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North Of The Border

Next year i want to try for a fairs record, 1037 pounds. The fair is the second weekend of september, and after thinking about it, i realized, i woukd need to pollinate early to mid june to have 100 days of fruit growrh. I have not been able to pollinate before mid july yet, and wanted to know, how could i plant a plant out in early- mid May, and expect a pollination by early- mid june.
Thanks!

9/13/2020 8:08:58 AM

Central NY

If you put out in early/mid may, pollinated toward the end of June, early July you would have enough time to challenge that record. Still need to check all the boxes , including the proper diet for your patch conditions. All part of the fun. Hope you crush it next season!

9/13/2020 8:22:12 AM

North Of The Border

Well, i have about 250, to spend on the patch, figure i can use about 150 on adding to the soil with a home soil test result, an then spend about 15 dollars to get 5 gallon buckets so i can grow more tomatoes. After that, i would see about getting a bag of potting soil, or something similar to stert the plants in. The i would work on getting another bag of 4 31 37, and maybe 20 20 20, for water soluble. Then see about geting fish emulsion, seaweed, and mychrohizeal fungi. I have about 6 pumpkin seeds, that are from 1400+ pounders, with realy good genes, that i want to plant, and hopefully get 1000 pounds from. If i can do well, like this year, and increase the weight from seed weight, then hopefully ill make 1500! I grew 240, from a 216 pound seed, so using that ratio, i should get a 1675 from a 1500 pound seed! Anyway, i will try and plant in pots in mid-april, and transplant, hopefully in early may, and then be able to pollinate early, i was just wondering what i should look at buying mpnext year, to help get a 15 foot main, for a late june- early july pollination.

I too hope i crush it next year, and hope it is fun, and not a collosal dream crushing moment, seeing a blossom/stem/rib/dill ring split/rot spot. Hope you do well next year too! Thanks!

9/13/2020 11:57:55 AM

Syracuse, NY

initially, i would coach myself to only grow 2, maybe 3 fruits on the entire plant, the first on the main vine at at least 10 feet but NOT pollinating any more on the main after it, because i've found that later pollinations suck the life out of earlier ones, on the same vine; therefore, your FIRST on the main would be your ONLY on the main, with another one on a first (left of stump) secondary and another on the opposing (right of stump) secondary, to each be culled away once it's believed that the one and only on the MAIN is the one to go the distance with. also, i am a BIG fan of tilling in Mycorrhizae @ 5+ lbs./1000 sf to inoculate the entire growing area, like an army of billions of spores/propagules that will help each and every root get as much nutrition as possible, even during drought and/or disease pressure otherwise. concerning this, the soil itself from the actual growing area can be used to bury the rooting nodes, not spending $$ on other compost or soil, etc. lastly, although it hasn't worked for me YET, lol---bare soil with Myco incorporated, slapped with a VERY short-growing cover crop of your choosing to keep the soil active and hopefully, with more luck than i've had, '(unwanted) weed'-free---good luck! eric g

9/13/2020 2:35:53 PM

Syracuse, NY

PS---in driving or riding around, keep a sharp eye out for any manufacturing or hardware, any company with a loading dock - you'll eventually see and/or please do ask about where you can get free buckets - if you mention growing ANY giant fruit or vegetable, they'll be even more happy to show you to them;
THERE - another $15 for Myco!---eg

9/13/2020 2:43:48 PM

Colorado

Early mature pumpkin means Bigger plant at a earlier date.So need to shoot for warmer dirt in the first part of the season.So soil heating cables, bigger spring cloche,Heater in that bigger cloche

9/14/2020 1:05:13 AM

North Of The Border

I will only do one fruit, and it will be on the main, between 10-15 feet out. My main will be terminated at 15ish, and side vines can grow out a 25 foot width to the bed. So all in all, I am pretty sure that it will be a 475 square foot bed, with the plant out 3 or so feet out from the 25 foot side, and it will grow straight down a 17 foot length, or about 15 feet of length. Will definitely till in mycorohizael at least around the planting area. I have a 8x5 area for my cliche, and it is all I have, but should be enough, as the plant should be fine by early-mid June out on its own. This year, I took the cliches off in the beginning of June, and the plants were fine. Hopefully, next year has good weather, and I can do this, and get a good one. Can't do soil heating cables, or a heater, because they did no electricity to the patch, and that would be an expensive project. Wil try and figure something out. Definitely going o try one thing I heard suggested, and dig out the planting area, to help it warm up deeper down. Thanks for the advice.

Thanks!

9/14/2020 4:23:33 PM

Westmoreland, KS

I would spend $20 on a soil test right now before doing anything. Then post the results in your diary and smart dudes on this site can help you dial in your soil. That is the best way to get started on crushing the record!

9/21/2020 2:51:12 PM

Central NY

Thumbs up emoji

9/21/2020 2:58:55 PM

Bethlehem CT

You should be able to beat the 1037 fair record even with a mid July pollination and second week of September harvest date. Starting earlier certainly won't hurt though.

1/20/2021 8:28:59 AM