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Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

This is for all the growers, first yr or not. Bad yrs happen, one cannot expect to have the same great yr as the one before. Just because a seed grew a 1500 dosent mean it'll grow a 1500 if the conditions arent just right.

Every yr is different. This yr in colorado it was HOT and DRY yet in the spring in Iowa and other regions it waz Flooding.

My goal at the beginning of the yr was 700 plus, It kept going down as I relized it wouldnt happen. Now its just to have a pumpkin or two go to weigh off and maybe win a ribbon.
Changing goals helps u still feel like u accomplished something.

I am having a tough yr with the pumpkins yet i did well at the fairs. dont give up, just because your neighbor or someone who grows close to you has a great yr. DONT let this get to you. Learn from your mistakes(mine was not burrying all the vine like I should have done.) Write all your mistakes down Use the diary it'll save paper lol.

9/9/2008 9:27:15 AM

Rhode Island

oh fooie pooie. i dont have any pumpkins left and im pissed ----- lol
ya cant expect a stud season every year thats true. but ya dont have to cheer for the odder guy either - lol
pap

9/9/2008 6:56:42 PM

Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

pap i got a 100 pounder u can show at Jared's weigh off.lol

U said u were thinking of going to different weigh offs lol

9/9/2008 7:27:06 PM

Minnesota

I have one (I've done this 2 years now) at 107 pounds, I got 478 seeds out of it, it was from 1161 Holland, pollinated with Bee's (I don't know if it will be able to fly yet) & a 230 pounder that is gaining a few pounds a day. I'm happy with it, its my 2nd year, and it seems that alot of growers have had a bad year, it almost makes 230 seem bigger.

9/9/2008 8:49:24 PM

New Hampshire, USA

In my second year have 3 over 100 pounds, hope to get to 250-500 pounds next year!

9/9/2008 10:26:28 PM

Cochecton, NY

Couldn't be said better captain. If you do well one year, and bad even the next two, don't get down. If you let bad results damper your spirits, the anti pumpkin gods have won. Even though I am a first year grower, I now know alot about learning from mistakes or mishaps. This theory of holding on holds true in MANY areas. Not just this wonderful hobby.

9/9/2008 10:27:29 PM

For real pap ya don't have any pumpkins left??? does ron have any???? wishing you all a better year and me too.

9/10/2008 9:15:16 AM

Dummer Twp - Ontario

This is for all of the people that have never been to a weigh off. You will find that the ride to and from the weigh off will probably be more interesting and rewarding the first time around as these things attract attention from us non finatics for sure - enjoy and have fun, only one person at each weigh off has the heaviest and be proved of what you did and just try to improve each year.

Kirk

9/10/2008 12:23:47 PM

Buffalo, New York

yup, my first year too, had 2 fruit on the same plant go down with splits.

1 fruit left, about 330-340 pounds estimated.

bad thing for me is i only have enough patch space for 2 smaller flag plant like i tried this year or 1 bigger plant.

1 bigger plant next year means 1 fruit = less chance of having anything for a weighoff.

tough call......

9/13/2008 9:57:48 AM

Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

Well my 1225 the big one split on me(at the Rib).

We have a couple small pumpkins under 50 pounds that may hit 150.

I think of growing pumpkins like a train it keeps chugging along till it either hits the train depot or it gets derailed.
keep growing and never given up.

9/13/2008 10:10:44 AM

Anchorage Alaska

First time grower here lousy summer only 3 days hitting 70,still manage 328 lbs, after doing alot of rookie mistakes, Im happy as hell....I need global warming lol ....

9/14/2008 12:49:22 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

I did season 1.0 (Fat Fred) and season 1.5 (two real competition vines) and ... I got three to a scale so I call that wonderful for first pass. Dragging main the morning they went to the fair nice and slow with a car trailer with two sitting on it--priceless. They got a LOT of attention in front of the fair building.

I wanted 1k, between everything I'm proud just to get stuff to weigh. It always will have to be 'next year'.

I'd say for beginning; getting a pumpkin to 'mature' is the most important thing. :) After that is 'bigger is better' and if not, plan next year and clean up and prep the patch for the next pass. I wanted a WR, I would settle for halloween pumpkins, I got inbetween. You bet I'm back for '09!

9/15/2008 9:48:29 AM

Cochecton, NY

hey okie! what were your final weights?

9/15/2008 12:47:35 PM

Sunnyvale, California

So here I was fussin' and fumin' cause everybody I looked at here and elsewhere had bigger ,much bigger punks. What was the problem? I gave at least 75% effort and still my punks were munchkins. I buried the vines ,I prepped the plot,I had no bug ,fungus or bacteria problems of any kind(I grow organic). My vines still look fresh and green. Sure I started with generic AG seed but I have great punk weather out here. Then I was lookin at ebay,where I got the seed, and noticed that the auction I bought the seed from didnt close til June 9th-I did'nt even have the seed til mid june. It was july before the plants broke soil! This explains a lot. My plants are less than 90 days old total.The punks are only about 45 days old.Wait'll next year.I'm gonna get some pedigree seed and I'm starting in march!

9/24/2008 12:30:43 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Finally back to read here, big24, they were 425 on the 1009 Young and 324 on the 1018 Langevin... then before that was the 211.4 on the Fat Fred vine for the bet.

To Ted, at least you got something, and learned. :) A lot of us share seed, two rounds of 'pumpkin poker' a year. First is seeds, then is growing. Heh.

I wanted a WR, would have been happy with a porch halloween pumpkin, and ended up in between and got one from every vine I had to a scale (three) which means despite everything it was a GREAT year.

Pap you're one of my inspirations, I love your attitude too :)

Okiegal (Deb)
Soil, work on your patch this year. Get soil test, amend and build up your soil, and prepare it for spring. Start your plants indoors so you know what sprouted, and plant out after they're up (after sprout and into a gallon pot pre cut and taped so you can get it open... 5 days and it should be in ground, from seed soak to ground is maybe 10 days) Weather here bit me bad and I still managed to get something, so good luck next year!

10/3/2008 10:13:56 AM