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Gays Mills, Wisconsin

If you or someone you know grew one of these type fleshed pumpkins in 2011, I'd be interested in learning a bit about it's genetics.

A few years ago I grew a 1423 Wallace that was extremely hard fleshed, nearly woodlike. I've been growing some super seeds since but none have been as dense fleshed as that one. Thanks, John

12/10/2011 12:35:01 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

I had one like that this year in the 1167.5 Gerchy, which went 20% over chart. It was very hard-fleshed and had a green layer just under the outer rind, much like one often sees with cantaloupes. As my pumpkin handling equipment was down, I had to cut it into pieces with a corn knife in order to get it out of my pickup. I've never seen such a tough pumpkin to cut through. It had 12" thick sides and top and 8" blossom, stem, and bottom ends. Perfectly flawless inside with no cracks and a flat bottom.

The 1167.5 mother was the 703 Gerchy EST 2010. The plant which produced the 703 had issues and I simply didn't want to fool with it any longer.

The mother of the 703 EST was the 718.9 Gerchy 2008, a 1005 Mombert x 893 Privitera cross, and the pollinator was the 1258 Wallace. I used the 1258 to get 1450 Wallace heavy genetics and, boy, did it ever work.

12/10/2011 1:44:14 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

The 703 EST was also the best plant I've ever grown in my ten years at it.

12/10/2011 1:45:36 PM

churchville, ny

I have been growing the giants for over 25 years and this year is the first time my wife, Sharon, who is famous for her carvings has complained about the pumpkins being "nearly woodlike" as Cornhusk described.

As you can see on my diary Swaintech (11/4/11) she does extremely intricate details and she had a tough time this year.

The 1725 Harp and 970 Barenie were the two she had trouble getting through. Both were crossed with the 1432 Northrup which was easy to carve so we will see what develops next year.

No, the denser pumpkins do not last longer once carved.

Amelio - I talked to Len Stellpflug this week - he still maintains his love for pumpkins even though he has had some serious health problems - he grew 1 plant last year from my (Swain 1196 2010) seed which produced 4 pumpkins which weighed over 1700 pounds. He does plan on growing giants next year.

12/10/2011 9:05:24 PM

Joliet, IL

This pumpkin was not grown in 2011, but it does show the charactereistics you described. The underlying hard greener color flesh directly under the skin, followed by a hard darker orange colored flesh that stays firm almost all the way to the center. I carved that piece out of the left shoulder to show these qualities better in the light. That shoulder was 13" thick too. This was the first noticably different densed pumpkin I grew and was happy to see the characteristic follow in the next 2 generations. I hope to hear of more responses to this thread. I would think Quinn's 25% 1488 marsh pumpkin has characteristics you describe and the 1488 may be the new 1041. Kevin's heavy pumpkins and the McKies pictures of heavy pumpkins have that same exterior tank look with less ribby large round rib sections with ribs not running too deep. Hard to describe, but you will know what I mean when you see them.

This was my 1041 mckie progeny from 2008 with dense woody flesh characteristics.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/displayphoto.asp?pid=6876&gid=-19246

12/11/2011 9:19:51 AM

Joliet, IL

The marks in the flesh up top are from prying it open and not internal flaws.

12/11/2011 9:23:14 AM

Somerset,Ky

John both of the 1407 Wolfs I have grown have been that
way the 566,5 Van Hook grows heavy and dence type.

12/12/2011 6:08:18 PM

Huntsville Texas

I have not previously grown giant pumpkins very much, but have had a lot of success growing strains developed from heirloom varieties of both cucurbita maxima and cucurbita moschata. The best of these also had the green layer under an extremely hard outer rind, and very pronounced ribbing. They were also very resistant to heat and drought. They had very dense, deep orange flesh, which, when cooked, stayed very thick, without needing to be drained, and which made delicious breads, cakes and pies. So for my new venture into growing giant pumpkins, I am very interested in seeds from pumpkins such as the 1423 Wallace or the 1167.5 Gerchy or other similar ones. My wife and daughter and I do free gardening workshops with families across our community, and many kids here are enthusiastic about growing giant pumpkins. Please let me know about whatever seeds might be available.

12/22/2011 10:29:55 PM