Re: Why not plant earlier?
Hi Richard: On paper your theory sounds good but in most growing areas the
fruit only has a limited number of growing days. Here in the Northeast if
you can put on an extra 200 pounds in September you are doing good. Most
of the time my fruit have decided it is time to quit growing and the
condition of my plants show it. It is a nervous hang on time through the
month of September just hoping that you have something to take to a weigh
off come October. If anything we may benefit more from planting later not
earlier. Our September this year has been the most summer like of all of
the months to date.
Good Luck.
Ned
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Plourde" <RichardPlourde@rogers.com>
To: <pumpkins@hort.net>
Sent: Friday, September 24, 2004 10:05 PM
Subject: Why not plant earlier?
> Hi,
>
> There is something I can't seem to figure out... Why do most growers
> start their seeds the last week of April as opposed to a week or two
> or three earlier? Wouldn't it be better to get a few extra days of
> growth before October weigh-offs?
>
> I am trying to break my personal best of 804 (pollinated July 20th!) in
> a place where the summer is short. As soon as we hit the first week
> of August, the nights are cold and growth drops dramaticaly. I feel
> that if I could get to the rapidy weight gain stage (15 - 20 days old
> or so) in the first week of July the warm weather would let it take
> off... I'd have to pollinate in mid june.
>
> It turns out from the AGGC data, all pumpkins over 1200 lbs (approx. 20
> of them) where germinated on average April 29 (April 20 being the
> earliest and May 6 the latest) and where pollinated on average July 5.
> It seems that germinating the first week of April is not the solution
> as many would have done it and succeeded at it.
>
> We have frost here in spring until mid-june and snow cover until the
> end of April. We can't till until May. So why is it that people who
> don't have too much frost restrictions and could easily plant earlier
> still wait until the end of April?
>
> Just wonderin'
>
> Richard Plourde
> Edmundston, NB
> Canada
>
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