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British Columbia, Canada

I was looking at the GPC results for each year and noticed that the total number of GPC weighed pumpkins hasn't really changed much since 2012. There was 1674 weighed in 2012 and 1759 in 2018. 2015 was the highest with 1798. It sorta made me wonder why the number seems to have plateaued? I always thought that the rise of social media would've made this sport grow very quickly but I guess maybe not. Does anyone know why?

7/23/2019 8:12:14 PM

Plainville, Connecticut 06062

I believe that many who first start out and then learn the enormous amount of time needed to do just one plant, the space and money to purchase expensive amendments simply do not last long and drop out. To work five or six plants you would have to have a big area to plant, be retired or have a lot of time on your hands something many of us just do not have. Just my opinion after some years growing 8 and 9 plants and working them all equally!

7/23/2019 8:39:56 PM

Grittyville, WA

I am surprised it has not taken off in Korea, Japan or China. They have good climate for it. It would help if the gpc would rotate who hosts the exhibit of the largest grown?...

7/23/2019 10:05:30 PM

Grittyville, WA

One of our weigh offs people are not really even allowed a chance to look at the pumpkins except one at a time as they are being weighed. Tons of kids but few want to watch them be weighed one at a time/ not be able to touch them. To a kid (future growers) the rigid don't touch rules, slow sit and wait... thats the opposite of inspiring. There arent even no touch rules the pumpkins are simply walled off where no one can see them. Too many people who would file a lawsuit even if it was their own kids fault.

7/23/2019 10:17:35 PM

British Columbia, Canada

Pooh-bear, I agree with you. I only have time for one plant & so it's pretty disappointing if murphy's law kicks in and the fruit splits or something. It seems you need to grow multiple plants to be consistently competitive, but the time and resources required for that are probably pretty daunting to new growers.

7/24/2019 12:02:17 AM

Plainville, Connecticut 06062

Plus what I did not add and which is very important is the failure rate in this great hobbie. If you stay at it long enough you will certainly loose pumpkins to splits, soft spots and many other misfortunes and at different stages of growth. Can you handle going for a special ride on a big one and it fails one week before your weighoff. One year I lost 6 out of 8 and one year out of 8 plants, I could not get one pollinated on the main on five of them. Many growers would probably give the ship up after a few years of big disappointment! Also think about the tools items you will need to lift and transport your fruit. A pickup truck, maybe a trailor a tripod to lift the pumpkin a pumpkin lifting ring, chain hoist, I could go on and on. It takes a special person grower to hang on year after year who has the resources, time and effort and the right attitude to hang in there. In my opinion it is a great magical hobbie not cut out for many. Competition gets tuff with many switching to green house growing and other products items to beat Mother Nature and beat that world record is all this really helping new growers come on board and stay on board and are there any limits to what one can do or should not do in this hobbie to make it fair and equal to all grower participants.

7/24/2019 7:15:33 AM

South Dakota

This is my second year and I agree that the time and money required in this hobby is a limiting factor. Last year I had a little 150 sq ft patch and grew a nice little 337 lber with nothing but a seed. No soil test, no extra fertilizer in the garden and only slight SVB problem. This year I went all out and bought the heating cables, erected a cloche, put in drip irrigation with rain water catch. Took soil sample last fall and this spring, added amendments, and went to 450 sq ft. Long story short, a huge thunderstorm broke over most of the leafs that were sticking up the highest, on the main and first 4 secondaries. Almost immediately rot began to set in and I had to trim away almost every leaf on the main and oldest secondaries. I think I have stopped the rot from getting into the vines, so still might get a larger size pumpkin. I am on my third pumpkin with a pollination date of 7/19. First pumpkin, 6/30 pollination, was badly misformed. The second pumpkin, pollinated 7/5, aborted on day 8 after splitting stem. Time is the biggest factor. I am semi-retired and still have trouble finding enough time to take care of just one plant. I was deeply depressed about my failures this year, but after seeing other growers plants after nature events, I feel better that I still can get a several hundred pound pumpkin, just not in the 1000's like we all hope. Yes, time and money are big factors, along with the personality to deal with failure after so much time and effort.

7/24/2019 8:32:11 AM

Lebanon, Oregon

I’m sure the GPC has discussed many aspects of the above mentioned. That is why there are other giant vegetable categories people can participate in and feel competitive.

7/24/2019 11:34:58 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

I believe it is up to us a members of the GPC to make this hobby grow. I introduce and mentor several new growers a year. How many new growers have you introduced to this hobby?

7/24/2019 12:38:44 PM

Grittyville, WA

Speaking for myself I have a couple people every year who really seem like they want to grow a big pumpkin. I give them seeds and I try to point them in the right direction. I know I sound critical of the gpc but its meant to be constructive. To be popular it has to be fun and accessible to anyone. Some of that can be controlled by choices, like prioritizing a variety of categories. I could even see dinner-plate dahlias being a competitive category. The pumpkin boats races are a good way to get mid level growers and the public a fun experience. I am supportive of keeping it fun for new growers. I may only hit two weigh offs this year so then I could offer to help someone who doesnt have a tripod or truck (limit 800 lbs).

7/24/2019 1:56:47 PM

Georgia

I have suggested this before, but I think that there should be regional winners along with the just the one group of all growers. I think competing for a regional title would be a good way to encourage growers who are never going to be able to produce the type of pumpkins grown in those special places. Recognition of accomplishments is a great incentive for people to join the hobby.

Right now, the GPC basically only recognizes those growers who live in states that can support 2k pumpkins. How many GPC jackets are there in the Dakotas or Carolinas? How many GPC Hall of Famers are from the South? Ron Wallace would not be Ron Wallace if he lived in Johnson City, TN. The GPC already has weigh-off regions, why not provide recognition to the best growers in those regions.

7/24/2019 2:02:29 PM

Colorado

Its definitely a time consuming hobby and people fall out of it for various reasons.But if you like to grow big stuff nothing grows like a atlantic giant.

7/24/2019 3:31:06 PM

Westmoreland, KS

Personally I don't see this hobby/sport growing much more than it is now. There is way to much work involved. It's fun in the fall for people to come out and see the pumpkins they get instant gratification and they can post a selfie with it. But when most people attempt to grow one they soon realize it is more work than it is instant gratification.

7/24/2019 5:10:58 PM

North Pole,Alaska

The big question is do you ( and GPC) consider yourselves giant pumpkin growers or a competitive growers. I consider myself the latter, and as such I try growing a wide variety of plants. I've recently started growing flowers competitively an entered some at the Alaska State Fair in an effort to draw more participants into the hobby. There are more flower growers in this country than vegetable growers, but most flower competitions are based on aesthetics. There are, however a number of current Guinness WR's for flowers based on measurable, quantifiable criteria, so a young grower has a concrete idea of what his/her goal is and can go out and measure daily, just like with AG's. We all know about sunflowers, but there are WR's for Hollyhocks, Chrysanthemums,zinnias, foxglove,Delphiniums,Fuchsia, roses, petunias...... the list goes on.
The future of giant pumpkin growing may be self limiting for the reasons mentioned all of your comments, but the future of competitive growing is blindingly bright, if we approach it in a supportive, nurturing, open minded, accepting manner.

7/24/2019 11:38:10 PM

Zimmerman, Minnesota

I gave away over 100 giant pumpkin plants from my last years seed stock in an effort to get people into this hobby, I’m holding a giant pumpkin weigh off that is non GPC that I am buying trophies and ribbons for....if it goes over well I may buy into the GPC for a weigh off.... But I’m involved with 2 other weigh offs that are GPC santioned. There is never enough time but I’m confident our hobby is growing and I think the best days are ahead.

7/26/2019 1:38:36 AM

New England

I gave away 98% of my seed stash to a giant pumpkin group who then handed them out to people at fairs. I work 9 hour, full time days and have a farm with animals at home to tend to when I am not at work. Adding 2 gardens to that mix with 1 giant pumpkin plant and my time is maxed out. I prefer to spend my money on livestock shows and not go overboard with the giant pumpkin hobby. I don't do soil tests, heating cables, greenhouses, tons of amendments, tissue samples, etc. I bury vines every few days and keep the secondaries in check, spray for mildew and bugs and regularly water. Other than that it is up to mother nature.

I have learned there are two types of people in the hobby and both need to be encouraged: 1) those who eat, sleep, and breathe this for the glory of getting the biggest to the scales every year and 2) those that are limited by funds, space and time who grow for fun and dedicate as much as they can to get to the scale every year.

It's a ton of work and so few people realize it. On top of that, if you want any chance of being somewhat competitive in the fall; there's the money investment needed to have the best opportunity to make it happen.

You can get burnt out fast. between the time and money; mother nature can ruin and entire season with 1 thunderstorm. I've been there and I took a year off and then cut down from growing 4 plants to just 1 and dedicated the rest of my time to growing stuff I can eat and put in the kitchen.

I don't have kids or a significant other and if I did I probably wouldn't have the time to do this. I'm sure others feel that way also.

But I think people get into it, grow for a year or two and get burnt out quickly. It's ok to be a hobbyist and not everyone can afford or have time to invest that much to go all out. Both sides of the spectrum need to be encouraged.

7/26/2019 2:12:42 PM