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Winston Salem NC

I am new to growing pumpkins this year and until I found this site and bought How to Grow World Class Giant Pumpkins II and III I new absolutely nothing about them. I currently have field pumpkins ( Burpee Jack-o-Lanterns) and Burpee Prizewinners growing. They were set late on June 15th. I have kept one pumpkin on the one Prizewinner plant, Cut back to one main vine and cut all third growth vines (tietaries?) and buried them all. The pumpkin is set 9 feet out on the main and was pollinated on July 19th. Growth was averaging 3.5-4 inches Cir. per day until 8/3 then it dropped back to 2.5-3 inches. Then it pretty much stopped. The following is the OTT measurements for the last few days.
8/4 131.5
8/6 144.75
8/7 149.75
8/8 151.5
8/9 152.5
8/10 152.5
I water with one pack of Miracle Grow(24-8-16) every Sunday, and water each day. I havent seen any Squash Borers, just a few aphids. The leaves all look good and the vines that I cut off had a good taproot and root system growing. The Pumpkin is shaded with a 8x10 blue tarp and is on blue foam insulation to keep it from laying on the ground. It has just begun to really form the ribs and turn a faint shade of orange. Is it normal for these to slow down and then pick back up? Or is mine fixing to abort the fruit? I have some male blooms still forming but no females. Thanks for any and all help in advance.
Rick

8/10/2008 11:04:08 PM

Bloomington, IN

Don't know if it will help but at this point in time I think you should be switching over to a fertilizer that stresses more on phosphorus(P) and potassium(K) like 10-20-20. Though if your daily temps have been unseasonably cool like here in Indiana, that could be the issue. I'm a newb like you and also happen to be growing the same pumpkins, Burpee's Jack-O'-Lanterns and Prizewinners. My prizewinners have also slowed to a crawl this past week, I can only assume because of the weather. As for whether or not it will keep growing once it has begun to turn orange I don't know. My prizewinner that has turned a little orange has been growing slower than the one that is still yellow. I don't think they will abort though. Hopefully a more knowledgeable person will chime in.

By the way, you must be doing better than me as I set mine out May 29, pollinated 7/10 and 7/17 and both's otts are still between 110 and 120, having averaged only 2-3 inch daily gains in cc until they began slowing down, lol.

8/11/2008 12:52:39 AM

Massillon, Ohio

I have grown a lot of Prizewinners....mostly as field pumpkins, but have given some the same treatment as the AG's., but with 2 fruit on the plant. Just so you know what you might expect: One finished out at 150 lbs. At day 23 (about where you're at)the OTT was 160". I think the growth you're getting is great for a Prizewinner. In '05, Kevin Dodd from CA grew one to 330 lbs. You could check back in his diary for more info & pictures.....BP name, "Duffbeer". Good luck. I'll be anxious to hear where you end up!

8/11/2008 8:28:31 AM

Santa Ynez California

Hi. I grew prize winners last year. Just same thing you did this year with one per plant etc. All stopped at a point and just finished. I think it is their genetics. I was very disappointed but it got me to buy good seeds for this year. i have two plants this year and both are the biggest pumpkins i have ever seen in real life and growing about 14 pounds a day. i chalked up last year to experience and also to getting me the itch to grow really big ones lol. i hope this helps. steve

8/11/2008 11:51:39 AM

Winston Salem NC

Thanks for the replys. I have been trying to find a local source for a higher potassium fertilizer but to no avial. The nitrogen content in the Miracle Grow isnt really helping anything. I have cut back some more secondarys to see if I can get it to start back up again, its a little while yet until Sept. to the local fair. If anybody thinks of anything else I'm glad to learn and hear it. I will keep this updated to track the progress. Next season I will start up a diary. Thanks again to all replys.
Rick

8/11/2008 2:19:38 PM