Re: newbie tale: the pumpkin giant that wasn't
- Subject: Re: newbie tale: the pumpkin giant that wasn't
- From: R* S* <r*@gmail.com>
- Date: Mon, 6 Sep 2010 11:02:07 -0400
Bummer Marc, I also killed my leaves by watering the top of them.
It's funny but I basically grew them in 80 days.
I do have a bunch of larger than life pumpkins though. I recommend
trying different kinds of giant pumpkins like the Big Max. I watered every
day
too; must have put 100 gallons of water on each mound. It was pointless
as the roots grew parallel with the ground. I think a trickle might work
better
on a timer. I have 10 x 50 - 100 pound'ers and could not be happier. Maybe
this
is a better novice goal.
The coolest Uncle in the world, Robert
Steckroth
On Sun, Sep 5, 2010 at 11:28 AM, Kathie Morgan <fishrap@att.net> wrote:
> Hi, Marc from San Jose!
>
> Where do you go from here?
>
> Elk Grove on 10-2.
>
> Santa Rosa on 10-3.
>
> Uesugi Farms in Morgan Hill on 10-9.
>
> Half Moon Bay on 10-11.
>
> Salinas on 10-16 (closer to you than Auburn on the same date).
>
> Introduce yourself to the rest of us and hang on for the ride of your life.
> Welcome aboard!
>
> Kathie in Santa Rosa
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Sep 5, 2010, at 8:07 AM, Marc Siegel wrote:
>
> Hello,
>> I m Marc from San Jose and have been lurking here for a month, reading and
>> learning from your advanced techniques. Thanks. I m a first year grower
>> and
>> have had an amazing fun ride in my first season. Unlike your 500+
>> pounders,
>> my giant is now about 5 pounds, yellowing and turning soft. Not to fear:
>> I
>> have two baseball size beauties gaining an ounce per day.
>>
>> I d like to tell you my story and see if you have any helpful advice for
>> salvaging the season. My journey started in April when I attended a
>> workshop by Stuart Shim (http://bit.ly/9r6J0o) in San Jose, CA. He
>> motivated me to dig (by hand) a 4 x4 x4 hole and fill it with delicious
>> amendments, manure etc. I sprouted the seeds he provided in a peat pot
>> and
>> was so excited to sink the finest baby into its special mound on May 30.
>> Quickly it established and began spreading its vine briskly. Each day,
>> with
>> excitement, I interrupted my work at least a dozen times to check in. Soon
>> flowers came and I read up on the advanced techniques for just-right
>> pollination. I decided to let the pumpkin have its own sex, and I d keep
>> the
>> most desirable. That s when the forementioned giant started and once it
>> was softball-sized, I started breaking off the other budding babies.
>>
>> It was late June and all was good. Confident, I began trashtalking that
>> (no
>> matter what!) I was gonna grow a pumpkin that weighed more than me.
>> Currently I m at 200lbs but vowed to lose whatever weight it took to make
>> my
>> goal.
>>
>> During a San Jose heat storm, I first encountered wilting leaves (though I
>> had just watered), and a very friendly guy taught me about misting. Rigid
>> leaves left me pleased I had mastered this advanced technique. Every few
>> days I mixed some fish emulsion with water and treated my beauty vine to
>> this stink juice. I buried a few of the vines, My daily dozen visits
>> continued, and loved my new sport.
>>
>> Then, things went horribly bad. I got busy in life, didn t pay as much
>> attention, and somehow latched to the notion that if a little water was
>> good, a Niagra was better. I watered every day, sometimes for hours,
>> spewing
>> it up and overhead. To compound matters, I didn't think much about
>> fertilizing or snipping tertiary sprouts. Eventually my Prize stopped
>> growing, and over time all the plant's leaves yellowed. Eventually I got a
>> clue and stopped the incessant watering. But the damage is done. The once
>> yellowed leaves haven't really come back. The leaves near the tap root are
>> dead or drying up. But the growing ends of several vines are delicious
>> dark
>> green and growing and producing flowers and baby pumpkins. Is there hope?
>>
>> I'd appreciate any advice on where to go from here, for this season, or
>> next
>> year, especially information on watering schedules. I'm not embittered but
>> enthused. This hobby is SO COOL.
>> Yours, Marc
>>
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>> Pumpkin-growing archives: http://www.hort.net/lists/pumpkins/
>> To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
>> message text UNSUBSCRIBE PUMPKINS
>>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> Pumpkin-growing archives: http://www.hort.net/lists/pumpkins/
> To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
> message text UNSUBSCRIBE PUMPKINS
>
>
--
*Bringing game to younix*
Bustout Entertainment --- PureBreedDefense.com
"Finding the exit without looking"
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Pumpkin-growing archives: http://www.hort.net/lists/pumpkins/
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PUMPKINS
