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Ray, North Dakota

Bad storm today. I'll post pics tonight. Quarter to golf ball sized hail totaled my garden, and a lot of crops around the area.

Seeds were really nice coming out of my 1217 Whittier crosses. I have them in the freezer until I get time to dry them out.

8/13/2007 10:40:49 PM

Boulder County Colorado USA planet Earth

sorry to hear. glad u r okay.

8/13/2007 10:57:52 PM

[email protected]

Jeez Herbie, I just released the pictures & I'm not sure which is worse; the hail or having the Village People show up in their tour bus. I'd reluctantly accept the hail myself.

Sorry for the loss.

8/14/2007 12:40:05 AM

[email protected]

DON'T FREEZE THE SEEDS YET! Dry them first!

8/14/2007 12:40:39 AM

Ray, North Dakota

Uh Oh, they have been in the freezer since last night. Just following some advice I got last year. Guts and seeds will freeze ok.

I'll get on it tonight.

8/14/2007 8:51:30 AM

Ray, North Dakota

I took them out this morning. They were in the freezer for about 12 hours. No frost or anything, but the seeds and guts were froze solid.

If this kills them, that will be two years in a row that I don't have seeds. Damn!

It couldn't have killed them could it?

8/14/2007 9:04:00 AM

[email protected]

That may be true. I've never frozen guts & wet seeds before so I'm not sure. If you got that advice from a credible source who has done this successfully then let it be. I have always waited for the seeds todry before freezing them.

8/14/2007 11:24:51 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

I think you pulled the plug to soon..You would be amazed at the recovery these plants make after a hail storm. We had shredding hail twice one season pumpkins still got to 757lbs on a plant that was nothing but mowed down.

8/14/2007 12:56:09 PM

Ray, North Dakota

Main vines were deeply bruised. Eventually rot would have set in. Look at the pictures, not one leaf was in the air. Next year Shannon, next year.

Any of you guys interested in any of those seeds? I would like to see someone with a better grower background than myself grow them. Might be the next 125 Wolf?

8/14/2007 2:54:52 PM

Pocatello ([email protected])

Yes, these plants are amazing. They do come back! Now, would it hurt your final weight? Yes, but they will come back. Your vines are alive, and they would have continued to feed the fruit. Even after a hard freeze, I can have new leaves start to sprout and have another 3 weeks of the season.

The good news is I doubt that the freezing of the seeds is going to hurt them. I could be wrong. But don't freeze them, dry them first.

8/14/2007 2:57:08 PM

Annapolis Valley Nova Scotia

I would love to try a few seeds but have to say this is my first year so perhaps wasted on me?

8/14/2007 3:44:56 PM

Ray, North Dakota

never a waste, send me an email at [email protected]

8/14/2007 4:28:22 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

I must agree with Shannon and think you ended your season premature.

Nobody got hit harder than our buddy Sav (formerly shiznit) with a massive hailstorm and his plant is still plugging away and packing pounds on what looks to be a PB for Sav.

Check out his diary at

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryView.asp?season=2007&grower=28102&action=L

8/14/2007 4:32:30 PM

ordinary,VA

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=71478

Even small tornado cant keep the AG's down and out.
of course the funnel cloud didnt touch down in the patch but 70 mph + winds and small hail can put a hurting on your patch. the shade protection that was up at the time of the storm held up long enough to protect the pumpkin from any severe hail damage. but the plant took a big hit.
the plant has recovered some what about 60%. she is still growing about 3-4 ott everyday. better luck next year
Herbie.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=71477

8/14/2007 10:32:13 PM

Ray, North Dakota

Hey, I'm not dissapointed. Gotta keep a positive attitude in order to do this year after year.

About freezing the seeds. I have friends who raise pumpkins on 2 acres of land. The first year they took their extra pumpkins and dumped them on a rock pile in a cow pasture.

When they dumped their extras on the same rock pile the next year, they were amazed to find "wild" pumpkins had grown all over the place.

Pumpkins split open on rocks and exposed to a North Dakota winter at -40 below zero should not be any worse than freezing my seeds and guts in my fridge. They were only in there for 8 hours, and one batch is in the dehydrator and the other in the fridge waiting to come out.

Plus, the seeds were HUGE and solid as a rock, so I am hoping to have some of my own to give away. I'll test them first of course before I send any out.

Thanks again guys.

8/15/2007 5:45:41 PM

Ray, North Dakota

My hail damage was much worse than Sav's.

ALL of my leaves were completely broken off and the main vine was shredded in several places.

8/15/2007 5:47:57 PM

Minnesota

Herbie,
I'm sure you could have gotten another 200 pounds out of everything if you would have sprayed Lord Calvert on the shredded mess..
And, My mom has a nice patch of squash growing on a manure pile that she'd been dumping garbage on all winter....
How big were your pumpkins when you pulled them?

8/16/2007 12:57:46 PM

Ray, North Dakota

The two biggest were around 150 est.

I'm spending the money for supplies and equipment next year. I also want some seeds from your Privatera pumpkin when it is time to swap.

8/16/2007 1:18:01 PM

Ray, North Dakota

If Lord Calvert would help pumpkins, I would use it in a tea mix. Maybe you should try it?

Another thing, people said these things grow without leaves. This morning, I saw a few new male flowers open. lol. Even damaged, the boys gotta get out to play.

8/16/2007 1:19:30 PM