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Eugene,OR

I just made my final pumpkin diary entry and recounted some of the things I learned about growing giant pumpkins...and from growing giant pumpkins this year. I'd be interested to know what other people learned this year as well.

12/30/2005 2:45:00 PM

Eugene,OR

One of the things I listed was that I need to proof read my posts before I submit them! I meant for the subject line of this post to be "What did you LEARN this year?"

12/30/2005 2:46:33 PM

Mn

Well I Leared over the fences of fellow pumpkin growers patches.

Searously I learned that pumpkin growing is not as easy as it looks. I got two 400 ponders this year which was no where near my 729.5 from last year

12/30/2005 3:24:06 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

You name it, I learned it in my first year. Rather than ramble on, I think the major things would be:

-in general, ask, listen and learn

-christmas tree pattern and pruning

-shade structures (don't use a thick bath towel, lol)

-a bubble pack, some stamps, and a friendly letter gets you better seeds than paying for generics.

Yeah, 2006!

12/30/2005 3:37:17 PM

Ri

Goals and accomplishments would be a long time coming without the help of an unselfish sharing group of accomplished growers. These same growers that share seeds, knowledge through-out the season, commiserate a late season split. I think Paps discription fits best- "TEAM". TY SNGPG Good Luck All in 2006 Peter

12/30/2005 4:35:17 PM

Ri

PS. A couple of soil tests a year and a stihl blower Peter

12/30/2005 4:55:50 PM

Norton, MA

If the world was my pumpkin patch, Noah would have had to build his ark in alot less than 40 days, 40 minutes maybe! Had alot of frogs in there. LOL! AleX Noel.

12/30/2005 7:11:41 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

As i leared at my 200 ponders in Oct...LOL I knew that I agreed with Oneck. Ask, listen, and learn. #1 on my list...other than making mistakes than I already knew better than to do...is, the controlled temp pollination technique...ice bottles under cooler for a few hours after pollination. I will also prune better next year, as I could hardly get into my patch this summer. Hard to control weeds. Thanks again to all the help from this site...Peace, Wayne

12/30/2005 7:41:05 PM

San Diego

I learned, never give up! You can still grow a record pumpkin with no stump, 300 sq foot of plant with no main vine past 9 feet, and set the pumpkin on a secondary! lol. no matter what happens, have fun and enjoy the ride, even if it gets bumpy:) Jim

12/30/2005 9:57:32 PM

Napa Valley, CA

I learned a lot at the California Growers Seminar in 2005. We had both Al Eaton and Jack LaRue as guest speakers. The information exchange was just awewome. I'm still sorting through it all.
One thing thing that sticks out in my mind are some ideas that Jack LaRue gave us about roto-tilling.........that being, too much roto-tilling is not a good thing.
I used to roto-till a lot.......heck, it was fun getting out there with the tiller churning up the soil. I learned that all this roto-tilling disrupts microbe activity, etc. in the soil......and this is not necessarily a good thing.

12/30/2005 10:47:47 PM

Eugene,OR

I learned that all people from Napa aren't bad!

12/30/2005 11:19:13 PM

Southeast

Growing youre own seed can often be youre best shot !!!

12/31/2005 8:56:05 AM

Minnesota([email protected])

I learned:
...That I should get my cold frames on the patch sooner than on planting out day(because too wet of soil will set you back on planting)
...That I have to practice my seed germination technique.
...That I spend too much time tinking about A.G.s

12/31/2005 2:00:04 PM

Mn

I learned that Pay to little attention when it's most important to pay attention about A.G's

12/31/2005 2:06:36 PM

South Harrison , N.J.

I learned to not get too excited when you get a pumpkin started and it starts to take-off (growing) like it will be the next "World Record" ,to only get disapointed when it goes down the next week from splits,rot,disease,ect.,ect.

12/31/2005 5:21:11 PM

Grandfield Oklahoma

I learned that I never got a pumpkin, and I will have to dot it again in this next season and see what happens.

Like they say - Never count your chickens before they hatch.

1/1/2006 2:03:20 PM

Addison IL.

I learned there are so many great friends to be made just by growing giant pumpkins and too never buy seeds off a wacko site always come to bp.com for advice and a good time

1/1/2006 4:53:04 PM

Alaska

I learned that attention to detail, total plant care is a must!! I got to busy painting the house and took some things for granted and it cost me. I had a cabbage that weighed just a little over 100 pounds and it blew from a lack of attention. That won't happen this year!! Had some sucesses. Check out my 60.45 pound Kohlrabi in the photo section. Later and good luck to all in the New Year, Scott.

1/3/2006 4:13:24 PM