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Santa Cruz, CA

As new growers this year my son and I have grown a 375lb AG. We are really thrilled and are already thinking about next year. We didn't buy proven seeds and would like to for next year. When someone offers you a seed or you buy a seed, how can you tell if it is proven? We have room to grow about 5 seeds but do not know how to go about buying ones that are proven. For example, I have a 926 Hunt/04. Is that a proven seed? Can you tell by the package it comes in? What does (uow) stand for? For example, 606 Eaton/04 (uow) Thanks for your help.

9/5/2005 12:21:44 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

The progeny of all "majorly grown seeds" is kept in a terrific genertics website called the Atlantic Giant Growers Cooperative or AGGC. It is a limitted access paid website however I think that anyone can gain access to the most basic data that you're after.

http://www.aggc.org/aggc_main.asp

By looking at all the fruit grown from a given seed (especially those grown in our own area) we get an idea what a seed can do for us.

The 964 Hunt '04 was grown by Phil Hunt in 2004 so this is the first year for it. We won't know for at least another month how it does this year. Chances are being a new & unproven seed, not many folks will have grown it anyway.

UOW = Unofficial Weight. Where the fruit was weighed on a scale but not at a sanctioned weigh-off with witnesses & all that.

EST means "Estimated" where the grower taped the fruit only & never got it on a scale at all.

No letters following the year indicates the fruit was officially weighed at a weigh-off & the weight is therefore "official".

Steve

9/5/2005 12:43:57 AM

San Diego

Creekside,

Most growers consider a seed proven when it is a few years old and has grown "large" pumpkins (1000 lbs and above). These kinds of seeds are harder to come by, but with time and hard work, it can be done. Most seeds from Ag's now days that come from "heavy hitters" or experienced growers have great genetics and have the possibility of growing a world record or a huge beast. I grow in san diego, your neighbor to the south lol:) You are welcome to try my 861 I grew this year, it's not proven since it's a 2005 seed, but has great potential. Email me if you have interest. Jimmy

9/5/2005 1:16:10 AM

Santa Cruz, CA

Thanks Steve and Jimmy. I will check out the AGGC and maybe become a member so I can figure this all out better. You spend so much time and energy on the pumpkins you might as well get the best seeds you can afford. How much do good seeds cost? I've seen auction seeds for $500 and know I don't want to pay that much. Can I get proven seeds for around $25.00 or do you need to pay much more? Where do I go to buy them? I joined the Giant Vegetables Growers of Ontario and got 15+ AG seeds that all look great to me. But again with my limited space, I don't want to plant unproven ones. I will check those seeds out on the AGGC web site. Thanks again- Kristine

9/5/2005 1:34:01 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

AGGC is currently closed to ne members. But the free access pages are supposed to be very good.

I am guilty of selling sought after seeds at auction for $500. But I don't know of many individuals that sell seeds outright. Rather there are many clubs that can benefit from seed sales & you'll see this going on all winter. Most of the suctions are held right here at BigPumpkins.

P & P seeds has offered some great seeds for sale. The 845 Bobier '00 UOW was sold there in large quantities before it became the #2 producing seed of all times.

After having swapped seeds for free with growers for 4 years now, I have amassed quite a collection of seds. Many would be considered sought after at this point.

Open dialouge usually by email gets things going & after a couple years anyone can have a nice collection of good seeds. For FREE!

9/5/2005 2:43:57 AM

Santa Cruz, CA

Thanks Steve for the help. I'll try P&P seeds and look for growers who will swap seeds. I'm not sure anyone would want to swap a seed from my 375lb unproven pumpkin but they are welcome if they want to. Where do you watch for the auctions? Which section on this site? Thanks again for your help. -Kristine

9/5/2005 2:59:07 AM

Ontario, Canada.

Kristine, you can watch for the auctions beginning in late October or early November. They are usually listed on the Home page here at BP.com. Auctions can last for 3 hours or more and are held in the BP.com chat rooms also found on the home page. Some proven seeds can be bought for 50 to 75 dollars on some nights.

9/5/2005 7:57:08 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

Kristine, Keep an eye on Seed Exchange board on this site. Lots of good...if not proven...seeds will become available, a lot of times for the price of a bubbler and postage. It will be a couple of months before it becomes real active as a lot of these seeds are still inside growing pumpkins. Do your homework on AGGC or possibly check out briansinsanity.com learn some of the key genetic lines...ex. 845 Bobier '00...that have produced well over the years. Follow those genetics and you can get newer seeds with the proven genetics. Hope this makes some sense. I am new at this too. It is real interesting to see all of the diff. crosses made and all the genetic possibilities. Peace Wayne

9/5/2005 8:37:08 AM

Ontario, Canada.

Kristine, the GVGO web site you've joined has provide access for members only to the AGGC.

9/5/2005 8:47:30 AM

Follansbee, Wv

Just a bit of info for you Creekside. Remember that NO seed is proven until it is grown. There are seeds out there with fantastic genetic backgrounds for free. The auctions are to help the clubs raise money for prizes and various functions. That is one reason many people will pay so much for a seed, to help the clubs out. The auctions are a great thing. Occasionally good seeds can be had at the auctions in the 25-50 dollar range. You can also obtain good seeds by joining some of the various clubs. Many offer free seeds to new members. You can also do some research over the fall/winter and ask questions. Also read the growers diaries, and find growers in your area that have done well. Armed with the info you acquire, you can then make seed requests from various growers.
I myself will have seeds available this winter from a fruit that currently weighs over 1000 pounds. It is the 1367.5 Rose x self. Is it a proven seed? No, but with it's genetic background it should produce very large offspring. The point is, growing a "proven" seed doesn't garauntee a monster. Many things must come together including soil, grower skill, weather, and luck.

9/5/2005 8:49:39 AM

Santa Cruz, CA

Thanks everyone for your advise on this matter. I think I have a good place to start now with lots of reading and figuring to do. You guys are great!!-Kristine

9/5/2005 12:21:40 PM

Long Island,New York

Proven doesn't just mean it grows big fruit. It can be proven as a dud also...

9/5/2005 2:03:33 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Oh yeah...G is right on...If Glenn & I were the only people to ever grow a seed (or proofr read a post) they'd all be duds. But if Al Eaton get's behind it......

9/5/2005 2:46:17 PM

Ohio

And not all proven seeds that you plan on growing orange for you will grow orange pumpkins, but instead grow green pumpkins instead,sometimes they will be the only green pumpkin known to have grown from that entire batch of seeds that came from that same pumpkin,,,,,,

9/5/2005 4:07:09 PM

Santa Cruz, CA

Why do pumpkins turn green? There is a guy in our neighborhood who has been growing large (200lb) pumpkins from the same seed strain for the last 16 years and in the last four years he has been getting some green pumpkins. Are they pumpkins if they are green? He was wondering why some go green. Does anyone know or is it just a mystery?

9/5/2005 4:48:01 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

More than likely, if your neighborhood guy sends those green seeds to Glenn they will throw all orange fruit forever.

On a serious note; all of the Cucurbita Maximas have the recessive green gene in them. Constant selfing is sometime mistakenly thought to "purify" a genetic line. But it can also result in the unwanted expression of the recessed green gene.

9/5/2005 6:22:10 PM

Ohio

Creek, now im getting off track on proven a little but Im growing a non proven 750 Wentzell (940 Wentzell x 810 Dill) The 940 I grew last year that had a super orange, the 810 has Grown great orange too. The 750 Wentzell pumpkin im growing is almost snow white with some dark green near the stem end and its at day 48 with no signs of growth.So you cant always pick your color orange,,,,,unless you get your seeds from Martin(mr Orange).LOL

9/6/2005 7:34:24 AM

Ohio

A proven seed could also mean it grows a fantastic color,Orange or Green in my opinion and weight doesnt have to play a part in it. But thats just in my opinion and Im sure other growers wont agree with this.

9/6/2005 7:39:32 AM

Santa Cruz, CA

I would like to try to grow a big orange colored pumpkin next year too. Mine this year is more of a yellow. Will the 940 Wentzell x 810 Dill be available in an auction setting to bid on? I think next year I'd like to grow some for color and some for weight. I think I can put 5 plants in a 160 ft x 60 ft area?

9/6/2005 1:17:16 PM

Ohio

Creek, if you want a nice orange pumpkin the person who comes to my mind always is Martin( Mr Orange) on this site,Send him a email and see what he says, Alot of people will be growing his crosses next year.(BIG and Orange)

Brooks

9/6/2005 2:40:28 PM

Santa Cruz, CA

Thanks. Where on this site do I find him? I delivered your info to my neighbor on the green pumpkin. Thanks for that too. - Kristine or Creek

9/6/2005 4:19:14 PM

Santa Cruz, CA

Brooks, I did find Mr Orange's email on this site. thanks-Creek (I like the new name)

9/7/2005 12:34:00 AM