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Murray, KY

This is the project of my 12-year old daughter, Rachel. Had a good crop last year (first attempt) that was unfortunately set back terribly by squash beetles. Had a dozen or so good prospects, but damage was already done to stems before it was noticed (our mistake). Pumpkins stopped growing in early July and by mid-August the stems had dried up. Largest pumpkin weighed 64 lbs, and had not gained anything in circumference after June 16. Needless to say, this and others had good potential had we noticed and been dilligent with the squash beetles.

This year we are doing things differently. I am the excavator operator/tractor driver and she is the researcher. Hope to learn much from those who have gone before us.

3/29/2010 9:10:06 PM

Cincinnati,OH

Sounds like the work of the dreaded squash vine borer

3/29/2010 11:14:53 PM

Lexington, Ky

There's a guy in Murray that grew last year (Tony Rayburn), he might be able to help out.

Jamie
jlwexler@yahoo.com

3/30/2010 12:35:16 PM

Somerset,Ky

I herd it was too hot in Kentucky to grow big pumpkins?

3/30/2010 5:14:28 PM

Cincinnati,OH

Lol, you proved that myth wrong

3/30/2010 7:56:52 PM

Murray, KY

yep...too hot to grow pumpkins and not hot enough to grow big melons (or so they say). Well, I see that a feller turned out a 1200+ one in Prestonburg so anything is possible I guess. We are a lot farther west...dunno if that hurts or helps.

Thanks Jamie, I'll look him up!

3/30/2010 9:04:05 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

kypumpkins, I live near Owensboro...anything I can do to help, let me know...not a KY. HH, but am willing to help in any way I can. Several members of the old Kentucky Punkin Mafia have dun their best to disprove the old rumors of "too hot to grow pkns" (1278.5 #'s) & "not hot enough to grow melons"(251 #'s) !!! Hope to meet, you & your daughter at Bear Wallow Farms this fall!!! Hope she can bring a Slunger (W.VA. term)!!! LOL
Peace, Wayne wsmpeace@bellsouth.net

3/30/2010 11:38:15 PM

Somerset,Ky

I have herd rumors od 1,200 #ers in Ky! What's a heavy hitter?

3/31/2010 7:26:04 AM

Corbin, KY

Welcome KYpumpkin, Several great growers here in KY with some great seeds. Very willing to help with your growing problems. Good luck!! See you at Bear Wallow this Fall.
Merit 75 works good on them Squash Vine Borers and Squash bugs. I don't think I would start a seed without it!

3/31/2010 9:40:20 AM

Lexington, Ky

I have often thought that Western Kentucky IS the best place for growing giant pumpkins. Dang, ever see what they do with beans and corn down there?! Lawdy, lawdy!

Flat as a pancake, no trees to get in the way, excellent soil....yes sir, look out for a whippin' from a 12 year old!

3/31/2010 1:22:24 PM

Murray, KY

1320, you forgot the redworms! We've got the market cornered on those little sweethearts! Since I was a kid, I've thought it was really cool how you can go out after a hard rain, and actually HEAR the worms working.

Well, if the law were to fly over my farm, they'd swarm the place suspicious I was burying bodies out there! Two days spent on the excavator digging graves 4' apart and layering well-composted red maple mulch, topsoil, composted straw and yard grass, more topsoil, and last but not least 6" of two-year-old horse manure. Also threw in 25 lbs of chicken feed into each of the graves beside a couple mounds just to see what happens. Hey, it was here and not being used, thought I'd experiment. If nothing else, I should have some fat red wigglers for the catfish!

Hoping to finish up with the pumpkin mounds tomorrow and start turning sand into the watermelon rows and laying down plastic. Calling for rain Saturday and hoping the weather works in our favor. for a good start on these pumpkins and melons.
Thanks all...and I hope to produce a good reason to make the trip to Bear Wallow this fall and meet you folks!

3/31/2010 9:16:26 PM

Murray, KY

Tim, do you put the Merit 75 in the soil for root absorbtion or spray on the foilage? Or both? I want to do all I can this year to kill every last one of'em. We're planting several pollen and nectar-producing flowers surrounding the mounds in order to draw the wasps and other bug-chomping predator bugs, but I'll do whatever else I can to keep those stinky little gray beetles off her pumpkins!
thanks!

3/31/2010 9:25:40 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

John.. you are a piece of work...I got out the old Funk & KPM dictionary today...looked up HH/Kentucky & yer picture was there!!! Don't be...well nevermind!!! LOL Peace, Wayne
kypumpkins, in Murray...I got a seed ya want to grow!!! email wsmpeace@bellsouth.net

3/31/2010 10:39:26 PM

Murray, KY

So that is what John looks like? I saw that picture of a HH but didn't know that was THE Mr. Van Hook! :)

My daughter just grinned when I showed her some of you fellas' names on last years weigh-in. I think it made her day to see her heroes talking to us! lol

Email sent, Mr. Wayne. Not too late to try some other seed. I know our chances as it stands are a shot in the dark with the pumpkins, as our seed are just commercially-available Dills bought from Lowes. As soon as the seed shelves are stocked at Lowes and Southern States, she starts grinning like a possum. I should have done some research and bought some seed this year that would be more promising, like we did with the Carolina Cross and Black Diamond melons. With all the grave-digging I've done and work she's making me do, I'd like to get at least a 500#'er for her to load up in our 26 Model T one-ton and show it off at the Farmers Market and fair.

3/31/2010 10:56:31 PM

Somerset,Ky

Kypumpkins just look under hicks from the sticks they sure
are some strange lookin fellers lol. A bit early for
planting seeds here but would be glad to share. I might
have a good seed or two. just post your email.

John

4/1/2010 7:43:33 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

kypumpkins, a lil early to be starting here, unless you have a hoop house built, and heated for the AG's!!! Soil temp need to be a constant 70 degrees or so!!! Yer email did not make it thru ??? wsmpeace@bellsouth.net I will certainly have some seeds for you...no need to make that trip to Lowes!!! (seriously don't waste yer hard work on those store bought seeds!!) Will certainly help yer daughter out w/ a couple sweet seeds!!! PS...contacting JVH would be a good step for you to take!!! He is "one" of the major factors behind "Slungers" in Kentucky!!! Peace, Wayne

4/3/2010 12:38:52 AM

Somerset,Ky

Has wayne sent a bubble this year he might be missing the boat too !lol need some corn seeds too

4/3/2010 7:37:43 AM

Murray, KY

Well Wayne, that's interesting. All the reading I've done over the past several months has not mentioned that once. Or maybe we've been so busy reading up on all the ground preparation stuff that we missed that part. Either way, I guess that means we have time to germinate and baby some new seeds? lol I knew the Carolina Cross melons needed the hot dirt, but we put black plastic on the hills several days before she set those seedlings (on supercharged mounds) and the ground temp is 74° there this morning. She has 100 or so more CC and Black Diamond melon seedlings to plant but they are going to go into normal field hills (Farmer's Market bound). We were waiting a little longer to set those.

Ground temperature is 65° this morning after a soaking rain last night. After reading through the diaries from last year, I think I will build some cold frames today and get the mounds covered and warming. She transplanted her Lowes AG's yesterday and they look good this morning, but I guess we can see how those turn out. She is thrilled (and I am too) about the offers of seed from you guys, and saved the mounds for some better seed. She just put the Lowes plants in the field like any other common punkin. I'll side-dress them with lots of 2-year-old horse poo, but they won't get to sit on the supercharged ground like the seeds we get from you folks!

A hoop house? lol It would have to be built of concrete and steel here! One problem with wide open, flat, Kansas-style ground is the wind. Pretty much always blowing, and a storm coming down the river miles away whips up some mean winds here.

She'll plant all the seeds she can get...I can guarantee that! She gets plum silly when she gets her peat pots full of dirt and starts putting seeds in them. our email address is ironhunter@wk.net and I'll gladly give you our address John!

Thanks to all of you. I'm getting a headache with the information overload, but I'm thinking it'll be worth it!

4/3/2010 12:45:09 PM