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On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

There are a lot of things that are critical to growing big anything, pumpkins, tomatoes, watermelons and so on. Each grower has to be good at a lot of things and put them all together to be a winner at any weigh off. I was wondering who thinks which growers are the best at any one step. As an example, Ron Wallace may have one of the best understandings of managing his soil. Maybe Joe Ailts? Someone else might be great on genetics and selecting the right seed. Another person on control or prevention of diseases. Another person for pruning? And so on. Who do you think are the experts in any of these areas? Who should we be listening to for seed selection, plant nutrition, pruning, disease management etc? Are there any standouts? If so, who are they?

6/7/2020 9:59:07 AM

Quinn Werner certainly seems to consistently put up new seeds that grow big and a lot of times orange. May not be the most expensive but they get the job done.

6/7/2020 11:10:36 AM

Plainville, Connecticut 06062

Remember that one way of growing is not always the best way for someone else! There are to many factors to look at. There are many different ways to grow giant pumpkins and once in a while a good cross comes along that grows big for a lot of growers but big ones are also grown each year by a seed that most would not plant! Some growers have there patch at high organic levels 15% and a few growers have grown big ones at only 3%? To be good at this trade you need many things to come together at the right time during the growing season, but there is one thing that most good growers have in common each year and the reason they do pretty darn good each growing season and sometimes knock it out of the park and simply put they work there fingers to the bone at there trade. The hardest working growers usually have the best luck and you will see their names often in the winners column come weigh off time!

6/7/2020 2:24:28 PM

Georgia

It's hard to overlook Cliff Warren.

6/7/2020 4:05:18 PM

Pittsburgh, PA

Karl Haist is the answer to all of your questions Marv. Haha

6/7/2020 11:47:03 PM

Grittyville, WA

Daletas and Eddy Z and the Patons good ol Joel Holland. These growers have insights that I may never have but Joel is pretty straightforward and a good place to start. The last vid he sent me was the all-around best. Packed with good info although he doesnt get into college level theory on calcium transport whatever Daletas is doing... Bathabitat has quite a good head on him too... Lastly our very own future Willemijns... mobeymike... I think the big secret is to take some years off.

6/8/2020 1:33:13 AM

Midway, UT

Quinn Werner and Joe Scherber seem to be two of the best at finding genetics that others aren't growing and growing big from them. There have been at least a few times that Joe got some first place finishes on seeds that nobody else had ever given soil to. Once he explained to me why he planted it, it made total sense, but he digs deep looking for interesting genetics.

6/9/2020 10:18:54 AM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

Consistent: Karl

6/9/2020 11:29:36 AM

Stanwood, Washington

So If I am reading the original post right you're asking us to build a super grower using the traits of various others.

For Green House Growing Its got to be the the Pattons. I am sooooo envious of their setup.

If you want to know about watering Steve Daletas is the man. He uses probes to measure soil moisture and he has got it down to where he knows how diferent parts of the plant absorb diferent amounts of water at diferent times of the season

Can't argue with Joe Scherber on genetics. He grew a big one from one of my seeds that I haven't even grown :) There are a lot of growers that fit this bill though. It seems like the next hot seed is always coming from a different grower.

For Soil I would go with Ron Wallace. I have heard that he spends a lot of time talking to actual Soil Scientists.

For General technique I would take Joel Holland He has seen it all and won two world championships 25 years apart that is a looong time growing at a high level.

For crazy wizardry science stuff Its Matt Debacco with his Hormone Sprays and Disease identification. Josiah gets the honorable mention.

6/9/2020 12:50:13 PM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

Captain, I like your style. You answer the question. Most don't.

6/9/2020 7:49:22 PM

Thomas wv

Im saying Steve Steve geddes not sure if he has one particular thing he's good at w my personal opinion to grow a kin over 2000 you have to be good at it all

6/9/2020 9:16:35 PM

stoughton WI

There are way to many to name, the likes of barlow, jacobus, daletas, menting, the martins, schmit, ron and pap wallace, chris dunn, haist, marley, scott and steve, mcmullen. There are so many. They all have one thing in common that makes a difference. (Knowledge and commitment). They all bring a different expertise to the table and are willing to share there knowledge with the rest of us.

6/9/2020 9:23:58 PM

Georgia

Steve Geddes does not do tissue testing, so he must be among the best at reading his plants.

6/10/2020 11:42:15 AM

Colorado

Beni Meyer, seemed to be great at reading the health /needs of his plants and fertilizing accordingly.He spent his whole life in the nursery business and learned what to read his plants. I suspect the Paton boys have similar skills.

6/11/2020 3:00:30 PM