Hi Katie!
It has been a humbling year...losing all my big ones...lost 6 to
stem splits
and rib splits...so down to my 4 slower growers...
I took 2 to Nekoosa, WI last Saturday and they weighed in at 957.5
lbs and
1008 lbs...and finished...gulp..20th...I have never had a below top 10
finish.
I was amazed at all the growers...around 60 I think....so great to
see such
excitement in this sport and people more crazy than I! LOL.
However, with the winner being 1675 lbs...nice job Mr. Hopkins...it
would have
taken a miracle in my patch to get there.
My watermelon at 194.5 lbs finished 4th...which was
nice...considering the top
3 were 223, 226.5 and 227.5...with the last being a state record for
MN.
We have one more weighoff this weekend and I'm bring the final 2 of my
pumpkins both 950-1050 range to Stillwater, MN.
Plus another watermelon near 200lbs....but felt light on putting it
in the SUV
tonight.
Anyway, always a fun year regardless and kept me active all summer
trying to
keep up! Great for BP (blood pressure) and weight loss!
Hope you continue to have a great year and good luck at Half Moon Bay!
Dave Bhaskaran
Rochester, MN
-----Original Message-----
From: Kathie Morgan <fishrap@att.net>
To: pumpkins@hort.net
Sent: Thu, Oct 7, 2010 5:04 pm
Subject: Re: sand and fruit protection
Hi, Dave!
Have you been to weigh-off with the pumpkin mentioned below? Curious
to know
if it kept pace with your dreams for it.
On Aug 1, 2010, at 6:46 PM, dbhaskaran@aol.com wrote:
Steve,
Congrats on being on track for 1000+! I have one that is 703 lbs, >
which
using
the AE method..puts it around 1289 lbs come Oct.
( current weight + (number of days till Sept 20th * 1/2 of current
> daily
weight gain over a 4 day period)).
ie... 703 + (51 * 11.5 (23lbs/day))
But I agree...with 2 of my pumpkins going down this week to >
splits...hard
to
hold them till Oct!
Take care.
Dave.
-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Minor <minok2014@yahoo.com>
To: pumpkins@hort.net
Sent: Sun, Aug 1, 2010 8:25 pm
Subject: Re: sand and fruit protection
Dave,
Daconil and Captan have become my good friends this year. I'm about
> to
spray
pplications of calcium to the outside of my fruit to help fortify it.
Thanks for another tip on being proactive growing AGs(Daconil on >
both
ends).
In this business, better to be safe than sorry.
Measured my largest pumpkin today. On track for first 1000 pound >
fruit.
Cross my fingers and hope to win the lottery.
Steve
--- On Sun, 8/1/10, dbhaskaran@aol.com <dbhaskaran@aol.com> wrote:
From: dbhaskaran@aol.com <dbhaskaran@aol.com>
ubject: Re: sand and fruit protection
o: pumpkins@hort.net
ate: Sunday, August 1, 2010, 8:51 PM
Steve,
ou're welcome. Well, I've been growing big pumpkins for 40 years, >
but I
lways seem to learn each year also! LOL.
I have a bunch of High Maintenance Pumpkins this year, which means,
> they
get
rowth "marks" that cut into the fruit on the back and stem >
areas....so I
ormally paint on the daconil to insure they don't rot (great way to
> keep
umpkins going into Oct) but then need to insure the sheet doesn't >
smother
t
ut too much...so putting up the stake in front (and will for the >
back)
helps
n dry and "heal" the area.
n fact, painting daconil on the blossom end and stem areas before >
trouble
appens is not a bad idea...even the stump area. Things I do as we >
get into
ug, as the pumpkins get into old fruit and tough to manage!
e're having a good year in MN, so need to make hay while we do have
> a good
ear, weather wise!
ood luck to all!
avid Bhaskaran
ochester, MN
----Original Message-----
rom: Steve Minor <minok2014@yahoo.com>
o: pumpkins@hort.net
ent: Sun, Aug 1, 2010 7:06 pm
ubject: Re: sand and fruit protection
ave,
for one appreciate your input. You helped me a lot last year, and I'm
oing
ch better this year. You always manage to come up with juicy little >
tidbits
info like the stakes to drape the sheet over, fore and aft.
our help enables me to help others and pay it forward.
teve Minor
-- On Sun, 8/1/10, dbhaskaran@aol.com <dbhaskaran@aol.com> wrote:
rom: dbhaskaran@aol.com <dbhaskaran@aol.com>
bject: Re: sand and fruit protection
: pumpkins@hort.net
te: Sunday, August 1, 2010, 6:48 PM
ebbie,
suggestion would be to run both...which is what I have done now for 2
ars
w. I didn't like just the sheet, as we get periods of too much >
wetness so
nning both of them protects the pumpkin from some of the sun that
my 6
rps
d 10 fence posts allow in. (6x8 tarps)
have put down wet sand before but it seems to dry with a few >
days...so I
n't think you need to worry.
also dig a trench around my pumpkins tents so that water hitting
the > tarps
d dropping...goes into a trench and away from the pumpkin, plus
this > also
ts the pumpkin on "higher ground" due to the trench and thus more >
drying.
lso becareful with the MV and the tarps rubbing on them if you use
> it and
so if you use the sheet on the pumpkins...make sure the front and >
back get
me "air"...I use a small stake in front of the pumpkin and put the
> sheet
er it...thus giving the them stem area some "air".
ope this helps.
od luck.
vid Bhaskaran
chester, MN
---Original Message-----
om: Debbie Runkle <yorunk13@att.net>
: pumpkin <pumpkins@hort.net>
nt: Sun, Aug 1, 2010 9:07 am
bject: sand and fruit protection
hat type of fruit protection is recommended? I am currently using a
> tarp
y
night, but noticed that there isn't a whole lot of air movement. >
Now I am
dering about just using a sheet on the pumpkin during the day and >
removing
night. We have alot of humidity, esp. at night. That leads me to >
my next
stion.
have sand under the pumpkins. Yesterday I removed as much of the play
nd,
t I had originally used, and replaced it with all purpose sand. I >
found
at
e play sand held too much moisture and was damp right out of the >
bag. This
ning all of the sand is damp. The ground is pretty moist due to some
cent
ns. The pumpkins were covered with tarps so no rain got on it or >
the sand,
the sand seems to be absorbing moisture from the ground. I am worried
out
pumpkin rotting. I don't know if fans would help much since I would
> most
ely have to keep them on the pumpkins every day.
bbie
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