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New Bremen, Ohio

Anybody else plant's way ahead of last year?

This is not a cocky statement, but actually I am worried. I did start my seeds 3 days earlier (April 27th) than I usually do, but my plants are 3 weeks ahead of where they were last year. I main today at 13 feet and will be pollinating this week. I would rather be pollinating the 1st week of July. Anybody else plants way ahead of schedule and should I be worried?

"Vert"

6/14/2004 4:18:49 PM

Pulaski Tn [email protected]

uuhhh.. no..in fact i'm pretty much behind where i was last year..

6/14/2004 5:08:27 PM

Wroclaw, Poland (51 N, 17 E)

i think i am aprox. a week ahead, becouse I started seeds earlier (23th April [last year 2nd May] )

6/14/2004 5:11:31 PM

Deer Park WA

Not here, we are about a week behind our 5 year average for this time of year due to a cold, very wet spring.

6/14/2004 6:01:53 PM

Massillon, Ohio

samw here with the 3 days early but WAY ahead....must be the ohio weather

6/14/2004 7:31:31 PM

canal winchester ohio

same here also...I planted on the same day as last year but I'm WAY ahead of last year. Go figure....

6/14/2004 7:39:35 PM

Key West, FL

same here, 13 ft vines, but I wont be pollinating for a while now. I was worried earlier that I might be too far ahead but I know I will be fine now.

6/14/2004 8:07:09 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Only my second year but I am light years ahead of 2003.

6/14/2004 8:15:05 PM

canal winchester ohio

I just figured it may be due to the new fertilizer program I'm using ( Agro-K ).

6/14/2004 8:41:35 PM

Ann Arbor, Mi

weather has slowed them here

6/14/2004 8:52:39 PM

[email protected]

Growth has been back & forth here with cooler than average weather lately. That aside, we are still about 2 weeks ahead of where we were last year.

6/14/2004 9:36:42 PM

Joliet, IL

same here, way ahead of last year with 14'+ vines on all
3 plants and had my first male blossum open this a.m.
i pinched my first females on 2 plants and will be pollinating the ones sitting around 11' in about a week
or 10 days. that means i would be pollinating one week
earlier than last. last year was cloudy and cool and
wet until first week of june here. this year has been warmer
with many heavy rains, but lots of sun too.

6/14/2004 10:18:54 PM

Indiana

right on track

Tom

6/15/2004 12:15:34 AM

In the shade - PDX, OR

Yes

Maybe a blessing maybe a curse. Only time will tell.

6/15/2004 1:38:14 AM

Knopp, Germany

No, not at all.

6/15/2004 1:52:10 AM

Key West, FL

I think it was the heat lamps.

6/15/2004 3:30:24 AM

Key West, FL

I think more growers heated their greenhouses/hoophouses this year. I know it sure helped my plants.

6/15/2004 3:31:02 AM

Canada

being ahead is not always a good thing

Dave

6/15/2004 4:36:26 AM

Saegertown Pa.

I'm a week ahead of a normal growing year last year was not normal in my area, I'm two weeks a head of last year. We have had a very warm spring in Pa. I'm sure Ohio is in the same boat. I would still pollinate the last week in June or first week in July just set farther out on the vine.

6/15/2004 5:48:16 AM

Kenyon, Mn.

Thought I was behind, well I was, then we had three excellent days in a row, and a good application of my Tea, and they are SURGING ahead, all smiles here!

6/15/2004 7:12:09 AM

Key West, FL

How many of you who are ahead heated your greenhouses in some way?

6/15/2004 12:18:49 PM

Massillon, Ohio

i did nothing different from last year as far as heat...if anything, i did less...i dont think we had as many cold nights though either

6/15/2004 4:41:06 PM

Cincinnati,OH

The weather here in southern Ohio has been really good for pumpkins so far. I'm way ahead of last year. If I wait 2 more weeks to set, the pumpkin will be about 22 feet out. My best plant is at 18' today.

6/15/2004 6:50:43 PM

In the shade - PDX, OR

Ben - I think that additional sources of heat in the green houses is a safe assumption to make for being further ahead.


However, I believe that warmer weather in general significanlty improves the growth pace of the plant.

The two weeks of cool temps and rain really delayed the growth of two plants that did not have the luxury of protection. If the temps had been warmer....who knows what have happened - probably have big plants like the Ohio gang.

6/15/2004 8:04:00 PM

canal winchester ohio

I didn't use any early season protection. I filed & started my seeds on May 15th & by now I usually am starting to vine ( appx. 1' vine) but my best plant has a vine about 6' now & males are about 10 days from blooming..Paul

6/15/2004 8:11:43 PM

Rhode Island

im so far ahead of last year im thinking of holding my own weigh off and awarding myself the championship

6/15/2004 9:17:00 PM

Saegertown Pa.

that's a good one pap.

6/15/2004 10:01:05 PM

Mine are a little ahead of last year even though it's been rainy most of the spring (at least they were the last time I checked). I started a few days later this year. But they grow so fast at this time in the season, so they're really only a few days ahead of last years.

6/16/2004 12:44:50 AM

Wichita, KS

Despite only haveing gone in the ground yesterday, my plants are way ahead of my rookie plant last year. I attribute that to the wonderful folks at this site! Thank you for the winter education.

The cold weather in May was a boon for me, slowing my plants down significantly in the pots while I prepared a new patch. When I transplanted them, I expected to see major root balls, bound up like a ball of rubberbands. Nope. more roots than I'd like to see, but not unsurmountable at all. Last year at this time, I had an almost dead bareroot seedling. lol!

I feel like I'm way behind all of you folks, but I'll be just about ready to harvest when weigh-off time arrives. And I'm gonna be able to sleep tonight, cuz the plants aren't potted anymore! :-D yippee!

6/16/2004 1:44:22 AM

Key West, FL

Hmm, must have been a warm spring on the east coast. It's been pretty cool for a while now but it's starting to heat up here.

6/16/2004 3:02:32 AM

Atlanta, Georgia

A little bit maybe...it just means that something else can go wrong quicker though...
I'm starting to like Al Berard's nickname more and more!!!
(Wait till next year...)

6/16/2004 5:43:54 AM

Colo.Spgs.CO. Pikes Peak Chapter @ [email protected]

Hail pea size to golfing ball size fell here testerday...as well as sleet,snow high winds and cold temps..... the weather blessed us all in a 80 sq. mile area with what I think is to be another day of Tornados, lightning,snow, wind,dry,hail,and blinding dust today also....

6/16/2004 6:13:34 AM

ontario

about a week behind last year up here.......very cool May and June is just warming up now......

6/16/2004 7:12:28 PM

No Place Special

I would say about a week ahead of last year. Been very wet, very hot, and still have had plenty of sun.

6/16/2004 10:05:37 PM

Indiana

Im waaay ahead of last year and running out of room fast. I didnt need any greenhouses this year with the warm spring. Im going to polinate the next females that come along, most look to be a week away. Now if it would stop raining
Steve

6/16/2004 11:39:45 PM