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Northwest Missouri

Hi all,

I thought this question would be more appropriate here vs the new grower board since the answer will come from experienced growers.

I'm in my second season and have never grown a pumpkin to maturity.(I burnt my plants to death last year.)

What weight pumpkin would everyone consider a successful season for a new grower? What weight pumpkin would be a "wow" season for a new grower?

6/24/2007 9:44:45 PM

Clinton, Iowa

interesting message...Persoanlly ...you gotta start somewhere..so why not set a goal to bring as big of pumpkin as you can to scale Healthy and in one piece.. I know alot of newbies realize just how brutal this hobby can be when they got nothing to show for all there efforts come fall...Just my thoughts... I know rookie growers who set state records their first year....so it can go either way !! good luck
DAN

6/24/2007 10:02:39 PM

Buffalo, MN ([email protected])

I'm going to echo dan on this, look at your state record and set your goal to set a new one in three to four years. If your soil is right it may only take one year but usually you need to work on your soil first.

See http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=58924

6/24/2007 11:02:28 PM

Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

Hey Dan I can testify to "brutal"! Last year was my first year, worked my butt off and had beautiful plants. On two plants I was only able to get one female to set. It grew like gangbusters until it hit 50" circumference and then quit. By then I had no other females to pollinate. My season was over by mid July. That was a ton of work to go through only to end up empty handed. But I went right back to work in the fall improving soil, gathering supplies, and reading anything I could find (including posts here everyday)and I'm right back in the game again...never knew how addicting this hobby could be. I've never gotten one to the weigh-off yet but I'm still hooked. It's all about learning and improving.

6/24/2007 11:18:12 PM

Littleton, Colo

hound46...only my first year. State record here in Colorado is 1009.2 lbs. I'm growing two GREAT Wallace seeds and after a couple of beers with the Wiz, I set my goal at 800lbs. Thinking with my determination, the motivating words from Paps and help from the Wiz, I could achieve that. Well after actually "holding on" to my plants tonight, at the stumps, for 15 minutes while we had 40-50mph gusts, I will be thankful to get to the scale with two pumpkins. "Day by day" and a "little is alot" is what I've already learned. Don't worry about " WOW'ing" anybody...Wow yourself !! Oh and one more thing...stay away from LongBeard !!

6/25/2007 1:57:08 AM

Spokane,WA

Hound,

My first year growing AG's I grew a 220# pumpkin. People thought it was huge and I was thrilled with it. Set my goal at 500# last year and grew 669#. This year even if I only grow a 300# I'll still be happy...sort of.

6/25/2007 4:40:34 PM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

A "wow" season for me is a new personal best. A successful season is to beat Rocky by 1 pound.

6/26/2007 7:42:44 AM

my first year I wanted to get one that weighed more than me to the weighoff. 135 wasn't too hard to get to and I ended up with 604.5. I was happy. But then you have the crazy obsessed newbies like unkadan who get 1175.5 their rookie year. So... your goal is really up to you.

6/26/2007 7:15:16 PM

Grant, MI

I could definitely go for some of that unkadan juju. For me this is my first year. Originally I wanted to grow one that weighed more than my whole family. 485#. Now I realize that there is so much early season prep that goes into doing this that I just hope I can get one to maturity, whatever the weight.

6/26/2007 9:26:33 PM

Northwest Missouri

All great responses! I appreciate the input and the insight into everyone's thought processes.

Has anyone seen the old Clint Eastwood movie, Kelly's Heroes? I think I'm going to approach the goal setting like oddball and say to myself that with positive waves like these, how can the plan go wrong?!! Then I'll sit down, catch some rays, drink some wine, eat some cheese, and do my other dog impression. It will have to be big. For those that haven't seen the movie...it's a must see.

6/27/2007 12:02:05 AM