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Sad Day!

Hi All,

Just an update on progress From California:

Dill 617:

Start Date May 22-transplant May 28.

Well I did a really hard thing today, I marched out into my patch with a
large set of tree prunners in hand and wacked my Dill 617 off at it's
stump! I have to tell you I almost cried, I stood their and looked at this
big beautiful plant with a main vine out 18ft. X side vines 15 ft. and
little baby pumpkins everywhere, then did the dirty deed. I do hope the
Great Pumpkin God forgives me but this was my backup plant and I waited as
long as possible! 

I then dragged the whole plant out of the patch to the garbage can. I could
hear it kicking and screaming behind me as I pulled it from the patch, but
my Greer 1006 continues to grow like wildfire and has consumed almost 50%
of my 2,200 sq.ft. growing area. 

The Dill 617 - 827 X 804/875 while not an impressively large plant, was
very vigorous, fast growing and held up quite well under high heat
conditions. I would certainly consider planting this seed again as a
primary plant.

Greer 1006:

Start Date May 6 - transplant May 12:

The Greer 1006 is by far my best plant, this seed was given to me by Granny
Pat of Rolla B.C. who won the seed from the Ottawa St. Lawrence Raffle. As
weather conditions in her area delayed planting she asked me if I would
plant the seed. The seed erupted in 2.5 days and  roared off from there. It
would seem the 1006 is out to pancake everything in it's path. Like the
Eveready bunny it just keeps growing and growing and growing. The main vine
at the stump is now the size of my forearm, and continues to swell. I do
hope this creature is not all plant and some pumpkin, pumpkin that does not
have to much plant behind it that they all explode.

The 1006 did not show fruit until the main vine reached 18ft. and the side
vines were out 15ft., at the current rate it is growing it will soon
collide with my 449 at the other end of the patch, 46 ft. away and growing
towards the Greer.

While I have not measured the 1006 in a week the plant is approx. 30ft.W X
26ft.L. adding to my measurements taken a week ago.  The leaf structure is
great, tall but very thick stems with large thick sturdy leafs that have
held up quite well in high winds. 
Only one root off the top vine but these are  impressive roots that travel
some distance through the sandy loam used to cover the vines.
I pollinated 1 fruit on the main vine 7/9 @ 18ft., 1 fruit on a side vine
7/9 and 2 fruit on side vines 7/10.

Thanks Granny Pat!

Marcellus 449:

Start Date May 6 - transplant May 12

The 449 has been a miserable plant, at 72F it droops, at 85F leafs # 12 and
15 plus back burn. Vine growth seems to be erratic, I have had a number of
side vines and a secondary main vine break as a result of growing straight
up off the primary vine. I began applying a foliar spreader sticker, 70%
yucca which is recommended not only as a sticker but suggests that it may
be applied by it self for the purpose of stress relief. What a difference,
the 449 over the last week seems to have snapped out of the doldrums and
has really started to move. It does not droop as severely and the burning
of the leafs has subsided. The plant size is 16W X 15L.. I have had no
fruit to pollinate to date but pumpkins are showing in the tips.

Cilaberto 697:

Start Date May 6, transplant date May 22

The 697, mother to the 1006 was very slow to break ground and even slower
to start growing. The seed erupted after 10 days in the pot and was a week
late going in the ground.

It is a very small plant 12ft.W X 15L, with low to the ground leafs which
are not particularly large. Vine size of the 697 is no where near that of
its offspring the 1006. I pollinated my first fruit on this plant July 1
and it has only grown to the size of a grapefruit, subsequently I have
pollinated 2 more fruit 7/9 on side vines, one with 6 lobes. 

I am not quite sure what to make of this plant but time will soon tell!

Eaton 941:

Unfortunately I am afraid I will lose this plant. It has been a dynamite
plant with great vigor, good sized vines and huge leafs.  It has sustained
extensive wind damage to most of the leafs and I broke the main vine7/5
when I staked the vine to begin to set up a pumpkin for pollination. This
was my fault as I did not let the main vine grow far enough past the fruit
before I attempted to stake and bend the vine so as to situate the fruit at
the outside of the curve. The wind caught the leafs at the end of the main
vine past where I had staked the main and snapped it off..............

Aker-Carolina Giant:

Start Date February 26 - Transplant March 2:

This is my plant called Hue, the plant I have growing in front of my house
from seed given to me by Tim Aker

Despite horrible winds, driving rain, hail, light frost, sprinkler damage,
squirrels chewing on the vines etc., this plant is extremely vigorous and
just keeps on trucking. The vines are bright yellow and very thick. The
blood lines of this plant are unknown but I suspect it must be a cross
between an AG and Prizewinner. My first pumpkin set is 131.5 lbs over the
top, according to Duncans Calculator. I am still setting fruit on the plant
and can no longer open my garage door as the vines have grown across my
driveway and are blocking the door shut. I am quite happy as I have already
broken my personal best of 67 lbs. Particularly in that I have only been
able to bury the first 3 ft. of vine from the stump!  The remainder of the
plant is growing over my concrete driveway!

Happy Growing and the Best of Luck to Everybody!
Chris Andersen
Moraga, Calif.
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