From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Rhode Island

Dont ya just love these discussion boards. within reason one can ask or offer an opinion on just about anything relating to giant pumpkins.

HERE ARE A COUPLE OF MINE.

WILL THE WORLD RECORD 1,502 BE BROKEN IN 2007---considering last year at this time many predicted a few over 1,500 and we only had one by a meer 2 pounds id say yes but not by more than a few pounds

WHO HAS AN EDGE ON THIS 2007 RECORD ? ----- no one, but the same guy that did it in 2006 must be given the inside edge. He has the soil,the seeds,and the knowledge to make it happen again however, the odds are not in his favor.
to many good growers out there in pumpkin land.

GROWERS I RESPECT THE MOST ---- anyone and everyone who has ever put an honest effort into growing a giant pumpkin. its a lot of work if you do it right.

WHAT ARE THE LATEST TRENDS IN OUR HOBBY ? ----- back to basics, more organic program, back way off on the chemical ferts and sprays. use of micro-r products during seedling and vine burying,additions of kelp meal, humic acid, soil soups and additional potassium feeding.

CAN THE 2,000 POUND BARRIER EVER BE BROKEN ? ----- not unless someone can find a way to extend an atlantic giant pumpkins life cycle to run past its current 90 to 100 (or so ) days.
personally i dont think we will ever get much past 1,600 pounds. ( if at all )
its a real reach what with the daily weight gains that would be needed to even get to 1.600. think about it.

WHAT GROWER WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO SIT AND HAVE A COFFEE WITH ? ----- howard dill

WHO IS THE MOST CONSISTANT GROWER OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS? ---- tie jack larue and quinn werner

TOP TWO FEMALE GROWERS ---- gerry checkon, geneva emmons

SITES I WOULD like TO VISIT THE MOST ---- ohio valley, cooperstown, pacific north west, port elgi

PRETTIEST LARGE PUMPKIN I EVER SAW ? ---- 1225 jutras, an amazingly beautiful flawless piece of pumpkin history

pap

3/23/2007 6:22:58 AM

maine USA

Pap, you do start excellent threads.
Hopefully next year your thread will say: the State with the best growers in the country: Maine.
Maine growers going big this year! LOL KathyT

3/23/2007 10:30:20 AM

Picton,ON ([email protected])

Pap,

After seeing a couple of your posts mentioning your thoughts on the “upper weight limit” and listening to Ron speak at Niagara, I detect a slight difference of opinion between you…lol! I’m taking from your comments that we are very near the top. I didn’t get that feeling from Ron’s comments.
I think Jerry Rose’s comments on increasing of wall thickness, and filling in the cavity are the key going forward. The pumpkins that are going way over the chart, have obviously much greater gains/day than we previously thought. If we concentrate our efforts in this area, we will continue to push the “upper limit”.
The other challenge is to continue to increase our personal bests and grow more consistent, multiple large fruit. I guess when we can all plant 6 plants and take 6 1600 lb perfectly round, bright orange/red pumpkins to the weigh off, I guess it will be all over.
My point is, there lots of fun in the sport yet

Just my thoughts
John

3/23/2007 2:11:51 PM

Coventry R.I.

Pap, I WITH YOU ALL THE WAY ON JOE,S 1225

3/23/2007 5:39:42 PM

San Luis Obispo, Ca.

Time will tell???????????????????????????????????????????

3/24/2007 12:06:06 PM

San Luis Obispo, Ca.

me!

3/25/2007 2:19:19 PM

Ankeny, Iowa

I think the scret to growing a 2000 pound pumpkin lies in genetic modification of the giant pumpkin genome. If certain traits can be isolated within the species then the 100 day life cycle can be extended approximatly 30 to 60 days longer. This can be done by splicing and creating new genetic strains that are very hardy to colder weather and can withstand some light frosts. Also selectively breeding crosses that are known to produce large pumpkins will help the cold hardy plants to have a consistant potential to have a 2000+ pound pumpkin. So if genetic research can be conducted on giant pumpkins then a 2000+ pound pumpkin may be likely in the near future.

3/25/2007 9:21:16 PM

Rhode Island

theres only one problem with that thought junior.

giant pumpkins do not have any longer life cycle in the south as the do in the north. so i dont think a controlled enviornment (temp wise ) would make any difference.

also regarding scientific studies

none of the growers i know have the resourses or education to get that deep into the sciences of fruit,etc growth.

ill agree that in a scientific enviornment i suppose anything is possible. but we are just hobby pumpkin growers not professionals with labs and huge budgets to burn.

as a matter of fact if i have to go to that extreme to get a giant pumpkin id sooner go back to regular gardening.

thanks

pap

3/25/2007 9:38:13 PM

Vermont

If it happens,it happens!To me it's not so much the science it will take to make it happen.I like the chase my self,and if it all comes together so be it!
It's definitely the chase that keeps me coming back every spring.Just put the most you can into this hobby,and at the end of the year,your a winner no matter what the out come is. Right?

3/26/2007 1:47:35 PM

Oswego, New York

I agree with countykid. It is about the challenge. "The chase," says scoops is what it is all about. The sun and fun of the game. I am hooked and love it. So do the people around me. Cloning would take the fun out of it for me.

3/26/2007 8:18:08 PM

Bristol,RI,USA.

First 500lbs was the bar than 700 ,1000, one of the books I read said the 1500 lb barrier could never be broke and now we have 1502lb it is my thought that we can not predicts evolutions only nurturer it. The definition of evolution “a process of continuous change from a lower, simpler, or worse to a higher, more complex” the key words there are continuous change! If we do our jobs we should continue to see results let’s hope

3/28/2007 3:17:17 PM

Bristol,RI,USA.

First 500lbs was the bar than 700 ,1000, one of the books I read said the 1500 lb barrier could never be broke and now we have 1502lb it is my thought that we can not predicts evolutions only nurturer it. The definition of evolution “a process of continuous change from a lower, simpler, or worse to a higher, more complex” the key words there are continuous change! If we do our jobs we should continue to see results let’s hope.

Michael

3/29/2007 5:44:00 PM