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Entry Date
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Nick Name
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Location
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Monday, August 23, 2010
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Mike J
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Salinas, Ca
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Entry 54 of 65 |
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I have some disappointing news to report from the patch. On day 50 (8/18) at an estimated 925 lbs I found a split in the 991 Urena.
It was on the rib that the night before I had told another local grower, Jack Vezzolo, was the spot that concerned me. Every time I would remove the blanket that rib was the first place I would look. We have been concerned because of the deep rib but it was a combination of a deep rib and a sag line that did it in. I’m simply covering the split with electrical tape (you can see the split in the picture and the tape besides it) and we'll let it grow until it stops or until we know its rotting and then we’ll try to get a weight on it with an in-line scale.
I measured it on day 54 (8/22) and it is measuring 170, 97, 98 – despite the split it continues to put on almost 25 lbs a day. It is now an estimate 1020 lbs.
I inspected the pumpkin today (8/23) and found another split on the same sag line on the rib just below the first split. I do not believe I’ve seen any 991’s with such deep ribs – I guess they come in all sizes and shapes and you never know what you’re really going to get until its growing in the patch.
I’m glad to have had the opportunity to have grown it - it sure kept things exciting. For the heavy hitters a pumpkin this size is not uncommon and I imagine expected each year but for us average growers it does not get any more exciting than having a pumpkin growing in your patch at a pace you had only read about and found it difficult to believe.
This event actually motivates me more for next year. I have another 991 Urena… However, we have to close out this year and we still have a chance at 1,000+ lbs with the remaining two.
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