RE: beginning stage
Thanks Jon........
I know day time temps during pollination will be luck of the draw. However,
if it is really hot, how long before the female flower opens and how long
after pollination do you recommend cooling the new fruit with the ice
bottles? Then, since I did start early, I could by your reckoning have
mature fruit by mid to late August. If that turns out to be the case, how
long can I leave a mature AG on the vine? Or should I remove it promptly?
(I'm assuming maturity is defined a near complete cessation of further
growth) Does leaving a mature pumpkin on the vine adverse the remaining
growth of those still maturing (assuming I've left more than one fruit on
the vine [not recommend I know])? I've left Big Macs on the vine over six
weeks past maturity with no adverse effects and, once picked, have had some
last through Christmas. Do AGs have a similar "shelf life" once picked, or
are they prone to early disintegration?
Lots of questions I know. But I just realized I'm clueless as to the "after
it's done growing" life cycle of the AG. I also just realized that my wife
will kill me if it turns out I spent all this time and effort to grow giant
pumpkins for Halloween only to have them all turn to mush by Columbus Day!
Doug Parker
Sierra Madre, CA
----------
From: Jon Hunt [SMTP:jon.hunt@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu]
Sent: Friday, May 19, 2000 7:36 AM
To: pumpkins@mallorn.com
Subject: RE: beginning stage
Hi Doug,
When growing in the heat the pumpkins and plants grow very fast.
The
theory is start late because the plants will grow faster than the
plants in
Canada and Pacific Northwest. My plants go into the ground on the
second
of June and I set fruit the third week of July. Yes, I play catch
up all
summer long but by September when the temps have moderated a little
with
highs in the low 90's and lows in the middle 60's we are still
putting on
pounds and grow the whole month. The hard part is setting fruit in
the 100
degree days in July. This can be helped by putting out frozen water
bottles to keep the female blossoms cool during pollination. The
other
factor is mist. I mist the plants all day.
It seems your plants are much larger than most of the growers
already.
Most growers are fighting the cold temps and are at the 5 to 6 leaf
stage.
Your plants are 3 feet long and looking for a female blossoms. Once
you
set fruit you will probably grow for around 70 days and be done.
The key
is to have your pumpkin be done growing just before the contest. If
you
have room for another plant try planting one this weekend and you
will
catch up to all the other growers in the country.
Good Luck,
Jon
At 03:59 PM 5/18/2000 -0700, you wrote:
>Jon......
>
>What part of CA are you in. I'm in So Cal near Pasadena and I've
been in
>the ground since mid April with vines now three feet long. Day
time temps
>here will typically exceed 90 from mid June through mid September
with many
>of those days above 100. So I though getting in the ground early
enough to
>pollinate by mid June would be good. Did I start too early? I
understand
>you've grown some big ones (that is if you're the Hunt from the 991
Hunt
>'99). Did you start these in late May also?
>
>Doug Parker
>Sierra Madre, CA
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