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San Diego

ok, I just have to laugh. Anyone way up north want to switch patches with me in san diego? I see diary posts of pumpkins growing 90 plus days and I just die with envy lol slow and steady really does go big up north huh! 60 to 65 days is usually our max down by the Mexican border. Any takers? :)

8/6/2006 12:55:29 AM

Okla

Yeah it gets me all those northern people talking about there hot days, 90s and maybe up to 100. We have had just over 35 days here in Oklahoma this year of over 100s with most of them over the 105 mark. Duster I feel for you cause I know what hot is. We might not have gotten as hot on the highest day as you but we been up around there long enough. Makes the second, no pumpkin year here for us this year. Bad thing is going thru rehab now I will not be able to prep my patch this fall for next year so looking at 3 years with nothing now.

8/6/2006 2:46:28 AM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

I don't think you could handle our -20 F days & -35 F nights for 2-3 months of the year. Sometimes the winter weather lasts from early Nov until early April. That's a long time to be stuck in the snow. I would trade, but I handle the cold much better than the heat. Try to keep cool.

Phil

8/6/2006 7:48:29 AM

Ray, North Dakota

Yeah, but then they could go ice fishing, which is a blast. In ND, we do not have dry heat, it gets ugly humid up here and our heat index terrible.

The winters up here can be harsh, and I have been through winters in the early 1990's that had over -70 with the wind chill. They called off college courses which never happens. Still this is where I belong.

So, the north country is a land of extremes. Very hot in the summers, horrible cold in the winters. Say what you want, but you have it a tad better.

8/6/2006 8:57:30 AM

Buren Ameland,West Frisian Islands, Netherlands

Duster,
Come to the Friesian Islands, never too hot never too cold! :D:D:D
Not bad for pumpkins either (except a coincidental summerstorm).

8/6/2006 9:24:27 AM

Long Island,New York

LOL...everyone has it worse than the other. How about 97 with a dewpoint of 77 Duster? Misters don't work here in humidity like ours. T-to carry on the "debate"....lol...its easier to not grow pkns in 110 degrees than grow pkns in 100 degrees buddy....I don't know how you do it Thomas...my hats off to ya. Enjoyed hearing Canadians complain about the new phenominon called "leaf burn" last year...people...this is why we have local wieghoffs...to challenge you to be the best in your climate. You cannot compare the Niagara valley where they grow 800lbers in a field to the Oklahoma panhandle....different sets of rules.......

8/6/2006 10:26:32 AM

ordinary,VA

-20F days & -35F nights!
ice fishing?
no thanks.
85 degrees here at 4am you know your in for a hot day.
G right on the money about that dew point makes you feel like your steam shrimp.

8/6/2006 10:58:40 AM

Ray, North Dakota

Ice fishing, beer, and fresh walleye or perch for supper. Snowmobiles are fun, snowmen with the kids etc.

We don't just sit out in the blizzard hoping to catch fish, we have insulated houses we drag around the lake with pickups or four wheelers.

One good thing about the cold as the saying goes "keeps the riff raff out".

North Dakotas population is a perfect example of that. One state, millions of square miles, 600,000 people. I can find a spot to grow a pumpkin ANYWHERE. lol.

8/6/2006 11:16:58 AM

Ray, North Dakota

Oh yeah, and North Dakota grows the highest quality spring wheat in the world. So there, you....not from North Dakota people. lol.

8/6/2006 11:22:13 AM

Belgium Europe

Grass is always greener on the other side....

8/6/2006 12:44:33 PM

Central Oklahoma ( [email protected])

Hey Guys and Gals that could be the next big reality show!!! Patch Swap

8/6/2006 1:40:31 PM

Ca

I wish I could get 60 to 65 days of growth. So it could be worse! lol All those 110 degrees plus days did me in. Your 861 Fredricks might make it near 50 days though. It's still growing amazingly, even thought the plant is about a gonner now.

8/6/2006 2:21:56 PM

Salmon Arm, BC

LOL Duster, Chin up buddy! You could be in Cambridge Bay, NU. Deb:)

8/6/2006 5:16:55 PM

ordinary,VA

do you guys have to catch the fish or do they just jump out of the ice water to get warm?

8/6/2006 5:34:38 PM

Abbotsford, B.C

Talk to some of the growers from Alberta, Saskachewan, or Manitoba (I am originally from central Alberta myself) and they will tell you what cold is. Due to the extremely long winters, where I come from, you have to be a very good grower to top 500 lbs. You don't get many days of growth for the pumpkin; think sixty days, plus or minus ten days. But still, I can take the cold better than the heat; if it's cold, you can pile on the clothes, but when it's hot, there's only so much you can take off!

Cameron

8/6/2006 8:15:22 PM

Ray, North Dakota

lol. You go out with poles, bait, and beer. If you have a bad day fishing, you still have the beer and you can eat the bait!

If you stumble home late, then you see how much of a sense of humor your wife has. Usually none.

8/6/2006 8:33:03 PM

Phoenix, AZ

"But still, I can take the cold better than the heat; if it's cold, you can pile on the clothes, but when it's hot, there's only so much you can take off!"

Cameron

My response: You don't have to shovel heat...

8/6/2006 9:09:53 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

LOL Herbie you can always catch a buzz at least! Is this the forum where I get to complain about living 2 1/2 hours away from my patch now?

8/6/2006 9:17:18 PM

Nashville, TN

Wait-a-second....Thought some people got to 600 at day 30 recently?? Even with a 'short 60 day' growth period - if you got THAT much gain so quick - you could get to 800 no problem, right?

8/7/2006 9:51:43 AM

Ray, North Dakota

You don't have to shovel heat...lol. You do not have to shovel snow if you own a snowblower or have a 4-wheeler with a small snow plow.

Some people can handle snow, some cannot.

The only bad thing is that you do need a SUV or pickup for a family vehicle and at $3.25 gal gas this morning...ouch.

8/7/2006 10:02:43 AM

Ray, North Dakota

Boy, this thread died. You southern people must have realized that you are wrong!

8/7/2006 3:07:51 PM

ordinary,VA

Hey dont tell us about snow.
we got 6 tenths of an inch here .
last winter was tough going. :)

8/7/2006 5:48:47 PM

Ray, North Dakota

We had a great winter last year with only a few inches of snow until the end of February. Then about 20 inches and damn cold. Wouldn't even let the kids play outside most days. My dog went outside to go to the bathroom, and he was stuck to the hydrant with his leg in the air! lol Just kidding. Snow means good subsoil moisture around here.

8/7/2006 7:21:33 PM

Okla

nope us southern people know we are not wrong, just listening to the northerners again... LOL
G I think your right on with what you said and thanks for the complement.

8/7/2006 8:39:47 PM

[email protected]

Hee Hee....Ed...you're funny. No one in VA can drive in the snow. LOL

Here's the deal with the weather. In this business you can never, ever, ever blame the weather since there is almost never, ever, ever a perfect year. When we even get close to perfect a new world record is found at the local weigh-off.

8/7/2006 11:22:52 PM

Washington

Washington has great weather for growing pumpkins. We rarely get higher than 90 or colder than 28. It rains here a lot but we are used to it so no big deal. We don't like to see rain in Aug., it leads to too quick of growth which usually results in splits. Luckily we don't get our heavy rains until Oct. They say it only rains once in Western Washington - from Oct. to June. LOL Sherry

8/8/2006 11:16:21 AM