From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Valley Falls, Kansas

Just curious after looking at a lot of the diary’s and other posts it looks like at 10 days after pollination I need to be around 27" to get a huge one, now this is my first year and I really didn't do much to the soil besides add a lot of granular 13-13-13 and a little bit of composted manure basically a good dusting, at the beginning of the season I used 10-15-10 once or twice a week and watered as needed, before the blooms were coming on I started using some 20-20-20 to give the plants a boost and it worked the "salad" has grown great, my concern is currently I have a few pumpkins set "open pollinations" because I can't be there in the morning, and none of them are going to make it to the 27" or even 20" by day 10 should I be doing more than watering and burying vines or is it prolly cause I am not hand pollinating any suggestions would be great. My diary pretty much shows everything I have done oh and fish/ smelly products are a BIG no no for me this year because of an ample supply of wildlife already found that out the hard way. Thanks a bunch!

7/12/2008 4:55:02 PM

Dillsburg, PA

10 day measurements really don't mean that much. I'd say consider keeping a fruit above 22" in good position and where you want it on the vine. You will see people with anywhere from 20-35+ on day 10 but it is where it finishes that counts. If you can get a fruit to grow 60-75+ days you will be in good shape.

7/12/2008 5:26:36 PM

Pinedale, WY

Wow, my son is going to be huge. He is 10 days old today, and he is 22"'s. If he is going to weigh 800 lbs we better get him into sumo wrestling or something.

7/12/2008 6:27:08 PM

Picton,ON (j.vincent@xplornet.ca)

Our Largest pumpkin last year was only like 19-20" on day 10. Big is good and really gets the blood boiling, but as Jeff says, what really matters is what it weighs in the end! Keep working on your pumpkin. Keep the weeds out. You may want to try some mirical grow water soluable. I know a lot of folks here will tell you to stay away from this stuff, but there have been a lots of big ones grown using water soluable ferts. Especially because your soil is unamended. I would try a handful of a balanced water soluable in a 5 gal pail of warm water per plant, once a week. See what happens. I have used 35-5-10 water soluable for this before, but 20-20-20 will work also.

(I am an advocate of the fish/ seaweed program as well, but I think these folks that are just starting with unamended soil will see a great benifit form using some water soluables)

John

7/12/2008 6:53:45 PM

Valley Falls, Kansas

Thanks for the advice everyone, Countrykid I heard that you were not supposed to use anything while the fruits were setting or they would abort, I have about 3 plants that I want to grow around (3) pumpkins on each so I have a few small AG's come october if it works out that way, and the other (4) plants are going to only have (1) each to hopefully be big guys, should I stay away from the fert's until all the fruit I want has set?

7/12/2008 7:15:44 PM

Somerset,Ky

805 Pukos day 10 37" cir for James

7/12/2008 8:37:59 PM

Picton,ON (j.vincent@xplornet.ca)

I apply a high phosphorous foliar fert once a week throughout pollination along with seaweed. Once the fruit are set and past day 10, I will go back to a higher nitrogen fert.....and its County, not Country...lol

John

7/13/2008 12:37:54 AM

Dayton OH

day 10 37" !! WOW Let's not hear any sandbaggin' out of James.

7/13/2008 11:08:34 AM

Buffalo, New York

27" by day 10?

is that 27" around the circumference of the pumpkin parallel to ground or perpendicular to stem and blossom?

7/13/2008 2:56:01 PM

Rhode Island

remember kids early growth also is dependant on plant size your growing on.
example if you are still filling out a large plant , the fruit is set farther out and many sides are yet to be terminated ? , the fruit early on will not grow as fast as a fruit on a small plant with the set closer to the base.
thats another reason why early measurements dont mean a lot to me.

7/14/2008 5:58:47 AM

Kevinstinindians@yahoo.com

I agree with what Pap said. My largest day 10 fruit ever was on a plant that was never over 150 sqft. It was 34" on day 10. It grew very well unitl it got up to about 250 lbs, then it just stopped.

7/15/2008 12:51:59 AM

Buffalo, New York

pap

i am growing 2 flag plants, each is at about 15 ft long main vine and longest secondary vines are out about 10' now.

i have a fruit pollinated about 12' on main of one plant

should i start terminating the 10' secondary vines yet or wait?

7/15/2008 1:51:39 AM

Colorado Springs.Co

You heard Pap Children. That cracks me up. I'm torn between the humor and wanting your wisdom. Keep feeding us your knowledge pap.lol

7/15/2008 3:10:35 AM

Rhode Island

terminate now before the sides start crawling up the side of your house

7/16/2008 5:40:12 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Nah, Pap, if they get that friendly, open the window and hand them a brewski. :)

I worry about my 10 day only when deciding between multiple fruits on same plant!

7/16/2008 6:07:24 PM

Buffalo, New York

if growing flag plants, 10' secondary vines are long enough?

it is hard to let them grow any longer because they will be growing within the vines of the other flag plant i am growing.

7/17/2008 1:11:32 AM