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Location

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Date Posted

Jericho Vermont

If it is not a legal marrow. Is it large un-named vegetable?

9/19/2021 12:19:27 PM

Grittyville, WA

We talked about this last year and I think a mark of damage or exhibition are the only two options. Neither may be the exact term you'd want to use and if it's not a marrow at all (like the giant green moschata squash I grew this year) then yes it's just a big garden alien.

9/19/2021 12:50:45 PM

Topsfield,ma.

Marrow, Field Pumpkin, Long Gourd, that do not check all the boxes should be noted as DQ or disqualified. Growers can still get a weight/measurement but DQ it. Hopefully that keeps it out of the Gene Pool.

9/19/2021 2:50:54 PM

Dorset UK

Keep your crosses closed pollination or source seeds from a reputable source and you will be able to go to the weigh offs without any worries. Really gets me why people save/pass about open pollinated seeds and unbelievably seeing them offered at auction but muppets will always buy/grow them and wonder why they have colour issues etc. Just my thoughts. LOL.

9/19/2021 3:36:24 PM

Iowa

Before throwing too many darts at other growers or assuming it's open pollinations that are causing the issue there's been more than one grower here in Iowa that's had your marrows turn orange as well. Still believe there's an overripening component that people aren't discussing where they will show some orange if old enough. Haven't had a marrow yet from any growers genetics that after so long didn't have a little orange from a little blush where it sat on the dirt to a complete turn. I've only grown for 4 years and have grown seeds from Suski, Baggs, LaRue, and Fortey and all were sold as controlled crosses. Usually leave my weighoff fruit in the yard as displays and each year and given enough time they all will show orange by the time I dispose of them. I've got one in the basement that at the time of harvest early last month was bigger than our current state record and was pure green. Couple weeks ago a little orange started to show up and as of yesterday is 100% orange now. Have another one off the same plant picked roughly at the same time that was a little younger at time of harvest that shows very little turn. Seed as well was listed as a controlled cross. As stated before it's not just me in this area that's had this issue. Don't know if it's our environment or what the driver is but we're growing the same seeds as others that are getting legal fruit from them. My observation is to keep them legal just hope they're not ripe for too long before a weigh-off.

9/19/2021 5:07:56 PM

Dorset UK

If my marrows are turning orange for anyone I can only apologise. They can turn yellow after a period of time but the FP orange color shouldnt show in a true marrow. I'd be interested to see pictures of any of mine that have gone like that. All of the marrows I've grown this year are true but as you say the different climate maybe the cause.

9/20/2021 9:15:48 AM

Netherlands

Hmmm. Never had mine turn orange either, though after many weeks they will get yellow spots like Mark said. Maybe your climate is too warm for them, especially in September? Timing your fruit to mature at the right day is always crucial with marrows.
That being said, some growers sell/give away their seeds as controlled crosses but got the parent seeds a generation earlier from non-controlled crosses. I think Mark can confirm that very few (even top) growers in the UK make controlled crosses.

9/21/2021 2:53:48 AM

Iowa

Thanks for the replies and thoughts so far. Was able to get some pics from the other growers in the area that are growing Marks seed this year that are having issues with color. Posted those as well as mine tonight in my diary so should be showing up in the next day or so.

9/22/2021 11:09:11 PM

Alex, IN

When I grow zucchini's and they get very ripe they always turn orange. I grew the variety "eight ball" this year. They stay green on the plant, once I would pick them they would turn orange and look just like a pumpkin.

9/23/2021 6:18:17 AM

Netherlands

Was the totally orange one in your diary from Fortey? That would explain the orange.
In any case you want to have a marrow finish growing only a day or two before your weigh-off.
All the seeds from me and most from Mark originated many years ago from growers who open pollinated everything. Still, we don't see that orange colouring here in the UK or the Netherlands from my or Mark's seeds, but do see it infrequently from seeds by other growers.

9/23/2021 9:55:29 AM

Dorset UK

Lunker, to me I'd only have an issue with the one that's orange all over as I think a degree of leniancy needs to be applied as marrows can turn yellow as they mature, I hope that orange all over one is not off of one of mine lol.

9/23/2021 3:43:56 PM

Iowa

Not that one wasn't your Mark lol. From Brad's answer sounds like there may be some orange in the Fortey genetics I grew this year. The problem right now is the rules say "NO orange coloring is accepted" so as written today they are all DQ. Agree that some leniency needs applied for ripening coloration. Not sure about others but pretty hard to time ripeness within a couple days of a weigh-off if you're trying to max out the weight. Little frustrating if the only answer is not to let your fruit ripen to keep them legal, since that's the goal in about every other category. Thanks for the conversation so far.

9/23/2021 10:28:16 PM

On a cliff in the desert

What Fortey seeds are you growing Lunker99?

9/24/2021 1:41:18 AM

Colorado

I know nothing about marrows. I'm hoping the GPC consulted with lots of marrow experts before they went with the color rule.

9/24/2021 1:46:15 PM

Iowa

Grew the 203.93 this year

9/24/2021 5:34:15 PM

On a cliff in the desert

When I grew 203s in 2020, I had no orange. It was dark green.

9/25/2021 2:19:12 AM

Cheshire Ma USA

A saw a pick on FB of the Dutch weighoff, there was 2 marrows on display and both had alot of yellow/ orange tint, just wondering if these are legal marrow colors or were they DQ.

9/25/2021 7:22:11 PM

Netherlands

Not sure which picture you saw, but we disqualified one with an orange tint.

9/26/2021 4:03:51 AM