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Zurich, Ontario Canada

2 days to weigh off and i find a soft spot at the bottom of my kin. I dug out soft spot and sprayed cavity with alcohol. Hole is about 4 inches round and 2 inches deep. Is kin still good for the weigh off if not rotted all the way through. I'm guessing I have another 8 inches of solid behind what I dug out.

9/27/2012 7:07:50 PM

East Jordan, MI

Here are the GPC rules:

http://greatpumpkincommonwealth.com/PDF/rules.pdf
Page 4 about halfways down states

"The specimen must be sound, healthy, and undamaged. Entries must be free of rot, holes or cracks through to the cavity, and serious soft spots.
A) The Judges reserve the right to probe cracks, holes, and to dig out soft spots to judge a fruit official or not. Before the Judges can execute any of the previous they must have the grower present.
B) A serious soft spot is one that is greater than 3 inches in diameter, and greater than 3 inches deep. The dimensions of the soft spot will be measured after all soft material has been removed with a spoon.
C) If there are more than two soft spots that require material to be removed and measured, the pumpkin will be disqualified even if each is smaller than the definition of “a serious soft spot”.
D) Judging is to be completed before a fruit is officially weighed."

9/27/2012 7:18:01 PM

43.841677 , -79.086692

It will be up to the judge. You can read the gpc description of what disqualifies a pumpkin on the GPC website. I have only been growing for a couple years but the soft spots I've encountered typically start from the inside. :-(

9/27/2012 7:18:22 PM

43.841677 , -79.086692

Cecil beat me too it.

9/27/2012 7:20:02 PM

Maine

Was JUST going to send that along, too......because granddaughter's pinhole actually CLOSED when the pumpkin grew another 30 pounds...hole only 1/32" deep and maybe 1/4" diameter, so I looked it up....if it's wider and deeper than 3", it's toast.....try anyway, see what they say...we are!!! I wish you all the luck in the world, because you've been a wonderful help on here!!!

9/27/2012 7:48:32 PM

Zurich, Ontario Canada

Thanks!! If the bottom doesn't fall out of it during lift-off, i'll be off to the show. Just like a runner that finishes the race with a broken ankle (your not going to win but at least you tried!!!

9/27/2012 8:01:23 PM

Maine

we're doing the same...up here they dry it out and slam it with toilet wax to hold it, then dig it all out and take it in....best of luck - let us know how it goes! When is your weighoff?? (we didn't plug with anything, we just hoped...and it may have worked....our weighoff is this Sunday)Fingers crossed very hard for you...it's so disappointing!!!

9/27/2012 8:04:48 PM