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Central NY

We've all been so busy in our patches these last few weeks but we've reached the final stretch ...weighoffs are being held across the country..how are we doing first timers?...any miserable failures?..aka. Learning the hard way..any successes?.. I know ORV has shot at 1000 if he isn't there already...Lordy seems like she's reached her goals already...I think Metoo is still in the game...what's the status ??... Best part of the first time is no matter what the size , it's a personal best!!!...best of luck the rest of the way!!

9/4/2015 7:16:23 PM

San Diego

I am doing fine so far. I started out with a goal of 400 and later moved it to 500, but now it's 600. It's Dap 50 right now and 491 pounds. I have been struggling with 100+ degree temperatures which reduced my gains to 5 pounds a day for a few days, but it recovered somewhat and is now doing 10. Pumpkins in San Diego slow down way earlier than the most of the country, so I can't complain.

9/4/2015 9:24:20 PM

Central NY

Fun, ain't it?

9/4/2015 9:32:35 PM

San Diego

Oh Yeah! Keep planning for my 1000 pounder next year. It will be hard with only 250 square feet...

9/4/2015 9:41:12 PM

Timnath, Colorado

Thankz ChopZzzz..you've elevated my status to Lordy from Gordy? Excellent!!! Trucking along very slowly now, another week of scorching heat. Almost overnight I was infested with cucumber beetles, ive seen them occaisionally all summer but nothing like i have now. Squashing the little buggers for a day, sprayed with neem to no avail..squashing again for a day and finally threw organic out the window and sprayed with Sevin..hated to do it but im glad i did. There are still a few but much better now. Finally the worst of the heat is past and im looking forward to mid to high 80s and maybe i will get some growth. Way to go Somebody! and way to go to Orv!! Wheres MeToooo!?

9/4/2015 10:06:20 PM

Ontario

I started with a bet with my cousin who grew a 700lber 2years ago then quit growing, i told him i could grow a 800lber and it went from there, i had no idea what i was doing but read a couple books and read every post on this site over and over , and i have access to lots of cow manure , and i had some bad and good luck , i lost a good fruit in early august that was making good dayly gains and when my backup fruit hit 800lbs i couldnt believe it, and its still going, this is alot of fun , wish i would have started years ago, good luck and good growing to all !

9/4/2015 10:38:48 PM

Bloomington, IN USA

I've had my ups & downs.
First I was up with the fantastic growth of my plant.
Then I was down with the failure to get a blossom on the main vine to pollinate.
Then I was up when I had 2 blossoms pollinated on secondaries.
I went through the heartbreak of Maxime's BES & then having to cart out 360 lbs of stinking rotting pumpkin.
Now I just hope old ugly Hagrid hangs in there.
He taped out to 461 lbs yesterday, doing about 5 lbs/ day.

9/4/2015 10:45:48 PM

Central NY

hOLD ON HAGrID!!!!!!...lol... Shout atter!!

9/4/2015 11:03:54 PM

Cranbrook bc

Moving, frost and over 8 inches of rain made me end early only a small pumpkin this year

9/5/2015 2:55:20 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Porkchop,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I feel like a first timer. lol

If its not one thing its another!

9/5/2015 7:08:27 PM

San Diego

How is the other one doing So.Cal?

9/5/2015 8:28:41 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Smallest I've ever grown. Even smaller then my first year. lol

Plant was showing fusarium before I even pollinated....

9/5/2015 10:48:07 PM

Manitoba

Hi, kids. I have 2 fruits on 2 vines; the "big" one is 204 lb. The little one is 144 lb. and moving along nicely. The larger one is slowing down mightily. It just doesn't have enough room.

So, there's no prize winners this year! But I can tell you all this: what a ride being a first-timer. I have not had this much anxiety and fun all rolled into one in some time! So glad you folks are here to cheer us on in any case!

9/7/2015 12:46:43 AM

Central NY

Our first year excitement and anxiety were at a 10 outta 10...don't worry though .. By your fourth year, anxiety drops to about a 9...Good luck!' Let's hope they all go heavy!!!

9/7/2015 9:22:01 AM

Manitoba

Hi, pork! Thanks for your good wishes, but even my larger one is something I'll be weighing on a bathroom scale! Already I'm wondering how to go about lifting a 200+ fruit onto a scale in the garden. There's 3 of us here. I'm the weak link and the other 2 are not weightlifters. LOL

About anxiety - okay, porkie, after about 36 years, we should be mentally okay? Er...I won't be in any shape at that time!

9/7/2015 12:30:06 PM

Kentucky, U.S.A.

My first couple years there wasn't anything my daughter and I could not pick up with a folded up tarp, well maybe a little help from my wife!!!!!!!

9/7/2015 12:55:01 PM

Manitoba

@Big Show Dog: Thanks for telling me that. We here may be able to make a go of weighing my pumpkins in a few weeks, then!

9/7/2015 4:05:48 PM

Iowa

Personal best this year. Battled with too much rain/wet garden all year. Had a decent growth spurt that put on some pounds, but in the end all the moisture prevented plant maintenance and lost it to fungus prematurely a few weeks ago. Taped at 470 but actually weighed 620 this past week at the town festival weigh-off. How fast do they lose weight after the stem dies? Even though this one was still 32% heavy when it got weighed wonder how much weight it lost the last few weeks.

9/7/2015 9:29:18 PM

Parker, CO

I have been learning so much this year... So many things I wish I would have done better and things that I want to improve on next year.

If my 3 keep going I may have all 3 over 1000 pounds with *KNOCK ON WOOD* no major disasters. If I would have done a better job I could have gotten one of them fancy coats.

Goals for next year I suppose. :-)

9/7/2015 10:05:00 PM

New Berlin, PA

First year grower here, and hanging in there. I just want to make it to the end with a whole one. Haven't lost any to splits or cracks, but my biggest is only 331 OTT. Getting very anxious about making it to the end of the season, and nervous about lifting one for the first time.

9/8/2015 9:38:25 AM

NE Arkansas

Welll I'm having a good first year on melons... weighed 171 and 232.75 in weigh off's and have a couple more melons going... pumpkins have been another story... aborts, vine rot, svb's, have put me way behind... I've learned a lot on both kins and melons.. So hopefully next year will be even better...

9/8/2015 11:24:28 AM

I love the story from MeToo! I had my first weighed last year and she was a small one 194#, but went 4% heavy. I was so nervous. For years, my son, Christopher, has had some and lost some through theft and disease. This year is a different story. He has two good sized pumpkins. One is big for us with an OTT close to 500#. We might be able to get it weighed, but transportation is an issue for us. He is happily building a gantry crane. I have lifted awesome potatoes, sweet potatoes, picked loads of sweet corn, peppers, tomatoes, and lots of other veggies. My youngest son, Benjamin, has a giant watermelon that is packing it on almost daily! Benjamin and Christopher's plants are invading are garden. Benjamin lost one giant watermelon to theft. Whoever cut into our fence and stole it, took an unripe giant! We continue to find new ways to reinforce "Fort Knox"!! Best wishes to everyone!

9/11/2015 1:15:42 PM

Manitoba

Hi, Biddy! Glad you liked my account of woes & joys. A 500 pounder is a giant in my books. Yes, transportation to a place of formal weighing would be a mighty challenge for me, too, so I've decided to not knock myself out in future. There is no point if you can't take it anywhere.

I love any pumpkin that is large and my first effort will look absolutely beautiful against the snow in my garden - which is visible from the living room window.

Didn't know you could grow sweet potatoes in Illinois. Hey, I LOVE it that the thieves took an unripe giant.

My fence is pathetic in appearance but it works!

Best wishes for all your growing, Biddy.

9/11/2015 4:09:02 PM

Upper Peninsula - Michigan

My first year... OTT looks to be in the 450 range. Like everyone else, I wish I could/would have done a LOT of things differently, but that's why we're newbies. Always next year. Will load mine with straps and tractor/front end loader and trailer to the next town over for the young nieces. No interest in competition, just for the pure joy of growing. Thanks for the great site.

9/12/2015 4:01:54 PM

Fullerton, California

Not good.

9/18/2015 1:00:23 AM

Parker, CO

450? Damn! Thats a great rookie pumpkin!

9/18/2015 3:20:18 PM

So far so good. Christopher's pumpkins continue to grow - its amazing to watch this year! Hopefully, I can figure out how to get him to a weigh off. Last night's rain may cause some splitting,, but hopefully not! Fingers and toes all crossed!!!

9/19/2015 8:10:45 AM

aurora, IL

I harvested my kins, Rocky at 504 Lbs. went 1% heavy and Terminator at 438 Lbs. went 13% heavy. Two PBs!!! :)

10/5/2015 12:14:03 AM

New Berlin, PA

Finished off my first season this past weekend. One stayed home for display taped at 684 Lbs. Took the other to Altoona PA weigh-off. It weighed 892 Lbs.

I had a great time, and can't wait for next year!

10/5/2015 8:12:20 AM

Central NY

I saw that!!...awesome Dan..

10/5/2015 8:31:29 AM

New Berlin, PA

Thanks, Steve. Right back at ya. Congrats on the 1543.5

10/5/2015 8:48:47 AM