From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Eveleth MN

Since I seem to be the first "rookie" to have my season come to a screaching haul I'll be the first to post my first seasons results. (season ended due to 28*f temps yesterday morning)
I've got only 3 measurable pumpkins, and I cut one off today to "play" around with, the others will stay on the vines for a few more days to see if I get ANY more growth.
this one taped 154 OTT for a 84# est. and weighed 92# on a certified scale, its off my 156 gerry plant and is an open pollination. It was 33 days old and the seeds look viable (I will know in a few days)
My other pumpkin on the 156 gerry is also at 154 OTT but I left it on the vine. I've got one at 192OTT on my 534 Andrews 01' that was selfed and it is 47days old.

rookie mistakes
-not enough water
-didn't keep up with weeding
-picked a HORRABLE year to start growing AG's
-need better soil prep
-need bigger hoop houses for next year

8/22/2004 11:25:51 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

I doubt you're the first to find the end. Just the first to admit it. Congratulations are in order all the same. You have learned plenty & set goals. Plus you now have a personal best to go gunning for next year.

8/22/2004 11:55:35 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

Never blame mistakes or failures on the weather...

8/23/2004 6:44:50 AM

Long Island,New York

Mistakes will be made in your first year but as long as you realize them you will be fine. Ignore Southern's comment...its niether helpful nor kind. Weather will make or break many a grower's season. If your like everyone else I know, this season will always be fresh in your mind..the start of the fun.....best of luck improving your soil this winter cause next year has already started for you !!!

8/23/2004 9:40:30 AM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

Very cool LIpumpkin, awesome advice that rookies like me appreciate, I see some experienced growers looking down on rookies, I understand that the same questions and comments over and over can be annoying after a while, but you all started as rookies....
We all have other talents and expertise, just because we may not know how to grow as well as others does not mean that we are ignorant, and we are all thirsty for knowledge,
so in short, those of you who help us to learn will only help in making this sport better for all.
Bo

8/23/2004 9:54:25 AM

Tipp City, Ohio

This is my fourth year growing and I'm still making rookie mistakes...lol.

8/23/2004 9:10:55 PM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

Rancherlee,
I feel for you. I was forunate to have the frost miss me here in central MN. I've heard reports of frost as close as 15 miles from me. Two fellows my dad works with had their A.G.season come to halt from frost damage. I would guess they live within 40 miles from me.
I also consider this my first "serious" year of growing A.G's. It's a great learning experience. I agree with you that the season here in MN was far from ideal. Just think how happy we'll be if we get "normal", or better, weather next season. If we can improve on certain areas each year, we can make great strides.
I've come to the conclusion that I should to have my pollination for my keeper fruits by at least July 10, and probably the earlier the better(Maybe July 1). This way the fruit will likely have warmer weather during its peak growth period. Sept. can be unpredictable here.
I pollinated my fruit this year on July 20.
It is now around 200 lbs.(est.). It's been growing 12-15 lbs. a day lately. If I continue to get steady growth, my original goal of 400 lbs. may be attainable.
Take care and keep your head up!

Doug

8/23/2004 10:36:45 PM

Eveleth MN

head is still high, I removed the 2 plants with no pumpkins on them. The 2 pumpkins left picked up 2-3 OTT again but I don't know how much longer they will continue to gain wieght/size after 99% of the leaves died (the vines are still very much alive, the freeze didn't make it all the way to the ground.) At least my 194 OTT should be easy to overtake next year, I HOPE :)
What ever my biggest hits the scales at it will still be 3 times bigger than my biggest ever which was my HUGE 57# bigmax last year :) Now my main goal is to keep my fruit solid until the the first week of october for "pumpkin festival" in a nearby small town, I'm curious to see if any other AG growers show up, If not my 194 OTT should be hard to beat (if its not mush) I also plan to spread the word on AG's as I would really love a local group to compete with!

8/23/2004 11:03:33 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

My comment wasn't meant to be un-helpful or mean, it's just the truth. We *all* face harsh weather of some type every year. Blaming the weather is just a waste of time and an excuse that we *all* can make, so it then makes it invalid.
I believe in calling things as I see them, if that makes them bad, oh well.

8/24/2004 12:04:11 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

PS...Good luck Rancherlee. Pay attention each year and you'll do fine. My comment wasn't meant to bust your spirit, it's just a pet peeve "excuse" I get tired of folks using instead of being honest with themselves....and I'm not implying that you fall into that category.

8/24/2004 12:08:10 AM

Eveleth MN

but blaming the weather is fun ;) . Yes I should have been prepared for Frost at the end of June and night time temps in the 40's most of the summer and a hard freeze the middle of August but being that I have NEVER had to deal with those weather related problems in my 10+ years of gardening I was NOT prepared to deal with those. In my 10 previous years of gardening I've had at least June 1st to September 1st without frost and May 15th to September 10th without temps dropping below 32*f. Oh well Grandpa said this summer was going to be bad way back in April (he seems to just "know" this stuff after 74 years of gardening) but he said next year won't be much better :(

8/24/2004 11:06:26 AM

Back of Beyond

Southern,

It was the weather I tell you... the weather caused it all ...but then again maybe things would have been a bit better if I had:

Been prepared to shade the plant from the heat
Shaded all growing root tips
Had misters available to cool the plant during the day
Had buried all my vines instead of half-heatedly attempting this
Had planned for watering 25-30 foot long mains

Soil prep - can anyone say lack of soil prep!!
And remember those damn soil ratios

Understood pesticide treatment planning well enough
Started a PM preventative program sooner

And what if I had been more consistent with my foliar spraying program? You know I just might have some leaves left if I hadn't done foliar feedings with 0-0-25. But the vines I cut by accident while trimming tendrils and the others that were stepped on or snapped off probably didn't hurt anything in the long run did they?

And still - when everyone is loading 1000#ers into their trucks I will be right there with them. I'll just have to
load everything I have to hit 1,000# (if I'm lucky and nothing rots).

AND I'll tell you right now - I would've had a hell of a year if it weren't for the BAD WEATHER. lol

J. R.

8/24/2004 11:37:05 AM

Utah

... well last summer here it was over 100°F around 30 days plus or minus a few. I don't remember the exact number.

... this year we haven't had a single day over 100 and it looks like we won't for the rest of the season.
It has made a huge impact on my plants. yes I did a lot of patch prep work, spraying more, etc... this year....

and your right you can't blame everything on the weather but also can't deny that it is a factor. and a big factor in a some cases.

8/24/2004 2:23:43 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

JR,

I think that's exactly what Kyle meant. We know full & well before the season starts that in order to be successful we either have to be very lucky or very well prepared.

Look at Alan Nesbitt & tell me he relies on luck. LOL Hail, wind & cold weather doesn't affect Alan's patch like it might because he has taken the steps required to control those elements of "luck".

The better we prepare & the harder we work, the luckier we get.

8/24/2004 2:54:12 PM

Ohio

amen

8/27/2004 4:55:24 AM