Giant Pumpkin Contest - 2011
This is for the weigh-in of the heaviest pumpkin 2011. Here are a few rules (Borrowed from previous threads):
1. The heaviest pumpkin is the winner and it's grower will receive a small prize (not sure what or how we will go about this for now but will keep you posted).
2. The pumpkin you enter must have been grown and cared for by you.
3. You are allowed to enter a pumpkin on behalf of your child or grandchild.
4. The pumpkin must be photographed and the picture with weight information either posted on this thread or via another web link together or if you can not..(see 5.)
5. This is a light-hearted competition and we are relying on 100% honesty, so no cheating!
6. Even if you don't think you'll win, please post a photo and the weight of your pumpkin, we'd all like to see everyone's efforts.
7. Closing date: 31st October 2006
Please use this post for letting us know what you are growing and where, photos, tips, updates and if you need advice.
A new thread will be made for the posting of your weights and pictures in September/October
For anyone that would like some information on growing giant pumpkins please see the links below
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Default.asp
http://www.backyardgardener.com/wcgp/tips/10steps/10steps.html
http://www.giantpumpkin.com/
This is my first year of growing seriously and I am growing a 1366 Paton (seed is from a 1366 lb pumpkin grown by Paton brothers).
Here is the the link to my pumpkin growing diary.
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryView.asp?season=2011&grower=55348&action=L
Best of luck everyone :D
Just me then. Boy oh boy I'll certainly get a prize ;D
i shall enter on the understanding that if im fortunate enough to win a prize that prize shall be donated to this site for them to give out to a person who shows intrest in growing pumpkins or squash kindest regards mal
ps i shall also donate a prize to the competition regardless
This competition was very popular a couple of years ago, surely we can rustle up a few more entries? Well done to Dandytown for getting stuck in and also to Slyfox-mal for his kind offers.
you may want to edit the final date to 2011 also as its showing 2006 regards mal
Just spotted this and if it is not too late for me to sow something, count me in. Nothing very interesting I'm afraid, but I think I have a couple of Atlantic Giant seeds I can sow, well soon as I locate them!
If I'm successful in even growing a pumpkin I will enter ;D ;D ;D
Thats a nice idea Mal. For me, winning with the largest pumpkin would be prize enough. I have wanted a copy of Don Langevins book on pumpkins but manage on the info on the web.
If I win I would be happy to do the same in that someone newer than me can get into it. Sourcing a cheap second hand copy but one in good condition might be an ideal prize, along with a few good seed.
Or maybe if I compiled a pamphlet of information for a new grower in a self made book with some good seed for next year.
What do you all think.
Can I enter please? ;D
Count me in!!!
First time at growing this year. Don't think I'll win, but as long as the fruit is bigger than a tennis ball, I'll be happy!!
I'd like to join too please.
Well I would like to join-with same proviso as Sinbad7.
Any tips on Badgers ;)
Hey Betty. Hows things going down your way. Did my seeds work out ok ?
Pete.
Quote from: pete JB on July 09, 2011, 12:14:25
Hey Betty. Hows things going down your way. Did my seeds work out ok ?
Pete.
My giant is looking good, but not as big as the ones in the photos posted here recently. I'll take a photo of it tomorrow. I'm very impressed with the size of the stem, much wider than any I've grown previously. But as you know, the seeds were MASSIVE!! :o
14 people are taking part in the competition, with seeds from your 749. I'll go round and see how they are all doing and let you know.
Good to see lots joining in.
I'm a bit slow in reporting back but I did sow my Atlantic Giant seeds, bog standard types. All 5 germinated although I culled one which didn't look as strong as the others. They all have 4 leaves now, so way way behind. Still in the greenhouse to give them a small chance of producing something..... be it tennis ball size or maybe even a tad bigger. Hope to choose which one I'll plant over the weekend as its getting a bit cramped in the G'house :o
[attachment=1]
This was mine on Monday this week.
I posted a pic on another thread instead of this one. Oops.
There is one tiny fruit, a bit bigger than a marble.
Nooooooooooooooooooo, I'm not going to look ;D
Darn it I looked :o and what a beauty, I can only wish at the moment.
I'm trying not to get carried away, but I've goine from having 5 leaves to 8 in a cpl of days!!!
I'm growing a giant this year, I'm in !
Steve...:)
Can I play too, please?
I'm growing one from Pete's huge 749 seed and, despite massive wind damage to both leaves and stem, I have a beautiful, yellow tennis ball!
Thanks, Pete! :)
You are very welcome. Good luck :)
Pete
Pictures of my Pumpkin plant today, no flowers yet. Approx 8-9ft long. Seed = 841 turner it's 1502 wallace by 800 neily
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c71/photocumbria/006-1.jpg)
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c71/photocumbria/007.jpg)
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c71/photocumbria/008-1.jpg)
Steve...:)
Wow, that looks a beauty Steve
My little babes are still in the greenhouse. It has been really cold wet and windy here and I thought no point even attempting to plant them out. This week looks better and I thought I'd start them off with a closh covering. I still can't imagine them being able to produce much but its all fun and learning ;D
No flowers yet, but loads of leaves starting to increse rapdily!!
I did notice some 'feelers' starting to be sent out now.
And I'll reiterate what I said in my first post, if 1 fruit is bigger than a tennis ball, I'll be happy!!
Don't start worrying or quaking in your boots, but I now have a pumpkin growing!!!!!
It is currently smaller than a garden pea!
Quote from: Mark S on August 01, 2011, 19:28:27
Don't start worrying or quaking in your boots, but I now have a pumpkin growing!!!!!
It is currently smaller than a garden pea!
UPDATE: Its now the size of a snooker ball!!!
I'm in too!
I have one.... It's a bit bigger than a football, but not much...
It will be a good marker for next year when I can add to what I have learned about them this year.... :)
It's all good. 8)
Can I make a late entry. May be difficult to weigh though; not sure I can move it. It's still green: does that disqualify it? I have some smaller orange ones. What can we do with them other than make Halloween heads?
As long as weights and pictures are in by the end of October then the competition is open to all.
I'm keen to know how big it is if you can not move it. You can estimate its weight and that should be okay. See the following links for information on how to do this.
http://greatpumpkincommonwealth.com/resources.php
As to what you can do with them, well that depends on how big it is.
You could always try and make a boat and row it on a lake. see: http://www.bigpumpkins.com/displayphoto.asp?pid=6490&gid=-52840
QuoteYou could always try and make a boat and row it on a lake
. :o.. ;D..or make BIIIIG batch of pumpkin soup.. ::) :-X
;D Well mine were a right faliure, started way to late but hey worth a try ;D I'll see if I can be a little more sorted for next year, I better get looking for some seeds!
Good luck to you all and I'm looking forward to seeing the results.
QuoteYou could always try and make a boat and row it on a lake.
It's not quite Noah's Ark size! My inability to move it may have more to do with my advanced years!
Quote from: plotstoeat on September 20, 2011, 21:44:52
Can I make a late entry. May be difficult to weigh though; not sure I can move it. It's still green: does that disqualify it? I have some smaller orange ones. What can we do with them other than make Halloween heads?
I think the green colour makes it a squash but that doesnt matter here
My pumpkin today, just after I noticed that it has almost become detatched from the main stem. :'(
[attachment=1]
Our site competition is on October 14th, I hope it will still be ok then.
Who is the hunk Betty ;)
Quote from: pumpkinlover on September 24, 2011, 19:56:56
Who is the hunk Betty ;)
Oh he will laugh when I tell him - it's my younger son , Al, visiting for the weekend. :)
Is that one from my seed Betty ?
Errr.... maybe you might like to rephrase that Pete :o :o :o
LOL
;D
Quote from: pete JB on September 24, 2011, 21:14:42
Is that one from my seed Betty ?
Yes, it's your 749 Pete.
Quote from: pumpkinlover on September 24, 2011, 22:02:16
Errr.... maybe you might like to rephrase that Pete :o :o :o
Really made me laugh! ;D
Squash it's a super looking pumpkin :)
It's bigger than mine Squash and a lovely colour. I'm taking the wife's sewing tape down today to the lotty and will report back.
Are there instructions on this forum as to how to upload pics?
click on the WIKI tab at the top of the screen and you'll find out how :)
By the way, nice pumpkin betty
Thanks Dandytown
Okay Dandytown I measured the circumference at 44 inches which converts to about 35 lbs from the charts. Nowhere near as big as Betty's methinks.
Ken
Quote from: Dandytown on September 26, 2011, 11:29:52
click on the WIKI tab at the top of the screen and you'll find out how :)
By the way, nice pumpkin betty
Thank you :)
This is another of Pete's 749, grown by Ken at the allotments
[attachment=1]
Ken had a look at my pumpkin and thinks it is bigger than his. It is also a different colour to mine but he's got it covered up with straw so I don't know if that's why.
Here's a pic of mine today. I couldn't find anyone to pose next to it so I had to make do with my mobile on top to give an idea of size.
[attachment=1]
I don't think it's grown much over the past two weeks.
Looks fantastic ;D
She`s a nice colour too Betty. They dont always go orange but the genetics are there so it was a good bet it was gonna go that way.
The pumpkin the seeds came from was a nice colour too.
Well done :)
Pete.
Love that colour Betty ;D
Betty- you've grown a grand one! Did you put it on 5 yards of manure (or whatever that huge recommendation was in the directions) ?
Thanks for all your kind comments :)
GA - This plant didn't get any special treatment because it was my 'reserve'. I planted another one where last year's manure had been but this one went into ordinary soil. There is a decent-sized pumpkin on the other plant but not as big as this one. I haven't even fed it, just chucked a couple of watering cans of water on it every day.
I think it has done so well because of genetics and if someone who really knew what they were doing was growing it, it would be twice as big!
Thats a nice pumpkin betty. Good colour and glad you beat your personal best. That's what its about for me, beating my own pb and not so much others. :)
With regards to the competition.
I was thinking of creating a google document of all our pumpkins to show the competition efforts. How would everyone feel about sending me a final picture of your pumpkins so that I can do a list. Would be good to compare with next years effort and watch all our pumpkins getting bigger over the years?
If you msg me your email adress I'll send you one back and you can drop me your photo. If you can take a picture with a sign next to your pumpkin that would be great.
My sign would be: (my name)-(estimated weight)-(year) for example: 'Geyelin 412 2010'
Here is mine, currently at 105lbs and still growing I think. Not bad as it's the second fruit on this vine I let grow after a previous fruit got to around 30lb then stalled, that was removed and the pictured fruit was allowed to grow on.
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c71/photocumbria/003-1.jpg)
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c71/photocumbria/002-4.jpg)
I'm quited chuffed it's got to triple figures for my first run at growing a giant, without much soil prep at all, hardly any feed and not much water, but then again..I'm in Cockermouth Cumbria...and have had rather too much rain this year anyway (River is out of it's banks again today).
It whetted my appetite for another go next year though.
Steve...:)
Wish I could see the picture. Something to do with pc restrictions at work I think
pm me your email addy and I'll mail them over to you if you like, both pics are small enough to mail quickly.
Steve...:)
I`m in Whitehaven Steve so I know all about the rain.
Not bad today though !
Nice pumpkin by the way. If you want to have another go next year, give me a shout and I`ll hook you up with some great seeds.
Pete
Ah well................. :-[
I'll nip out just now and take it's final photo. I haven't measured it in a while, but it should make all of nearly 40lbs? ;D
Still.....
Learned much. Cheers Pete for your input especially..... ;) Just a season too b****y late ;D
Next year :)~ It'll be over 100lbs or I'll eat my hat....
There. Said it. :P
"It'll be over 100lbs or I'll eat my hat...."
Thats fighting talk Nigel !
Good luck, get some manure on the patch ASAP and you`ll reap the rewards next year.
Pete
Ah!
I thought I'd be able to edit the pictures in.....
Never mind :)
Here it is with the world's biggest a mobile phone for reference... :o Massive eh! :P
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6045/6240908016_e814301ffd_z.jpg)
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/39243143@N03/6240908174/sizes/z/in/photostream/)
Sorry, folks - no photo of my attempt with Pete's 749 seeds. It's gone away with my daughter for Halloween carving.
After a couple of gales shredded all the leaves the poor thing gave up the ghost. It wasn't a pretty sight - pale yellowish and a bit lumpy - but a personal best for me at 79lb.
Thanks for the seeds, Pete! :) If I can save some seeds from mine I'll be going for the ton next year! ;D
Hi Grandma. If you want some of this years seeds then you will be welcome once they are dried. The pumpkin is a nice orange colour too.
Final pic below.
Pete
http://www.flickr.com/photos/65218770@N06/6240680893/
That's a handsome-looking pumpkin, Pete and surely a very good weight in a poor growing year?
If you have any seeds to spare later I'd love to have a couple to try next year, please! :)
There's some impressive pumpkins here and a bit of healthy competition for next year already. Well done everyone!
Will the announcement be in traditional reverse order, with huge dramatic pauses in between each? ;D
Oh no. Please dont do it like the X Factor.
I couldnt bear it ;)
Pete
Once I receive everyone's picture I'll do a results sheet :)
We had our site competition today - and I won! It weighed 238lb 6oz.
Our scales didn't go to that weight so a chunk had to be cut out of it before it was weighed,
[attachment=1]
It's all gone now, people took slices home and some of it is going to a Sikh temple.
Mine is still yet growing, with new healthy leaves growing...it's now at 109lb...still hoping (dreaming maybe) it will reach 150lb in the next 2 weeks.
Steve...:)
Here are my pumpkins, not record breakers but, I am quite proud ;D. The 2 largest both weighed 1 stone each.
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6043/6247398526_a5d8ef5e1c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/54987571@N08/6247398526/)
100_0054 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/54987571@N08/6247398526/) by lisaparkin36 (http://www.flickr.com/people/54987571@N08/), on Flickr
Maybe I could win the smallest with this tiny little thing ;)
(http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6110/6247404798_1be70c24e9.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/54987571@N08/6247404798/)
100_0070 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/54987571@N08/6247404798/) by lisaparkin36 (http://www.flickr.com/people/54987571@N08/), on Flickr
Love the little baby ;D
and the big ones :D
A nice little pumpkin Lisa but not the worlds smallest. Check out this link
http://www.avantnews.com/news/415108-south-carolina-pumpkin-farmer-grows-worlds-smallest-pumpkin
Having rechecked that link It might just be satire. #
Not sure if it is true. On reading the account, it mentioned that the nearby facility may have led to cross pollination/contamination leading to the mini pumpkin. Eye witnesses reported that 3 arsed chickens were observed at the facility, presumably so that they would lay three eggs ;D
Quote from: Dandytown on October 17, 2011, 10:33:27
Having rechecked that link It might just be satire. #
Not sure if it is true. On reading the account, it mentioned that the nearby facility may have led to cross pollination/contamination leading to the mini pumpkin. Eye witnesses reported that 3 arsed chickens were observed at the facility, presumably so that they would lay three eggs ;D
Or produce 3 times the amount of manure !
Mine weighed in at 494 lbs which is 16% heavy. I was hoping for 400lbs as I feared it would come in light due to the dips in it but look how thick it is.
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=172030
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=172031
Great job !
Very impressed. Well done
Pete
Very well done Dandy!! Shame it did not quite get to 500lb, but either way it's still an impressive beast!!
Steve...:)
I've cut my Giant Pumpkin from the vine today as there is a frost forecast nationally in the next few days, it wouldn't be good to leave it a few more days and risk it turning to mush. This is how I got the Pumpkin from the Allotment back to home.
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c71/photocumbria/003-2.jpg)
And a few shots of it on my patio.
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c71/photocumbria/007-2.jpg)
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c71/photocumbria/009-1.jpg)
(http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c71/photocumbria/012-2.jpg)
It was a struggle but I managed to get it onto a set of bathroom scales where it weighed 8st 7lb 7 drams or 119lbs. I'll cover it up now to protect from frost and carve it for haloween, then put it in the front garden in a week or so time as a treat for the local "trick or treaters".
Anyone not able to see the photo's here, can see them on my blog too...http://steverandles.co.uk/alottment/
Steve...:)
Very well done Dandy and Steve ;D
Nice blog Steve and a good weight for your pumpkin :)
Quote from: Dandytown on October 19, 2011, 09:09:38
Nice blog Steve and a good weight for your pumpkin :)
Thank you and thank you! Setting myself a target of 400lbs for next year (realistic) and aiming/hoping for 500lb plus (possibly unrealistic).
Steve...:)
Hey, Any comp reselts yet ??????
I got prizes to give !
Pete
Mine ended up at all of 65lbs. :-[
I gave it to our local girls morris-dancing troupe for their Halloween 'do', where they held a guess-the-weight competition with it, and the winner won the pumpkin to carve as they wished.
Although I wasn't there, I was told it went down a treat and was back on display, carved and lit up, within two hours!
Apologies for not producing a results page yet, i have limited access at the moment but will do my best. All a bit anti-climatic
(//)
The light-coloured marrow was 61 lb, much better than
last year's 46lb. Quite surprising considering that last year
I really looked after it and fed and watered it but this year
I did nothing!
(//)
Quote from: Squash64 on October 21, 2012, 15:24:21
The light-coloured marrow was 61 lb, much better than
last year's 46lb. Quite surprising considering that last year
I really looked after it and fed and watered it but this year
I did nothing!
(//)
I reckon the near non-stop rain has been quite good for the outdoor cucurbits, as long as they dodged the cold snap towards the end of May , without an immense amount of effort and resources in autowatering we gardeners can't match natures watering can...