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Ct

I'm having a hard time choosing which pumpkin to keep this year and looking for some help. I'm growing in the Denver CO metro and it's my 2nd time growing (my first was 10+ years ago when I grew a beautiful 800+ sq ft vine but failed to pollinate until after August 1st and ended up with 300LBs in CT). This year my vine is small, about 14' with 4-5 mostly short secondaries 1-3 feet. I have a pumpkin set at 10' that is the size of a very large grapefruit. I have another set at 11.5' that is tennis ball sized but currently at a very acute angle with the vine (I started repositioning it towards 90 degrees today, but it's still at like a 30 degree angle). And a third at 13' that opened today and I pollinated it. I wasn't burying my vine until about a week ago when I mounded soil over about half of it. So there is not much in the way of roots yet at all, other than where the plant started.

Given it's July 12th, should I keep the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd (assuming it sets). I would have preferred the 2nd or 3rd, but the plant has already put considerable energy into the first given it is the size of a (very) large grapefruit. I have not buried any vine beyond 8 or 9' because I did not know which I would keep. I also did not bury the first few feet of the vine because it was climbing out of a raised bed. Should I cut off the 1st one given the 2nd has set and let the 2nd and 3rd compete for a week? Or cut off the 2nd and 3rd and go with the 1st one. I don't know exactly what to expect for active growing season here in Denver.

Obviously will not be getting anything huge this year. But I'd be very happy with anything over 200 or 300 pounds. This is just an Atlantic Giant I picked up at the nursery so I don't know what to expect in terms of genetics. The secondaries are not as aggressive as I remember, but that could be because the first 4-5' of the vine are partially shaded. Next year I'd like to do things right now that I have the set up ready.

Thank you for any advice!

7/13/2022 1:29:22 AM

Grittyville, WA

No great advice, but a grapefruit only weighs two pounds or so, thats not too huge an investment. I generally save my lament for culls that weigh 50-100 lbs. If you're willing to protect your plant from frost you might go with a later pollination. If you could get a September frost, then maybe keep the early pollination.

Ps if the stigma is firm at 3-4 DAP you have a good pollination if its rubbery its no good.

7/13/2022 2:40:49 AM

Syracuse, NY

I had the same scenario on an experimental vine in '20 on my 2003 Haist which grew my 940.6 otherwise;
Right side oldest sec had a tert (ha ha, 'mod' lingo) and I poll'd a total of 3 on it over prolly 2 weeks' time - the first aborted in favor of the second and the second aborted in favor of the third;
I forget now if that final one is now my Seed X or Seed Y
(X my 301.5# or X my 20#) but the point is that IIIIIIIIIIII feel that the laters will outshine the earliers, perhaps depending on numerous factors - especially how well the plant is doing overall...but, this is all what happened for me, anyway - I hope this helped you---eg

7/13/2022 4:19:22 AM

Bethlehem CT

A grapefruit is not very large, I might say keep the first pumpkin if it was the size of a beach ball, but really I don't think it matters to much in your scenario. Go with the pumpkin that has the shape you want and perhaps also consider the vine angle a bit. Although any angle can be made workable however it is coming off the vine. Some will be easier than others though.

7/13/2022 8:17:56 AM

Mission Viejo, CA

Personally, I would cull that first one- not enough plant behind it to have it really get going. The second one will give you a couple more secondaries on each side. See how the third one develops before culling the 2nd. You want as much plant behind the fruit as possible.
Store bought seeds are no bueno. This winter you will find lots of opportunities to get good seeds. Join the Rocky Mountain Giant Pumpkin Growers and for your $35 you will get a bounty of better seeds!

7/13/2022 11:23:16 AM