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Indiana

Hello everyone....I have been gardening many year’s (growing about everything), but this is first year trying to grow “a big one”, lol....

So far my plants are doing great...past few weeks I have been in a viscous fight with cucumber beetles and others...after a lot of diatomaceous earth, spinosad, pure crop one, and lastly complete insect killer, I believe I and gaining back some ground....please feel free to throw out what Insecticides you guys use I would really appreciate it!!!

Now I may have already made a mistake as far as pollination goes...while the beetles were munching away on my plants I pinched the the pumkins off until I got the bugs under control...now that they are somewhat under control I have some female blooms that are maybe a week out or so from opening...is way to late in your guy’s opinion to still have a decent sized pumpkin??

Thanks for looking and I appriciate any and all advice/comments...I know this is a little long winded, but the genetics and growth rate of these plants fascinates me!!!

7/7/2020 7:57:40 AM

Grittyville, WA

It depends on the year. If we get an indian summer (how racist of me) you can even pollinate in August. But generally speaking July is your last chance for 1k.

7/7/2020 9:42:48 AM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

Only a week away July 14th pollination, hell yeah plenty of time for a "decent to big sized pumpkin". I use Talstar for my cucumber beetles.

7/7/2020 9:50:11 AM

Indiana

G gins...thanks for reply, with the way this year has went, who knows what’s in store for the remainder of the year!!!

7/7/2020 10:14:14 AM

Indiana

Ken...hey thanks a lot for the words of encouragement!!!

I will check out that talstar thanks for the recommendation!!

Question for you guys??....how long after seeing a tiny female flower will it open??

7/7/2020 10:25:48 AM

Indiana

I should ad that I “started” a grow diary so I will have pics up (since I can’t post them in here), but it said it has to be reviewed first....when it does go up I could lead you guys there so you can critique me.....

I have about 5-plants at different stages of growth.....

7/7/2020 10:28:29 AM

Grittyville, WA

Two weeks or less...

7/7/2020 12:51:49 PM

Indiana

G. Kind thanks a lot!!!

7/7/2020 1:08:03 PM

Syracuse, NY

i had a 728.5 in '01 that was poll'd on July 21st, so, that's my 'fiscal date' for the latest optimal pollination, in my opinion, but i go WAY later than that anymore, lol---
Imidacloprid, AKA Admire or Season-Long Grub Control (from Bayer Crop Science, i believe) is my fave for cucumber beetles, although it DOES kill bees as well, so, i shoulda gotten and used it a week or more ago...
here's a recent post by an Eric and my name is Eric (we Erics help other Erics, in my opinion, lol) so, these are definitely gonna be getting used to pollinate the next day, once they look like these - Thanks, and great job, Eric! - ha ha ha eg

7/7/2020 4:39:38 PM

Syracuse, NY

whoopsch!!!

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=316788

7/7/2020 4:40:41 PM

Bethlehem CT

Curtis low, I love your name! Definitely lots of time. I did 1201 at an early September weigh off last year with a pollination the first week of July. They grow fast. Especially with hot weather which I am sure you will have plenty of in Indiana.

7/7/2020 6:03:51 PM

Dillonvale, Ohio

I pollinated on July 29th a couple years ago, grew it to 1488 by the middle of October. A big one is still possible. I use liquid sevin, Bifen IT and Dominion for bugs in my patch

7/7/2020 9:51:13 PM

Indiana

Pumkinpall, thanks a lot my friend, I will check that link out ASAP!!
Ya I finally said hell with it and spraye that bayer/bioscience complete insect killer on mine...and it kills everything!!!

7/7/2020 10:11:20 PM

Indiana

Big moon, hell ya glad someone caught mine alias, lol!!!

Thanks for words of encouragement, my first year, so I am not worried about crazy wieghts I just want to get a good feel
Of how they grow and what not...with that said I damn sure want to try for couple hundred pounds anyway!!

7/7/2020 10:14:00 PM

Indiana

Wolf, damn my friend that’s a absolute monester at that pollination date!!

Hate to think what a June DAP would have gotten you, sounds like good genetics brother!!

7/7/2020 10:16:02 PM

Bloomington, IN USA

Curtis, Talstar is the commercial name for bifenthrin.
In the Indiana club we have a spray program & use Merit (imidacloprid) drench for systemic & bifenthrin foliar Spray for contact insecticide.
Cuke beetles are a problem but squash vine borers are worse...both are well controlled by these.
Late in the season you can have some problems with aphids & I believe we have Actara for them.
Have you joined our Indiana club?
Where in Indiana are you?
I may know someone living close to you that could serve as a mentor.

7/7/2020 11:04:44 PM

Indiana

Matersdoc....I am in Yorktown....I have not joined, but would love to!!!!!!!

Always looking to connect with growers of any kind!!!

I know the complete killer I sprayed on my vines was prob not the best, but I know it was systemic and man I tell ya the cucumber beetles were thick...it was like one day I went out and bam, they were flying everywhere and trying to eat my vines alive...thankfully they are at bay but man they everywhere!!

7/8/2020 7:18:14 AM

Central NY

“Always looking to connect with growers of any kind”..... boy did you find the right site....welcome Curtis...I remember being blown away by the genetics and growth rate of these plants when we first started. Let me be the first to tell you, you ain’t seen nothin yet. Best of luck on your journey with the giants!!...

7/8/2020 8:47:00 AM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Cucumber beetles are the easiest of the big 3 pests to control. You need merit and bifen IT for the coming vine borers.

7/8/2020 9:32:27 AM

Indiana

Porkchop, love the handle by the way!!

I tell ya everyone seems happy to help out so far, and a lot of knowledge people here that’s for sure!!!!

You know I can’t believe I never tried for a huge pumkin in the past, but I guess I just liked growing cantaloupes and watermelons, and trying the different kinds out there (to eat,lol) that I just never got to it.... ow that I have damn near tried every variety of melons guess I needed something else to obsess over, lol....

By the way for cantaloupes the “petit Gris Renee” has about the best tasting I have ever had by far!!!

For watermelons, the smaller “yellow doll” is prob my favorite I have tried so far with oranglo and the old reliable crimson sweet right behind the yellow doll....I still have to try a few other watermelons, but hell I am rambling now.....

7/8/2020 10:05:49 AM

Indiana

Orangeneck...hey thanks for those chemicals, I just looked up both of them....seems the systemic ingredient in that merit is the same in that bio advanced complete killer I used....i just happen to have it for spraying the yard and that’s why I used it...I will look around and probably pick some up as I am about out anyway!!!

7/8/2020 10:19:44 AM

Indiana

By the way guys I have one pic up on grow dairy...

But I have tried to put a pic up for the past 2-days just like I did it the first time and it just won’t go threw...any ideas please throw them
at me....I want to be able to post more pics beacause I know how much they can help show people how you are coming along!!!

7/8/2020 5:19:45 PM

Syracuse, NY

okay, super, and if you have the time, snip off as many unused males and feems especially if they're not open yet so that not as many bees get the axe as well - it is traumatic to see the cuke beetles, let alone bees meet their maker by a mixed blessing chemical such as Imidacloprid. i'm a sawwftie! later---eg

7/8/2020 6:09:32 PM

Indiana

Pumkinpal....yes it’s a pretty amazing chemical!!

I have grown melons and everything else for years with nothing more that DE and seven dust....my vines were so healthy and the beetles just come out of nowhere and in big numbers so I thought hell no sorry not this time, lol....I will definitely be mindful of bees as these chemicals bigAG sprays they need all the help they can get!!!

As a matter of fact last year would have been my first year growing a huge pumpkin, but the farmers sprayed the 2-4d or whatever it is that’s so volatile and nukes mu 10-12 foot vine...needless to say I was extremely pissed off, but it was dead and that was that for that season!!

7/8/2020 6:49:55 PM

Syracuse, NY

ha ha ha there was a Rocky movie a few years ago now in which Rocky pounded up some guy (or, at least stared and scuffled him back down to size) that thought he could still take him or something and it seemed his favorite saying throughout the movie was "Well, that was that... What're we doin' for lunch?"
so, you just beat out Rocky for sayin' 'that'! he'll be along any minute, lol. okay, i deserve a break today...at McDonald's, lol---eg

7/8/2020 11:02:37 PM