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Grittyville, WA

Bored so I thought I would throw this out... We has three at our weigh off that were about the same. I'd say they were all equivalent to a field pumpkin in terms of orange-ness.

I saw one last year that had a glossy red-orange appearance the color of which maybe would have exceeded a field pumpkin.

I've seen lighter speckled ones that are beautiful and darker orange ones too, probably a darker orange than a field pumpkin but not as glossy as the other one I just mentioned.

Is a field pumpkin the orange-standard? Let me know what you all think.

9/24/2018 6:02:12 AM

Morgantown, WV

Deep glossy red is always favored it seems, at least from what I've seen in the past. The Calai dots are pretty and all, but if you can get a pumpkin to go dark enough to cover those dots, you got a great chance.

Generally speaking, you get a slight leniency on shape and color once it gets big, like over a thousand... but not too much ;)

If you want a better idea for yourself, Jim Gerhardt (I'm pretty sure) runs a Howard Dill winner's diary each year where the winners from all over are posted. Go back a year or two in the diaries and search the page for it and you'll see what's been getting it done.

If you have the RIGHT one in the truck, you should know as soon as you pull up to the weigh off! Good luck!

9/24/2018 6:44:29 AM

Grittyville, WA

This is the most orange I've grown yet... plant had two kins on it this is one of them:

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=298301

261.5 Clayton (406.5 Clayton x 504 House)

9/24/2018 2:04:09 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

abbynormal is known for orange. In his diary is a pic of what he says is one of his best orange ever. Peace

9/24/2018 4:42:51 PM

Morgantown, WV

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=267381

My only HD winner ever... but they saw it glowing from the exit ramp! People like a nice orange, but the deeper reds make jaws drop.

Seed was 900 Gansert, from good ol Abbynormal :)

9/25/2018 7:13:36 AM

Grittyville, WA

Asking the gurus of orange: Should I be happy with field pumpkin orange? Or is there another level I must ascend to lol???

9/25/2018 10:00:39 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

It all depends on what shows up at the weigh-off. Sometimes a decent orange will take it, other times you need perfect red-orange. Another thing just as important is shape. One time my son and I had great orange pumpkins, but his was a birdbath and mine had a bottom that stuck out and a blossom that turned up. We didn't win. Several years ago my son had one that we thought was a shoe-in for the HD. Great red- orange color, shiny skin, good shape, just a bit of a flat spot on the top. One showed up that had the same exact color and shine, just 1 pound lighter, grown about 3 miles away from us, but it had perfect shape. Guess who won. So no only do you want to grow pumpkins with known great color, you want to grow seed sock that is known for great uniform shape.

9/26/2018 12:10:54 AM

Jericho Vermont

I would again go back to personal preferences on color. I do know from experience though the redder orange pumpkins draw the first looks at many weigh offs. There are a number of seeds out there that throw that type of orange. Shape is a different story as it seems to be the hardest to achieve in the right color. Very few perfect pumpkins out there, which makes the chase for them a challenge.

9/26/2018 6:48:22 AM

Oak Grove, Mn

My perfect shade is a match to the paint on my allis chalmers tractor. That is not reddish. I can almost match the shade but so far not with the depth of color I would want. I also struggle with shape, skin quality, and of course size. It is probably a forever pursuit.

9/26/2018 6:55:42 AM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The Howard Dill club is the name of the diary you want to review to see past HD winners. There wasn’t much of one last year but the years before that have loads of examples.

9/26/2018 2:09:47 PM