GIANT Pumpkins (Updated - Pics!)

[amid chaos]

Kim...if you give up your yard to a giant pumpkin, there won't be ANY room for your flowers!

 

[Snowwark]

Actually Vanessa, DH was thinking of growing one out at the company shop, they have a couple of acres there. I don't know that it will happen, Drat warned him of the daily care the plants require, but we shall see!

 

[drat]

Hi Buds. Here's the latest.

The largest pumpkin is approaching 350 pounds. This is good. I feel relevantly confident I'll reach 400!!

However, yet another problem has occured. The stems on pumpkins do not continue to grow although the pumpkin does. A common problem with giant pumpkins is the resulting stress on the stem which sometimes causes cracks. Mine has developed two cracks. A popular fix for this is to apply a paste of fungicide to the cracks and hope it heals over. I did this today so lets hope this works.

There was almost a disaster in the pumpkin patch this week. I was leaning over the largest pumpkin to measure it, putting far too much weight on the pumpkin itself, when I heard two ominous crunching noises. I thought I had squished my pumpkin! After close inspection though, everything seems to be OK. The moral of this storey is...never lay across your favourite vegetable no matter how much you love it!!!

I took my second largest pumpkin to a local fair and won 4th prize. A little disapointing. I was at 283 ppounds but the winner was a very impressive 890 pounds. I have sent some pictures from the fair and the latest of the large pumpkin still growing in my patch to Snowwark.

As promised, here is a link which has a fairly comprehensive list of pumpkin festivals and fairs. It's by no means a complete list though so check if your local fall fair has a contest for big pumpkins. Who knows, you might find someone on your block is also a giant pumpkin grower.

http://pumpkinnook.com/giants/festival.htm

Later

 

[Snowwark]

"The moral of this storey is...never lay across your favourite vegetable no matter how much you love it!!!"

 

[Snowwark]

Okay, I've stopped laughing, and I'm going to behave!

Wow, close call there, glad to hear you didn't crush anything!

Congratulations Drat, on your baby pumpkin winning 4th place!! Love the fall fair pics.

So you think the big guy will hit 400 lbs? Very cool!!

And here he is.....

Thank you for the link, Bud , and for keeping us posted on your pumpkins progress!

 

[amid chaos]

890 pounds....!!!!!! Holy crap, that's a big pumpkin!!!!

I will remember your leaning advice but seriously, leaning over my cherry tomatoes doesnt seem to be a problem.

 

[Snowwark]

Okay you two, quit playing with your food!!! ROTFLOL......

Drat, is pumpkin #2 at the Ancaster Fair? I'm hoping to get over there this weekend, need my back bacon on a bun (with lots of fried onions!) fix!

 

[drat]

Snowwark, the Ancaster Fair is not having a big pumpkin contest this year. That's why I took the smaller of the two pumpkins to the Binbrook Fair.

The larger of the two pumpkins is still growing, up to 357 today. However the stem split looks worse. I'll keep you posted.

Later

 

[Snowwark]

I'm sorry to hear that the stem split is getting worse, Dave. I hope the fungicide paste stops it, soon!!

 

[amid chaos]

Drat..how's our pumpkin stem today, drat?

 

[drat]

Unfortunately the news is grave. The stem split has opened up the pumpkin and because the air has gotten inside it may start rotting from within. I posted an email last night to other growers on-line and received several suggestions. One of which was to seal the cracks with window caulking. So I did this at 7:00am this morning.

Yes, there I was, in the middle of the backyard caulking my pumpkin.

At least I'm able to still get a few cheap laughs out of this.

The really painful part is that because the split has gone inside the cavity this will disqualify me from any competition. I will still go the weigh-offs with the pumpkin to have it weighed but it will be unofficial.

I will keep you all posted

 

[amid chaos]

WHAT???? Our pumpkin is disqualified???...oh bummer! I'm sorry this has happened...what a shame.

 

[Snowwark]

Oh no!!! Oh Dave, I'm sorry...what a bummer, and after all your hard work.

How are you supposed to prevent such a thing from happening? Do you need to put the fungicide paste on almost from the beginning? Really, window caulking???

Drat, despite this disappointment, you've really enjoyed this haven't you? Will you try again next year?

This has been so informative and entertaining (), and we've appreciated you keeping us abreast of your pumpkins progress. Thank you so much!!

Please let us know how much the big guy weighs in at, okay?

 

[Nuts4Disney]

I have been on the edge of my seat reading through this thread.
I am so sorry about your big pumpkin, Drat. I was also rooting for you & the big guy.

Ya know, this thread has been so interesting & informative. It is so cool how you've let us share along in your pumpkin patch. Pumpkin picking is about to start here & I have a new appreciation because of you & your big boy. I even marked my calendar for the pumpkin festival nearest to me. Wait 'til DPartner sees that.

I'm really sorry how things turned out after all your hard work & love. I hope you won't give up on your big pumpkins...you have all that experience, knowledge, & love for the challenge next time. I also hope you'll share it with us again.

BTW, does the caulk affect the seeds at all? Can you use your own seeds to grow from next time around?

 

[drat]

Thank-you everyone for your posts and concern about my pumpkin.

Here's the latest. No signs of rot yet. However to quote one on-line grower he said "it takes quite a few days to show signs of rot from the inside". He also gave me some encouragement saying the split may only go deep into the flesh and may not have compromised the pumpkin.

I think my chances are slim but I will continue to keep you all informed.

Drat

 

[Mamu]

Oh my! A lot has happened in 2 1/2 weeks. So sorry to hear about the problems with the big pumpkin. Some Pixie Dust that all your hard work is not in vain.

Raising pumpkins sound a lot like raising kids. Little pumpkins, little problems, big pumpkins, big problems.

Drat thanks so much for all the imformation on what its like to be a giant pumpkin grower. It sure is a lot of work and sometimes a giant disappointment.

My garden has been a disappointment this year. All the rain has caused lots of fungus problems.

 

[gina2000]

This is the first time I've read the thread completely through! What a complicated process.

I was laughing at all the posts, drat, til I got to the cracked one.

Now I feel sad. Horribly sad. All that work shot to hell with one crack.

If I grew a 400 lb pumpkin in my yard, I suspect the squirrels would have a field day munching.

Please keep us updated. Even though I'm late to the pumpkin patch, I'm very, very interested!

 

[Snowwark]

Drat, how's your gourd doing? Has the nasty rot showed up yet, or is the split still just skin deep? Digits crossed that it's only skin deep!!

How much does it weigh now, also, have you by any chance given your gourd a name?

 

[amid chaos]

ROFL...a name!!!!

Gordo!

 

[drat]

Well...here it is. One of the last posts of the season. I'll stick to the good news - bad news format.

Bad news: The split went into the inside of the pumpkin. It started to show signs of rot this week.

Good news: Five friends came over and helped me lift the pumpkin into the back of my truck on Wednesday night. Then they helped me lift some beers.

Bad news: When we lifted the pumpkin there was a rotten hole in the bottom where it was losing liquid. This was definitely bad.

Good news: I took it to the Caledonia Fall fair. When it was weighed, it turned out to be much heavier that expected...475 pounds! I'm sure at one point, while it was still healthy, before the split and it started to rot and lose weight, it must have been darned near 500 pounds which was my goal for the year.

Bad news: I only won fourth prize.

Good news: At least for fourth prize I got a ribbon at this fair!

Bad news: The winner at the Caledonia fair was the same winner at the previous fair I entered. This time he brought the big one...1100 pounds!!

Good news: When I retrieve the pumpkin I will harvest the seeds and make them available to anyone who wants them.

I will send lots of pictures to Snowwark tomorrow.
Later Buds
Drat