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Deer Park WA

Dear Squash growing companions........ It is with great sadness I must tell you that our prized 834 squash is done for. While measuring our 339" OTT squash yesterday I discovered a strange little burrow under the stem end of the fruit, after a little excavating I found a large mouse nest under the fruit and a big dang hole into the bottom of the fruit S%*) "O" dear you have never seen such a ticked off dirt farmer! I fired both my fat lazy farm cats on the spot, swore to never grow grain crops next to the patch again and promptly took the quilts covering the squash and moved them to the second one in line. Canby is out this year, but I still have selfed seeds for next season and a strong growing back up in the field. Note to self, check under those big ole fruit blankies more carefully in the future...

9/6/2004 11:33:16 PM

Western Pa.

Gad's,

Sorry to hear the news. I have heard of many 800 & 900# pumpkins(and squash) that met the same fate. If you were a little vermin, wouldn't you want to burrow up into a nice warm condo (full of food) and shelter for the winter? Rodent control must be started in early spring and continue throughout the season. I use a little can of Rodex ($3), and have never had this problem. (Knock on wood!)I think tha't s a small price to pay for piece of mind. I have no affiliation with the Rodex company. When have you ever gotten a cat to do what YOU wanted?

9/7/2004 1:35:41 PM

Spokane, WA

Man Gerry, that sucks. I was looking foreward to see what green wonders would come out of your patch this year. In the footsteps of the 834. I'm also glad to hear that the 834 was doing so good. At least it wasn't a total loss, right? I've lost 4 out of my 11 pumpkins so far this year. Luckly not the best...yet.

Did you get a weight on the thing or any seeds from it?
How many days old was it?
Hope to see ya at the fair.
Adam

9/7/2004 10:13:41 PM

Mulino, Oregon

Gerry, great to here from, but not under these circumstances. It would be great to see how much it actually weighed. Hope you can still make over to Canby. Don't know where the big squash is coming from this year probably LaRue or Rivard although there are still a few biggies out there unaccounted for. Won't be out of my patch thie year, the sets I got were too late.

Jim

9/8/2004 12:45:51 AM

Deer Park WA

Hi Adam, I will be dragging a decent pumpkin to the fair this afternoon it was grown from my daughters 2002 596. Hope you have a big one to show their should be some beauties their this year. I left the big squash on the vine to see if it will get bigger and hopefully have some mature seeds left, I have another 834 off spring in the patch that is at 310" ott and growing about 20# per day still, it has its mommas green black color and high round shape. Will try to get them weighed at the local produce wholesaler. Good luck to all.

9/8/2004 10:44:16 AM

ontario

my moneys on Razo ...................:0)

9/8/2004 7:56:31 PM