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Date Posted

South Dakota

Are there any signs that a pumpkin exhibits that indicate it may run light or heavy to chart? I believe I read somewhere that a lot of cantaloping indicated a better chance to go heavy. I know the causes of over/under are multi-variable, but does the pumpkin give you any insight as to which way she is likely to go?

8/31/2020 5:42:05 PM

South Dakota

What about maturity? Is a 90 day pumpkin more likely to go heavy as compared to a 75 day pumpkin?

8/31/2020 5:45:18 PM

North Of The Border

Hmmm.... interesting thinking. I have not read anything on the age contributing, but I do know last year I witnessed a pumpkin, no more than 60 days old, go 20% heavy. This too me implies that the % heavy is not dependent on age, but more likely shape. I have grown two in a row that were very nice shapes, and we're sitting 1% of the chart. The 20% heavy, was a very tall wheel snap, that was turned blossom down mid growth. This implies, anything really flat, either direction will be heavy, but anything more average shape will not.

I have also seen pictures, of nice shapes pumpkins, going 15-20% heavy, because of good genetics, or so the growers claim... don't know if that's the truth, but calcium deficiencies, have been shown to produce lighter % pumpkins. Now, that would imply spraying with calcium, and having lots of calcium in the soil, will help. I don't know the truthfulness of these growers, but in general they have no reason to lie.

The answer is, maybe. I have read that tall, wheel pumpkins, will dominate over short pumpkins. Anything over 36 inches tall, will do better than under 24. Again, don't know the accuracy, but hopefully this is helpful.

8/31/2020 7:24:21 PM

Western NY

% heavy is not dependent on age, but will increase slightly with age. a pumpkin that's 10% over chart on day 40 might be 13-16% over chart on day 100.

8/31/2020 8:56:52 PM

Penryn CA

Any thoughts if cantaloping increases weight?

9/1/2020 12:18:23 AM

Syracuse, NY

no facts here, but, a LOBEY fruit would get my check mark if it were multiple choice, just based on appearance - each lobe struggling to fit into the pumpkin's grand design. merely a preference, with no basis, lo lobes - eg

9/1/2020 4:47:46 AM

North Of The Border

I have also read anything without deep ribs, because if it has deep ribbing, there is air under the tape.

9/1/2020 7:07:34 AM

Bethlehem CT

The thought on calcium is interesting. My pumpkins usually go light. My calcium numbers are well below the numbers of other growers. I have had cantelouped ugly pumpkins also go light.

9/1/2020 8:01:14 AM

North Of The Border

It is old science, over 20 years, but it is still believed to be true. Hopefuly you can get your calcium up, and you'll be able to weigh heavy% pumpkins, but till then, use the genes. This is also an old science. Older probably then most of us. Quite a while ago, dunno the time period, some scientist experimented with peas, and figured out that traits get carried down generations. This would imply using a seed such as the 1507 Seelow seeds would increase your chances of having a heavy fruit, as the seed was 30+% heavy. This is probably true, but experimentation by you, is the best way to find better ways.

9/1/2020 4:10:21 PM

Lakewood, WA

Some genetic pumpkins lines tend to produce pumpkins with thicker walls and less airspace in the middle.

9/1/2020 5:53:23 PM

Colorado

Some over the chart pumpkins look fleshy or meaty and look heavy to me. Having said that you never know till its on the scale. Theres exceptions to all shapes,cantaloping,color etc.

9/1/2020 6:50:44 PM

Central Illinois

One theory is that watering correctly in the early stages of pumpkin growth has an effect on %

9/2/2020 5:38:12 AM

Syracuse, NY

WHAT is a pumpkin mostly made up of? Water. Think about it. eg

9/2/2020 1:50:17 PM

Syracuse, NY

henceforth, for lack of time to elaborate yesterday, if you know you've watered the plant the fruit is on to what seems like an excess, then you've added your own characteristic - to the internal growth of the pumpkin's innards, wherein all the above comments will apply from there on; there've been many weighoffs i've been to where i've been totally wrong about any that i have 'predicted' would go heavy - of course, we're not ALL standing there with the chart in our hand, knowing what the estimated WEIGHT is stated as, for the comparison to be made, either, lol---eg

9/3/2020 1:51:17 PM

Grittyville, WA

With my two brain cells I vote 4 calcium and genetics. Calcium could be affected by correct soil moisture.

9/6/2020 10:31:03 PM