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Timnath, Colorado

Hi All..first a Huge Thank You to all growers who contribute to this site for the benefit all new and seasoned growers, as a first year grower i have been helped mightily by this site, sometimes by seemingly offhand comments that then sent me in search of more info. That i  have anything in the patch is a credit to this site and the wisdom you all have graciously shared.
Im a pumpkin sculptress who planted with the desire to grow a few nice carvers, no grand ambition this year to grow any monsters. I figured if i spent this year just learning how to manage vines, water properly, how to recognize the many diseases, funguses and other problems and if i could get a 300-350 lber and some smaller kins out of the field for carving that would be more than enough of an achievement and make this endeavor worthwhile...maybe try for a whopper in the coming years. To me a whopper is anything over 200 lbs and very useable from this carvers standpoint. If you want to see any of my carving work go to facebook and search Oh For The Love Of Gourd.
I picked the worst year EVER to take up this sport! Other Colorado growers have described our weather issues here so I will try not to belabor this too much. Despite growing naked and blind..no soil or tissue tests, no hoop houses, no shade structures for the kins, and no shadecloth (biggg mistake in Colorado!). I germinated unproven seed far to early to get a jump on the season ( ill bet this was a truly original plan nobody tried before >.<).After a month of heavy rain, 15 plants finally go in the ground on June 1. Despite all the problems Im happy to report i have 20 beautiful carvers, even a few over the 350 lb goal!  This is a testament to hard work , a little luck, plenty of water and the sage advice found here..so Thank You!!!

8/26/2015 11:26:16 AM

Minnesota

Nice carvings!

8/26/2015 1:57:27 PM

President - GPC

Welcome to the madness...Come see us at one of the weigh offs...we could use a carver if you would like...

8/26/2015 3:26:34 PM

Central NY

Thats great news...I love a success story...busy carving season for you!!!

8/26/2015 3:48:13 PM

Timnath, Colorado

Thank You for your kind words Rich! Thanks Wizz, im planning on lugging a pumpkin to the Fort Collins weigh off, not with any expectation of placing in the rankings, but in the spirit of learning.. Id rather a forklift punch a whole in one this year versus in the coming years if i grow a big one! Plus mine will make the Big One look even bigger lol "we could use a carver if you like..." thats just music to my ears! message me thru my facebook page and we can check the dates im available and firm up the arrangements. Last year at Nicks i handed you a business card (thanks for the shameless plug you gave me ) if you still have my card feel free to call! Porkchop..you are specifically one of the folks I was thanking, i love how you offer help to all, i have certainly benefitted from your oresence here! Thanks for the warm welcome!

8/26/2015 5:57:13 PM

Timnath, Colorado

*presence

8/26/2015 5:58:16 PM

Manitoba

I am amazed you'd get some 350 pounders with all your awful conditions. Too bad I can't see your work as I am not on Facebook.

8/26/2015 9:05:07 PM

Central NY

Wow..thanks Gordy ..!!.good luck the rest of the way!!!

8/26/2015 9:07:35 PM

Timnath, Colorado

MeToo! Me toooooo, Nobdys More Surprised than me that ive made it this far. Like everyone else, it has been a battle every single day and they are still along ways from making it out of the patch. Everytime i see someone post that their big one has gone down im reminded how quickly things can change, what looks good today might not necessarily hold true for tomorrow. Its heartbreaking to see stem and blossom splits or disease take out experienced growers who really know what they are doing, even though im not really pushing the pumpkins i know those perils still lie before us. I was certain i would kill some plants just learning the watering, much less everything else, no one is more surprised than me! You can do a google search for facebook oh for the love of gourd and you can see the fb page without joining facebook, i will post a pic here after ive made an online diary..MeToo!..you really wont believe some of the idiotic mistakes ive made, making my being here at all remarkable to say the least lol

Porkchop..lol @ gordy..i named one of my pumkins Gourdita..gordy is good, lli answer to just about anything :D

8/26/2015 11:46:51 PM

Manitoba

OFTLOG, I went to facebook as you advised. That is amazing work you do!

8/29/2015 10:46:04 AM

Parker, CO

Make sure to join the club and come to the meetings! I hope to have a pumpkin going strong enough to take to the FoCo weigh off.

8/29/2015 6:46:52 PM

Timnath, Colorado

Thank You MeToo! Very kind of you to say! Thanks Chad..how is smashing coming along? Ive been watching your diary (i have my eye on you :D) you dont reallyyyy want to lug that allllllll the wayyyyyy to Fort Collins do you? Lol Im looking forward to meeting the growers that come up, plan to join RMGVG and procure a club tshirt as soon as i lay eyes on Whizzy, bring a really big one whizz..tshirt..that is hah

Congrats Chad on your state record growing that huge tomato! Amazing,

8/29/2015 10:53:09 PM

Parker, CO

Smashing is doing awesome, still doing 20+ per day knock on wood. Im not sure if Smashing will make it that long to FoCo, I want to keep him growing as long as possible though, so maybe..?..

More likely bubba or red barron, both of which would be in the funning for that smaller weigh off judging by last years numbers. Are you going to come to any of the other weigh offs? Maybe Nicks? ? ?

It was nice to have the record for a few weeks, now the gent from Boulder has the crown. Wiz said I'm still in the lead for the club event. But ill get the state record back next year with a 4-5 pounder.

Looking forward to seeing you at the meetings and weigh offs

8/30/2015 12:35:47 AM

Timnath, Colorado

Good news indeed, i was a bit worried not seeing an update and almost daily, seeing so many glorious kins going down, also recognizing theres a "keep it close" competitive strategy, im glad to hear Smashing is trucking along, what a fine pumpkin you have growing, and for a first year grower...just WOW! IF I were trying for a really big one, If i had a realllyyy big one i would plan to take it to a secondary weigh off..im actually hoping to see some really big ones up here. A couple of mine might be just big enough to get a pat on the head! I went to Nicks last year and was blown away with the quantiy and size of the competitors but it left me wondering what Id missed by not makng it to Jareds lol...! I saw the post where Mark was crowned the newest state record holder with his beautiful tomato...Congrats to Mark! No matter when the record falls again you both have a feather in your cap and get to say "i held the Colo State Record" no small achievement even if shortlived. Well done to both of you, and you Chad..a first time grower? Well Done! Im looking forward to meeting you too, and all the growers. If any of you find yourselves up this way before the weigh off i would love to meet before the festivities begin. Id kill to have some experienced eyes look at my patch to get suggestions on doing this better next year. Ive had leaf issues from the beginning, Gourd only knows what im growing in addition to the kins!. The goal has been..first..just keep them alive..hopefully set some fruit and have a few nice carvers, anything else is a bonus... barring big tragedies in the next month, i accomplished that much but i would love to know what it is ive been seeing heathwise. Id welcome a patch by an experienced set of eyes. To my noobish eyes EVERY leaf issue looks equally scary, what an anxiety producing sport..i cant begin to imagine how much moreso with the lofty goal of growing a truly gargantuan fruit, for me, its been worriesome enough just shoo

8/30/2015 1:40:52 PM