Planting Update
This Spring has been cool and damp in Southeastern Minnesota and it has
been difficult to get the pumpkin plants in the patch. I had planned to
plant six pumpkins this year, but all the seeds germinated, so I decided
to plant seven. The seven plants are:
1) 662.5 Heyne 01 -- 1026 Holland 00 x 615 Hester 00 -- Has two true
leaves and was the first to germinate.
2) 1016 Daletas 01 -- 705 (UOW) Stelts 99 x 846 Calai 99 -- Has two true
leaves and shows some vigor.
3) 1049 Holland 01 -- 705 (UOW) Stelts 99 x 903 (UOW) Holland 97 -- Has
one true leaf and the coteledons are somewhat deformed.
4) 1026 Holland 00 -- 903 (UOW) Holland 97 x 935 Lloyd 97 -- Has one
true leaf and the coteledons are somewhat deformed.
5) 1061 Whittier 01 -- 712 Kuhn 00 x 712 Kuhn 00 (sib) -- Has one true
leaf and shows some vigor.
6) 650 Heyne 00 -- 690 Bernard 99 x 511.5 Heyne 99 -- Has one true leaf
7) 656 Bhaskaran 00 -- 760 Patrick 99 x 815 Checkon 98 -- Has one true
leaf and shows some vigor.
Last year, the 1026 and 650 were the smallest plants at pollination
time, but they produced my largest and a projected 800 pound pumpkin.
Many times, I have found that the most vigorous plants do not grow the
largest pumpkins. Actually, some of my most vigorous plants have
produced the smallest pumpkins in my patch. We tend to keep the most
vigorous plants and cull the rest, but if I did that, I would have
missed out on some of my largest pumpkins.
My best to you all this pumpkin season.
George Heyne
Rochester, Mn.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Pumpkin-growing FAQ: http://www.hort.net/lists/pumpkins/search.cgi
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PUMPKINS
