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Danville, CA (petman2@yahoo.com)

I know this is probably hard to guess, but it seems that most of the people that grow REAL giants, get rain fairly regularly during the summer. I get NO rain during the summer so all is soakers and birds.

Based on all the rain you guys/gals get, I can't help but think I underwatered again this year. Still working on the right combo. The soil is MUCH better than last year and getting better. Sun was here but cold nights, Seeds were great! And experience is coming each year. So I figure since I have the soil in pretty good shape, the next thing I should aim to work on that I can actually control....water.

Now I know Pap and Ron hand water, but I am guessing this is to augment rain and I know every soil is different, but if people wouldn't mind posting the approximate water they use, soil type and size of kin they are growing that would be great. Thanks to all and hoping we all bring a PB to the scales this year.

8/25/2007 11:48:26 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

This is a good idea that Eric has.

CT is no powerhouse state for growing but here is the data for 2005 when our current state record was grown – 1081 Leonzi ’05.

JAN_____5.42______5.42
FEB_____3.79______9.21
MAR_____4.57_____13.78
APR_____6.39_____20.17
MAY_____1.73_____21.90
JUN_____4.30_____26.20_____POL 6/28 @ 891GDD
JUL_____2.43_____28.63
AUG_____1.01_____29.64
SEP_____2.80_____32.44_____HAR 9/30 @ 3048.19GDD
OCT____15.27_____47.71
NOV_____5.13_____52.84
DEC_____4.16_____56.97

There are several points that need to stay in consideration for this data to be relevant.
50-60” brings a lot of Nitrogen with it.
Average & high temperatures have a tremendous impact of %OM.

more later

8/26/2007 9:58:24 AM

Long Island,New York

Is october a typo steve?

8/26/2007 10:15:10 AM

San Jose garysand@pacbell.net

holy crap you guys get 56" of rain a year??? I think our average here in san jose is about 14" we get about zero from june through september

8/26/2007 2:33:49 PM

Wallingford,CT

oct is NOT a typo!!! recorded 17.40 in my patch for Oct '05. 62.32 for the year

8/26/2007 3:23:22 PM

Long Island,New York

yikes !!

8/26/2007 5:13:41 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

October '05 was an anomaly plus it was OUTSIDE the growing season. Oddly, the CT record in '06 was less than 700 lbs so there COULD be a correlation.

8/26/2007 9:45:13 PM

Sloughhouse, CA

All I know is if we don't get some rain in the winter we'll all be in the desert for sure.

8/27/2007 2:50:34 AM

Rhode Island

our pumpkin patch well is running on the edge and we feed it some from a second well on the side of the house.
very little rain since spring in greene ri

8/27/2007 6:07:27 AM

Danville, CA (petman2@yahoo.com)

Well if the world record Wallace patch gets very little rain maybe this isn't the key. So if not rain, how much do you put on a day, week or ....

8/27/2007 10:13:39 AM

Trumbull, CT 06611, USA

2005 was a great year to grow pumpkins in CT in my opinion. I watered every single day - 150 gallons. The no rain scenario worked well because it allowed me to control how much water the plant was given......

8/28/2007 4:51:00 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

We live in a rainforest area...you wanna talk rain...ask the growers in Washington State and British Columbia about wet weather....not usually so much in the summertime but pretty much a dialy occurence for the rest of the year while the rest of Canada and alot of US States are frozen under during the winter...it just rains here!!

8/28/2007 8:26:21 PM

Washington

Our area averages about 72 inches per year however july and august are our drier months. We haven't had a lot of rain this summer but our temperatures have been a lot cooler than normal day and night which doesn't help the pumpkins grow.

8/28/2007 9:49:59 PM

Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

Longmont Co recives areoun 12-15 in of perceptiation a yr.
but so far we are behind.

8/28/2007 10:48:26 PM

Danville, CA (petman2@yahoo.com)

Wow Ray, 150 gallons a day, I am clearly under watering dang it. I think I had better work on my rain dance or get a MUCH better watering system going. Great information, keep it coming!

8/29/2007 12:54:49 AM

southwest MO

Soil structure and make up as well as climate vary greatly from grower to grower... Its interesting how a couple posts apart one person gets 12 - 15 inches a year and one gets 72!!!! There are no quick anserwes. I still think "become a student of your soil" sums it up best. Gather information and share ideas here but when it comes right down to it its up to YOU to make the plants happy!! IMHO

8/29/2007 9:47:23 AM

Somers, CT

October 05 in Somers, CT we blew by the 100 year flood level when some unusual storms came through. Lots of flooding and water damage. Most roads that crossed any stream or river were washed away.

8/29/2007 4:41:22 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

150 gallons per day sounds like alot but in my patch is only 37.5 minutes of watering as I get 4 gallons per minute.

In dry hot conditions, I would most likely water for that long every second day....maybe thats why I can't break 600 lbs :)

8/29/2007 5:35:14 PM

Sloughhouse, CA

The ranchers in the foothills Pacific Coastal Range or the foothills of the Sierra are having to move and feed cattle. One rancher in Yolo County only got 9 ins. of rain less than 1/2 of the avg. for the year. It is 102-105 today in Sac. town.

8/29/2007 6:33:39 PM

Trumbull, CT 06611, USA

2 plants....sorry 150 gallons per 2 plants

8/29/2007 6:52:25 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Thanks Ray...clears that up alot!!

8/29/2007 7:19:46 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I know a certain former World Record holder who in this year's Ohio drought is using 130 gallons per plant per day.

Keep in mind that soil structure has a lot to do with his decision. Sandy soils hold less water so need less water more frequently.

Heavy soils hold a lot of water so may take a bit more but less often.

8/30/2007 12:20:23 AM

Danville, CA (petman2@yahoo.com)

Agreed that my plants are my own best teacher, but then others' different ideas are the spark to genius...

8/30/2007 12:20:24 AM

southwest MO

I'm out to catch any spark I can.
I began 3 years ago with basicly pure compost... VERY rich..I hauled manure, municipal compost, anything I could get my hands on all fall and winter long and just kept pileing it up.. Thats what these giants like right?? When people got tired of me pestering them I would ask someone else and pester them. Even though our Aug. was very hot and dry that year I still managed to rot my whole plant right to the pumpkin on about day 45. It just held to much water and I believe I was putting on about 100 gallons every 3rd day per plant.(way too much for my soil even with 95+ degrees every day)I just kept watering because giant pumpkins need lots of water!! I'm know working on adding some filler such as sand to increase my drainage. Trying to "back into it". This again will effect the management approach I'm supposed to take. (still trying to figure that one out!!)Hope you get a rippin fire in your patch!

8/30/2007 10:48:26 AM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Boy Genius, I did the same thing after my rookie season. I added so much compost and manure that my OM was over 20% up to a depth of about 18".

I struggled for the next couple of years while the soil settled in and brokd further down. I ended up adding clay and top dressed with top soil with sand to bring my soil to where it is now. It is a tough balance and once you've find the right formula, it is equally tough to keep it there and just maintain from year to year.

Good luck.

8/30/2007 2:23:47 PM