vine disease. I am now crossing my fingers in hopes that one of the other nwer vines will come thru for me.

7/17/2009 1:29:46 PM

Minnesota

237 last year, ( I have planted before but never serious like this) I don't have much room, I hope to get some good crosses.

7/17/2009 1:37:27 PM

Maine

Last year was my first year and I grew a 696 pounder. Surpassed my own personal goal. My goal this year is to just beat last years weight.

7/17/2009 3:28:10 PM

Ohio

I took a pumpkin to my clubs weigh off in 2007 ''The Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers'' at Parks Garden Center in Ohio and weighed one in at 1402 lbs,,and guess what place I finished?,,,, nope not 1st, uhhh,, nope not 2nd,, nope not even 3rd!,,,,,,, 6TH! place!!,,lol,,, this is the kind of SUCCESFULL growers I have to grow against every year,,lol,,, everyone in the Ohio Valley club are great and successful growers.

7/17/2009 4:06:08 PM

Oklahoma State Record Holder

My first year was last year and I grew a 460 lber.

7/17/2009 5:41:16 PM

ordinary,VA

dang Brooks you really need to move east say Virginia you would be the pumpkin king by far!!

7/17/2009 7:02:35 PM

Breslau, Ontario, Canada

I grew a 489 my first year.

7/17/2009 8:27:16 PM

Windsor, Ontario, Canada

93 lbs first year with seeds from Lowes. 449 second year.

7/17/2009 8:49:41 PM

Cincinnati, OH

Brook, I spoke with Alan Gibson of OVGPG a couple of times early in the season. I may end up at the patch tour depending how surgery goes next friday. I considered joining, but they are way out of my league right now. If all goes well, i'll hit one of the fairs.

7/17/2009 9:56:37 PM

Cincinnati, OH

ALL great stories..keep 'em comming, i'm sure all the growers out there, new and old, enjoy reading these as much as me.

7/17/2009 11:01:51 PM

Dexter, OR

Last year was my first year. I had 2 plants and got 2 pumpkins to the scales. 1129Lbs and 1097lbs. I even had one of my chickens peck a 4" around by 1" deep hole in the 1097 and had to fight that for a few months. Off to a good start this year as well. Good luck everyone!

7/18/2009 1:49:57 AM

Ohio

Don't think like that Pumpkinator, no one is out of your league growing pumpkins, Alan Gibson is a great guy to talk to for sure, one of the best pumpkin buds I have had since I started growing, he has helped me out tremendously since I started growing.

You will find out that none of those growers in the OVGPG club is out of your league, they all are regular people like you and me, and if you ever need help they are definitely there for you to help any way they can, join the club and you will see, one of the best group of guys and gals growing pumpkins today, none of them will ever act like they are out of your league by how big of a pumpkin they grew compared to what someone else grew, trust me on that.

7/18/2009 4:56:25 AM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

I'll second what Brooks said. The OVGPG puts on a first class patch tour and beginner and experienced seminars. We would also welcome you to the SOGPG.

7/18/2009 6:39:56 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I joined some big-boy (and gal) clubs just because. :) I'm too far away to patch visit or attend things like the picnic, but. The newsletters and other things have been well worth it. I have yet to stand next to anything other than what I have grown for the biggest thing I've laid eyes on in person; but. Hooked as they come. Last year, 425# off season 1.5 with a trainer vine leading the way and that one getting a few less mistakes than the trainer.

7/18/2009 1:17:15 PM

Cincinnati, OH

All of you are right, this is one of the friendliest group of people i've had the privelidge of conversing with in quite some time. Alan gave me great advice in the beginning which inabled me to have a clearer picture of this hobby. He also pointed me to this web site. All of you have been eager to give pointers to this here rookie. I ask a lot of questions and it doesn't annoy you (unlike my doctors, you know that breed) A local grower has contacted me and invited me to see his patch. He sounds to have a great set-up and has one over 400 lbs already. Check out his diary and you'll see why i'm eager to see his set-up.
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryView.asp?season=2009&grower=46315&action=L

7/18/2009 7:01:07 PM