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Netherlands

Does anyone have any idea about the weights on Dutch pumpkins? I see Theo has one at about 110 kg as does Iwan. I've currently got one at 145 kg and one at 81 kg.
Do any of you grow them in greenhouses?
Brad

8/27/2005 4:36:23 PM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

Hello, Brad,
Nice to hear there are more Dutch pumpkin growers on this board.
Where in the Netherlands do you grow yours?
Your native country is Canada?
Your pumpkin of 145kg is the heaviest so far I have heard in the Netherlands.

My pupmkins are improving their growth to 6kg per day now.
My biggest is about 127kg.
I am astonished how it continues to grow so giant, and with me everyone who sees it.
And the weather still improves...:-)
I am full of hope my pumpkins will hit the 200 kg this year!
If so, my PB will be trippled.:D:D:D

Brad, your pumpkins growth is improving to now the weather is better?

8/28/2005 4:05:47 PM

Netherlands

I live in Hasselt, Overijssel (close to Zwolle). My growth went down to 2.5 kg a day on both pumpkins this weekend. This morning one was 150 kg and the other 86. I hope it picks up this week with the warmth.
Do you know how Jaap Mol (Dutch record holder) from Nibbixwoud is doing with his pumpkins?
Brad

8/29/2005 12:01:11 PM

Netherlands

Theo:
Do you know where you are going to get your pumpkin weighed?
Do you use a greenhouse or something?
Brad

8/29/2005 12:03:37 PM

Leerdam, The Netherlands

Hello Brad,

I don't use a greenhouse but according some diaries, Some Belgium and Sweden growers do very succesfull with it.

Last measurement is of today 29-08-05 365 lbs (165 kg)
My own cross of last year is doing very well for me.

8/29/2005 1:09:04 PM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

Brad,
Hasselt, that's not to far from my home island Ameland!

Yours is 150kg now!!? Mine only 130kg...
Iwan is ahead with 165kg!!!

your questions:
Greenhouse: I do not use to grow them in a greenhouse, not yet.
That might change next year...
I have seen the Sweden type of self made plastic greenhouse, which can be opened and closed fully when needed. That is a good option for beter and earlier growth in spring, protection against the storms, which happen too often here and during cold spells in summer.
I will build it temporary (if time and money available), so that it will not be illegal building.
This might give me a much better starting position.
the greenhouse type of Jos in Belgium would be to windsensitive.

Where I get my pumpkin weighed?
This is a big problem.
Last year I organized with a few others, and we had scales which went up to 105kg and that was the winner weight of last year ;-)
Now we have one place on the island where we can weigh heavy stuff, but it is not verificated too well, may be up to 1 kg?
do you know some place in the North of the Netherlands where there is some official weighing?
When I would go over 300 or 400 kg next year I try Duisburg in Belgium, may be Germany?

Jaap Mol in Nibbixwoud.
I do not know him yet.
I would be very interested to know if he is still growing pumpkins.
And see his results, if so.

Iwan,
Congrats with your 165kg so far, it's going well.
Your own cross? What are the parents of these seeds?
Americans?
Who in the Netherlands have bigger pumpkins than yours???

Hoping to keep in touch on this Dutch line, Theo.

8/29/2005 3:27:02 PM

Netherlands

I'm thinking of building a greenhouse using electrical tubing. Perhaps lay down pieces of wood (under the soil) with holes in them. Fit the pieces of tubing (with a bend in it) in the holes and have them meet in the centre in a "centraaldoos" or something like that. Run one long tube from front to back and attach the plastic using clips. I think this would all cost less than 20 euros (I just did some re-wiring in my house).
I would like to cover it with plastic which can be opened piece by piece.
But maybe we will get better weather next year.
I am using a 897 Todd Kline (Ottawa) which was a 1082 Kline x 1107 Cramer.
My other plant is a 692 Howard Dill (Nova Scotia) which was a 1016 Daletas and 805 Pukas. Very good parenting!
My third pumpkin is a 266 Wursten (Hasselt) which was a 874 Dill x self.
I'm thinking about getting another allotment (volkstuintje) next year, out of the shadow, drier ground and closer to my house.
Not many Dutch people are interested in growing giant pumpkins. Is that the same in Buren and Leerdam?
I put my 266 in front of the house last year. I had a kid and his mother cycle past. They kept looking back at the pumpkin and just missed a tree on the side of the street.
Next year I am going to plant a 897 Kline again (my last one). I might use the 692 Dill again for the male. I hope to send a friend in the USA my other Dill seeds and get some more seed from some friendly person in the US or Canada.
Jaap Mol had a 327 kg pumpkin last year. I believe he went to Duisburg.
Last year I weighed my pumpkin on a scale at a store in our village. It goes up to 500 kg. They use it to weigh stones. The scale is about 1.2 metres above the ground and difficult to lift a pumpkin onto it.
Keep in touch.
Brad

8/29/2005 4:13:47 PM

Netherlands

How did you do last year Iwan?
Where do you get them weighed?

Brad

8/29/2005 4:15:14 PM

Netherlands

Even voor alle Nederlanders die een probleem hebben met het gewicht te bepalen.
Kan je niet in een vierkant diverse personenweegschalen bij elkaar zetten en daar je pompoen op? Tel alle gewichten van de schaal bij elkaar op en je bent er volgens mij! Moet toch kunnen, een plank over die vier week=gschalen en de opgaves optellen dan klopt het. Advies van een techneut!
Groetjes,
Sanne

9/2/2005 8:41:27 AM

Itzetown City

Same thing we did in Ohio since years, lol.
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=41719

9/2/2005 9:11:22 AM

Netherlands

I didn't know your Dutch was that good Boehnke!
I believe it was Gustuvsson who actually grew his pumpkins on a number of scales.

9/2/2005 4:05:27 PM

Netherlands

Don't forget to subtract the weight of the board!

9/2/2005 4:08:22 PM

Netherlands

Sorry for spelling your name wrong: Gustavsson!

9/2/2005 4:09:56 PM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

Sanny, je advies wordt al volop toegepast :-)
Leuk je hier weer te zien prikken.

Vandaag zit ik al boven de 140kg met mijn grootste pompoen en ik hoef niks anders te doen dan toekijken en meten...
Regen is er genoeg, zon is er genoeg, warmte gaat goed.

Ik wordt steeds optimistischer dat de grootste pompoen de 200kg gaat halen begin oktober.
De grootste twee groeien nu constant 3kg per dag, met nog een maand te gaan.
Groetjes, Theo.

9/3/2005 4:28:12 PM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

After measuring in the 'tripple way', I found out that my biggest pumpkin must be 185kg now. That is the largest gain so far....LOL.
This means I wil grow easily over 200 kg this year it seems.
Brad and Iwan, what will be the (your?) biggest Dutch pumpkin this year? You go over the 200kg as well?
In which province it will happen?

I should try to connect with our 2004 Dutch Champion in Nibbixwoud!?

9/8/2005 3:33:55 AM

Leerdam, The Netherlands

In the most unfavourable way of measurin I'm now at 221 kg.

I'm hoping for 273 (600 lbs limit for me)

9/8/2005 6:12:29 AM

Netherlands

I guess you guys are blowing me away. My big one has pretty much stopped growing. It is currently 167 kg. I figured it will make 201 kg. There is a very small chance it makes 500 lbs (226 kg).
My second pumpkin is at 116 kg. I think it will make 170 kg.
My third pumpkin is at 62 kg and is only about three weeks old. If the weather stays nice way into October this one has potential to get to about 135 kg, I hope.
Of course I could be very wrong!
Remember your pumpkin can go heavy or light.
I will be weighing my pumpkins at the Doeland in Hasselt. They have a weigh scale up to 500 kg and it is correct to a 1/2 kg. I will probably be weighing the Kline and Dill on October 1st, unless they are really growing. The Wursten will be weighed once frost hits.
How are your other pumpkins doing guys?

9/8/2005 10:49:39 AM

Netherlands

There are two other Dutch growers that have been over the 250 kg for the past few years. They go to the weighoffs in Belgium every year.

9/8/2005 10:51:40 AM

Netherlands

It would be nice to get together with our pumpkins. Hasselt is very central and we have weighing possiblities!!!

9/8/2005 10:53:26 AM

Netherlands

Here are the heaviest Dutch pumpkins (200+) I could find.
The weights are in kilos.
326.0 Mol 04 (Nibbixwoud)
294.5 Van Dijck 04 (Bergschenhoek)
290.0 Poels 02 (Roggel)
280.0 Van Dijck 02
258.0 Poels 01
241.5 Poels 04
241.0 Leenen 04 (?)
239.0 Poels 02 (squash)
233.0 Horde 04 (Leerdam) est.
218.0 Van Dijck 04
Anybody have any additions?

9/8/2005 12:21:55 PM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

Brad,
Thanks for so much more info.
I found the telephone number of Jaap Mol from Nibbixwoud, but he is not home.
I'll try later.
Van Dijck in Bergschenhoek, this is just North of Rotterdam,
Poels in Roggel, this is north of Roermond, Limburg.
These growers are more close to Duisburg than us.

Thanks for your invitation to come to Hasselt.
Now having soon over 200kg, but not over 300 kg I would not go to a contest other than the local one on the island.
Transport by van and boat is very costly for me and up to october 31st, rather difficult due to my working scedule.
So I think I leave it by this knowledge, weighing with 4 scales might bring me a local (semi-)official weight.

Next year I make a try to Duisburg or Germany, or we organize the Dutch championship? One thing is, those in the South of the Netherlands more easily go to Duisburg than to Hasselt?

Somewhere in Drenthe there must be some yearly pumpkin happening.
May be they are interested in our giants?
I will have a try and look on the Dutch pumpkinsites

9/8/2005 4:37:33 PM

Netherlands

There is a weighoff in Asten but they do not have money prizes. Last year's winner (241 Leenen) got a mountainbike.

9/9/2005 12:50:23 AM

Leerdam, The Netherlands

I have one addition for you "dutch brad"
228 kg Horde 2003

9/9/2005 1:23:49 AM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

Asten, yes, rather far away for me.
Orvelte (Drenthe)and Jellum (Friesland) have some pumpkin exebitiondays too, but that is too early and not specific for big one's.
As I think now, I leave it to our local contest on the island this year and go for it next year...
I know I can improve on seeds, soil, water and climate a lot, that might me bring over 300 or 400 kg, hoping to find sufficient time by than.
We might see eacht other in Belgium and/or Germany.

9/9/2005 2:55:55 AM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

Iwan, Brad (and other) growers,
The biggest pumpkin here is (very surprising) at about 200kg today.
This means I have trippled my PB of last year. :)
Niet niks...
And even 4x my personal best of 63,5kg of 2004 is still possible if this weather continues for 10 more days.
The 2 biggest are growing 5kg per day, 2kg faster due to the good weather. No split of whatsoever.

Iwan, yours is continuing 5kg a day too now?
Brad, how are yours doing?
Jaap Mol is not home since days, no connection by phone.
I't try to find the phone numbers of Poels in Roggel and Van Dijck in Bergschenhoek.

My question is: How do I know my pumpkins stop growing?
Orange colour is apearing a bit only, the stems have more brownish 'bark' now. Is that a clear sigh of ripening?

9/10/2005 1:29:54 PM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

Dear Iwan and Brad,
Some more news,
I got connection with Jaap Mol in Nibbixwoud, P. Wever in Obdam and Harry Poels in Roggel.
None of them use estimatede weight tables, so I have send all of them a copy of the Belgian Grasheide site.
Jaap is growing like Jos, in a greenhouse: may be 250kg now, Wever in Obdam has may be 300kg+? and Harry Poels is the Dutch champion with 374kg in 2003, he has big one's but unknown how big...
Only Van Dijck in Bergschenhoek I could not trace yet.
Soon I hope to make more phonecalls to find out the so far Dutch results.

One thing is sure next year my goal is at least 374 kg! :D :D

9/11/2005 6:13:11 AM

Netherlands

Theo,
My smallest pumpkin is growing at 5 kg a day but the other two are only at 2 a 3 kg per day. I might not make 200 kg on the big one.
Where did Harry Poels weigh his 374 in 2003? It is not listed anywhere and is not the official record. The record is officially Jaap Mol.
Never heard of Wever. Might be nice to have them send a list of all their 200+ kg pumpkins. I'm trying to keep track. I hope to put you on there!

9/12/2005 1:11:27 AM

Netherlands

Harry Poels 374 is supposed to be 274. That will make it easier for you next year!

9/12/2005 8:52:25 AM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

Brad,
Keep hoping on 200 kg, 2-3kg per day is still a lot, during some days in august my biggest was growing like that too.

Harry Poels big pumpkin of 2003 was weighed in Kasterlee, he told me. My cousin Willem Kiewiet could tell me too, he knew about this weight. (Willem has over 120 kg now.)

Wever is a grower of the Broekerveiling contest in Broek op Langendijk. I got his name from Jaap Mol. He is the most serious grower in that West Friesland area.

All 200+ pumpkins on a list?
Only Poels has had too many over 200 per year it seems...

9/12/2005 9:07:53 AM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

Just news from Harry Poels: 830 cm today, more ore less, which is about 321kg and a second one little less.
Jaap Mol: about 260kg today.
Iwan, you have todays measurements?
Wever in Obdam has may be about 215-220kg, he will measure tomorrow.
Mine is about 202kg now.
Van Dijck in Bergschenhoek got about 294kg in 2004, he may be there in Duisburg too, if he still grows them?!
My cousin Willem Kiewiet has about 120kg now.

This means the so far known Dutch pumpkins are not potential candidates for the European record 2005, it seems.
But that can change next year!! LOL
With kind regards, Theo.

9/12/2005 1:51:49 PM

Netherlands

www.backyardgardener.com has a list of all of the records per state (US), province (Canada) and per country. Harry Poels pumpkin in 2003 weighed 274 according to them. He might break Mol's record though this year.
As far as my pumpkin is concerned, let's hope she goes real heavy!

9/13/2005 1:15:35 AM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

The backyardgardener site confirms Poels pumpkin of 2003 was the biggest: 374kg, fine.
That is my goal for next year! LOL

Poels surely will brake Mol's record of 2004, but may be not his own of 2003...

9/13/2005 2:13:33 AM

Netherlands

How is your pumpkin doing Theo? When is your weighoff?

9/16/2005 12:32:51 PM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

Brad,
since today I could not find growth in all three biggest pumpkins. The colder weather must be one reason.
According to the German estimated weight list these three should be 211kg, 190kg and 73kg.
According to the Belgian list these are estimated as 219kg, 197kg and 78kg.
The biggest Austalian pumpkin is 73 days old now and ripening and gets a kind of bark on the yellowpinkish skin now.
I think I will cut the fruit next week and weigh it home.

The second biggest American fruit is still nice orange, but is ripening too. It is a really a beauty.
If it would not be damaged by the storms it would be a bit like Martins, but smaller.

I let you know the day when I cut.
The Ameland pumpkin weigh off is on october 10th.
Rather late, but we have here september holidays up to october 9th, because of the tourist season.
Some of the owners will not be back in time if we organize earlier.
The first and second prize are mine that is for sure.
One hour flying above the wetlands here (2nd) and a weekend in a Landal park somewhere in NL (1st).

9/17/2005 3:36:45 PM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

Brad, how are yours doing?
Any growth?
Estimated how much?

Iwan,
silent in Leerdam?
Could we know something of the results, estimated weights?

Met vriendelijke groet, Theo.

9/17/2005 3:40:09 PM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

Brad,
I got your news on the PB thread.
I hope for you your PB will be broken too.
Most problaby?
Congratulation!
When will you cut it, to know for sure?

9/17/2005 3:55:28 PM

Netherlands

Theo, you were in the chatroom Saturday night and I spent 30 minutes waiting for you in there. Where were you?
You can follow my pumpkins growth in my diary. I will take the largest two off on Sept 30. The third one will probably be taken off in the third week of October depending on the weather.
I have broken my PB twice this year and am within a few kg of breaking it with my third pumpkin.

9/19/2005 3:37:08 AM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

Great, Brad,
Your diary I have seen a few times, I'll check it later again.
I am still too bussy for digital photo's and starting a diary. May be next year.
My entry in the chatroom was accidentally, sorry. I never chat...
Concratulations, twince or three times for your PB!
The same hapenend with my pumpkins, the third also was better than last year... I did not realize till now;lol
Today I phoned with the regional Frisian tv station if they were interested for the biggest Frisian pumpkin.
So, may be the regional tv will come and follow the cutting and weighing.
How to find 5 or 6 strong men to lift the 200+kg pumpkins? :-)

9/19/2005 6:16:11 AM