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Gilbertsville PA

how many square feet were your pumpkin plants this year and what was the weight of your pumpkin? this is to get an idea for a plant size next year. also what vine pattern did you use. thanks mike

10/13/2004 7:40:50 PM

Rockford,il

Hey Mike,I grew 4 plants and each had approximately 500 square feet per plant(25x20).I used the christmas tree pattern for all 4 and it worked out great.First plant weighed 670 pounds ,2nd plant failed ,third plant was OTT at 390 pounds.The 4th plant had 3 pumpkins on it at weights of 510 pounds,390 pounds and the last one was about 180 pounds.

10/13/2004 8:06:30 PM

Whidbey Island

I had a 32 ft x 16 ft patch, grew a christmas tree pattern with every third secondary pruned off of each side and had 823#.

10/13/2004 8:48:31 PM

Deer Park, WI

1016 and 905lbs. 20 x 30 foot plots, 600sq ft total. X-mas tree with everyother secondary pruned.

10/14/2004 8:48:58 AM

Sask, Canada

218 sq. ft. 716lbs a couple secondary's removed by mother nature with hail. (snicker)

TTYL
Ernie
Giant Veggies

10/14/2004 9:42:07 AM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

495lbs and 472lbs on one 300sq.ft. plant grown chritmas tree style

401lbs on a 250sq.ft. plant grown flag style

333lbs on a 75sq.ft. plant grown flag style

312lbs on a 90sq.ft. plant grown snake style with a few secondarys where pace permitted it

269lbs on a 50sq.ft. plant with no pruning (plant didn't get any bigger due to very bad soil, leaves were only about 8 to 10 inches)

10/14/2004 9:54:37 AM

Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

I'm completely new to giant growing. I grew small Jack'o'lanterns this year in the "Through the Rhubarb, along the back of the yard and up the bush" pattern, the "Through the beans and cucumbers and all the way around the tomatoes" pattern, and (my favourite) the "Growing through neighbours fence and up their apple tree pattern". I guess they could all be categorized under the "Wherever the vine happens to grow" strategy.

Obviously this won't do if I want some real behemoths in 2005. So, can somebody point me to a resource for AG growing patterns and how to train the vines? I don't think my neighbours tree would hold up to a 500 lb AG hanging off of it.

10/14/2004 10:13:11 AM

[email protected]

281.6 Jepsen '04 (845 Bobier X 842 Eaton might be the only one)

Pollinated 7-24 Harvested 9-22 at Day # 59.

Went 3% heavy OTT on 140 sq ft of plant from a cutting.

The cutting started with small 18" secondary vines on 1 side only for 10 feet. (20 sq ft total) Then made a hard 100 degree left turn to the East. At this point the vine grew flag patern with secondaries (on the inside of the turn) that were allowed to grow back 6 feet (cut short by Tomatoes & Peanuts). This section of main ran 8 feet which inlcuded the main fruit set location at 14' from the crown. (this area = 50 sq ft)

The main had one flag secondary left after the fruit. Then the main grew unchecked another 8 feet without ever terminating another secondary for a little less than 70 sq ft. The secondaries in this area never exceeded 4' on either side & stopped growing entirly once the late set fruit started to grow.

So the primary block of pre-fruit foliage was about 60 sq ft in total. The after fruit total was another 80 or less sq ft.

This plant was originally started for pollen/genetics & was going to terminate at the edge of the patch (100 degree turn). The loss of the East end plant opened space previously not planned. Thus the ability to set a fruit.

It is worth mentioning that the "post fruit" part of this plant was grown into the shade of a heady Maple tree (now gone) & didn't feel full sun until 10:30-11AM.

Powdery Mildew pressure was extreme. Insect pressure was moderate but held under control.

Had this plant been planned, I think it could have been contained in a smaller area. Things like full sun, better Powdery Mildew control, no Tomatoes or Peanuts, etc would have made vine training much more efficient & productive.

10/14/2004 10:58:28 AM

Taber, Alberta

716 lbs on 375 square feet in a Christmas tree pattern
Alan

10/14/2004 11:04:01 AM

Clinton, Iowa

1432# 410 OTT Inches.....550 to 600 sq feet....ALMOSt al of that behind the fruit
1086# 376 OTT Est Green squash.....550 to 600....
1016.5# 373.5" OTT ...400 square feet
930# 357" OTT.....400 square feet
872# .....550 to 600 sq feet...almost all of it behind the fruit Pluck for fair at day 60
All Christmas tree styled...but were allowed to grow out and cover a rectanglular shaped area roughly 30 feet wide by 23 feet long

10/14/2004 12:49:04 PM

Back of Beyond

Of three plants that produced decent fruit this year only one was of significant size. The 408 KoAi (350 Smith x 600.5 Gregory) was grown in a flag pattern and was probably 200 sq ft. My 385est(600.5 Gregory x self) was grown serpentine in a plot of dirt 4x40 ft. The 505est (771 Stellpflug x self) was set on 7 Aug 55 - feet from the stump on a plant that was over 1,000 sq ft but that aborted everything else. It is still growing. BTW, it was a Xmas tree pattern.

10/14/2004 1:06:13 PM

Hilpoltstein, Bavaria, Germany

Dan,

How do you define "behind the fruit"? Between basal crown and fruit or between fruit and vine tip?

Martin

10/14/2004 2:09:00 PM

Cincinnati,OH

I read through Marv Hicks 700lb.+ list. Typically the plants were between 500 to 1000 sq ft. 325 sq ft being the lowest for a 1000+ pumpkin. Pumpkin sets were between 8' and 16' with 12' being more typical.

10/14/2004 7:59:29 PM

Rhode Island

better than size , almost as good as climate, and the second best think you need to grow a big pumpkin is ( a well balance soil )---for years we worried more about seed stocks and soil ph along with plant size

we have come to realize that a balance soil is the most crucial thing next to seed selection and of course insect and disease control

i think a plant size of anywhere from 350 to 700 sq ft will work

if you have the space a larger plant is good

10/14/2004 8:28:27 PM

Clinton, Iowa

When I say "behind the fruit" I am saying....between teh stump and th eactual set fruit..As in...If the fruit is say 15 feet out on the main and the main continues for another 10 feet.. I would say the fruit has 15 feet of plant "behind the fruit...and 10 feet past the fruit...
the 1432 had maybe maybe 8 feet of main past the fruit...and no side vines....were talking roughly 550 feet pushing the fruit..Anyone who has seen the Ohio patch tours knows they are believers in "plant past the fruit" doesn;t contribute much....True or not...it just seems the way "some" of Ohio growers prune there plants...

10/14/2004 8:49:33 PM

Gilbertsville PA

thanks for the info mike...

10/16/2004 8:51:50 AM