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Fresno, CA

I've been collecting information on growing in hot conditions. Here in Fresno it's been over 100 for 9 days and should stay that way for another week. It can be discouraging (and not just in pumpkin growing). So I'm looking far and wide for inspiration. I'm trying to find out how big pumpkins can be grown in hot weather. And I want to see how many growers are in hot regions and how they are doing. First I put together a list of growers with active diaries here on BigPumpkins.com that live in hot climates. I needed to draw the line between hot and warm. I decided that hot is somewhere the average daily high temperature for July or August is over 90. Here is the list of growers I could find in the diaries that meet that criteria. Sorry If I missed you...
(user) (city) (state) (PB?)
Brodie Youngsville Louisiana 828
estaban Santa Ynez California 790
OkieGal Boise City Oklahoma 425
WDB(phoenixaz) Phoenix Arizona 230
Carolyn Phillips Nauvoo Alabama
Amigatec Haskell Oklahoma
DannyO Las Cruces New Mexico
Kpatch Collierville Tennessee
Mary, ocala FL Ocala Florida
KsLambert Lawrence Kansas
EndlessTrail Fresno California
nascar fan Highland California

7/24/2009 12:17:47 AM

Fresno, CA

I also ran through the GPC weigh off results to see what official records there were for growers that meet my hot climate criteria. The result is a table I posted as a pic in my diary..
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=113911
It's a little hard to readas a pic so you can also view it as a Google Spreadsheet..
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AguRPfcKNt4YdExMSTk1ZHVfSVZVMlFLT1pGTTUxMWc&hl=en
or tinyurl verion..
http://tinyurl.com/krjcg7
There are a lot of hot weather growers. And three people in the Sacramento area have topped 1,000 pounds. There are a couple of growers who are probably just a little under the heat criteria I used who have grown even bigger pumpkins like the grower in Monrovia who topped 1,300 lbs(AutumnLeaf?).

7/24/2009 12:28:29 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

At the moment, Oklahoma, is Thomas Hathorn, 638#, set in 2004. Pat (Amigatec) and I are battling it out this year. Yes I did a new PB last year of 425 and it's even hotter this year.

Heat control and sun control are two most important, followed by windbreak. As for how heavy we can go with how hot it's been; only the weighoff will tell.

7/24/2009 12:43:28 AM

Nova Scotia

I grew one in 2003 900lbs in the bahamas you can see my diary here.

7/24/2009 7:36:50 AM

South East

We grew our 897 last year. June temps were in the 100's and upper 90's. July was in the mid to upper 90's also. :)

7/24/2009 10:17:22 AM

Fresno, CA

Thanks for adding your records everyone. I forgot to add Midnight Gardener in Sacramento.

7/24/2009 10:46:00 AM

Fresno, CA

I also forgot to add kristibaker in McKinney,TX (near Dallas)

7/24/2009 12:12:38 PM

Monrovia, CA

Yes, it's been over 100 here in Monrovia for several days and they predict even hotter next week (is that possible?)
I grew my 1376 pumpkin in 07 with several days over 100. I think last year was alittle worse with an early heat wave in June as well as high 90's-100 in August. We finished at 1164.5# This year the growing tips are all frying. I think I'll be lucky to have anything at the end of the season!! Interesting reading about the hot weather pumpkins though.....now if we can list some good hot weather seeds. I really am liking how the 991 Urena is handling the heat so far!!

Stay Cool!
Michelle

7/24/2009 1:57:20 PM

Oklahoma State Record Holder

My Pumpkin last year was 460, and right now mine is close to 500 lbs for this year. We have had a total of about 10 days this year with 100 or better so far, but lately it has been in the 90's here.

7/24/2009 5:39:00 PM

Hot West Tennessee

Yes my first year last year , #435 pound with mid to upper 90S. This june was above average temps with the 90s all month, now below average for most of July made for making it tough on plants.

7/24/2009 6:58:50 PM

Hot West Tennessee

Oh yea average is 92 high 72 low for this time of year.

7/24/2009 7:00:39 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Not positive, but certainly believe that KY. avg daily highs, for July (and prbly Aug) are above 90...and 1216 Burton is the State record here!!! Peace, Wayne

7/25/2009 2:03:48 AM

Fresno, CA

Wayne, you are right. At least in Owensboro the July avg is 91.

7/25/2009 2:20:49 AM

Nicholls Georgia

i grew a 920 lb in south ga

7/25/2009 7:16:01 AM

Nicholls Georgia

and jason grew a 960

7/25/2009 7:17:37 AM

Hot West Tennessee

You have to factor in the night lows also. Usually I only get down in the mid to upper 70s if it gets in the mid 90s.
Not much relief. I have the suburb sprawl encroching me with its greenhouse effect. When first moved here 27 years ago you could feel a definate temp drop driving home at night 5 miles or so from home. Now I don't feel any drop at all.Got to really stay on a good watering program and then theres powdery mildew issues and then theres the humitity wew thick as theves. Ok I'll stop now. Just had to ramble. Not having the best 2nd year but could be wourse.

7/25/2009 9:11:47 AM

Long Island,New York

Boy...you guys really have your excuses lined up and ready.....nice to see y'all preparing ahead of time....lol

7/25/2009 10:30:34 AM

San Diego

the best hot weather seed from experience was the 950 boyton. It does extremely well in the heat. When you talk about heat tolerant seeds, there are no guarantees either. A certain percentage of plants from the same seed will do awesome in the heat, some average, and some will just suck. Take the 1014 holland, many growers have grown it in high heat with great success. My 1014 this year couldn't handle the heat worth a darn. So it's part seed, part luck in getting that heat tolerant one.

My 950 back in 2005, had consistant days in the 90's and 100's, stump rotted off before polination, plant still grew a 950 estimated the split on day 41, weighed 861. Would have gone way over the 1000 lb mark, only 275 sq foot of plant. I do think the 950 has some splitting tendencies thought, and tends to go light.

7/25/2009 1:05:28 PM

Hot West Tennessee

Not excuses just chat, Tn state record 1078 going to be mine sooner or later. If not this year the next or the next or the next etc.........

7/25/2009 3:43:14 PM

Hot West Tennessee

lol

7/25/2009 3:44:00 PM

Hot West Tennessee

Then I read,is it over, a few post up and have to settle for 1000- 1200 lbers must be nice to settle for 1200.......lol

7/25/2009 3:50:42 PM

Georgia

Dont worry about Glenn. Hes the kind of person that the rest of the actual STATE of New York wishes would float away with along with the rest of the citys in New Jersey where Long Islang actatually belongs. Plus maybe he missed the dozens of threads about the North east haven crappy weather this year. But Glenn knows a lot about growing pumpkins in constant 90 plus days with high humidity thats why he chimed in. Or Dunkin Donuts was closed so he was bored.

7/26/2009 8:12:10 PM

Las Cruces, NM

This is my first time growing pumpkins. I have 4 which one now est. weight is over the NM state record of 311 and the other 3 are not far behind. My seeds were Foss 748 and foss 834. Although I have no real idea of what I'm doing I figured "grow slow" with the heat. My plants are doing fine with the heat as long as I don't over fertilize. About 10-17 lbs a day is all I can get from them but I am very happy.

7/26/2009 8:58:44 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

Go Get that State Record Danny!

7/27/2009 8:40:07 AM

Utah

Average daily high for the Salt Lake City area for July is 92°F and 90°F for August. We always reach 100°F at least a few days each summer.

Kenny Blair, KennyB, Bountiful, UT, 1104 lbs.
Gordon Tanner, gordon, Kaysville, UT, 1054.5 lbs.
Andrew Israelsen, Izzy, Taylorsville, UT, 948 lbs.

9 pumpkins over 900+ between the 3 of us.
Andrew and I both use shade cloth.

www.utahpumpkingrowers.com

7/27/2009 4:10:01 PM

Utah

http://weather.msn.com/
type in your city ... then click on averages

7/27/2009 4:18:37 PM

San Diego

besides temps, relation to the angle of the sun and length of days is just as important. You can be 90 degrees in utah for example, and 90 in san diego. Two very different scenarios. Our days is much shorter in sunlight, with a much stronger sun angle. So Temps are part of the equation, but not the whole story. How far south you are is just as important.

7/28/2009 12:12:05 AM

Las Cruces, NM

One guess that I have is also elevation, We are at approx 4000 elev here and things seem to burn more easily than the same temp at a lower elevation. I also learned this while snowboarding, The sun is more intense the higher up you go. Also our avg rainfall is about 15in per year so there is really no humidity. This is just a thought to be considered.

7/28/2009 6:27:13 PM