Re: Big pictures..I WANT A COPY PLEASE...
Hi Danny,
This was my first year at growing pumpkins. I was not trying to grow
a giant Pumpkin (at first), but happened upon the newsgroup halfway
through the summer and then started doing the right things for the
pumpkins that I was growing. I planted seeds from the Burpee seed
Company, their "Prizewinner Hybrid". My largest Pumpkin was 137 pounds
which I entered in the Half Moon bay Weigh-off. I also had a 105 pounder
and 6 in the 30-50 pound range, all off of 3 plants. I recieved several
comments on how good the Pumpkin looked. It had a bright orange skin,
Nice and shiny. Mild ribbing and a good shape. I took second.....to
last, but had a great time and got to meet some of the "Heavy Hitters".
I have no doubt that my Pumpkins would have been larger had I prapared
my soil better and had a better fertilization program from the start. I
saved the seeds from the 137 pounder and am drying them now. You are
welcome to have some if you like, just let me know your address. I will
mention that I have recently read on the newsgroup that since the Burpee
seeds are a "Hybrid" the resulting seeds from the Pumpkins will not be
guaranteed to produce big Pumpkins. It has to do with the Genetics.
*******************reprinted article********************************
The seed from a hybrid fruit will not come true to type, meaning
- yes,
you'd get all kinds of wacky pumpkin type plants with a wide variety of
pumpkin like squash. A 227lb Burpees Prizewinner is impressive. I'll
bet
it has a beautiful shape and good color too.
However, don't bother to save seed from this pumpkin. Either
buy new
Burpees seed next year (that's the marketing concept behind hybrids,
great
looking fruit, buy new seed every year) or perhaps you might like to try
growing an Atlantic Giant Pumpkin from seeds obtained through this
e-mail
community, P&P Seed Co. etc. Atlantic Giant, Big Max (ave 100 lbs,) Big
Moon (ave 100-200 lbs) are considered open pollinated varieties, meaning
-
you can save its seed and it will come true to type when grown out the
next
season.
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> so...something which will retain its orange color and be nice and
> roundish..even if it is smaller than 200lbs...
> DANNY
