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Knopp, Germany

I just wanted to see if anyone else was seeing positive effects from the weather over these next couple of days. Yesterday we actually made it all the way to 25 degrees, and my measurements last night showed a 20 pound increase on one of my fruit. I was hoping we could monitor the next couple of days growth and post our observations to see just how much the weather makes a difference. Also, during our cold snap last week I only gained about 10 pounds on average.

7/27/2005 8:05:29 AM

Knopp, Germany

I just got home from work and measured my pumpkins for today. The results are that the pumpkin that had gained 20 yesterday gained 15 today. One of the pumpkins that gained 10 yesterday, gained 13 today. And another gained 10 today just like yesterday. Not enough data for me to say the weather made a difference, looking forward to what tomorrows measurements say.

7/27/2005 10:03:37 AM

Austria

Well I`m not into that measuring thing but what I can say, I was really astouned of the growth of my Handy N°2 over night, amazing ... it changed from a volley- to a soccer ball.

7/28/2005 3:08:02 AM

Knopp, Germany

Measured today. A gain of 19 on one and 15 on another. I really had expected quite a bit more. Oh well, I guess that I need to hope that they just continue like this for the next 60 days. I think that the odds are against me...LOL

7/28/2005 8:39:13 AM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

Owen, just remember what happened to those fast growers in Sweden and Italy.... slow and steady wins the race!

7/28/2005 4:44:14 PM

Knopp, Germany

You are porbably right Martin, but, wouldn't it be nice, just for a couple of days to get some growth like we new what we are doing? Oh well, a fellow can dream.........

7/29/2005 1:02:23 AM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

Looks like we again don't have to worry about our fruits growing too fast any more....
High temperature was 16°C today, no sun, 11°C last night. And it really is pouring down today! It started raining about 3h ago and we already got 35 litres per square meter!
Man, faith was back a few days ago when we got nicer and warmer weather. Fruits were growing decently but now everything is down to a crawl!

8/2/2005 6:52:52 PM

Knopp, Germany

I hear you Martin. For a few days there i was actually believing that I might be able to salvage my season. Now, I will be happy to even get one to the weigh off. These night time temps are perfect for splitters. As cold as it is getting, if the fruits decide to gain some weight, it is over, just too cold.

8/3/2005 1:03:14 AM

Austria

I`m with you guys. Temps were`n`t bad but since the day before yesterday rains keeps pouring down. That in the patch and the water I`v collected will be enough till October ;-)).

I was about to pull my moschata plant yesterday and discovered that the first female eventually took. Today a dozen fs and ms opened and ... RAIN, no bees, nothing just me trying to hand pollinate these little wet things ... GRR!

At least I`m happy I haven`t started my culling on the 628 yet as the remaining fruits could have been harmed by the "push" if I understand Owen right. Weather forecast says, that the weather should get better the after tomorrow.

8/3/2005 3:19:04 AM

Cologne / Germany

Same thing here with the night temps. Went down to 9°C in the early morning. This is like September!
Moved 2 "pumpkins" what I call them on 2 last years pallets yesterday so they won´t cool down on the direct soil surface. Hope it helps.
Next time the complete crown area from the stump will have 4m x 3m tarps all along the season. No way to get back 4 weeks lost in a cold spring. I think Börje and Jos show the way how we have to grow pumpkins in our climate :-)

8/3/2005 4:31:33 AM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

Last night 13© here, on the island, not too bad.
Yesterday was sunny, days before were hopeless cold rainy and windy.

I did not know what to expect.
Just I measured my Australian and American AG's, 70 cm half circumferrence, this is 3 cm growth and 1 cm more growth than yesterday. I suppose the pumpkins gained allmost 2 kg in 24 hours from about 26,5kg to 28,5kg.
Not too bad in this situation, to my judgement.

Some Sunny weather is just arriving now, :-)
But forcasts are....so so.

8/3/2005 9:42:46 AM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

Today is the worst day of August so far this year. How bad can it get??? I can't remember ever having had such bad weather in August!
Last night was 6°C (43°F) and the high temperature today is 12°C (53°F) with heavy thunderstorms... no sun and 19 litres rain per sq. m so far.

My plants hate it. Growth is down to 10 to 15 lbs a day. It's depressing to see this after such a good start for the fruits in late June and early July.

Due to all the rain the stems of the fruits start to rot. I scraped out to bad areas and treated them with fungicide but don't know if that will stop it. If they rot through the season will be over in mid August.

How are your fruits responding to the bad weather? How is the growth?

8/7/2005 8:09:21 AM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

Oh Martin,
that is really hopeless wet and cold, sorry.
Yours are still growing 10 -15 lbs, that is not bad, I should think. Mine are growing less than 10 lbs per day, and I am still happy with it. :-).
(Max growth per day for me 10 lbs so far, next year better, for sure.)
Still fine for trippelig my PB, may be...
I had one rotten leave so far, today at least sun between the short rains here and 17©, not too bad.
Today I reached 40kg, may be not impressive for many, for me it is more than ever, on august 7th.

8/7/2005 11:25:42 AM

Austria

Martin,

I would be happy with 10-15 lbs. for sure. Yesterday a cold front put the temperatures down within minutes that you would feel cold even with a pullover on. Cold icy winds here. I really haven`t had any thoughts about giving up, now I have. Onre thinks that the weather must get better, because it can`t get worse in our eyes. Obviously that`s wrong. I was happy eith some moderate temps in the past, but this is simply too bad. I would have been happy to appear in Ludwigsburg with a pumpkin at aout 100 kg. Despite all efforts this goal seems far away now.

8/8/2005 3:45:40 AM

Knopp, Germany

I have not been very optomistic in my diary postings, and I feel like I have every right to not be optomistic right now. However, I still have this small flame inside of me that will not give up. I have seen late August and early September temperatures between 25-30 degrees in the past and I am hoping that we just might get lucky again this year.

I will not give up, and I have decided not to make any further pessimistic posts in my diary. If we do the best we can do, given the situation we are given, then we are all a success.

I will no longer measure my success against another growers again.

8/8/2005 4:45:02 AM

Austria

@Owen

You are absolutely right and I admire you for all the efforts you make lately and the keeping up of the spirit. Possibly we almost have another 2 month to go. It`s a hard time one can go through when the temps go down within minutes where you would expect them in November. I`ve been the "bad plumber" all weekend long, destroying sinks, doing or at least preparing some hard culling decisions, harvesting pounds of male flowers and tips, weeding etc. I was so optimistic. Obviously one needs patience too of course.

8/8/2005 5:21:50 AM

Loitsche/Sachsen-Anhalt/Germany

Heino,
Patience is the gardener's virtue

Say hello, Christian

8/12/2005 3:31:18 PM

Austria

Yes Christian, you are right. That`s why I never called myself a gardener ;-))

8/16/2005 2:09:07 AM