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Abbotsford, B.C

I have this really odd pumpkin that is having extreme fluctuations in weight gains every day. I am almost positive that I have been measuring correctly, and I have been using the OTT every day so it is fairly accurate. Even more unusual, I haven't been giving the plant excessive water or fertilizer, and it has been beautiful sunny weather the whole time, so it hasn't been a transition between hot & cold. I started measuring when it was just over one hundred pounds after coming home from a trip. The first three days were normal, in which it gained approximately 12 pounds per day. However, on the fourth day, it gained 24 pounds, followed by a 19 pound gain the next day, and the day after that a 15 pound gain. I thought for sure it was slowing down, and I was going to cut it off in favor of a secondary, when I measured a 32 lb gain this morning! And I am POSITIVE that i did not mis-measure. None of the other pumpkins in the patch are fluctuating in weight gains so much day by day, even though there is, of course, a pound or two difference each day due to very small differences in measuring. But why in the world would my pumpkin be varying in weight gains so much? Especially when watering and weather is nice and consistent, and in addition, the only other pumpkin on the plant is gaining a steady 23 pounds or so a day now. And info would be muchly appreciated.

Cameron

8/7/2005 8:00:58 PM

Eugene,OR

If you vary the time of day when you do your measure ments you can get wacky fluctuations. I try to do mine in the evening, just before dark, when I change the fertilizer in my misting system.

8/7/2005 8:31:13 PM

Montoursville, PA

One of our finest world champion growers frequently grows two on a plant. I believe I would let them both on, based, on your above report.

8/7/2005 9:44:31 PM

Follansbee, Wv

Don Young and I were just discussing this very thing in chat the other night. Both of my fruits are fluctuating in weight gains, as are his. As long as the measurements keep going up, don't worry about it :)

8/7/2005 10:24:35 PM

Abbotsford, B.C

I have been measuring every morning between 7 and 8 o'clock, so that is not a problem. And I am not worrying about it at all, I am just curious. Well, I guess that I am a bit worried, I just hope that the fruit can take these wild flucuations from high to low and high again. Going from 14 pounds one day to 32 pounds the next can't be easy for the pumpkin to take. I just hope it doesn't split on me. And yes, I definitely plan on keeping both on, at least for a while longer, while I see which one is growing best.

Cameron

8/8/2005 12:38:36 AM

Rhode Island

best cure for the variations in daily weight gains is to tape every four to seven days rather than every day

its an emotional roller coaster if you measure every day

do it on four to seven day streches and take an average

dick

8/8/2005 8:19:21 AM

Abbotsford, B.C

The problem is though with that, pap, especially with 'The Blob', is that I can't be absolutely sure I am measuring on just the same spot, with all those dips and blobs sticking out, It would be easy to misconstrue the measuring, and the average would be all wonky. However, with a more normal shaped pumpkin, that is a probably a good idea.

I must mention though, I'm kind of embarassed, but i went back and checked the OTT gains on my 876 main vine pumpkin, and it didn't gain 32 pounds, it gained 22 pounds! I am not sure why my brain said '32', but for some reason that's how I read it. But even still, it is weird how much fluctuation day by day my pumpkins are going through. Oh well, as long as the average is well abovwe 20, then I should be fine.

Cameron

8/8/2005 5:00:52 PM

Utah

humm i'd guess water or fert ... but you seemed to have ruled them out in the 1st post.

8/8/2005 5:25:50 PM