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Tasmania , Australia

Hi everyone, I'm new to this site and just wishing to chat with other growers from around Australia..I was wishing to find out some of this seasons weights that were achieved from various states around Australia. My name is Shane Newitt, most people call me Speedy!. We grow down here in Tassie and after a dreadful season of gale forcewinds and late summer we achieved two pumpkins for 2014.. 1 in the junior section which weighed 260kgs and 1 in the open adult section of the official Bream Creek Show weigh in.. This pumpkin weighed in at 287.8kgs. Hope to chat with some of you other growers from different States

3/30/2014 7:04:38 AM

Tasmania Australia

Hi Speedy, where abouts in Tasie are you growing them.
Can't say i have heard of Bream Creek.
Cheers.
Peter.

4/2/2014 1:47:44 AM

Tasmania , Australia

Hi Peter, we grow down here in the south east. We are situated just 1km east of a little village called Sorell.. The Bream Creek Show is one of the oldest and longest running Country Shows in Tasmania. This Show is the most recognised in this State for Giant Pumpkin Growers and the most official. I have been a Primary producer all my life and studied at the Burnie Agricultural college in the day when it was recocnised as one of the best going along with dookie college in Victoria. I have a degree in Agricultural science and I just love growing good produce..Where abouts do you weigh your pumpkins? I did hear that Westbury or Sheffield are now taking off with Giant Pumpkin competitions. Do you know if this is true?

4/3/2014 6:13:23 PM

Tasmania Australia

Hi, yes i know where Sorell is, been there a few times, will have to look out for the Bream Creek show next time.
I haven't had mine offically weighed to be reconised, will most likely start doing that is i can get one to grow around the 200kg mark, We just weight them using cattle scales at the moment.
I haven't heard anything about Westbury or Shefield in Giant Pumpking competitions yet, but there is something simular at the Wynard show.

4/3/2014 11:31:08 PM

Tasmania , Australia

Hi bluesilver, cattle scales are really damn accurate anyhow. I hope Wynyard, Westbury and Sheffield do get going as I have heard? My little girls are keen to grow and wish to enter in other shows.
When do you sow your pumpkins and would you have one ready for the Bream creek show on the 18th march next year?. It Would be good to see you down here.. cheers.. Shane

4/4/2014 12:56:21 AM

Tasmania Australia

Mid March seams like the right time, generally finished growing by then, but saying that, i am still getting flowers on my plants at this time of year.
I haven't got any dates set to plants really, as i generaly plant when the ground temp is close to right.
I usally go by when our runner beans show the slight sign of movement and plant then.
Not the best method, but will be looking at trying to get something better sorted out this year with proper dedicated patch, fertilizers ans the like.
email is peterbluesilver@hotmail.com

4/4/2014 2:06:13 AM

Tasmania , Australia

Cheers blue silver and thankyou for the email address. We could not get pollinated this season due to no sun and plants were late flowering.. Last season we were pollinated by 22 December and this year we scraped in and pollinated on the 17th January.. The pumpkin was still putting on 8 to 10kg a night when we removed it from the vine. We would have loved to see it with the full 70 to 80 days to mature and harden off, as I believe the pumpkin would have reached 380 to 390kgs.. However at 56 days only I thought it was a fairly good result considering the poor season.. Will catch up later bluesilver.. Cheers Speedy

4/4/2014 7:59:34 AM