From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Bristol R.I. USA

Just wondering from all of you..What was the first seed you ever planted and how did you get started in this crazy hobby. I got my start from watching T.V Ron Wallace just broke the world record at Freriches farm. I was at the weigh off and thought Maybe I could grow a pumpkin. I thought about it for a year or two and then decided to try my luck,I wrote to a heavy hitter and he gave me a seed. He understood that it was a tough project so he offered a seed and words of encouragment.It was an 1180 Pukos.
I grew a 679 lbs Pumpkin that went 30% heavy. I was hooked...I met plenty of people and found great friends. I asked questions and they offered advice and helping hands. This year I grew a 906 lbs Pumpkmin from the Wallace 1288 and will continue to grow and try and break my personal best., The times I enjoy are right before the pumpkin hits the scale and after the anouncement is made. I hope to get the rest of my family as motivated as I am. Their slowly coming along. This truly is America's national fruit..lol!

10/25/2010 1:35:27 PM

Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia

Personaly I believe that the fruit is owned by Nova Scotia Canada.

10/25/2010 4:18:54 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Fall 2007, ordered seeds from Victory Seeds (seedsavers)- they had Dill's Atlantic Giants. 9 seeds in the package. 2008, early March, I planted my starter everything and planted the whole pack, 1 per 20 oz cup. ONE took over the world, just got HUGE, I found BP just before Niagara 2008.

That plant turned out to be a very expensive lesson in why I don't start that early, a bet with Matt Winey got the grow out. I also got other seeds that generous growers sent me, started 1018 Langevin and 1009 Young (John Young); started season onepointfive that year... pb 425. HOOKED.

2009, put in 8, severed a main on one after set fruit, and that one fruited... 9 plants, 11 pumpkins, 689.5 ...

2010 reality said hi, zero. Hubby decided to join me in growing too...

H*ll*v* ride this pumpkin growin! There's always 2011!!!!!!!!

10/25/2010 4:20:32 PM

Cheshire,Ma

I was at the Big E Fair and bought some from the I believe the 4H, grew a 130 lber and was hooked.

10/25/2010 4:23:34 PM

Billerica,Massachusetts

1987 saw a basket at the fair " send $1.00 for giant pumpkin seeds, i think it was from Hugh Wiberg?

10/25/2010 4:34:09 PM

West Sacramento Ca.

got a few seeds from the elk grove weigh off years ago.

10/25/2010 5:45:44 PM

Joliet, IL

in 2002 i ordered seeds from howard dill. i grew the 857 corkum and did not know i was growing a squash plant until the female showed up green and stayed green. i never saw or new what the asterisks were for on the seed list. lol. doh!!! the 375 shenoha 2002 estimate squash went down to blossomn rot from pooling water in the indented blossom end. i put it out in front of the house and the neighborhood punks rolled it down the hill into the street. it was a wheel shape so it rolled a long way and busted on the curb a house away from mine. lol. i new nothing at the time about gardeneing. here is a funny thing i did, i put a whole 40 bag of 10-10-10 fetilizer right in the planting hole and put the plant on top of that with just my garden dirt and some peat moss. wow! i never gardened before and figured more is better. i have toned it down a bit over the years....not much...just a bit..lol.

10/25/2010 6:01:30 PM

Anamosa, IA [email protected]

I bought generic seeds and got a 176.6. That year the growers at Anamosa were selling seeds for $1 each. I got a good one grown by Dan Carlson and got a 633. That hooked me.

10/25/2010 6:02:36 PM

Minnesota

weeks seeds co. had a stand at the hardware store, the company holds many fruit & veg records, convincing enough for me to try and grow a giant pumpkin.

10/25/2010 6:05:44 PM

East Jordan, MI

My wife was born in Circleville OH, so the Pumpkin Show is the event of the year. Took vacation and came from the far ends of the earth. Once from Japan, once from Hawaii, 5 times from GA, then we moved "back home". For the last 6 years of living here she would ask me why I didn't grow one (we both love to garden -- me especially). I would say, "I don't have the time it takes to do it right". Last year watching the weigh-off, and all of the growers celebrating their accomplishments really got me to thinking that I wanted to give it a shot. I started reading and researching through the winter. When springtime came, I started patch prep and asked Dr. Bob if I got my patch ready where I could get some seeds to grow one of those monsters. He graciously offered me some. The 1368 Liggett and the 1108.5 Miller. I spent 3 hours a day on the internet and a minimum of 2 hours a day in the patch from 15 March to present -- Im getting next year's patch ready. I am looking forward to next year an hope I can apply all of the things that I have learned through this year. WHAT AN AMAZING HOBBY!!!!! Simply INCREDIBLE!!

10/25/2010 9:19:36 PM

Upa Creek, MO

Me and a buddy bought a pack of Lowes AG seesds this year to see who could grow a bigger pumpkin for a case of beer. I found this site in June which helped me keep my plant viable till October while his went under in July due to Vine Borers and PM. Next year will be a whole new season for me with a prepared site and better seeds.

10/25/2010 9:29:33 PM

Bloomington, IN

My first try at growing a big pumpkin was with Prizewinner seeds I bought at Menards in 2008. That summer I came accross BP, and later on got my hands on some good Atlantic Giant seeds, one of them being a 1250 Kline I won in a guess the weight contest that a Mr. Ed Pappas had. In 2009 I grew my first AG to 352 lbs on that 1250. Thanks again Ed for the seed!

10/26/2010 12:41:51 PM

First seed came from Larry Checkon -645 Checkon and grew my 278

10/26/2010 1:55:15 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Luke, did you get yer case of beer? Peace, Wayne

10/27/2010 12:45:31 AM