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Clinton, Iowa

Hey group....Yea I mean it..I would quit the season right now no questions asked IF Petey would not have been on Vacation. Dispite only 2 tenths of an inch of rain the past 6 to 8 weeks the plants seem to be doing ok...storm after storm has passed both sides of us and you know I am just sick of it....the patch is drier the a dust bowl and now I met my match the past 3 days......ALL 6 plants are severely damaged. they got one main vine 2 days ago and I went to covering the tips with some chicken wire...Well it worked for 2 days and I thought I was goign to make it..Well guess what...they got all the other 5 today...insted of workign the young growing tips..they decided to just go in and chew off the main where ever they could get at it....Marks of the plants are just gone between the leaf joints..some areas are 12 inches long that have been chewed thru to about the 75% range...Yea I am talking about a main that was say 1 1/4 in diameter is now maybe 1/2....ANd they got every one now and seriously Beth had to stop me from pulling them all....I was in there and had ahold of the plants when she talked me out of it...She told me it wasn't my call to make...Because I Have a partner in this now..She made agood point....and I stopped....BUT when he comes home saturday I think I can be very convicing it just isn't worth it ...with this much damage...Yea you can train out more side vines and such BUT let's be real.....we all know it just isn;t the same...And who's to say they just won;t come and chew thru the next one and the next one and the next....
Sorry for venting ..BUT I have had enough
CARLSON
PS...for all you wonderign what plants Petey and I had in....they are
Our 872 from 2004 (was 12 feet out)
552 Sherwood...( the first one to get chewed off)
1230 Daletas....(double vines...was terminated...new main was out there about 5 feet...chewed off today)

6/16/2005 7:38:51 PM

San Diego

Dan, I definitely know what it's like to have bad things happen. I know the feeling of wanting to rip up a plant too:) Hang in there bud, if I can try to grow a stumpless plant, atleast try with your damaged plants. Did you bury your chicken wire 6 inches deep? Maybe you can fence the whole patch, or maybe it's too big. What ate your plants? rabbits? Jimmy

6/16/2005 7:59:30 PM

darn .sorry to hear about damage dan-that stinks-whats chewing them-groundhog?dont give up-

6/16/2005 8:10:56 PM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

Dan,
That really sux! Don't give up bro, if anyone can grow a big one, it's you!
Tom

6/16/2005 8:13:32 PM

Sparta, NC

Man sorry to hear about you plant damage. I hope you can salvage something for the season. Don't give up. Don't ever give up.

6/16/2005 8:29:23 PM

[email protected]

Never, never, never give up Dan.

Steve

6/16/2005 9:50:33 PM

Western NY

listen man, i know we're all trying to beat our personal bests, but sometimes just making it to the weighoff is quite the accomplishment in itself. stick with it. i know you would tell me to.

6/16/2005 9:58:38 PM

Puyallup, WA

When I hear, "I want some seeds. These look easy to grow."
I just want to roll my eyes. Dan has just experienced the feeling when one goes from the "penthouse" to the "outhoouse"!" This hobby can make it happen it so fast!

We care about you Dan!

6/16/2005 10:00:17 PM

Clinton, Iowa

Well.....I have had alot of support....And I needed it....I am stressing abit this season as my work has really become a burden....Never had a job where I took it home with me....I can;t wait till this is over...
That said....I want to thank Scotty....He and I chatted a bit this evening...Let me say..I cussed..he just kinda listened!!LOL!!
What Andy said really hit home also...Thanks Andy...Last year was such a dream ride I guess I got spoiled....I will fence the entire thing in next year ..But i am sure it's a problem that wil be very hard to elminate completely...I guess the darn rabbits are just trying to survive them selves.....I can;t blame them..the whole darn area is like a desert....
I guess I should be thanking Bethie also...She kept a cool head....and a fair distance back at the begining...as a few tools and boards were flying!! Hey what can I say.....I lost control for a while!!
Then I took a trip down to visit a friend whole is facing an extremely painful trip to battle cancer......I needed that to understand ....MY TROUBLES AREN"T CRAP!!!
be good everyone and thanks for the kind thoughts....I HAVE NOT GIVEN UP>>>..yet.... LOL!!
I hope everyone has a lot better luck then me
DAN

6/16/2005 10:19:37 PM

Leicester, NY

Hang in there big guy! I know there's still time to grow a competition size fruit that will give you rewards perhaps greater than a PB..Joe P.

6/16/2005 10:46:57 PM

Joliet, IL

i have had problems all week too, but not as bad as you guys by any means. 2 of my plants will be used for genetics now that the mains have snapped off. i am planning on growing 3 on each plant on secondaries all with different crosses. you might have one on a secondary that will surprise you and you may want to cull to one and still have that option. if they are alive, they still have a chance.
maybe let all tertiaries grow and let the plants recover and then start training some secondaries to be new mains and go from there. these words probably do not mean much and the last thing i want is to sound unsympathetic. but you guys have helped out many before on this site and i am just trying to repay the favor by saying it might not be the best season you will ever have, but you might still get some nice crosses and pumpkins out of the plants.
i felt like ripping my 2 plants which pissed me off and now i am back out there training secondaries again and trying to get some nice crosses.
sorry about the damage,
shazzy

6/16/2005 10:52:10 PM

Sort of Sunny Sometimes, WA

Does anybody else hear "Eye of the Tiger" playing in the background? Dan don't give in to the rabbits! Remember the words of the famous but unknown pumpkin grower(till now) Elmer Fudd, why said, "Ah'm gonna hunt me a waaaa-a-biii-itt".

6/16/2005 11:22:14 PM

[email protected]

Hey Danny, you will get through this buddy! I believe it was you that always used this signature... (and I was along with you in emails through thses struggles buddy)

"That which doesn't kill you can only make you stronger".

We learn, we grow through our experiences. I know you have in the past, and I know you will now!

Now lets get in there and grow one for the Gipper....

6/17/2005 12:11:20 AM

Indiana

Dan,
not that this helps now, but the Warrior I use.....ever since I started using that, the animals have left my plants alone completely. The representative said that the AI tastes bitter, and the animals wont touch it. I used to have lots of vines get chewed off.

That said having grown hundreds of plants I have seen almost everything. These things take a lick and come right back. Only difference I see for you this year is smaller fruit September 1 growing and finishing catching up in the month of September. Later sets grow more in September, just ask Joe Ailts!! 1097 itself was a July 14 set, and was up to size Sept 6 or something like that.

Tom

6/17/2005 1:56:51 AM

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

I would still say you have better growing conditions no matter what than we have here in colorado, Just ask Joe when you see him in Anamosa this fall when your pumpkin is bigger than his.lol...No use in giving up when you can still participate in a weigh-off and whip us colorado guys...lol...Then again hopefully this may be a good year for us, I have only had one hail storm so far, as compared to last years 18+ devistating storms....Good luck and never give in to mother nature, just get smarter..Oh and put something that smells dead around where the rabbits hang out,or a dead rabbit dragged and bleading around the parimeter of the patch, or a natural predator smell and I bet they stay away maybe panther piss, or blood meal ...JK

6/17/2005 2:52:36 AM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

Dan
Sorry to hear about your plants. It's time to bring out the heavy artillery. You might not have the biggest pumpkin this year, but you will be an accompished rabbit hunter before the seasons over. It's time to break out the bow for some early practice. Take care and all the best to you and Pete.

Phil

6/17/2005 6:32:38 AM

No Place Special

Dan and Marc, DONT GIVE UP! Dan I know you better than that. I remember you asking me once how great the reward would be if this thing was easy! Thats why you go big... a never give up attitude. If it makes you feel any better, only 1/3 of my plants even have vines on the ground. You train a secondary to take over as a new vine and your probably STILL better off than me! Just a little bit of info, my 1083 was not grown on the original main vine. You guys have what it takes to recover from this and still pull out with a successful season. You are both incredible growers and together you are like a dream team. 1028.... you guys can take that down this yr!!!!

6/17/2005 9:17:51 AM

Minnesota([email protected])

Mike Frantz,
Was your 1083 grown on a secondary? If so, it gives many hope for a big one, if they lose the main.

Dan,
I wouldn't give up at this point please. You may end up with a bigger one on a secondary, than if you had set one on the main. Maybe all your mainviners would have split, due to awesome growth, and all your secondary(or new main ones) hold together. Who knows????? Maybe if you grow some big ones this year, it will give hope to others down the road, who lose their mainvine.
I'm here in central MN, with mainvines at about 2-2.5' long, and they haven't even laid down yet.
Best wishes in whatever you choose to do. You and Petey have to look at the pros and cons, and decide what's best for your situation.

Doug

6/17/2005 11:39:27 AM

No Place Special

Would the real Dan Carlson please stand up!

Doug
The 1083 was grown on a secondary that was trained as the main. So in reality it was the main vine but not the original main vine? Make sense? I dont believe a pumpkin set on a secondary vine that is trained and used as a secondary vine has the same potential as a secondary vine trained and used as a replacement main does. Clear as mud?????!?!?!?!

6/17/2005 3:35:37 PM

Mulino, Oregon

Hey Danny, I know I talked you into keeping the 552 as I did the 1086. Keep your chin up and the pot boiling! I here rabbit stew is very, very tasty! These plants are very resiliant, often more that we are.

Jim

6/17/2005 9:36:07 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

hang in there Dan! Guys like you keep guys like me growing! Someday I'll get it right...pathogens/deer/woodchucks and maybe a few I haven't thought about yet but when I get it right it will be a PB for sure!!!GrowEmBig! Chuck

6/17/2005 10:39:17 PM

Puyallup, WA

Jim is right, Dan. I've had mains broken half-way off yet still continue grow and produce good sized fruit(1058).

6/17/2005 11:09:20 PM

Deer Park WA

Keep the faith, if it's still growing you still have a good shot at another whopper! We got set back a bit this year with a really late frost but like Jim said these things are resilent!

6/17/2005 11:22:49 PM

Appalachian Mtns.

Look at my diary....I ain't quit.
(I ain't much hopeful, but I ain't quit)

6/18/2005 6:43:00 AM

Butler, Ohio

Dan, dont give in man. I wanna see a 1000+ pounder out of your patch come weighoff time.

6/18/2005 2:33:14 PM

Napa Valley, CA

Dan, I've been chattin' with you since '98 so I know that you're not a quitter.......I wouldn't be surprised if you grew the largest pumpkin ever grown on a secondary.
Also, you can still do some awesome Carlson crosses !!
Take care bud,
George

6/18/2005 9:53:13 PM

Sophia WV

Dan dont give up remember all things happen for a reason and things will get alot better.You are one of the main reasons I have put so much into this.Just step back take a deep breath and go at it.

6/18/2005 10:02:31 PM

Deer Park WA

Might as well just wonder off into the ole tar pit... Jeesh

6/28/2005 1:31:40 AM