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Appalachian Mtns.

Or is everyone starting very, very early this year?
Seems in years past, starting seed at the *end* of April at the earliest, beginning of May was the norm, and putting your plants out around the first week in May earliest-May 10th/15th was standard?????
Last year I started my seeds the 24th or so of April and my plants were huge by pollination time, and too well-aged by end of September. Most of my fruit had pretty much stopped growth for 2 weeks by Septembers end. I'm not even planning to start my seed until the first week of May so I still have something going strong as I head into September this year.
What's the rush about?

4/18/2005 6:59:52 AM

Rexburg, Idaho

Started the 23rd of April every year for the past 5 years. That's my start date this year as well.

4/18/2005 8:02:13 AM

Knopp, Germany

i believe it depends on your environmental factors as well as your growing strategies.

for some one that wants to set a pumpkin out about 15 feet with say 400 sq ft of plant behind it, and then allow the plant to continue to grow antoher say 2-300 sq ft of foliage, then this may just be the prime time to do it.

though, if i lived in a constant warm climate, then i would wait for sure.

grow em when ya want to, just have a plan!

4/18/2005 8:29:33 AM

Western NY

i think you're right. it's probably a combination of new growers thinking they can get an edge, more early fairs that people can take pumpkins to, and this nice stretch of warm weather we've been getting (i'm assuming it's a midwest to east coast thing). myself - i just sprouted a few of my own seeds just to see what would happen if i tried one this early (now that i have the space to experiment), and to insure that i'll have a pollinator ready for the competition plants, just in case. my competition plants will probably be bumped up a day or two this year, so i'll probably be starting april 29-30.

4/18/2005 8:32:29 AM

Montoursville, PA

I started seed on April 20th last year. I finished growing at least three weeks early. I would rather have one finishing about September 20th then I do not need to worry about holding a finished fruit so long.

Had my buddy and first year grower started two weeks earlier he would now be the proud first year grower with a thousand pound pumpkin to his credit. He broke down just one week shy of our weigh off day.

There is a degree, of assumption, in the above report.

I am not starting seed until the 25th. to the 28th. I would like to see a minimum of 50 degrees nightime average as well as considering the normal average time in days to finish. Finally I want, to screw the planning, of the bugs. If they keep books like I do they will be two weeks late, for the same meal this year. :)

4/18/2005 10:04:41 AM

Hudsonville, Michigan ([email protected])

Kyle:
As a general rule I plant May 1 indoors. That is plenty early for me, as I have traditionally experienced minimal growth after Labor Day. (If anything, I'd plant mid-May before I'd plant mid-April). I'd consider any plant put in before April 20 a candidate for an Aug/early Sept harvest. But, hey if someone can keep a pre 4/15 germinated plant healthy and growing all the way into October, more power to you! You have a greener thumb than I!
Frank

4/18/2005 11:32:00 AM

Oz

Will culling "pre-flowering"females till say may/june,hurt the plant?
Im going to try time staggered pollination/fruiting this year.

Its too nice here not to plant.
My test tomato went in/out last month after the last frost.
Its still kickin and producing buds...no temp protection.

The South should have 2 season weigh offs.
But even if i get a whopper in august Ill be happy.

4/18/2005 11:33:07 AM

Oz

staggered planting also

4/18/2005 11:35:10 AM

Benton Ky

I have a county fair in late july, I want staggered plants to observe how they do also.And I do not want to get caught with out pollen .

4/18/2005 1:47:55 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Starting mine on the 24th of April and in the hoop houses by first week of May. I did start some earlier plants that I am going to hold in larger pots for other growers that need a good solid plant to start with as they do not have any protection or hoophouse. Any of the serious growers that I germinate seeds for, will be started the last week of April.

4/18/2005 2:41:54 PM

Massillon, Ohio

i havent even tilled and am proud of it

i'm trying that save the worm stuff (at least in april LOL)

4/18/2005 3:44:45 PM

Puyallup, WA

Seems that I recall that all of the New Hampshire Boys start their seeds on April 25th. I've found that to be too early fo my plants. Seems that I had females opening in the third week of June when I did that.....way too early!
Pollinating before July 1st is asking the pumpkins to hang on an awfully long time for October 15th.

4/18/2005 5:21:26 PM

Canada

Ya ive done allot of re search myself these past 2 years and this year planned on germinating my seeds on April 30th
planting outside on May 7th May 7th starting my back-ups
and putting them outside along side the ones previous planted on May 7th but putting the back-ups outside on May 14th ( 6 plants total in patch by 14th) Then first week in June culling down to best 3 plants growing. Last year I started them way too early, they wentoutside first week in May and really didnt do anything till May 24th then from there on they took off. This year I am aiming for pollination dates of July 1st - July 15th so they have roughly 60-70 days to grow.

Dave.

P.S if it doesnt work this year there is always 2006 :-)

4/18/2005 6:27:38 PM

Rhode Island

we have always started our plants so that they are ready for planting around the fifth of may

this year we are starting ten days earlier for several reasons

1. we want a bigger plant and some dead ending to take place at pollination time
2. we want to have our fruit growth at it peak or near peak during those two weeks that the days are the longest
3. the seed stocks we will use have proven they can grow to the end
4. not worried about finishing early cause if you got a good one it will creep along those last ten days
pap

4/18/2005 7:40:20 PM

Cincinnati,OH

The official frost free planting date here is May 15. But when the temperature is near 80 for 5 days a kind of panic sets in.

4/18/2005 11:55:29 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who hasn't tilled yet, and still won't until May 1!

4/19/2005 5:16:07 AM

Deer Park, WI

You arent alone Kyle. Joze patch wont see any action until 2nd week in May. Been (frost) burned too many times in the past to start any earlier. Start my seeds the 7th-8th, and stick em in the dirt on the 10th or so. Works like a charm!

4/19/2005 8:54:54 AM

Knopp, Germany

I did 2 queries over at the AGGC.

I wanted to know how many pumpkins were grown over 1000 lbs that were germinated prior to 1 May. The answer was over 200, too many to count.

I then modified the query to show only those pumpkins grown over 1100 lbs that were germinated on 27 April or earlier. The answer was about 50, and of those 50 there was one pumpkin that was over 1400 lbs (germinated 20 April BTW), one over 1300 and nine over 1200 pounds.

From these results it I believe there is more then one right answer here.

I believe that each of us needs to understand our climate and decide on a growing/pruning strategy that will allow us to maximize our individual environments. There are two ways to do that in my opinion, first if you live in an area that has other growers, ask them, find out when they germinate, and then analyze their results. Second, test out different theories, does not mean all of your plants need to go in the ground early, or late, but I believe that until you actually try different dates, and growing/pruning strategies, you will not find out what works best. Heck, you might just find out that there is more then one way to skin the cat, or, grow a pumpkin.

4/19/2005 9:44:50 AM

Puyallup, WA

Owen....You are a wise man!

4/19/2005 4:41:59 PM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

I still haven't tilled my garden. The winter wheat I planted last fall is just starting to fill in good. I'll leave it for a couple weeks or until I get my soil report back. I only want to till it once, so I might just as well wait until I see what the report says the garden needs before I do it.

Phil

4/19/2005 6:53:03 PM

Belgium

I already have some planted so that I can beat the heat. My area is already seeing 80's for the past month and we consistantly get temps in the 100's in the heat of the season.

Jake

4/19/2005 8:21:00 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

Jake...I'd be amazed if your fruit continue to grow until an October weigh-off, a late September one would be questionable too. The Carolina summer heat will mature your plants very quickly unless you use overhead watering, and that still may not help much. If I still lived in the Piedmont, I wouldn't start until at least May 15, probably more like the 20th. You can't beat the heat, it's going to pre-mature your fruit no matter what if you get those temps.
Just my opinion, I hope you do well.

4/20/2005 8:36:34 AM

Key West, FL

I haven't tilled because it's been too wet, but I'm starting my seeds in a couple days, like I always do. Hoophouses are up drying the soil so I can atleast till or hand till my planting sites.

4/20/2005 10:31:15 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

Seems to me with the extension of the GPC deadlines two weeks a later date for pollination would be acceptable...hey it's worse if you pumpkin is two weeks early but with dates going later seems to me if ya got a good one you don't have to pluck it early..a healthy start and a second or third week july doesn't take ya outta of the running..Tilling early I think is fine prior to the worms coming up but getting an extra soil warmth is gonna be better...
GrowEmBig!
Chuck

4/20/2005 6:56:10 PM

Cheyenne, Wyoming

I think that people need to realize that everyone doesn't grow their pumpkin with an October weigh-off date as the ultimate objective.

In Wyoming, we have freezing temperatures as early as late August, and certainly in early September. The last few years, I have had pumpkins growing 2" to 3" circumference per day, then we have an early freeze, and they are done growing at day 35 or 40. I would rather start much earlier, and have a chance at a 500 pound pumpkin in late August, than start later, and have a 250 pound pumpkin in mid October due to a hard freeze in the middle of the pumpkins growth cycle back in September. The Wyoming State Record Pumpkin weighed 674 pounds. If someone in Wyoming weighs a pumpkin, on a certified scale, at 700 pounds this year, it won't matter if the weighing date is August 31 or October 15th, it is a new record.

4/20/2005 7:42:28 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

I agree with ya Beet! Extremely cold or extremely hot areas necessitates a change in the growing season for their best outcomes...and not sure but GPC contests will now run for three weeks as opposed to the first week of October....I always thought it was unfair when Craig Weir had to take his pumpkin a week early only to lose by a couple of pounds when the west coast had a week later date.

4/20/2005 9:15:15 PM

Oz

If someone grew a ,,,,1600LB pumkin,,and did not go GPC way,,and had the thing weighed at a certified scale,,
would the GPC reconize it as the biggest?
I assume any prize money would not apply

4/20/2005 10:09:58 PM

Colo.Spgs.CO. Pikes Peak Chapter @ [email protected]

Hey Beet, it is all part of growing in the region of high altitude at the foot of the rocky mountains.....lol..What a learning experience it is as I have been doing so for years, and the fun never ends...We will have to either get together one of these days when the big ones grow for us and get an official weigh site going between us, or we can meet somewhere along the highway on the road to Anamosa to claim the first place..lol...Maybe this will be the season....

4/21/2005 4:27:27 AM

Cheyenne, Wyoming

400 SF -

It would be great to get together some of the area growers.

Several friends of mine and I have a weighoff each year. Due to our climate, it is usually in mid to late September. We use a certified, digital scale, but the weighoff is not sanctioned by any governing body. If that is interesting to you, send me an e-mail and I'll keep you updated.

Beet

4/21/2005 8:48:58 AM

Appalachian Mtns.

Had the heavy machinery here yesterday to spread 12 yards of compost, and another 2-3 yards of aged manure, in the patches. Add several hundred pounds of gypsum, dry molasses, cornmeal, and let it sit until May 7, that's the plow and disc target date. The electric fence will be activated and plants will go out May 8, weather cooperating.
Seeds get started in 3 gallon pots on May 1. If the weather doesn't cooperate on the 8th, that's OK, 3 gallons gives them plenty of leeway to prevent rootbound plants.

4/21/2005 10:04:09 AM

Rhode Island

mcpumpkin

the answer to your question is yes and no

no the 1600 lb pumpkin would not be listed in the final gpc standings because it was not weighed off at a gpc site and

yes we would all make mention of your accomplishment as would every pumpkin newsletter in the us,canada and abroad

but realisticly, would you want a indy car that won at a different track to be given the pole position at your track just because his time there was faster ?

d wallace

4/21/2005 10:56:02 PM