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Clinton, Iowa

Over the past few seasons I have been lucky and blessed enough to grow 4 fruit that went over 1000 pounds. 1432 1086 est 1016 in 2004 and 1028 in 2003
Were talking trying to predict where a fruit is headed and I have read a few posts about this subject and wanted to inject what I have seen the past couple years.
I don't care how long it takes it to get to 500 pounds...when it does......(were talking by est using the OTT method here...something like 296") the following 7 days is tell tale....I have yet to get a fruit to go over 1000 that did not put on ATLEAST 150# over those 7 days.
the four listed fruit above put on anywhere from 155 pounds to 270 pounds over that week.....sometimes that is day 30 to 37...sometimes that is day 35 to 42. The point is from what I have seen when it comes to Iowa weather...it takes atleast that much weekly gain at that stage in order for my fruit to make it to that cherished 4 digit mark...anyways just thought I would share that.
DAN

7/18/2005 5:22:27 AM

Montoursville, PA

Thanks Dan. And you did not use any Kick-A-Poo joy juice either! This is a great observation.

7/18/2005 9:04:51 AM

Oz

HOW MANY LEAVES WERE ON THE "BETTER THAN 5OOLBS" PLANTS?
OR,,HOW MANY SQ FEET?

7/18/2005 10:11:36 AM

Puyallup, WA

At that time of the season, who in the world is counting leaves? I am already cutting off the old, worn-out ones.
I'd ask, "How many secondarys do you have 'pushing' the pumpkin?"

Look at JD's Diary from Alaska. His got a nice one with only 92 sq.ft. rooting space! Amazing!

7/18/2005 12:10:03 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Dan, Thanks for the heads up. Consider this. Using your information it is possible to answer the 1000 pound riddle. I have used the 2005 Martin/Stellphlug chart growth to demonstrate that the growth rate of 2.60"/day in the Ailts-Landry Benchmarks can do exactly what you have described.

Using the benchmark we can see that on
Day 33 = 115.8" = 401 pounds, add the D33-40 Daily Gain minimums of 7 x 2.60 = 18.2. Brings the cc up to 134 on Day 40.

This leaves you with a D40 weight of 586 and a gain of 185lbs.

This falls very close to your 7 day minimum gain of 150lbs.

7/18/2005 2:56:27 PM

Ontario, Canada.

All factors being equal it is a pretty neat tool. I believe it is possible to extend further the estimate. Of coure not all fruit gain at same rate. D30 to D 50 are biggest gainers. Often it has been recorded that gains in excess of 40 lbs are possible.

lets assume a fruit on Day 23 that is 86". It can be said to be 6" over the Benchmark. This equates to 26 pounds or approx. .25"/day in excess of the Benchmark. Using a conservative vine life of 80 days would plop this sucker at a whopping 20" over the mark by D80. This equals a minimum of an extra 288 pound over 80 days. For a grand total of 1288.......

My point is that it is not so much the current size of your progeny but the rate of growth that counts in the end result.

7/18/2005 3:41:53 PM

southwest MO

What are the benchmarks that you are refering to??

7/19/2005 12:21:22 PM

Utah

the bench marks were given on this thread:

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/msgboard/ViewThread.asp?b=3&p=124677

7/19/2005 3:15:20 PM

Indiana

I wish 86 inches at 23 days equated to 1288 here! LOL

7/19/2005 7:06:15 PM

Ontario, Canada.

The disclaimer states that not all fruit will grow at the same rate. We are talking about the average 1000 pound fruit. We have data from a good number of thousand Pounder's and it is hoped that more growers will contribute to broaden the base of sample. At this point I am comfortable with saying that a large percentage of the fruit at D20=68.5" will in the end exceed 1000 pounds.

The intent of the study was to discern if it was possible to predict at a young age, if a fruit had potential. This we hope would allow the grower to focus his resources on the best progeny.

The numbers I am hearing about this summer are of blockbuster proportion and very boggling. We are in for a banner year. If the benckmarks hold to the past pattern many large pumpkins will show up at the scales this year.

7/21/2005 1:47:28 AM

I have found the heavyweights (from my patch anyway) are the ones that grow at a good steady pace. The ones that get real big real fast usually blow and if they do make it to the end they are usually featherweights. A good steady grower that is pollinated in the first week of july and is still putting on good growth through most of september is what i look for.

7/21/2005 9:11:00 PM