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towson maryland

we had a patch this season of regular size pumpkins it was a blast. My daughter saw the giant pumpkins and wants to grow them. We have no experience but we are willing to learn how to grow large pumpkins. we live in Maryland 21204 and we need help.

9/3/2010 10:02:36 AM

El Paso TX.

You've come to the right place -- lots of experienced growers on this site with tons of information -- this was my first year growing for much the same reason you mention (we had grown some field pumpkins the last 2 years and my 10 year old niece wanted something larger for this year - After I found this site last year and showed her some of the pics ) This year we did pretty well with one 320lber, one 187lber on the same plant (she wouldn't let me cull the one so had 2 on the one plant !) and then another plant with a 107 and 94 Lber (this plant got caught up in a bad wind storm and had several splits and twists in the vines but still managed to grow a couple decent size fruits)

Best info I can pass along is spend this winter reading through some of the posts here and you'll get a lot of good information. - Also for getting good seeds come back on here in a couple months (starting after halloween since that is when all of the fairs are over and the seeds are dried out and ready to send off) and go to the seed exchange forum and there will be a bunch of really good genetic seeds offered for the low price of a SASBE (self addressed stamped bubble envelope) - so look through the posts and find a few seeds that you'd be interested in and send them a SASBE with a little note and they'll send you some good seed (which is the first piece of growing a giant).

9/3/2010 11:05:10 AM

El Paso TX.

Right now ours are sitting on pallets in the garage waiting to be carved for halloween so not sure how well the seeds will hold up but if you'd like a few seeds from them just send me an E-mail (JDFanning@sbcglobal.net) and once they are removed and dried I'll send you several so you'll have some to experiment with (they weren't the biggest growing here in the hot Texas sunshine - but have good genetics and if nothing else will give you some seeds to practice on for filing\germinating etc.

Here's a couple Pics of them :

320 Fanning 2010 - 851 Fowler 2009 x self - http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc189/JDFanning_bucket/PICT0011.jpg

187 Fanning 2010 - 851 Fowler x 763 Young - http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc189/JDFanning_bucket/PICT0010.jpg

95 Fanning 2010 - 421 Drum x 763 Young - http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc189/JDFanning_bucket/PICT0008.jpg

85 Fanning 2010 - 421 Drum x self - http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc189/JDFanning_bucket/PICT0002-1.jpg

9/3/2010 11:05:17 AM

towson maryland

thank you so much for replying and we will love for you to send us some seeds we will send you a email.

9/3/2010 11:20:15 AM

Coventry R.I.

Buddy,,, send me a bubble and I will send you some seeds,, it is a little early for this,, look in my 08/09 diary get my e/mail there.

9/3/2010 9:04:19 PM

East Jordan, MI

Buddy,
I too am a first year grower and would like to echo JDFan's words. Don Langevin published 3 books "How to Grow World Class Giant Pumpkins (I II III)" which I would suggest that you read.
http://www.amazon.com/Grow-World-Class-Pumpkins-All-Organic/dp/0975515373/ref=pd_sim_b_3

http://www.amazon.com/Grow-World-Class-Giant-Pumpkins/dp/0963279351/ref=pd_sim_b_1

http://www.amazon.com/Grow-World-Class-Giant-Pumpkins/dp/0963279319

This is "THE PLACE" to get the most info. LOTS OF good advice. Post questions, read message boards, go into the live chat and you will get TONS of help. The more you put into it, the more you will get out of it. I too will be happy to send you some seeds. Take a gander at my diary. I have seeds ready from the one I blew up and if there are viable seeds in the big one still on the vine, I will certainly be happy to share them too.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryView.asp?season=2010&grower=54784&action=L

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=140967

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=142730

9/3/2010 9:41:28 PM

3 acre corner in Whittaker,Mi USA (faulkner5@msn.com)

Hi buddy!
This was also my first year and I was given seeds back in december and had a blast growing them!! I've hit 500 lb. On both of my biggest fruits and you're also more than welcome to some when I get them removed from the pumpkins.
My first fruit was on my 1054.5 van hook which was crossed with my 1339 vincent/mcgill plant and I stopped measuring it when it hit 500 lb. So hopfully it'll be even bigger when I take it to the weighoff!
My 2nd fruit is on my 1339 plant which was crossed with the 1054.5 plant and is right on the heels in keeping up with the other fruit.
You can see them in my diary (october bandit).
Send me an email if your interested!! Erik

9/4/2010 4:23:56 AM