Is it done???

I have a pumpkin that has a circumference of 71 inches on day 30. It has been turning a deep orange colour and I am afraid it is slowing down. It has only averaged 5 pounds per day, but lately, it has been dropping to 2 or 3 pounds per day. All of my vines are buried, it is getting warm water in the morning, and is getting Schultz 18-19-30 every 3-4 days, plus fish and seaweed (I have very sandy soil). It has been shaded since about day 7 or 8, but it has been quite hot here most of the summer (the leaves on the edge of the plant would get droopy and I would have to mist them). Plus my garden space is only about 400 square feet.

My question is: Is this pumpkin done for the year? It is a nice looking pumpkin and my son is thrilled with it, but it is not as big as I wanted. I discovered another pumpkin on a secondary vine that is about two weeks old with a circumference of 30 inches. I have about 2-3 weeks of good weather left (if the fall winds stay away). Should I keep this second pumpkin and hope it passes the first, or cull it and hope the first one grows faster? Two 100 lb pumpkins would be ok, but I would prefer to try to get the first to at least 200 pounds.

Thanks
Alan

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