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Hobbiton New Zealand

Is it the same measurements taken as the OTT method of weight estimating. Even thou the stem end and blossom end do not run parallel to the ground.
The pumpkin I have at the moment is pretty close to being upside down.

2/22/2006 1:56:55 AM

Picton,ON ([email protected])

I had one like that two years ago and I could never get a straight answer form anyone...lol
Taking measurements on one of these, I would suggest the same rules apply. Circumferance is at widest point. End to end is over the highest point then straight down to the ground on both ends. Side to side is same; highest point straightd down both sides.
I have looked at quite a few measurements of pumpkins that are this shape. If they slope towards the blossom end they will almost always go heavey to the chart.
John

2/22/2006 1:37:09 PM

[email protected]

Find what size bird fints into the "bath" of the pumpkin, take the birds living weight and multiply by pi(3.14159) add this to the chart weight from your OTT measurement.

Example: 21 pound turkey x 3.14159 = 65.97
OTT = 328" = 743lbs on '05 charts
743 + 65.97 = 808.97 lbs

2/22/2006 3:17:52 PM

[email protected]

Keep in mind this is still just a theory and will need more data to be proven.

2/22/2006 3:18:34 PM

San Diego

it is the same 3 measurements yes. The side to side is the same, the stem to blossom is taken the same direction and same way but the tape ends up inbetween them at the ground level if that makes sense. And the circumference is taken in the biggest place possible, usually around the pumpkin kind of like going around a donut. Hope this helps, anyway, it's just an estimate anyway, find a scale and hope for the best! jimmy

2/22/2006 4:52:32 PM

Sequim, WA

OK, better minds than mine have come up with the charts, and the general idea if my understanding is correct is to estimate the volume, or mass based on measurements of the surface area. Many of these types of fruit end up weighing more than the estimates. I believe the reason for this is we are not measuring the surface most of the time when we have a fruit like this. I think we will have a more accurate estimate if we allow the tape to follow the surface contour of the fruit. When a fruit is a "normal" ha, convex shape we meaure the surface of the convexity. I hope thats a real word. When we have a concave surface, I think we need to measure the surface of the concavity. This should make your estimate a bit closer to the number you get when it hits the scale. I had one like that a few years back that went quite a bit heavier than I expected. I think if I had used this technique to measure it the estimate would have been much closer to the actual weight.

2/22/2006 11:28:01 PM

Rhode Island

we have had the misfortune to grow several bagel or bird bath shaped pumpkins over the years.
heres how we measured and they were always very close to the charts.
CIRC tape all around the widest part of bowl

OTT from ground level in front draw tape over blossom and down to level ground.( if your blossom is caved in do not press the tape into the cave in. draw it straight across. then, if the sunken blossom is say five inches deep? take a couple inches off your final ott measurement

SS left side ground level to right side ground level drawing tape over pumpkin at its highest point. sometimes this is right over the blossom ,sometimes the pumpkin is a bit higher where it tried to form shoulders.

point of interest regarding wheels and bagels.
most time you dont even get a peek at the stem for a good part of the season. for this reason once the fruit gets around 500 to 700 lbs i like to tunnel out a couple areas under the fruit so i can get my hand in there and feel around. this is also good should you need additional airflow around the stem
( throw some moth ball or mouse bait in there also )

pap

2/23/2006 7:08:53 AM

Hobbiton New Zealand

Thanks I will have a go at digging a bit of soil away from the stem you can nearly see it. It tapes at 408est at the moment so will be more than happy this season if I can just hit the 500lb mark. It has not been the best season so far.

2/23/2006 6:58:22 PM