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Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

Just, I studied the situation of the developement in weather change possiblities for Europe.
Within the first 10 days we should be not optimistic, no sighns for real change to be found.
After august 20th there is a chance of improvement possible.
Old hurricanes can go to the northern Atlantic Ocean, and high pressue could change place to more eastern position.
This could cause a more sustainable weather improvement here, finally. So I keep hopefull.

I am not too 'unhuppy', because in these conditions my 2 biggest pumpkins grow still up to 10lbs per day. That means that I will break my PB (63,5kg 2004) winthin about three days and the island contest best of last year (105kg) around august 21st.
If the weather improves by then all extra gain is above local records. :) :)

With all greenhouse effects: cardriving, industries; global warming, the chance on a warm summer next year only improves. New chances for good pumpkin weather next year in North and Central Europe too! :)

8/9/2005 7:11:09 AM

Cologne / Germany

Theo, it would be nice to have a warm late August / September, but around that time - in my opinion - peak growth is over, and too late to make up for lost time earlier in the season.
The worst part of the 2005 season so far was May / June. Too cold and wet for anything (not only pumpkins, other vegetables as well). The plants never fully recovered, and the best period for pollination passed by until mid July. In my area this means around 4 weeks too late.

8/9/2005 7:56:32 AM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

Yes, pollination was for me mostly more than three weeks later than last year, May was cold, but I kept the plants inside.

Allmost everything is worse than last year but, the heathwave of june was GOOD.
Due to the better seeds I still produce much bigger pumpkins. :)

It is a bad summer for pumpkins, but will it be a below avarage summer in total? I gess it will not.
1956 and 1966 that type of summers, it can get much worse...
The last 10, 15 years we are rather spoiled with this, global warming type of summers.
Suddenly it seems not every year like that. ;-)

8/9/2005 8:22:30 AM

Atlanta, Georgia

Floh,
From my own growth records I have had an average of about 40% of the total pumpkin growth occur in September. Just wanted to share that here.

With the constantly changing weather who knows???
Best regards,
Michel

8/15/2005 4:41:59 AM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

Maybe you always had quite late sets, Michel?

I looked through my notes from the past five growing seasons yesterday and the most what any of my fruits gained during September were 42 kg. That was my 472 pounder from last year that went from an est. weight of 150 kg (Sept. 1st) to 192 kg (Sept. 30th). It came in fourth place last year at 214 kg so it was about 12% heavy but we can't say that it gained from 150 to 214 in September as it was probably more than 150 on Sept. 1st....
Even my 2002 German record of 298.6 kg only gained 38 kg during September.

8/15/2005 7:58:42 AM