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Uk

Just spit balling here so bere with me. If I'm not mistaken there are a few growers that have a lot of space to grow, some even have this plus glasshouses etc but a lot of growers simply don't have anything close to this espicially in England.

This must stop people getting into it & I'm guessing stops a lot of very good growers from growing absolute specimens due to resources, this must mean they don't get anywhere near the amount of praise very good growers with resources get?

Has anyone ever thought of making the 150 sq foot challenge more legit to even the playing field?

7/22/2023 3:19:16 AM

Uk

Addition to the main post: I'm not refering to myself in that post what's so ever as I don't regard myself as good grower, got a lot to learn. It just came to mind when I saw a couple of growers on Instagram that just didn't have the space but were so good.

7/22/2023 9:12:23 AM

Grittyville, WA

Not sure what exactly you are proposing...? We all have resources... Leveling the playing field is not going to help anyone, but there is a strong inclination amongst people to compare what they've got to what other people have. No one should feel sorry for theirself, they can if they want to but actually its not helpful to themselves... It's better to just toughen up and do the best you can with what you've got. As for the 150 competition Steve Connelly, or John Butler, or Joe Jutras, these growers didnt use anything THAT far out of reach. And Dan Sutherland is also, as far as I know, using stuff that is well within reach of an average household/ homeowner. Again, not sure if you are saying what knowledge or resources should be leveled, maybe I am blind to the hardships faced by city dwellers. Most people live in the city because there are higher paying jobs there, or because on some level its their preference to do so.

7/22/2023 10:06:34 AM

Uk

Please forgive if you think I'm trying to be negative, complain or have an angle.

All I was really trying to say is that here in the UK the total space of gardens and most likely in Europe don't come to 800 square feet plus unless you have a bit of money.

I know a lot more goes into it other than square footage but it does play a part.

To be honest mate what I'm trying to ask is what do people do with small sq footage?

7/22/2023 12:02:53 PM

Westmoreland, KS

So first off 800 ft.² is big enough to grow world-class fruit I grew in 1990 pounder in 650 to 700 square. I’m with gritty people have to toughen up and quit worrying about how people are growing the world class fruit and saying oh boo-hoo I’ll never be able to do that. People don’t care how you grow the big ones they only want the biggest fruits that’s what brings the crowds to the weighoffs. That’s what’s great about this hobby you grow out there one year and set your personal best and then you just try to beat that quit worrying about what so-and-so is doing if you want to beat someone so you better do exactly what he’s doing otherwise, just try to beat yourself quit worrying about it.

7/22/2023 1:34:33 PM

Grittyville, WA

There's some amazing stuff to learn about increasing yield, if I may suggest John Kempfs 'How excess nitrogen creates yield drag' start at 14 min you will see (forgive the silly old cliche) that maybe (garden) size isnt everything... its how you use it.

7/22/2023 6:03:31 PM

Grittyville, WA

He specifically mentions higher yield on smaller plants at the 14 min mark.

7/22/2023 6:04:57 PM

Colorado

It's about personal bests for me.The fun is the biggest in your garden= trying to beat someone in a totally different climate is like hitting your head against a wall.

7/23/2023 3:08:26 PM

Wisconsin

There are literally millions of kids that play baseball knowing full well they will never make the major leagues.....Why do they play? I'd venture to say because its fun, comradery, a challenge, the list goes on and on. The same applies to these pumpkins.

7/24/2023 10:59:31 AM

Westmoreland, KS

bingo mike!

7/25/2023 11:28:43 PM

Kutztown, PA

I can see WA's point though. Having lived in both the city and country I can say that it is pretty tuff to get close to 800 sf of good space to grow in if you live in a neighborhood. I think the 150 is a great way to pursue the hobby, be competitive, and have some fun too, with way less resources. (Even though my 150 main rotted in half this year I'm still a believer:)) I live in the country now and have a pretty big area to grow in (4600 sf). Even so, there are many added challenges, including fighting off more than my share of insects due to adjacent farming operations, wind, over spray etc. not to mention the cost of keeping up with that many plants. Worst of all (vine burying for several plants :)). Bigger isn't always better. Right now I think the entry fee for the 150 sf is $5. My guess is if Steve upped the anti to $20 the 150 sf would become more attractive to more people. Of course the bigger the prize the more contestants and the more contestants the more work it takes to administer the contest. Of course the extra work might actually capture enough of Steve Connolly's time to prevent him from entering the contest, so there are benefits. LOL

7/26/2023 3:53:11 PM

Uk

I agree with you Moby but on the other hand I'm not talking about people that wont 'make it', I'm talking about the peeps out there that are more than up to par but simply due to personal financial reasons etc would be behind the ball.

For example... Not having a 100k+ job that allows them to buy land/automated systems with a glasshouse or poly. Not being in an area where gardens are of sufficient size, which I'm guessing is just down to luck.

I would think people that can grow 3+ pumpkins or more would expontentially increase the likely hood of higher weights simply from a genetic perspective due to having the space.

Putting it simply... if you had adequate space to grow 1 AG & the exact same you (Same experience, skill etc) had the land to grow 4/5 etc would you feel like the 'you' with more land not including anything else, had a significant advantage?

Does this mean there's an advantage that goes outside the relms of growing?

I apologise again if anyone sees this as negative complaining... I'm personally trying to have good conversation, learn & I'm more than open to being wrong. I really didn't want to post this as I don't want to look like a knob but I'm new & it does seem like weigh offs are a big part of the game.

7/26/2023 3:54:49 PM

Jericho Vermont

You need to find what motivates you. 26 years ago I started with a pack of retail Dill Atlantic giant seeds with a thought I would blow the neighborhood away with a huge pumpkin Halloween display. 26 years later this still drives me but we have added a couple of other giants and focus on breeding orange AG's. We love to go to weigh offs but we refer to them as pumpkin parties. Life is short. Have fun and don't worry about what others are doing.

7/26/2023 7:55:51 PM

Uk

Add on: The last post's example didn't include large polytunnels or glasshouses with automated systems... Just land.

How would a bloke on 400 - 500 square feet with one plant that has sufficient knowledge & skill think that they've got just as much of a chance when it comes to reaching the same weights (excluding a lucky year).

In a hobby that focuses a lot on weight, apart from skill/knowledge, weight does to some degree correlate with space & the chance of growing a heavier plant increases when more plants are grown. I'm sure being able to control climate as well in these big polytunnels etc plays a part too.

The reason I'm saying this is that I feel the differences are pretty substantial & if you're the bloke on the small bit of land with limited dollar you are looking at a major up hill battle that has nothing to do with growing but down to situations that have to do with finances or a stroke of luck ie: living in an area with large gardens or knowing someone.

7/26/2023 8:01:57 PM

Westmoreland, KS

Here's the issue. If we were to pay the top 5 for green house grower and top prize was 3000 dollar's for first place. Then at the same weigh off we were to pay the exact same amount for outside grown pumpkins or pumpkins grown in smaller places or whatever. And I grew my pumpkin in a greenhouse but I knew I would lose that one but win the outside category what would be stopping me from entering my fruit in the other category even though I know that I grew it in a greenhouse. How would you ever regulate that, it's impossible. I mean I grow 2 in a greenhouse and 2 outside the only reason people know which ones are inside is because I document it but I don't have to so if I stopped documenting it the only person that would know where it was grown would be myself and I can say whatever I want to get the most prize money.

7/26/2023 11:30:37 PM

Grittyville, WA

Everyone has challenges. Its silly to say one persons financial problems outweigh another persons health problems or whatever. Haven't even mentioned one of the biggest advantages or disadvantages, which is having a 100% supportive spouse?
If you're youthful and enterprising, then you'll eventually make it happen... as with all things, success might not happen overnight. Most successful people probably struggled for 20 years or so.

7/27/2023 3:35:35 AM

Georgia

Or how about find a different hobby if the requirements are beyond your situation?

7/27/2023 8:30:31 AM

Bethlehem CT

Like Moby Mike I will use a sports analogy here. We all start with different gifts and natural advantages. For me basketball was always my sport, some guys were taller, some were more athletic and can jump higher and faster, some are shrewd and are able to mentally use what gifts they have to their advantage, others simply are willing to work and train harder than everyone else. I have played with players of equal talent and ability, I have also played with guys that are way more gifted and I can't even hold my own against them. If I were looking for a sport to compete at the highest level I would have to look for a different sport to play. The analogy to this would be if I were a grower with a space that was limited (say 150 square feet) and I still wanted to compete on a world class level I would consider competing in a different category like Marrow, field pumpkins, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, melons etc
By it's very nature growing giant pumpkins excludes so many people who would probably be fantastic growers. It truly isn't fair. The other day A guy came to my house delivering a package and he was looking at my gardens saying he wished he could do the same thing where he lived..but he lived in a small apartment in the city. Even his porch was too shaded to grow a tomato! I felt bad for the guy because I know how much of a blessing it is to be able to have a garden and cultivate something that produces fruit.
I have always felt we have to be very careful about dividing up into categories. The melon growing community was really split on this topic about ten years ago when grafting was first becoming common. It wasn't a good thing for the melon growing community and it became a little less fun to grow a giant melon for a time. (if that was possible.). I don't see anything wrong with a 150 square foot category for pumpkins, it would be like me joining a basketball league for people older than 40.

7/27/2023 8:44:43 AM

Westmoreland, KS

well put big moon

7/27/2023 8:59:58 AM

Grittyville, WA

Yep, thats at least a three pointer, big moon, more like a half court shot!
If you have talent and want to show it off... giant/long peppers, giant celery, and sunflowers??? and the thing I like to keep suggesting... giant dahlias.
With these, a grower can show off their skill/talent without a sprawling root zone. In the city, a person might even have an advantage with tall sunflowers, lots to attach to if you get along well enough with your apartment manager... But alas a lot does depend on other people when you live in the city. This is a two edged sword, there's going to be a few people willing to help, and lots of people NOT willing to help, the really critical part is to find the former and avoid the latter?
I remember as a kid wanting to use a three story house to somehow help grow a record-length carrot!
If you're dead set on growing a full size pumpkin plants, then you'll have to find a very wealthy enclave of sprawling estates like Martha's vinyard. A poor city guy/gal could offer to put in an extra 1,000 square feet of organic veggies in trade. For rich folk who have no gardening talent, it would be a win-win.

7/27/2023 10:47:33 AM