Pumpkin Growing Challenge 2012

One thing i have learnt for sure is it's no contest when it come come to your Marrows

 

Measured the big one today, it is 43" round and 16" from stalk to blossom end. No idea of weight yet except heavy! Think the largest one I have ever grown was just under ten kilos so if this one is heavier, it will be my personal best. :-)

 

I've now got 3 small pumpkins on my 2nd plant that I abandoned caring for when the pumpkin on it failed a few weeks ago, varying from golfball to grapefruit size, none of which will have enough time amount to more than anything other than pumpkin soup ingredients.

The pumpkin on my other plant still continues to increase in girth by 1" a day:

 

Probably time to make a weight estimate, see how here http://pumpkinnook.com/giants/weight.htm

It's looking good though Scrungee.

Steve...

 

Mine is still growing, albeit a little slow. I've only been to the plot twice in the last fortnight due to commitments at home but I went down yesterday for 1/2 an hour and got these shots.





Steve...

 

I've been and measured it, but doing it my own way which is using the average of vertical (44") and horizontal (49") max girths to calculate the average radius then calculating the suface area (of a 'sphere') and multiplying by 0.06 lbs/square inch (I use 0.04 for big marrows which don't have such thick flesh as pumpkins) which gives 41.3 lbs. When I stuck the bathroom scales under it (that's stones & kilos) it wasn't far out:




It's going to be a bit chilly tonight so I might wrap it in a blanket to keep it cosy.

EDIT: Once again after another 24 hrs both horiz & vert giths have increased 1", so an increase of 30 square inches in surface area/day, which is an increase of approx 2 lbs per day.

 

Just harvested the first of the "regular" pumpkins, 3 kilos exactly, so a reasonable weight for eating.

 

All this effort....is it worth it?

 

Only if you win! Mine was a tad over 54 lbs on Monday morning and putting on about 2 to 3 lbs/day, but these cold nights might kill it.

 

Had a bad day at work and then come home to have a look at my pumpkin......He's only gone and split.....So that looks like me done for.....
Realistically i don't think i stood a chance but Ssshh don't tell the others
He was onny a babby...21 inches ....
Good luck to the others.......i mean ...
Keep going fellas....
Just remember these words.....Lolimac is the 2013 GC Pumpkin challenge Champion

 

Thats too bad Lolimac! We'll have another go next year, this year was just practice!

Even John finally has one!! Keep going Scrungee, I think you might have the winner there...I have not been near mine for over a week!

Steve...

 

I'm away from home for a few days, so have frantically been giving Mrs Scrungee instructions about wrapping it in a blanket and putting protection over the leaves overnight - I re-arranged the stems before leaving to reduce their overall area and ringed with upturned veggie crates so the whole thing could be more easily covered sheets, etc. with minimal damage (I got 3 deg C on the car thermometer this morning at 7 am).

One thing I've noticed is that everybody else's failed pumpkins all seem to be a bit 'pointy' shaped, whereas all my 'goers' have been round from the very start.

 

Well I just went to the plot (whilst Anne sleeps) to measure up and its total inches is 81 using the OTT method of weight calculation ...91 inches is 22.6lb...so I dont even reach the scale yet...lol

Next year however...it will be Masssive !!

Steve...