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Ray, North Dakota

I have two pumpkins on a 1217 Whittier.

1217 x 1355.5 Marion is 120" for 45 lbs est.

1217 x 967 Kurilich is 130" for 56 lbs.

Both are at day 18.

I am already 8 days behind last year, and I am wondering if or when I should cull?

Should I cull one or let them both grow?

8/4/2007 10:03:05 AM

Dillsburg, PA

I'd cull the 45lb one. Day 18 and only 45 is not that good. Many will probably tell you to keep both for awhile and do more comparisons. You have a few options here. Also, consider shape?

8/4/2007 10:26:06 AM

Minnesota

herbie, I would keep them both - the plant has more energy than both of those will probably use for the whole year. Meaning that if one grows to 900 and the other 700, you wont increase the fruit size much, if any, on the lead fruit by cutting one off now. You dont know which one will give you the better seed and they both seem like great crosses. Good Luck.

8/4/2007 3:43:10 PM

Ray, North Dakota

Yeah, I'm up in the air now. I guess I'm anxious to watch them really take off. Just have to wait.

If they don't go huge this year, there is always the seeds for next year. They do seem like good crosses.

I also have a late 1355.5 Marion x 1217 Whittier,

and a 567 Foss x 1355.5 Marion. Two of them to be exact.

The 1355.5 has one fruit set, but is growing really slow. Way behind the Whittier plant. I'll just have to wait. Lots of time left before our first frost? Hopefully.

Thanks guys.

8/4/2007 10:46:08 PM

Ray, North Dakota

Also, with two pumpkins on the Whittier plant, I may still come close to a 60" circumfrence on the Kurilich cross. I am betting on 58" by the 20 day benchmark.

8/4/2007 10:48:00 PM

Ray, North Dakota

I looked at last years diary, and I am not very far off from my weights in my rookie season.

I'm keeping them both on the plant. Gonna be interesting. The Kurilich cross is getting real blocky and odd shaped just like the parent pumpkin, but the Marion cross looks great.

The beauty and the beast all on one plant.

8/6/2007 1:39:29 PM

Washington

To maximize potential we only leave 1 per plant. The problem with this is that if that 1 goes down you have nothing so I would say what kind of risk taker are you? That's one reason we have 21 plants, gives us more options for choices like this. Good luck!

Sherry

8/6/2007 2:11:31 PM

Ray, North Dakota

This year it was very wet and cool this spring, plus I was very busy at work with fertilizer and chemical.

My personal best is 518 lbs, and I hope to get around there with at least one of them.

I have some good crosses this year, and want a large pumpkin for Halloween, and good seeds to grow and trade next year.

Next year, I hope to grow two of my own seeds, and two new ones to cross in.

When I culled one pumpkin last year off my 1029 Kurilich plant, it didn't take long for the main vine fruit to split at the stem. And, according to my diary from last year, I am only a few pounds behind on the dates.

If that pumpkin didn't split last year, I don't know what it would have grown to. It was sure fun to watch and measure though.

8/6/2007 6:19:11 PM

Minnesota(dw447@fastmail.fm)

Herbie,
I wish you the best on your pumpkins. My first year I pollinated one on July 20, and it was a very cool summer. I still ended up with a 615 lber(was around 51" at day 20). The next year had one pollinated around Aug. 1, and it was estimated at over 530 lbs. at season's end.
If you have healthy and good sized plants, you should have a good chance at a personal best.

8/6/2007 7:38:32 PM

Ray, North Dakota

Never know with North Dakota weather. Growth really slowed down in one day. Last night the temps dropped down to 60, and it really shut the plants down.

Thanks for the words of wisdom Doug. I don't ever imagine being a 1000 lb grower, but someone else just might when they grow my seeds.

8/7/2007 1:11:23 PM