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Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

Just thought I'd ask this question so that we get some talking going here during the summer months.
What are the goals (weight wise) of all you European growers for this season?

My No. 1 goal is bettering my PB of 658 lbs (298,6 kg) but I wouldn't mind 700 lbs.

When I started growing in 2000 700 lbs was quite a good sized pumpkin that was considered somewhat of a magical barrier to break. I know that this standard has probably risen to 1000 lbs by now but I always try to be realistic and from this point of view 1000 lbs is not quite possible in our climate, which is not consistent enough.

7/1/2005 10:24:57 AM

Knopp, Germany

1000 pounds. or 1 pound heavier then Martin's, whichever comes first. Seriously, 800 was my goal last year, and all of mine split, so 800 again this year.

7/1/2005 10:31:03 AM

Belgium Europe

Beating my PB of 416kg would be great,and a 400 or more kg pumpkin on my own 917ghaye would be the 'max'!.But i don't think 417kg will do for the Belgian or European title in 2005.I think at least 450kg will be good enough for top 3.
With the same amount of luck i had last year,maybe i can do it.
Good luck to all.
Jos

7/1/2005 2:10:00 PM

Atlanta, Georgia

I think 400 Kilos is possible on my 894 Glasier but it will still take a lot of miracles and luck to actually pull it off. Your 495 flipped over on me Martin but I hope to at least have an idea of what kind of pumpkins it throws and use the males to pollinate with.

It's going to be a few years until I can grow again so I gave away my fertilizer and all seeds last week, and I would love to at least have a new pb this year.
Best regards,
Michel

7/3/2005 8:43:00 AM

Cologne / Germany

I´m using the same seeds other growers from the US grew 1000+ from (1260 Weir, 1370 Rose, 996 Bobier) which means strictly backcrossing here. My soil is much better (and weed-free) this year and the patch setup is the best I ever had.
If we now get a "real summer" for July, August, and maybe September, I think we could have the same conditions the "heavy hitters" over there usually have. The cold spring was a serious problem for all of us, but you see many growers already had a good compensation during the last weeks.
Believe in yourself, your soil, your skills, your plants. 700+ is a realistic goal for all of us, but I´m sure we all can do more (with a little help of mother nature).
Good luck to everyone beating your PB and don´t forget to stay patient...plants do what they do...pumpkins grow the way they grow...and there´s not much help we can offer :)

7/4/2005 4:09:46 AM

Austria

I have no idea, my goal changes from day to day. Sometimes I`d like to optimistic rather than realistic I would appreciate very much, if some of you could post what you grew in your very first year. Clearly I want to go over 100 kg, my (probably way to) optimistic goal is 200 kg ...

7/4/2005 5:25:56 AM

Liverpool , England

Get my name in that Guiness book... best chance is with the squash..

7/4/2005 8:08:17 PM

Esneux / Liège / BELGIUM

My first year was 82 kilos.
I hope now to pass 250 kilos

7/5/2005 2:26:56 AM

Atlanta, Georgia

My first AG was 101 Kilos in very dry and windy conditions with no pruning done to the plant.
Best of Luck!

7/5/2005 2:43:46 AM

Austria

Haha, now Michel that`s a cool number ;-))

7/5/2005 3:26:54 AM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

My first AG ever, grown from a 700-900lbs generic Dill seed, weighed 117kg.
The plant was kept in a 10 m2 (100 sq.ft) area. Most vines were cut off with only the main vine and very few secondaries remaining, I had no clue!
I think you know a lot more this year than what I knew in my first year and you can get 200kg easily. You also have better seeds.

7/5/2005 5:28:35 AM

Austria

Thanks to all of you for posting your first-year experiences. Martin, I`m regaining my enthusiasm again now that you think that I could possibly grow over 200 kg. You know it`s kind of hard with all this people here shaking their heads in disbelief when talking of a pumpkin heavier than 150 kg ... and the description of that first patch, it just fits the one, my 628 is in ... lol. Must be due to Murphys law that this plant is doing most vigorous while the other two have plenty of space.

7/5/2005 9:24:28 AM

Atlanta, Georgia

Heino,
In my second year the conditions were much worse than the first and my pumpkin was 513.7 lbs. Martin can tell you how poor and rocky and what a windy unprotected site I had in Malmsheim. I did cover that plant with Remay though in September which really pushed the growth. I don't see why you can't easily do 250 Kilos if you protect your plants and have some luck. Maybe you can even do much better than that! Some beginners have had pumpkins over 1000lbs. if I'm not mistaken.

The wind last night snapped off a few of the tips of my plants so I certainly hope some pumpkins did take. I might be in the same boat as Martin was when he won the germany weigh-off with his 712 Kuhn...that main was cut off right at the pumpkin due to stem stress I believe.
Talk to ya later,
Michel

7/5/2005 2:52:15 PM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

Michel,

Yes, the ground in your Malmsheim patch almost had more stones than soil! haha! also some good exposure to wind due to being on a slight hill...
I remember that the pumpkin was only 150 kg when I visited you in early September. You told me that you just covered the whole plant with remay and I have no doubt that it helped a lot. If I remember correctly your fruit continued to grow a constant 4 kg per day up until weighoff day which was Oct. 7th. It gave you a new PB at 233 kg.

And yes, my PB and 2002 German record off the 712 Kuhn was at the end of the main vine. But the vine snapped on its own because it grew in the air. It snapped off before the fruit was pollinated about 1 m after the fruit. Later, when the fruit was set I cut the remaining (1m) vine off as to avoid stem stress.

7/5/2005 4:38:09 PM

Atlanta, Georgia

Martin,
I completely removed everything from that Malmsheim Acker and sold it back to Opa...it was a killer on my tiller which blew it's engine, by the way. I have another one now.

This year on my 894 Glasier it seems like the pumpkin took and the main vine is snapped off about 6 or 7 feet after the pumpkin so I don't know yet what I will do. The first two secondaries are about 14 feet long and have snapped off tips but the other secondaries are fine and will be trained to fill up the patch. It might actually be a perfect situation if that pumpkin doesn't abort. There is another pumpkin 3 feet after the first one which is opening today and yet another pumpkin at the next node which will open in two or three days so I still have some chance with that plant for a new pb.

7/6/2005 1:29:18 AM

Austria

Can`t find "remay" in the dictionary ... who will help?

7/6/2005 4:41:13 AM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

Ernteverfrühungsvlies

7/6/2005 9:08:34 AM

Austria

Dankeschön!

7/6/2005 9:22:00 AM

Atlanta, Georgia

Oder einfach Kartofelvlies (sp??)

7/7/2005 1:09:28 AM