end of season update

---

Well, in this last week my season has ended. I live in Western NY.  Here's what happened:

 

435 Wolf 99 UOW: 906.5 Lloyd F x 806 Baird M. 4 lobe. Infested with vine borers, matured early, ugly wheel shape, dark orange, medium canteloping.  propped up with board and styrofoam cushion to prevent damage. Died of rot near blossom end where it was being propped up. 

109-85-83.5 (277.5" OTT, 438 est.)

 

445 Wolf 99 UOW: 806 Baird x self. 5 lobe. Infested with vine borers,  stopped growing the last 4 days, shape very similar to the 1006. (the 806 was a selfed 1006), good medium orange color.  Picked because of splits circiling the stem, going deep enough to cause concern.

129.5-75-72 (276.5" OTT, 436 est.)

 

535 Wolf 99* UOW: 815 Andersen x self. 5 lobe. Intentionally grown squash.  Only a few vine boreres, stopped growing in the last three days, Picked early because of concerns from internal rot from two holes that developed along a dill ring intersecting with ribs.  Nice green color all around. meduim canteloping on half of it.  long, not too tall. a few deep ribs.

136-80.5-76.5 (292" OTT, 507est.)

 

    I must add that this was my first official try.  Last year I grew a 245# without much effort, so I thought I'd research it and give it a try. I've been on this list since about last September. My squash was headed for the 700# range until the splits developed. For those of you who have limited space, the 445 was grown in about 400 sq ft. I was only planning on something for Halloween, so all I did for it was dig up a 5' circle, about 1.5' at the deepst, and added around a 5-gallon bucket full of manure to it.  It was grown on the side of a garage, with the vines going into the garss.  Not too much effort for something over 400 pounds.

    All the weights are considered by me to be accurate within 2 pounds. The 445 and 535 were weighed on a feed scale at Agway.  The 435 was chopped up and weighed with a digital scale.  Seeds are available.  You know the drill.  I'll put my address up in a few days, after I've retreived the seeds from the 535 and 445, and I'll get pictures up on my webpage.

    I wish I could have made it to the weighoff with one, but I'm having a lot of fun getting stares as I drive through town with a massive pumpkin and squash in the back of my truck.

 

Andy Wolf

Western NY

 

"there's always next year"