RE: heavy to the charts
Good topic Mike. I believe genetics plays a big part in this, however
growing conditions can override any genetic tendancies. If the rain gods
don't smile on us or our soil is out of balance and nutrients are bound up
and not available to the plant the fruit won't reach it's potential. Shape
is also a factor and not all fruit from the same plant will have the same
shape. Wagon wheels will generally outweigh their barrel shaped siblings
simply because more of their area is composed of the thickest part of the
fruit. One of the things that was stressed at last springs PNW growers
seminar was the importance of calcium and it's affect on the fruit in this
regard. As a result many of the growers around here supplemented throughout
the season with various forms of calcium. I don't have any statistical
evidence, but I don't think we saw very many pumpkins make it to the scales
around here that weighed light. Most appeared to be very close to their
charted weights or well above. Rainfall for much of last summer was scarce
and everyone had to water. Nothing beats rainwater, but the entire region
has new state and provincial records from last years crop, so I doubt having
to use well or city water hurt us last year. Also we had a lot of sunny
weather, but it was not a hot summer by any means. The only way we can get
different weather is to move to a new location so we have to work on what we
can influence.
So to sum it up, my thought is if you want heavy pumpkins, choose seeds
that give you a good chance of getting them, select the best shaped fruit,
and make sure the soil has all the nutrients the plant needs in good
proportions and adjust the pH so they are all available to the plants.
Most important is the soil we grow them in. I want mine to be high in
organic matter, well balanced in nutrients, and very biologically active.
If our pumpkins don't have the gentics to weigh heavy, we can at least get
them to weigh what we expect them to.
Chris Michalec
Covington, WA
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vickie Brock [SMTP:brocfarm@pacific.net]
> Sent: Monday, January 29, 2001 5:29 PM
> To: pumpkins@mallorn.com
> Subject: heavy to the charts
>
> Whats the general feeling out there.................is heavy to the charts
> strictly limited to genetics or is it manipulated in the soil..........or
> both..................any hunches??
>
>
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