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Eugene, OR

Hi all,

I was just curious to hear how many pounds your pumpkins normally gain in September, as well as your average high and low temps for that month?

I usually get very poor September growth and I'm trying to figure out if it's just my weather or if there's something else going on.

Thanks in advance,
Brian

8/25/2007 8:17:08 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Very good question Brian. I think part of the equation has to do with the age of the pumpkin. Are you you assuming the pumpkin was pollinated in the July 1-10 timeframe? What kind of growth do you typically get in Sept.(how many pounds in that month?)

8/25/2007 8:58:55 PM

Eugene, OR

Sorry, you're absolutely right. I'm talking pumpkins that are pollinated between July 1 and July 10 or so....the average pollination time for pumpkins heading to an October weigh off. My average growth in September is usually around 150 lbs with the first frost danger coming by mid Sept. or a little earlier.

8/25/2007 9:05:05 PM

Western NY

i'd say 150 is pretty good if you're worrying about frost that early. i've done a little over 200 in september before with a normal pollination date, and we are usually worrying about frost early october normally.

8/25/2007 9:13:45 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

I checked two of my past pumpkins. They ended up 678.5 lbs.(DMG) and 733 lbs. They gained about 80-100 lbs. in Sept. according to OTT measurements. They were pollinated on July 11 and July 3 respectively. Our average frost is around Sept. 20, I think. On these two pumpkins, I don't recall frost killing the plants in Sept.
I hope I can gain more in Sept. this year.

8/25/2007 9:16:47 PM

I got 250lbs and 200lbs on the 1175.5 and the 1046.6 last year in Sept,,average first frost date here is Sept 8th,,you can beat frost with irrigation at dawn,,,freeze is a different deal.

Highs were in the low 70's and we had alot of sunny days last year.

Healthy plants is the key and keep up your programs. With the "hillbilly hothouse" the 1175.5 was still a nice plant on Oct 4th when harvested, having gone through 3 frosts and one freeze when we hit 26F overnight.

8/25/2007 10:01:33 PM

Brian, you need to get a job in Portland, or better yet, Pleasant Hill, so you can get down off that mountain and into some nicer pumpkin growing land.

8/25/2007 11:44:17 PM

Rexburg, Idaho

150-200# if I take the time and effort to erect a plastic house over the pumpkins. Without the plastic I'm usually froze by Sept. 1. The latest I have ever gone is without a frost is 9/7.

8/25/2007 11:46:26 PM

Anamosa, IA [email protected]

September made my personal best last year. It was a late pollination, on a plant that had a lot of problems. Early in the month it was putting on 20+ per day and was still gaining 6 yo 8 per day when it was harvested.

8/26/2007 1:35:33 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Brian, here we can still get about 150-200# or more in September only if the weather is our usual Indian Summer. this year is a crap shoot and our weather has been unusually cold.

This year will be interesting cause my biggest is only at day 28 so I am hoping/expecting good growth in September. Will let you know in October.

8/26/2007 1:59:07 PM

Eugene, OR

Thanks very much everyone. Good reading here. My 833 in 2004 gained a little over 200 lbs in September but I didn't record the temps. No other fruit has gained that much weight in September for me since then.

I wonder if there's a large difference between the east coast and PNW September gains? Maybe my pumpkins are just behind as usual and I'm looking for more growth than they have left in them.

nilbert, that's the plan come December! Keep your ear to the ground for me and say "Hey" to Henry M. up there if you see him at work.

Thanks again all. Very interesting stuff.
Brian

8/26/2007 9:22:46 PM

Deer Park WA

We put on 0ver 300# on our 1112.5 last September, but as many have posted allready you have to protect from the frost. We built green houses over them in the past but this year we are experimenting with temperature activated irrigation control because all four plants/fruit are doing great and it would bee really tough to cover 4500 square feet!

P.S We delayed planting until the 3rd week of May to keep the plants growing into September/October we'll see how that works out...

8/27/2007 2:29:44 PM

maine USA

Dan what is a hillbilly hothouse???

8/28/2007 12:08:23 AM

Kathy, perhaps a poor choice of words, but I used materials on hand and the hothouse was NOT a thing of beauty, but it did function well.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=57422

8/28/2007 6:00:34 AM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

I've gotten 150-200# as well in Sept. Late season protection is vital.

Phil

8/28/2007 8:14:06 AM

Eugene, OR

Thank you very much again for all the replies. I like Dan's term as I've done the same thing in the past: http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=42036 I may have to try that again this year.

Best of luck to you all and keep them growing!
Brian

8/29/2007 11:11:29 PM

Midwest

Brian: Was the greenhouse you made in 2003 worth the time? What was the weight of the 675.5 at the beginning and end of Sept? I'm considering making a greenhouse and would like to know if it's worth the effort.
Thanks,
Greg

8/30/2007 2:17:48 PM

Eugene, OR

Greg, that was a last ditch effort to try and squeeze a little more growth out it. Did it help? It was growing very slowly before I put it up so I can't say for sure. Our frist frost warning that year was in the last week of August and I don't think pumpkins like to grow in that kind of weather!

If you have one that's growing well, I think it's a good idea to protect it before it starts getting cold to keep the numbers up. In my cold weather experience, once they slow down due to the cold, they never make it back to the previous growth level.

I will most likely be doing the same thing again this year for one of my plants. It's been a very steady grower and I think it's worth the effort.

Good luck!
Brian

8/31/2007 12:34:44 PM

Midwest

Thanks Brian for sharing your experience. I can only hold to hope for growth since the growth is like 'baby steps' now. I was hoping to put some heat into the environment since they like heat. It's around 75-85 (daytime) degrees for the next two weeks. Then, probably down to 65-80 (daytime) degrees the last three wks of the season. Reading between your comments, it seems like your growth was pretty constant during Sept. and the greenhouse maintained that growth. But, sounds like the early low temps in August slowed you down... Thanks again!

8/31/2007 1:44:19 PM