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Atlantic Giant Hybrids

> 
> h2oh2o wrote:
> >
> > Why on earth would anyone need to go to such dangerous and tedious
> > methods to germinate seeds??? Pumpkins no less??? How much easier can a
> > seed be than a pumpkin seed???
> > I am stymied by such a suggestion even being made on this usually
> > intelligent list.
> > Let's rethink this one.
> > Nina in PA6
> 
> Well, seeds, like beauty, is valued in the eye of beholder.  It could be
> *special* pumpkin seed from a giant pumpkin contest that dangles $20,000
> to the winner...
> Or something.
> --
> The Greenhouse Nursery


This is true.  Some of you think a pumpkin seed is a pumpkins seed and
they are easy to germinate but not a Atlantic Giant hybrid.  The
Atlantic Giant hybrid does produce the largest pumpkins in the world.
Today the largest is 1061 pounds and I have been trying for many years
to grow something worth bragging about.  These seeds are some time very
difficult to germinate and certain hybrid seed weights are very
expensive.  If you have only two seeds from a 1000 pound pumpkin, you
would do your best to germinate the both seeds. You would not believe
all the  tricks people have used over the years to tell if the seed is a
dud or a possible winner. 

I  used an emery board to  scrape the sides to increase the germination
of  my pumpkin seeds.  If there is a method to increase germination of a
costly pumpkin seed, I know I would review it and give it consideration.

Yes, last year the largest pumpkin did get a check from one sponsor for
17,000 dollars for the pumpkin and a lot more from other sponsors.

I have in the past placed them in potting mix  with the point facing
down but the germation rate was low.    (Think expensive seeds and they
must germinate.)  I then went to the Deno method and placed them between
two wet paper towels and waited for a sign of a root to emerge, but my
heat source was inconsistent.  Now I see my Uncle has thought of a way
to provide constant heat and apply Deno's method to germinate expensive
hybrid pumpkin seeds.  

I'm sorry for talking about pumpkin seeds, but growing a large pumpkin
is a lot of fun and hard work.  Would you believe I even have a mailing
list on growing large pumpkins? This mailing list is very active and I
have several homepages on Atlantic Giant pumpkins.  You can view the
pumpkin page on:
http://www.eskimo.com/~mcalpin/pumkin.html

Try a grow a large pumpkin and see the kids eyes light up or take them
to a near by weigh off.

Duncan
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