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Ohio, Grove City

385 vanderpool (723bobierX869.5calia) due u think that it has the genetics to produce a pumpkin over 800# with orange color!!! (any thoughts would help)- thanks!!!

12/27/2005 10:07:12 PM

No Place Special

over 800 yes, orange might be 50/50.... just a guess. What color was the 385?

12/27/2005 10:43:55 PM

Ohio, Grove City

thank you. (PRETTY SURE THAT THE 385 WAS ORANGE!)

12/27/2005 11:45:49 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

@ 385lbs, was the plant neglected? Who would neglect a 723 Bobier? Maybe the cards arn't in favor for this fruit. They aren't all guaranteed to go big.

12/28/2005 9:56:50 AM

canal winchester ohio

Never judge the potential of a seed by the weight of the pumpkin. There are many factors and or reasons some weigh light.
How much was the Beachy seed that grew 800+ lb pumpkins???

12/28/2005 11:41:28 AM

No Place Special

21 beachy

12/28/2005 11:43:51 AM

canal winchester ohio

That's it, Thanks Mike. A seed from a 21 lb pumpkin grew a 800 lbr......Not to shabby.

12/28/2005 11:45:20 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

I feel each and every seed has potential for big...some of us follow the bandwagon to close..imagine all the diamonds in the rough that have been passed by.

12/28/2005 11:53:34 AM

Eastern Pennsylvania

I've always assumed that Tom B grew the 21 on purpose. I have a hard time believing that the plant grew from May to September and only hit 21 lbs, and then it's progeny does 800.

I believe (guess) most seeds have potential to do 500 or 600lbs these days, but not every seed will go to 1,000.

12/28/2005 12:47:13 PM

canal winchester ohio

The point I was making Jim is that a lot of growers just put the lower weight seeds to the wayside without searching out the whole story. I know Glen Andrews has a 218 lb squash seed that's UNREAL when it's grown ( I've seen it firsthand). I have a 384 lb'r from this past season ( the reason for the low weight is in my diary). I have some of the best seeds I'll ever need but the 384 is getting my prime attention this year. Now I have 2 reasons for giving it the prime spot, 1st I really believe the cross is good ( 664 Liggett X 869.5 Calai). But the biggest reason is how can I expect anyone else to try it if I'm not even going to ??.
Like Shannon posted, a lot of great seeds probably get passed by every year only to sit in the bottom of all our seed drawers........Paul

12/28/2005 2:03:14 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

agreed, that's why I asked if the fruit was neglected in the first place. The main could've gone down or there could have been 4 fruit on the plant, who knows? I'm just not used to hearing about it on this type of plant.

I'm not opposed to growing small fruit, I'm planting a Lawrence 291 in one of my main spots. It will probably do as well or better than the big ones and at least it will look nice. Personally, I'll give a try to anything anybody's willing to vouch for.

12/28/2005 2:32:02 PM

Syracuse, NY

a lot of times a fruit can have totally viable seeds in it and be a cull, a fruit that was chopped-off of the main plant to benefit the biggest fruit or fruits.
there, Cull 101! anyway, i myself each year have these cull seeds that have crosses that are exceptional, but i doubt anyone will ever plant them because they are culls without any verifiable weight, only my suggesting incessantly to the growers that get them that they try a couple. this one cull i had i called my #16 cull from '02,
(815 Checkon X 300 Gerry (1140 Stelts X 845 Bobier))
made for me a 510.5 with amazing blaze orange color in '03,
sold IMMEDIATELY at the weighoff, also a 379 for Chris Fasciano that was exceedingly deep orange, and last but not least a 760 for Bill Foss that was on display at the Mall of America just a couple months back...beautiful orange.
getting back to the original question:
yes, it (385) has high potential for orange and big!
my 728.5 (845 X 1140) (big and ugly X orange and lovely)
makes really nice 700-pounds range AlWaYs orange pumpkins!EG
PS>>>the 728.5 was creme-colored....

12/29/2005 2:05:30 AM

Ontario, Canada.

I have come to notice the same thing with my culls too. On several occasions they have out produced in the short term, other larger fruit seeds. In the past three weeks I have germinated a wide range of seeds for my grafting tests. The best and quickest seeds to germinate came from a 287-04 that was a selfed 709 McCallam. These buggers were small and puny but they sure were potent and produced a 100% germination record. The 287 just might get a chance this spring.

1/1/2006 9:14:59 AM