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Templeton Cal 93465

My pumpkin was putting on around 15 lbs a day. Dropped to around 10. What does anyone think I can do to promote more growth? I live in Templeton CA. I'm struggling to reach my goal of 1000 lbs. Best one was an 890 10 years ago. Seem to be stuck with 700s plus. Any ideas would be great. Thanks 6

9/6/2023 10:39:43 PM

Westmoreland, KS

I think if you have the correct setup a ton of lights would help. However, I would first start with a good soil test. Getting your soil just right will help way more than adding lights.

9/6/2023 10:47:23 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Josiah tried a ton of great lights a few years back and the plant without the lights did much better. So to answer the question, I think more experimenting needs to be done.


I really like what Jake said above. Once you've mastered that, then I'd move onto the lights and see if you get more pounds the following year.

9/7/2023 12:15:33 AM

Grittyville, WA

Cali probably has enough sun, unless you are stuck in a dense fog there all month.

9/7/2023 12:32:09 AM

Austin MN

I think pumpkins put in most their weight at night? (People who grow on scales correct me if I am wrong) so having a photo rest period is probably a good thing. If you used lights it would need to be during the actual day and set to go on at the proper time intervals with spectrum calibrated to exactly what the plant needs so you don’t over load your chlorophyll.

This just comes off sone old test I ran in college on this exact idea. I’ll admit tons has changed since then and this is just my 2 cents.

9/7/2023 8:13:34 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

Cecil (cntryboy) tried years ago and I don't think it helped much. I think there is a balance, and the plants need some down time to do "business".

If this were the case, northern latitudes would have all the records in greenhouses. I lived in Iceland years ago with the midnight sun, and it even wreaked havoc on my own body. lol

9/7/2023 8:15:47 AM

Syracuse, NY

Pumpkin plants use up nutrients. Once they are gone from the areas once available and for the reasons needed, where do they come from now? You can have your soil as perfect as can be and I respect those that take care of that pre-season, but the above probably still applies; I have not been able to do that for a few years, so my plants live from paycheck to paycheck. In doing so, I've had numerous fruits that have sag lines and obvious periods of malnutrition in their recent history; I had 5-6 fruits that deflated from this but once I had fertilizer (Water-Soluble 8-15-36) to pick up where I left off, the ones that did not rot away began growing again - nicely! I am out of ferts again, that are on order. I will slap them in the meantime with whatever I have which is merely blackstrap molasses, improving the soil if nothing else. Plants are healthy with occasional powdery mildew, but I'm probably just riding it out with minimal expectations.
The point is that you can probably do nothing this far along except what I've done and strive maniacally for next year as I'll have to to grow in the sunniest part(s) of my back yard and the old patches will be for field pumpkins. It should be epic. eg

9/7/2023 12:43:12 PM

Syracuse, NY

Too advanced for me and yet an interesting read with visuals from a very knowledgeable, additional grower for you:
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=341221
Good Luck! eg

9/7/2023 2:14:25 PM

Grittyville, WA

Apparently Debacco tried it a bit this year, check out MattD diary for his thoughts on it.

9/7/2023 4:14:53 PM

Lloydminster/AB

The longer the day the better. I think most of the records are in northern latitudes. The problem with being north is that long days don’t last very long. Our late season days are shorter.

9/10/2023 1:54:48 AM