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Beach Park, IL.

What are the signs of early ripening? I have kept it under a dark red bed sheet for shade. The flesh seems a bit... well it looks like it is developing light colored spots, and light colored lines where the ribs are. I hope not.

8/6/2006 9:58:37 PM

[email protected]

Cantalouping on the ends, starting to turn orange & a slow down of growth are the signals.

8/6/2006 10:34:10 PM

Beach Park, IL.

Crap! The growth has slowed over the last couple of days as well. Used to grow 5 inches each night, now 3 :(.

8/7/2006 12:34:11 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

Three inches a night after doing a few nights of five is probably still maintaining the same weight gains.

8/7/2006 1:43:34 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Is that 3" inch circ. growth? If so, that's pretty decent at any stage of the pumpkin's growth. After a certain size, the circ. numbers will drop down, as each inch in circ. equals more weight gain at larger sizes.
What age is your pumpkin, and what gains are you getting in weigh/day?

8/7/2006 2:06:56 PM

Beach Park, IL.

Nah, I have been going by over the top totals. I was somewhat worried as it had been gaining 5 inches OTT each night for about a week and a half or more, and 1 inch to an inch and a half during the day. I think it was Friday night my dad had watered for me, and I don't know if that would have anything to do with it. Maybe it was that he didn't water as much, but it only gained like 2 inches that night, and like 3 inches Saturday night, and 3 & 1/2 last night. It has a circumference of 88 inches. I should keep consistent with the circumference as well. I pollinated this pumpkin on July 7th.

8/7/2006 2:46:44 PM

[email protected]

If the fruit isn't cantalouping & turning a darker color then the slow down is probably just water or temperature related. Is it getting "older looking" or just slowing down?

8/7/2006 11:17:33 PM

Beach Park, IL.

It isn't "cantaloping". It is starting to get a more orange color, but not much, mostly streaks on the ends by the blossom and stem end, and more contrasting as I stated above with light spots overall showing through and light streaks where the ribs are. It doesn't look aged. I will have to get a picture in my diary of it later today. It is hard to see its true color with a dark sheet over it.

8/8/2006 1:47:35 PM

Beach Park, IL.

Ok, I had posted a picture in my diary of the pumpkin, and it has showed up.

8/9/2006 10:38:44 AM