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Waldoboro, Maine, USA

this is my second year growing, and i'm tempted to try to obtain some proven seeds, yet i feel guilty. personally, i'm not looking for a world record. the joy of growing is my only real motive. last year was my first year and i grew a 175 lb ag. and i was pumped. i don't feel as though i could do a 845, or a 1097 justice. maybe i'm just rambling, but does anybody else feel this way? Personally i think i'm better suited for unproven seeds, that growers would love to see grown, but probably won't get planted, because they're unproven, which i find a shame. wow, i'm really not saying a lot. i guess my real point is, is thati feel its a shame that a lot of growers focus on proven seeds, when in fact, a lot of the records get broken with seeds that are unproven, until they throw a 1200+lb pumpkin, and then everybody wants them, when i don't find the need, because i think there are a lot of good seeds not getting planted simply because they haven't already thrown a 1000 lber. anyways, i'm just rambling. getting too close to planting, and i think i'm losing it. haha. may spring bring warm weather, and may summer bring personal bests for everyone! happy planting, i know mine will be

3/2/2005 1:24:54 AM

Atlanta, Georgia

Mike,
I have grown some of the best seeds in the world and have wasted them when they could have been in the hands of much better growers. I grew 513lbs. from the 845 Bobier and only 595 lbs. from the 582 Hester.

I will mostly plant seeds with potential for orange this year but I will also have a few proven seeds for much higher weights.

I agree with you that it might not always be a great idea to plant the proven ones, but on the other hand there will always be better and better crosses every year.
That is a fact of genetics.

Where abouts do you live in Maine? We are moving there in fall of 2006. Have you met with the Maine and NH growers yet?
Best regards,
Michel in Germany

3/2/2005 1:57:57 AM

Itzetown City

How should a seed became proven, when anybody plant proven seeds?
Look for the crosses and play a little bit Vegas. lol

3/2/2005 5:14:10 AM

Bristol, ME ([email protected])

Michael,
You might want to check out http://www.mainepumpkins.com, website of the Maine Pumpkin Growers Organization. I think we can probably set you up with some pretty good seed and info. Remember I'm only 10 minutes away.

3/2/2005 5:47:22 AM

New Hampshire

Good insight from a second year grower.The #1 thing that all proven seeds have in common is that they have seen soil and it doesn't hurt to have them planted by growers who know how to grow them big.

3/2/2005 6:55:36 AM

Nova Scotia

i agree. this year i'll be on new soil that has had no improvements as yet. i have a few realy good seeds but will hold off for at least a year so as to get the soil were i want it. but i do have great crosses that no one has grown with proper care as of yet that will be going in to see what they have.

3/2/2005 9:11:07 AM

Montoursville, PA

My thinking and personal actions are, to build my soil, with great effort. Learn the techniques, of doing the best I can with unproven seed that more than likely exceed my management skills.

When I and my patch get together I will consider the finest seed that money can buy, to see if we can do better, at that point. Meanwhile presently my endless supply, of fine unproven seed and my patch indicate I need more understanding and more practice getting tuned up, for the great pumpkin, to grow here.

3/2/2005 11:06:19 AM

Joliet, IL

this is the 1st year i purchased proven seeds from seed
auctions and it will be my 4th year growing AGs.
looking back to year 1 and 2, proven seeds would not
have made a difference. i was bound to go down to
svb's without having proper insecticides, and pm without
the proper fungicides. also my soil was too clayey
with little om. also my growing practices and knowledge
were minimal as to be expected by a newbie. year three i
had proven seeds given to me by top growers, and did well
with them eventhough they ended up splitting, but i got my
best pumpkin from an unproven seed. (eventhough it was an
unproven 1301 eaton, which also split).

but with hard work and knowledge i have improved my soil
considerably the past 2 years and feel that it is time to
try some of the best proven seeds out there. i will say one
thing, when you have a topnotch proven seed in your hands,
it is a whole different feeling. there is an excitement for
the future season i have not felt before. there is also
pressure for me to work hard and do the seed justice by
giving it my full effort. there is also doubt that creeps
in like, "what if i doesn't germinate," and "what if i my
results are not good by the end of the season and will i
look foolish for having a proven seed and producing
poorly." that all comes with the territory and being human.

for the amount of effort that i put into each plant,
let alone the cash, i felt that paying for a proven seed
was worth it for both me and the associations. if you
can get them by swapping, trading, or bubble packing
growers, i would go that route first for sure.

in my case, i felt ready to take that next step. but
who knows what will happen...which is the beauty of the
sport. so when you feel you are ready, then go for it and
give it your best shot. otherwise, there are so many
great crosses for free from the kind growers here at bp.com
that can get you big pumpkins and growing knowledge
i

3/2/2005 1:33:46 PM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

If you have proven seeds in abundance or if money is no issue for you (so that you can buy them at the auctions) then I'd say that they can never hurt.
You might kind of waste them if your soil is not in ideal shape or if you get a poor summer but is that a bad thing?
Our climate is not the best for growing AGs (if I were waiting for ideal weather I could probably never grow a good seed) and my soil might still not be the best but I still plant the proven seeds because I have them. I don't like to see them collecting dust... I probably have a higher chance of producing good seeds and it is a nice feeling when you are growing a 801.5, a 846, etc.
I probably can't get the max weight potential out of the proven seeds but by planting them I can at least somehow determine what shape and color my pumpkins will have...

Martin

3/2/2005 4:27:11 PM

San Diego

with this hobby exploding, there are lot, I mean a lot of people putting out seeds with world class genetics everywhere now days. I would say most of these seeds in reality can pop off a world record in the hands of a great grower. There will always be the 845's and other seeds out there, but my gut tells me most any seed out there with top genetics in it will grow a monster. The majority of growers in this hobby are followers, I guess it's human nature. How many great seeds are being missed because no one gives them a legitimate try. Everyone still wants the 723, 845, 846, 898, 801, etc. Climate comes into factor too, for how seeds do in certain areas. Jimmy

3/2/2005 4:44:16 PM

Puyallup, WA

IMHO, do not spend a dime on seeds your first two years in this hobby. Besides, it takes at least two years to get your soil in top shape. By the third year, you are ready for one or two "prime" seeds.

3/2/2005 5:25:05 PM