From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Ca

Here's how it would work; growers with room to grow several pumpkins could participate (I'm thinking of people who grow more than three plants, so they can afford to take some risk). A respected neutral person (the only person who knows the identity of the seeds)would send them two marked but unidentified seeds (a, b or c) One would be from a moderately proven seed over 12 or 1300 (obviously not a 1068, but there are a lot of 1200 plus seeds that have grown at least one 1100+ but have not been widely planted). The other would be one of two unproven seeds with unpromising initial weights but great genetics (I'm thinking of something like the 180 Engel '05 or the 676 Kurilich '04, or the 509 Hoffman '03). Since the grower doesn't know which is the hot seed, both get equal attention. At the end of the season, crunch the numbers. Having two unproven seeds helps minimize the risk that an unproven seed is a dud, and growing two pumpkins per grower allows patch comparisons.
What do you think? Since you don't have to be a heavy hitter to participate, we'd get a larger cross-section. And growers would be assured of at least one good seed. And we'd get some interesting results.

2/17/2007 12:39:55 AM

Aloha, Oregon

I would be intrested.

Thanks!

Jordan

2/17/2007 11:32:45 AM

Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

This is a great idea, but I already have promised a few growers that I would grow their seed this yr, providing it germinates and has no problems early on..

I have talked to another grower in Cali who's growing the 592.8 DeBacco, and he suggested a weight contest and I suggested a beauty contest. for the deBacco seed.
It's a great idea, but with only 3 pumpkin hills, it's hard for me to get on board this yr. We could have competitions on same seeds, this way we could keep trak of how they do.
capt

2/17/2007 11:38:18 AM

Rhode Island

i dont know about that . most growers like to pick and plan for themselves.

2/17/2007 10:47:24 PM

Nashville, TN

You must also take into account that some varieties do much better in particular regions than others. Some are much more heat tolerant, whereas others can tolerate cooler & wetter areas with greater DM problems.

If I planted 16 of these unknowns - but both of these unknowns were from lines that prefer northern regions. In my experience (so far) MOST of them would struggle due to the extreme shift in climate conditions. But if one of these unknowns came from a southern grower, it would most likely outperform. Not necessarily because it has better genetics over-all, but because it is more tolerant for my area's climate.

2/19/2007 6:16:58 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

I agree with Pap...picking your line up from the 1000's of choice and growing what you like are all part of the fun. Yeck most of us make killer crosses every year and don't plant them. Although that 180 Engel will show itself in my patch again. Then it will be a popular seed. The 180 is a 454 Engel(808 Beachy x 231 Engel) x 1370 Rose.

2/19/2007 8:13:17 AM