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Mercersburg, PA

What parameters should be used as a benchmark to cull everything but "the One" on the plant. I have seen several growers talking about aborts when pumpkins were beachball sized, but I assume this is rare. I just want to know if there is a weight or some sort of indication where i can cull all the rest of my "oh shit" pumpkins. I am down to three total now with the #1 putting on about 10#/day.

7/22/2009 11:28:08 AM

Wi

Some of the best growers simply select the one that has the best position on the vine and is far enough from the crown. Early vigor isn't an indicator of the final size of the pumpkin.

7/22/2009 12:25:17 PM

Marion,IN

Try using the site search, I think this topic has been talked about recently.

7/22/2009 1:05:24 PM

Mercersburg, PA

Yes, I realize that, but when do most people go down to one?

7/22/2009 1:05:42 PM

milford, CT,

I used to go by day 10 numbers ...BUT..recently I spoke to a much more experienced grower and he has convinced me that you need to wait until @ day 18 when they start to really move..That's what I am doing this year ...I don't think you can wait much more than July 25th. Mark

7/22/2009 1:35:46 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I pick depending on a lot of factors, I can put a culling knife to it as early as four days. 10-20 days and 'no longer fits under the resin lawn chair' is usually the time I have made my choice, built a shelter, and take the knife to all the other females as I find them.

Reasons to go early, include signs of misforming, abort in progress, much better set (this was a misshapen 4 lober and a perfect five or six showed 4' farther down), patch elephant, etc. A vine I had last year was a primadonna and first set just started petering out and the backup set took off, so the basketball first set felt the knife.

Moral: it's not cut and dried. However if there's a reason to not keep it, cull it right then. Hesitating just takes resources away from better candidates.

7/23/2009 5:58:37 AM

Rhode Island

because all fruit grows differently i prefer to wait for my keeper to get to 60 inches before culling that last backup pumpkin.
60 inches by the way is also the circumference that ag fruit start to put on the poundage. a good pumpkin when at 60 inches circumference should be gaining 5 to 6 + inches a day

7/23/2009 5:52:43 PM

Taylorsville, California

Listen to Pap,, he's a great grower with actual experience and not just regurgitated info from well meaning second year growers, be careful who you listen to! Thanks again for your posts Pap, they are greatly appreciated!

7/28/2009 1:45:51 PM

Washington

Like Pap, we like to make sure that our 'choice' has set before making the final decision. Position on the vine, distance from stump, shape of fruit, cross, age, etc. are all factors considered in making the final cut. Even after choosing our keeper, we will continue to set 1 or 2 down the main as backup. By now all have been culled to 1 pumpkin. If possible, talk to other growers in your area about their practices. Back East they get faster growth than we typically do here in the Northwest. Good luck!
Sherry LaRue

7/28/2009 4:09:12 PM