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Farmington, Utah

i wonder why the 1068 wallace is being such pain to start this year. It sounds like there has been a lot of failures at germinating it this year. Mine for one was. i know that i didnt do anythng wrong. all 6 of my other seeds germinated just fine. maybe it has a shorter shelf life than other seeds. Wish it would have germed for me. was looking very forward to growing it. oh well, those are the breaks we have in this hobby. Maybe i can find one again and try it for next year. best of luck to everyone

5/10/2006 11:32:08 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

The 1068 is a finicky bugger. It was the only seed to fail for me in 2005. I was able to germinate 2 1999 seeds in the same time it took to lose the only 1068 I had.

5/10/2006 12:00:12 PM

Simi valley, ca

After many days i didnt want to take chance of rotting & pulled coats off (carfully) then over 3 more days- finily it slowly sprouted , many days ago now, but not a great plant so far!! iv germanated experament seeds of 50 day old seeds & many more like over 50 this spring , but the 1068 was worst seed iv germanated so far , matter o fact i germed 20 seeds since then all (EVERY ONE CAME UP IN 48 HRS) or i should say sprouted roots & look much better O well !! maybe it was ment for my wifes 672 to be growen instead !! Ill give it awhile & see .

5/11/2006 12:35:27 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

Mine came up quickly and in good shape...it was transplanted outside yesterday.

5/11/2006 6:25:24 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Patience Fissssh. I have high hopes for that 1068! Sometimes the dark horse is the one. Treat it as you would any special event.

I know of quite a few personal bests that were grown on plants previously discarded to the compost pile but rescued at the last minute by desperate growers after their first choice failed.

Ride the dark horse well.

5/11/2006 10:52:55 AM

Long Island,New York

I would never toss out or chose another seedling over a slow,wimpy, sad looking 1068 or 723. As a matter of fact...I'd hope for a sad one.

5/11/2006 3:33:48 PM

Puyallup, WA

Geneva Emmons told me that her 1068 came up without one cot
and no true first leaf in sight! She is an expert at getting seeds to germinate, so there must be some "mutant" seeds out there.

5/11/2006 4:17:00 PM

Utah (Wolfleym@aol.com)

Since I started using an incubator to germinate (4 years ago). I have only lost one seed. It was the 1068, this year. Arrrg!

5/11/2006 4:41:54 PM

Rhode Island

I attribute the high number of 1038 failures to a couple things.

For one i believe that in 04 because only a couple of us planted it ( ron wallace 919 durham fair winner ), steve sperry (tops field champion 1,253), the 1068 got little exposure.
Last year most of our local sngpg gang had no germination problems.
You all know the results. Aside from the 1,443 palmer and 1,310 macari,most of the big ones that contributed to a gpc site record came from the 1068.( in fact we lost two over 1,300 off the 1068 one week before last years weighoff or our numbers would have been even higher)

jack larue also won the "terminator " at over 1,200 lbs plus several others had great success.(jack got two to go this spring )
this year we had a much higher failure rate than i would have liked. i have no real hard evidence as to why this is happening.

( all of our seeds have been stored in the same manner for many years)

ron and i started a total of twelve 1068 plants ( eleven out of twelve germinated and are in our patch, plus several all over new england and one plant we mailed to a friend in ohio )
i dont know what to say to those of you that invested in our seed with no reward.it troubles us.
i can only say that two things come to mind.

1.The manner in which they now need to be germinated? high heat 90-95 degrees constant, five inch peat pots, seed sanded lightly around the crown ( no filing of the tip ),
( no presoaking of any kind).
Seed takes 4 to 5 days before seed is up enough to peel off coat. Seedling then goes under professional grow light (1 inch above leaves for ten hrs a day), then hardened off each night by placing seedlings in a tray in our unheated carriage house ) for four or five days before first true leaf is large enough to plant hardened off seedling.

2.With over seventy five 1068 seeds out there for germinating in this third year could we be seeing a true 10 to 15 percent dud seeds that most pumpkins produce?

5/11/2006 6:22:02 PM

Long Island,New York

Make that 76.

5/11/2006 6:57:31 PM

Massillon, Ohio

no problems here

5/11/2006 7:33:31 PM

van isle b.c. canada

my 1068 came up just fine, thanx. craig

5/11/2006 8:47:28 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Dang Dick! 90-95 is a bit warmer than usual here. We keep ours at 85. But it's hard to argue with 11 out of 12. This is a great result. Interesting.

5/11/2006 8:53:55 PM

Rhode Island

trem

we like the intense heat during germination in moist but not soaked organic seed starter in 5 inch peat pots. we also used a bit of root shield, kelp meal, and some living microganisms in with our master batch of seed starter

i think between the intense heat,super seed starter and professional grow lights one inch above the seed coats, it has increased our odds greatly.

we also have quite a few we never counted on using that had a small incomplete seed coat at the crown and these also germinated well during a test run.

dick

5/12/2006 6:27:49 AM

Paradise Mountain, New York

I truly think a lot can be said as to where different growers store there seeds every year. You can't beat keeping your seeds in the freezer. I've never had a problem with the 1068. This year I am 11 for 11 with the different seeds I planted. I use a heating pad in a cooler and the setting is on Medium which gives me a temp. of 85.The cooler is closed with only the cored letting any heat out. I only file my seed and soak it in water as I am filing the next seed. Then it goes right into the seed starter in the pot. So the seed only soaks for a few minutes. All my seeds this year took 4 days to see life.

5/12/2006 7:31:40 AM

Paradise Mountain, New York

that is "cord" letting any heat out. But I do open it up for just a peek on the third day. I have had a friend who has given me some nice seeds. He stores them in a shoe box in the closet. I never had any luck in planting his seeds. Now he stores them in the freezer.

5/12/2006 7:35:52 AM

Grants Pass, Oregon

I started the 1068 this year as well, it was started the same as the other 6 that I started. The 1068 never germinated for me, but the other 6 are up and doing well.

5/12/2006 10:53:16 AM

Waquoit Mass

mine looks good

5/12/2006 10:55:57 AM

Greene R.I.

the seeds a dud!

5/12/2006 5:02:01 PM

Rhode Island

thanks freddie, your all heart.
pap

5/12/2006 7:12:31 PM

Ohio

Ill tell ya something about that seed that Ron Wallace told me to me do so I could save my 1068 seedling from dying, my 1068 seedling was only half germinated and was in that same condition for two days, it never changed a bit. I had my heat and have always had my heat set right around 84 degrees in my germination box. Here is what Ron Told me..... He told me to turn up the HEAT! to 90-95 and hit it with some seaweed and kelp and stand back and watch that sucker grow.

Ill tell ya, thats exactly what it did in just a 8hr time period it was greening up under 95 degree heat with out a grow light on it. When I woke up in the morning thats when I put the grow light back on it making sure the temp was at 95 degrees. I have to agree with Ron now that plants need rest and not 24 hour sun(grow light) all the time

This seed needs 90-95 degree heat,I agree along with the rest of Rhode Island growers for sure.



Brooks

5/13/2006 9:13:19 PM

Puyallup, WA

My 842 was a "slug" ...took nine days to germinate....once out of the soil, I gave it 95° today and it seemed to respond favorably!

5/14/2006 1:07:16 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Last night I was potting up some germinated seeds for a project & to give to friends. All of my Pro-Mix was outside & it has rained like heck here all week. The seeds all germinated indoors at 85°F. But last night the ProMix came inside & was a chilly 55°F. Would anyone like to take a guess how long it takes to raise the soil temperature by 40 degrees? Had I not just inoculated with live bacteria & mycorrhyzae I would have thrown it in the microwave. But conventional wisdom would suggest that might not be good.

Competition plants are different. I always keep that soil in the germination area.

It occured to me later that a lot of growers probably do shock their seeds by taking them from the 85°F & toss them right into a pot full of 55°F soil.

I'm going to hold my position that most seeds will do better at 85°F than 95°F. As temperatues rise then so too the incidence of Pythium damping off. But if a seed is being this stubborn then maybe it's worth the chance.

5/14/2006 9:02:01 AM

Warwick,RI

John Nicholas here from RI just to say that Ron Wallace has ben my mentor for 6 years and I finally have a new personal best from 2005 with 1134.5 pounds grown from the 1068 which was crossed with the 851 Davies.In 2003 Ron Gave me 6 1068 seeds and i started my last four this year all a the same time using what I call the Wallace "Pro-Germ" starting method. Sure enough all four seeds popped after 4 days time. Kept 2 for myself and handed out the others to great growers from our club.Well just wanted to say that the wallaces know what they are doin and alot is to be learned from them.

pumper

5/14/2006 8:36:11 PM

Greene R.I.

dick im sorry for calling your seed a dud, i was confused, i ment your a dud, love ya buddy ,1068 the beast from the east, please dont shut me off

5/15/2006 5:15:06 PM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

My 1068 germinated in 4 days and is a beast of a plant

5/15/2006 5:27:58 PM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

Mine is growing fine. Thanks Dick & Ron.

Phil

5/16/2006 6:17:12 AM

Rhode Island

carefull freddie or ill tell everyone why we call you
" freddie pickle " and why you like "tossed salad" lol
pap

5/16/2006 8:15:59 AM

So. Maine

I have had the best of luck with starting most of my seeds using 85 to 90 degrees with a light watering every 12 hours but after the first 1068 seed not germinating after 8 to 10 days Ron & Dick Wallace reminded me to try 94 to 96 with a light watering say at 9 to 10 hours. Well it worked on the second seed so listen to those guys , it's thier seed & they know the characteristics of it. Just 5 or 6 degrees.... The first seed I tried has been put to rest since being in the hot box since May 24. Rest in peace ...
Now after 12.5 in. of rain in southern maine in 4 days we need SUN & WARMTH .

5/16/2006 1:08:19 PM

Coventry R.I.

fred that my line , i,m shut-off lol

5/17/2006 10:21:38 AM

Rhode Island

frank
your the only first year grower i know that has a patch to accomodate one plant and you have requested a lifetimes worth of seeds over the last couple months.
are you starting a seed supply house? lol
pap

5/17/2006 6:16:32 PM

Ohio

Fred, you tossed a few salads huh? uh ohhhhh!!

5/17/2006 7:05:47 PM

Coventry R.I.

hi pap, no supply house here, but i am planning to make patch bigger for that big round 1500 lbs lol

5/18/2006 10:03:06 AM

North Smithfield, RI USA

I took Pap's advice and raised up the heat. Now have a seed up after 15 days. Also started a second batch with higher heat. I guess with the weather it wouldn't have done well outside anyway ! Have protection but no light source outside.

5/18/2006 7:13:21 PM