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Olympia, Wa

I have been religously measuring my pumpkins everyday for the past 14 days now...
I am only gaining 1-3 inches a day..which equals out to only a couple pounds a day. My pumpkin is on day30 and is only 55"...I am not getting the expsive 20lbs a day results that I was hoping for...
I am curious if it is genetic or soil...or something else that is keeping my pumpkins from a great weight gain?
Anyone have any ideal what might be happening here?
my 55" is on a main...that is 6-8ft long.
I have another fruit that is on a 25ft main...and is only gaining couple inches a day..also. It is on day 20 and is measuring 43". all the secondaries are terminated on both the 25ft main..and the 6-8ft main..but still not much growth.
am wondering if anyone can tell me..which might be my best grower?

8/7/2004 5:33:10 PM

Ga.

when and how much ferts have you used?Did your patch recieve VIP treatment before ya planted? Could be many things...GL....Jeff

8/7/2004 9:41:04 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

Yep, could be a whole lot of reasons. First and foremost being the soil as the #1 possible reason.

8/7/2004 11:24:39 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

What seeds did you plant? Alot of people plant store bought then can not figure out what the are doing wrong.

8/8/2004 4:38:07 AM

Syracuse, NY

although it may suck some fruit-growing energy from the plant that is 6-8 feet long, initially, i would, perhaps, allow the main vine to grow uninhibitedly until it gets to be at least, just guessing, like 25 feet like the other plant, and perhaps let every other secondary grow off of it and be sure to prune and bury them. i don't think we can expect a plant of 6-8 feet in length to be a monster-maker....
in the case of my 735 Pukos, a very sad waste of a seed on my part, it is only about 12-14 feet long, has a fruit on it
of about 25-30 pounds, and let's realize that this plant HAS put-out at least one fruit of 1100-plus pounds.
i haven't done anything different to it, just waited for it to take-off, and now regret having waited. but, back to the issue....i think the plant needs to be bigger. it has been stopped a little too soon. and, the other one, the 25-footer? sometimes a fruit will surprise you if not checked
every day religiously...the old "watched pot never boils"
thing>>>>>>>>>>poor man's growth indicator>>>>>>>>stick a sharpened dowel into the ground right next to the fruit,
about a quarter inch from the widest point on the fruit.
you'll be able to sort-of see the growth occurring.
i hope i have helped, and good luck! eric

8/9/2004 6:21:37 PM

Vancouver, White Rock, Canada

I'm getting almost the same results, and I planted store bought seed into completely untended soil (basically turned over the grass, and dumped seeds into it). You can only do so much for the plant, if genetics and soil are not up to par. If a fruit is destined (genetically inclined) to grow big, and we give it the right environment (soil, conditions) I'd hazard to say our interference (aside from pruning off other fruit) might only account for an additional 5%-10% extra weight at the end of the season?

8/10/2004 9:30:47 AM