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Valley Falls, Kansas

I am not getting very good daily growth numbers my pumpkins are around 20-30 days old and the best I am gettting is 13lbs a day some are only growing 4-8 lbs a day, I am a newbie so I am not looking for 30-40 lbs a day but I am wondering if there is something else I could be doing I just picked back up on my fertz using 1/2 the recommended of 20-20-20 twice a week and they are getting plenty of water I do the squeeze the dirt in your hand testing to make sure they have enough water, plus I have the pumpkins shaded, I can't use any of the fish or smelly stuff this year and maybe thats my problem, any suggestions would be great!

7/30/2008 3:40:56 PM

Dummer Twp - Ontario

How big is your plant, what has the weather been like? these can play a big factor in how much is grows, whats the cc and ott on your pumpkins? are you hitting the benchmark numbers

7/31/2008 11:29:51 AM

Valley Falls, Kansas

the past 3 days it hasn't gotten into the 80's so I am guessing that is what the problem is, but here are my numbers,

Generic#1a - 51"cir. / 116"ott (est day20)

Generic#1b - 46"cir. / 112"ott (est day20)

Generic#2a - 56"cir. / 142"ott (est day20)

Generic#2b - 46"cir. / 114"ott (est day20)

Generic#3 - 65"cir. / 155"ott (day30)

Staring 561 2007 - 61"cir / 154"ott (est day20)

my plants are roughly 400-500 sq ft

also I currently have 4 pumpkins on "generic 2" and 2 pumpkins on "generic 1" the other 2 plants have 1 each, I am thinking about culling the others and hoping they will keep until october and turn color but I am not sure??... I had some field pumpkins that were picked in august last year and they lasted till thanksgiving but I am not sure about the atlantic giants? I know my numbers are low and that is probley due to ground prep, flooding we had in may, and so on but as long as they are still growing I will let them be, just wondering if there is anything that could give them a boost. Thanks for any advice - sorry if that was long winded, I tend to do that some times....

7/31/2008 1:17:20 PM

Rhode Island

one of your problems is that you have planted seeds that have no history (generic numbers for your plants would indicate store bought seeds) that is a problem in itself

if this is the case next year id advise planting good seed stocks from established growers.
secondly do a lot of reading this winter
thirdly have your soil annalized this fall (early ) and get it ammended as needed

pap

7/31/2008 8:44:41 PM

Valley Falls, Kansas

Thanks pap I do appreciate your advice, the only reason I have generic seeds is because I didn't find this site until around april and I had already purchased my seeds from P and P seed company and didn't have the heart to pull them with it being my first year and all I figured what could it hurt to grow some generic seeds for some nice halloween pumpkins, I have quite a few seeds that I have gotten from some good growers and they were planted late so they are just now putting pumpkins on, as for the soil I thank you again for the advice I am going to have it annalized this fall, sorry if my question seemed out of line I know my ground isn't perfect and that I don't have spectacular seeds, after reading a post that was posted after mine you answered my question perfectly Thank you again pap.
silentb

8/1/2008 9:08:46 AM

Valley Falls, Kansas

by the way I am pretty sure it was more the weather than anything, cause yesterday we got into the 90's again and I had 2 pumpkins gain around 20 lbs and another gain 15 lbs the others are still small gains but I am sure that is due to growing multiples on (1) plant.

8/1/2008 9:13:37 AM