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Waterloo, Nebraska

I am charting my pumpkins progress on Joe Alits benchmark chart. Should I be using the measurements that I get in the morning or in the evening? For example, my day 10 AM circ measurement was 26 inches and my PM measurement was 28 inches. I know that in the end it won't matter, but I was hoping to have a good compaison for my early progress. What does everybody else use?
Thanks,
Jody

7/12/2006 11:02:08 AM

Mocksville, NC

same time every day, if you can, and use a marker to mark were you had the tape the last time

7/12/2006 12:18:25 PM

Waterloo, Nebraska

The marker is a good idea. Thanks. I have been measuring at 6:00AM and 6:00PM.
Jody

7/12/2006 12:21:22 PM

Mocksville, NC

I should have said mark the pumpkin the 1st time , and use the same spots were to put the tape, Sorry! That way you can tell if the tape slips or your measuring in a differant spot Hope that helps Rog.

7/12/2006 12:24:38 PM

Waterloo, Nebraska

I figured that was what you meant. Thanks for the suggestion.

7/12/2006 1:07:40 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

pupkins grow at night...very little during the day when they're manufacturing....grow when they're "storing" the goodies.

7/12/2006 1:23:30 PM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

Thanks for the info Alexsdad, I had never heard or read that pumpkins grow more at night but just my own observation seems to support it.

7/12/2006 9:40:12 PM

Doylestown, PA

To add to the question, if you're using the benchmark, which direction do you measure circumference. Pretty much every thing I've read says stem to blossom, perpendicular to the ground... but I have seen several pictures in diary's of people measuring around the middle of the pumpkin, perpendicular to the stem?????

7/13/2006 9:09:16 AM

Waterloo, Nebraska

I measured my pumpkin in the middle perpendicular to the stem until it got big enough that I worried something would snap if I picked it up to put the measuring tape under it. I am now measuring stem end to blossom end level with the ground. I hope this is right. The thing looks so perfectly round that I doubt it matters.

7/13/2006 4:06:11 PM

Follansbee, Wv

The circumference measurement is taken around the fruit parallel to the ground, from stem to blossom to stem again in a complete circle. There are two other OTT measurements to take as well. The side to side measurement, taken from the ground, over the highest point and straight back to the ground on the other side (do not wrap the tape under the fruit). The final measurement is the stem to blossom measurement. Again starting at the ground on the stem end measure straight up and over the top of the highest point of the fruit to the ground on the blossom end.
The side to side and stem to blossom measurements should start on the ground beside the fruit and go straight up and down. This means that the tape will NOT always start where the pumpkin meets the soil!

7/13/2006 5:10:36 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Excellent exp. Monty, those three measurments added together make up what is called "OTT"!!!!! Great description!!! Peace, Wayne

7/13/2006 9:59:38 PM