From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Knopp, Germany

For the newer growers do not give up hope, here is some data from my patch the last 2 years.

2003, these 3 pumpkins were all pollinated the last week of June
442 est mid-August, final weight 638, 196 pounds gained last 45 days of the season
468 est mid-August, final weight 642, 174 pounds gained last 45 days of the season
450 est mid-August, final weight 628, 178 pounds gained last 45 days of the season

2004, these 2 pumpkins were all pollinated the middle of July (unfortunately they split or would have grown even bigger)
159 est mid-August, final weight 474, 315 pounds gained last 45 days of the season
192 est mid-August, final weight 599, 407 pounds gained last 45 days of the season

The big difference in last 45 days of growth is because the 2004 pollinations where so late.

What is there to take from this data? Do not give up, whether you pollinated early or late, if you still take care of your plants, try to do all you can to keep them warm, and the pumpkins dry, you can still get plenty of growth.

8/16/2005 4:39:53 AM

Cologne / Germany

Right Owen. And from tomorrow the forecast is calling for summer weather all over Germany again. Better late than never. It will help for sure to get some extra lbs, 6 weeks growing time still in front of us.
I have 1 160 lbs and 1 130 lbs in the patch. That´s all for the season :-)

8/16/2005 5:00:09 AM

Austria

Owen,

Thank you for this. Especially those growing numbers of 04 can really give hope to us for sure. Just checked my pollination dates. My best pumpkin so far (N°2 on 826 Handy) was 144 lbs yesterday (quite ok for a newbie, isn`t it?) and was pollinated July 14th. Visited the patch yesterday and was really astouned. Some of the others are trying to catch up. I have two very good looking pumpkins on your 628 plant, one pollinated July 19th (a selfed lady on a back vine, really looking big already and a quite late one (N° 3 on the main) pollinated July 22th, also looking beautiful and promising. The last one mentioned is growing so fast that I have to adjust its cover every other day (or finaly build a bigger one). If the weather turns to what floh posted, we could maybe still enjoy some growth in the following weeks. I know the weather is really way to cold and wet this year, but still I feel quite a lot of joy when I visit my patch and recognize the pumpkins change of size at first sight. Hoping the weather will give all of us some extra pounds that some of us (me too) wouldn`t have dared hoping for.

8/16/2005 5:24:34 AM

Itzetown City

Owen I second that.
In 04 I've had a sqash, fruitset on 10.8.04 weighted in with 203 lbs on the 3rd of October.
But I don't believe that will work this year cause the leaves, after the wet cold weather, look like we've mid of september now.

8/16/2005 6:42:18 AM

Knopp, Germany

Heino, with all the time we have left 144 lbs for a new grower at mid-August is very good. If your soil is right, you have a shot at over 500 pounds. My first year best was 165 pounds, and I will never forget that pumpkin. Before I went to the weigh off, I thought it was unbelieveable. At the weigh off I learned better. A lesson that has always kept me striving for the biggest I can grow.

Werner, it is hard to get late season growth if the plant and leaves are already starting to die. I believe that is why a lot of great growers allow the main vine to continue to grow the whole season, and attempt to get some decent growth past the point where the pumpkin is set.

8/16/2005 7:00:24 AM

Austria

Owen,

I`m absolutely counting on your 628 when I consider the late-season growth of it you posted above. It has the best soil and the best protection in my patch. Unfortunately the soil as well as the leaves of the 826 Handy both don`t look very promising but it is a fantastic feeling looking at this (in my eyes) giant. The plant itself had suffered from the beginning (transplanting), its sidevines are very few and pale and week. The slightest gust of wind and it will lay down. The more it is amazing what beautiful fast growing fruit it produces. I`d like to take a picture every day but I don`t want to remove the construction above it all the time. I hope that the ups may surpass the downs this hobby can bring to a caring grower and that we may have all reason to cheer in October.

8/16/2005 7:41:42 AM

Loitsche/Sachsen-Anhalt/Germany

Owen,
My two plants have come through the bad weather well. I could see a clear improvement already today after a day +20°C. I have removed all side drives coming through, acted as a fertilizer well and splashed against mushroom attack, the last days. I still hope to get a good result.
I bring it to Ludwigsburg if I find helpers to this. However, I plan already now the sites for the next year. I then hope for good seeds which further bring me.

8/16/2005 3:58:56 PM

Austria

Christian,

Absolutely. There will be good growers enough who will be pleased to give good seeds to you for you have shown this year that even with store-bought seeds you were able to achieve results that were impressive.

8/17/2005 1:47:31 AM

Knopp, Germany

I hope that your efforts are well paid Christian. You have had a long season compared to most of us.

As Heino said seeds will not be a problem for you next year. My second year growing the only problem I had was picking which ones to grow I had so many...LOL

8/17/2005 2:13:42 AM

Loitsche/Sachsen-Anhalt/Germany

Ich habe mir extra einen Translator zugelegt, aber ich merke, dass Die Qualität schlecht ist. Ich schreibe jetzt nur noch in Deutsch. Es ist für alle besser.
Growers which cannot read any German, excuse please. Please use a Translator

Heino, Owen, Ich bin zuversichtlich guten Samen zu bekommen. Einige von euch schrieben mir schon eine eMail. Danke.

Wir sollten in einem neuen Thraed auch etwas über die genetische Verbesserung der AG's diskutieren. Ich halte das für sehr wichtig.

Diese Artikel zeigen, dass bei der Zucht von AG's noch sehr viel Reserven zu finden sind.
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/ViewArticle.asp?id=98
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/ViewArticle.asp?id=97

Das Problem ist vor allem, das es nicht genügend Aufzeichnungen über die wichtigsten Eigenschaften der Pflanzen zu geben scheint. Das Gewicht allein ist nicht ausschlaggebend. Dieses Problem kann nur eine große Gemeinschaft lösen.
Christian

8/17/2005 3:23:52 PM

Itzetown City

If you want good seeds and you want to walk on the safe side, you should wait for the weighoffs and then chose proven seeds. Also there'll be some autions and seedswapping in winter time on this site in the chat. Patience, its a long time til next year.

8/17/2005 7:33:20 PM

Knopp, Germany

Deutsche sprach, schwere sprach. Aber Du hast verscheinlich recht Christian. Irgendwan wird dein Englisch besser, aber meine Deutsch ist unverbesserlich…LOL.

Deciding what characteristics that one wants in a pumpkin is very important when the decision to cross different plants or to self pollinate a plant is made. Here are some of the things to consider, and this list is certainly not everything to consider:

Color, shape, thick walls, heavy to chart, heat resistant, good results in your geographic area, good results for other growers. When I decide what to plant I typically am only interested in those seeds that have been proven by other growers and that have gone heavy compared to the chart. For me color is not a factor at all, it is more of a secondary benefit should the pumpkin be a nice color.

8/18/2005 4:12:27 AM

Itzetown City

Owen, we all know you choose the seeds by their price at the auction. ;-) LOL

8/18/2005 9:13:07 AM

Knopp, Germany

Oh, that was a low blow Werner, but it was funny...LOL

8/18/2005 9:21:28 AM

Loitsche/Sachsen-Anhalt/Germany

Owen,
sollten wir festlegen, welche Informationen einer Aufzeichnung im Tagebuch genügen, um die Entscheidung für eine spätere Kreuzung treffen zu können?
Es ist doch vor allem der Stammbaum, also die Geschichte der familie´, von Elteren-Großeletern-Ur..-UrUr....u.u.u., der für die mendelschen Gesetze von Bedeutung ist.
Nach Joe Ailts spielt die Selbstbefruchtung dabei keine negative Rolle. Wie kommen wir da weiter, um eine europäische Linie zu entwickeln?

8/18/2005 12:17:47 PM

Knopp, Germany

"Wie kommen wir da weiter, um eine europäische Linie zu entwickeln?"

A very good question Christian. I believe that the best cross for a particular geograpic area will come from within a growers patch, not from within our continent. A good example will be one of Martin's seeds. He is already preparing crosses that meet his needs. Orange color, and big. I think that these crosses will assume a geographic idea, or trait of his patch and weather conditions (try to translate that...LOL) and do very well for him next year. The longer he grows his own crosses, with the traits that he desires, they will become more and more geographically or weather sensitive the type of seeds that other growers with the same type of climate that Martin has will have luck with.

The 950 Boyton is an excellent example, it does very well for growers in hot climates, as it was produced in Australia with temperatures well above 35 c constantly.

My idea is just a un-scientific theory, but I am not the only one that has similar ideas about geography and how well, or bad seeds produce.

A very good question, I hope that more respond. I will start another thread on this subject as I believe it warrents more input.

owen

8/18/2005 12:38:30 PM