Washington update. End of season wrap up.
Well the p-patch season was put to a close last weekend with the tilling
under of the patch and the planting of a cover crop of winter rye grass,
Austrian winter peas, and crimson clover. My goal of growing a world record
pumpkin this year was realized by Gerry Checkon and missed the mark by 3000
miles and 624 lbs. There's always next year. My more modest and realistic
goals were achieved. To finally get one over 500 lbs. and to finish in the
money at a weighoff. I managed that with Quasimodo at 508 lbs. off the 916
LaRue 97 plant and a 17th place finish in Canby. I followed that up with a
10th place entry in Des Moines, WA with Marilyn, a somewhat peanut shape 328
lb. pumpkin that was the only one that survived intact on the 759 Mombert 97
plant. I preceded it with a 16th place entry in Carnation "Shadedown" a
427 lb fruit from the 769 Mettler 98 plant that weighed 71 lbs over the
charts. Not bad for a plant that was grown primarily to be a pollinator and
wasn't given the care and space the others were. I would definately plant
the Mettler and LaRue seeds again. As for the 759 Mombert, it was my first
experience with a real splitter. I lost one in September to a blossom split
that would have been the heaviest one in the patch had it made it to a
weighoff. I lost another on the plant to a stem split and still another one
on that plant to a bottom split. I learned from another grower who had some
success last year with that seed that the one large fruit he had was the
only one that remained intact on the plant. The plant itself was incredible
but I won't plant that seed again because of the splits.
So what made a difference this year? First I was better about burying
vines and to a point controlling weeds in the patch. I also had more space
this year. As for seed selection the 916 LaRue gave me my largest fruit
last year and did it again for me this year. It also had the good color and
smooth skin I like to see. What also had a effect this year was the
weather. Spring like temperatures and rainfall that persisted through the
month of August put everything in the garden a good 2-3 weeks behind
schedule. The earliest set of my fruit was on July 12th this year. I also
was out of state for three weeks in the end of July and the first week of
August. This is a critical time for taking care of the plants but I
couldn't be there and it couldn't be helped. We had a week long stretch in
August here in western Washington where daytime temperatures did not make it
to 60º for a high. We set records for low high temperatures during that
span. Most Washington growers just couldn't overcome the weather this year
to produce really heavy pumpkins. One thing I noted was that none of the
Northwest growers produced any fruit over 900 lbs this season. With the
number of growers in this region who have had that kind of success in the
past for none of them to manage that this year tells me we were all up
against forces beyond our control.
So having moved into year round plots at the p-patch I now know exactly
where I'll be planting next season and have more control over my soil
amendments. Along with the cover crop going on I tilled in 40lbs of
dolomite lime in the 2400 square feet after getting a pH reading of roughly
6.5. I'll spead another 40 lbs on in a few weeks once the cover crop is up
and growing. I also tilled in a couple hundred pounds of maple leaves that
I had bagged up last year and kept through the summer. I've collected a
soil sample to send to the lab soon and will make further amendments based
on those results. I'll be carving up a few this weekend for the trick or
treaters and collecting and drying the seeds. Next season I will be growing
at least one of my plants from my own seed. Either the 508 or the 427,
I'll probably plant both and see which one does best.
My goals for the 2000 season are to grow the next world record and spend
more time fishing. My realistic goal is to finally break into the 700 lb
club and move up the rankings at next years weighoffs. If this had been a
normal growing season I might have been able to make that. By not taking
off for three weeks at a critical point in the growing season next summer I
may be able to pack a few more pounds onto them as well.
I want to say thank you again to everyone who contributes to this list for
the enlightenment and entertainment. And also for the chance to share what
I have learned and do a little bragging. When seeds are dry I'll make some
available. I'll make another post at that time. That's the wrap on the 99
growing season.
Chris Michalec
Covington, WA
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