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Location

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Date Posted

New York

For those of you who have made the jump from 500-1000lbs, from 1000-1500lbs, from 1500lbs-2000lbs what were the biggest improvements you made to make those jumps? Overall what are the biggest improvements you’ve made in growing giants pumpkins?

1/17/2022 9:31:00 PM

Pittsburgh, PA

I believe mine was water management that made the biggest difference

1/17/2022 11:43:24 PM

Dillonvale, Ohio

Learning how top balance the soil, water management and overall plant care has made huge differences for me.

1/18/2022 8:09:52 PM

Quebec

We stopped using the tiller five years ago and started to grow bio diverse cover crops.

1/19/2022 8:40:16 AM

Western NY

Long ago, when I made the jump from 917 to 1407 - I had moved. I took my old dirt with me - placed on top of new dirt and tilled in.

I was stuck in the 1400s rut for a while after that. Had more 1400s than anyone else without breaking 1500.

Then, everything kind of broke loose in 2017. Had a 1742, 1826, and 1971. It was the second year in yet another new patch.

I'm sure there's little adjustments I've made along the way that I don't even realize I've changed but I think the majority of improvements have been in the soil, and getting lucky with some of the seeds.

The spot I grew my big one in was first grown in 2012, you can see the process for bringing it up to speed in my 2012 diary. actually, if not for the split, I would have had a new PB by far that first year in the new patch. I grew there 2012-2015, 2019, and 2021.

1/19/2022 8:51:54 AM

Brandon,WI.

Went from 989 to 1242 to 1540 to 1817 in 4 years.I would say,water management and soil fertility were my 2 biggest areas of improvement.Next goal: 2000# :)

1/19/2022 4:35:48 PM

Grittyville, WA

My best result still owes to a dumptruck load of dairy goat manure that was heavily laden with alfalfa. That spot grew 2400 lbs of pumpkins in about 700 square feet. (11 pumpkins total, the largest was 462 lbs) Horse manure comes in second... Chicken comes in last. Just wish I had pruned it all down to one pumpkin, but I still have to consider it my best result.

1/19/2022 4:52:03 PM

Centennial Colorado

I went from 73 to 97 to 177 to 511 to 817 to 1066. This was all more than one improvement. I would say water, soil, nutrients, plant management. My largest improvement over time was watering and soil. Last year it was water and plant management.

1/19/2022 5:06:08 PM