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West Michigan---Hasekg39@gmail.com

So I'm guessing that there is no 100% giant squash, simply put giant squash are hybrids from AG's right and if so what kinda squash do you cross them with ?

And if so at what point does a giant squash become official does it just need to be green or does both parents have to have squash back ground.

Can any one clarify what a giant squash really is ?

9/5/2012 3:32:30 PM

Sourthern Utah

brosco,, i aint sure if this is 100% correct,, but certain squash was bred into pumpkins to get to be this size,, and AG's kinda started from, there ,, but green sq(AG's) are concidered as giant squash,, its a little bit confusing,, but i prefer to grow green as ,, wife prefers to grow orange,, i'm hope there will more info coming on this subject.. as i am still trying to learn , myself,,

9/5/2012 4:12:56 PM

Massachusetts

gpc rules for judging
1) 100% green, blue or grey. This does not include white, yellow, cream or orange. The
presence of any of these colors immediately classifies the specimen as a pumpkin.
2) Not including the portion that was in contact with, or in close proximity to the
ground will be considered. This allows for the area on the bottom of the fruit to have
some white. This is the area immediately in contact with the ground which may have been
buried in sand. This area is often white or has an absence of green.
3) This area will include the area between the ribs, around the stem, and the
blossom end. This allows for some white in the base of the ribs, immediately around the
stem and the blossom end.

9/5/2012 4:48:51 PM

Sourthern Utah

marley,, if thats the case all u have to do is look at joels wr squash,, it would be disqualified,, the pic cleary shows a slight amout on yellowing there , i think its more of a genetics thing,, imho

9/5/2012 5:14:07 PM

St. Thomas Ontario

You'll notice the same 'yellowing' on the leaderboard behind the WR group pic & also in the .6 of permanant marker on the fruit. That was some pretty contagious yellow or maybe the high pressure sodium lights in the tent.

The only thing 'clearly' showing is the amount of experienced and honest growers in the group pic that would have called for a 'yellow disqualification' if it were there.

9/5/2012 6:06:53 PM

Sourthern Utah

honestly i dont have a problem,, lookajook,, just saying ,, .. stirring a bee hive here is all, if u understand ,, lol

9/5/2012 6:11:08 PM

Sourthern Utah

i have the yellowing, stretch marks on mine , the weeping,, it aint a thing,, just was saying ,, there a bit of tolerance allowed fer such,, scaring is part of it ,, lol

9/5/2012 6:13:55 PM

Nova Scotia

easy joel, go play with your turtle. lol

9/5/2012 6:31:43 PM

St. Thomas Ontario

It wasn't green enough i put it back!

9/5/2012 6:34:24 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Like Joel said it is a judgement call to be made by the officials and the input of experienced growers at the weighoff site. When something cannot be measured by scale or tape measure the lines are unfortunately blurry.

9/5/2012 6:57:44 PM

Massachusetts

it should be up to the judges, stand back look at it , you all know its a squash,, i think the white should be allowed on the squash (anywhere), just as long its at least 75% green gray blue....... but this subject has been gone over and over.

9/5/2012 6:59:15 PM

St. Thomas Ontario

I would agree there should be some tolerance for some yellowing or white, and an experienced judge will normally make the right call.

This 1036 squash was up for debate last year but was eventually judged a squash (wasn't a slam dunk green though)

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=168938

A very wise man once chastised the pharisees for 'straining out the gnat, but gulping down the camel'...hopefully the judges will follow the priciple behind this rule and not the nessesarily the letter of the 'law'.

9/5/2012 7:02:45 PM

West Michigan---Hasekg39@gmail.com

sorry guys, I tried to look for my questions on the forum but could find no answers (maybe I didn't look good enough)

Is there a good kinda squash to cross pollinate with an AG. Would a zucchini male flower work ?

9/5/2012 8:10:34 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Brosco, you are confusing a traditional squash with what we call a squash at the weighoff. Our squash are the same species as the pumpkins. Just bred to be green. Like a poodle and a lab are both dogs but different. A zucchini squash is a different species. You cannot make the cross from our fruits to that because crossing different species is not biologically possible.

9/5/2012 8:37:20 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

A blue hubbard type squash would work. I think they are c maxima like ours. But why breed in a variety that doesn't produce as large of a fruit?

9/5/2012 8:39:23 PM

West Michigan---Hasekg39@gmail.com

Thanks orangeneck, I get ya. Simply put a green AG is just called a giant squash but with no ties to a real squash.

9/5/2012 9:03:26 PM

formerly RGG

All Atlantic Giants are technically squash. A true pumpkin or field pumpkin as they are called on here, has a hard angular stem which is much different from the round spongy stems seen on Atlantic Giants. Truthfully, Atlantic Giants are closely related to pumpkins but are not true pumpkins.

9/5/2012 9:33:59 PM

Netherlands

Like TD says, all cucurbita maxima plants belong to the squash family and have soft round stems. Cucurbita pepos, such as field pumpkins, are real pumpkins and have the hard angular stems. There are several other types of cucurbita, but that would only confuse things. Gourds, melons and cucumbers, etc are all a part of the cucurbiticae family but are not cucurbita.

The world record "pumpkins" of the 19th and early 20th century were all (green) squash. The orange AG as we know it evolved much later.

9/6/2012 4:53:32 AM

West Michigan---Hasekg39@gmail.com

That makes sense, thanks for clearing things up I get it now.

9/6/2012 11:11:43 AM

Sourthern Utah

thanks guys fer the info,, i gotta lot better idea myself whats<< what now,, appreciate the input, Curt

9/6/2012 1:44:45 PM