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Nj

I'm looking to keep information sheets about my pumpkins that I grow so I have a good record. What things should I include on my sheets? Parents of course, and color, wall thickness perhaps? Weight, % + or - around expectations?
Pollinator and expected results from seeds perhaps? growth characteristics etc....

Name them all I just wanna keep good details so in the future I'll have the information when I know what to do with it. :)

Thanks in advance.

2/26/2004 2:32:23 AM

Norton, MA

Weight of pumpkin:
Parents:
Year grown:
# of pumpkins on that plant:
Seed started on:
Germinated on:
Feet down the main:
First female:
First male:
Date pollinated:
Baseball size:
Basketball size:
Max. growth:
Max. growth time:
Final est. weight:
Final weight:
UOW/DMG/EST./Official (circle one)

2/26/2004 6:05:10 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

A growers log with details such as:

-Date seed was started.
-Date of actual germination.
-Lable & log each flower - when it opened & was pollinated.
-What it was pollinated with.
-Pests encountered & when (very important for next year)
-What was applied (ie ferts, insecticdes, fungicides, with rates)
-Any poor reactions to chemical sprays.
-Size the plant was kept at (some include # of leaves)
-Date of any growth abnormality & what was done & when.
-Date of harvest
-Official finish weight

Labeling flowers is easy. Paint stirrers, small cuts of plastic such as margerine tubs. Anything you can write on with a Sharpie that won't fade or disappear before you need to retrieve the information will do.

A weather log is useful with daily precipitation, high/low temperature, amount of sun, wind events, etc. I found it handy to log the date I tripped over & broke this or that vine while weeding. Date I found out that tilling too close to the vine chops up roots & causes a slow down in growth. Also the date I 4x'ed a growth regulator & later discovered how to make an all male flowering AG. LOL

In this way you learn the cause/effect status of your efforts for future growing seasons. Plus others who might wish to grow the seeds produced might make a more informed decision.

You might want to review some of the better Growers 2003 Diaries from this website. Especially those kept by someone who did very well. Carlos "Don Quijot" kept a great diary & grew very well. So did "Boily" Ben. Read as many as you can.

Someone will think of the things I forgot. LOL

Steve

2/26/2004 6:15:11 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Oh Yeah. Make all the tape measurements in your log too.

2/26/2004 6:16:22 AM

KENTUCKY

there is a pumpkin tracking form in an excel spreadsheet that a grower offered here last year. It auto calculates your weight, charts growth daily, has area for notes, and several other options. If you have microsoft excel, I think it is a good tool. I used it all last year. If your enterested, E-mail me and I'll send you a copy.

Mike

2/26/2004 6:48:59 AM

Nj

Thanks all excellent.

One more thing, how does this sound for photographic evidence?

1. Whole Plant shot
For each fruit:
2. Stemside shot
3. blossomside shot
4. side shot
5. if cut open, inside shot
6. ? :)

2/29/2004 12:36:51 PM

Nj

seed shot

3/1/2004 9:25:11 AM

Indiana

carved picture

3/1/2004 10:38:56 AM