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Nh

some scary, but needed answers to questions runnin round my head.
last year i grew my first pumpkin and it weighed in at 100lbs.
this yr i have planted about 10 plants. some are big max but most are ag's. as of right now, my biggest pumpkin's measurements are 62-46-45 totally 153.
i've been seeing about one or two inches gained per day on the circ measurements and about one or two per day in the other two measurments. All in all about 3 to 6 total.
My question is whether or not this is an o.k. growth rate or is it a sign of slowing down.
Secondly, is it true that if a pumpkin stops growing that it will not do so for the4 rest of the season?
the plant my biggest is on has 3 8ft long secondaries and the main is about 20ft with the pumpkin set at around 8 or 10ft out.
i have stopped the mains advancement.
is this a sizable enough plant to reach 300lbs?
i'm just trying to figure out how to get the most out of this guy. i will do whatever it takes, so maybe some of you pumpkin masters can fill me in on (even if its risky) advice to get more weight on before to late.
thankyou

8/21/2004 1:22:37 AM

Olympia, Wa

To help soothe your anxiety...I am only gaining a couple of inches a day myself! I have one the plays tricks on me...one day it will give me a good 2" then for the next couple of days...wont grow at all!
I have learned to get excited over 10 lb gains!...the only thing I do to my pumpkins is...fish and seaweed 3 times a wk., twice a month some 20-20-20 and twice a month light dosage of 0-0-60. My biggest is at 139lbs and the way I look at it is...If I can get 5-10lbs a day growth...take that and add 30-50 days to it!....it all adds up!
I have heard that a little song and dance usually helps too....my kids sing...and I dance!, lol...
usually only gets results from neighbors though...a raised eyebrow or 2!!
Good luck with yours!......Tom

8/21/2004 2:03:46 AM

Olympia, Wa

oops!....that was once a month with the 20-20-20....

8/21/2004 2:08:51 AM

New Brunswick

I am using between 5 and 10 mil 20 20 20 fertilizer mixed in water daily on my plants.(plus lots more water) My largest pumpkin weighed around 200 pounds a couple of days ago (according to OTT measurements) It gains 10 to 15 pounds per day some days and nothing others. The exhibition is two weeks from today....so it has two weeks to grow. Maybe I am applying fertilizer too often?? (I did this last year and ended up with two weighing 421 1/2 and 422 pounds on the same plant.)

8/22/2004 9:29:02 PM

So. Maine

I think if U protect the plant from frost in Sept. there is no reason you can't pass 400 lbs. Right now ( at 150 lbs. ) it should start putting on a good amount of weight for the next 4 weeks. Make sure you have some slack in the vine on both sides of the stem. Good luck !!!!!!!!

8/24/2004 9:51:34 PM