I have started to measure the pumpkin to get an estimated weight. I need to do this daily and record it so I can see how many pounds it is gaining and will immediately see if there is an issue. I usually will measure at night after work but I did a morning measurement just for fun today. Estimated weight is 144 lbs,
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I suppose the people that competitively raise these giant pumpkins calculate how much weight their pumpkin needs to gain daily and take extreme measures to meet those needs.
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Yes, they know if they are on track to grow a record by the daily measurements. It gives you a daily rate of gain as you get more and more days logged.
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Going back over my measurements from this morning and I forgot to carry the one so the weight was closer to 168.
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We had an inch of rain yesterday so for breakfast pumpkin had liquid miracle grow rose food, a table spoon of epsom salt dissolved in a gallon of warm water ( this went on the leaves) and a gallon of rain water with two cups of wood ash dissolved at the base and down the main vine. Looks like it gained four inches in diameter overnight. I will do a full set of measurements tonight and get an estimated weight.
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Derby would the pumpkin seeds be ones you can save or are you growing other squash close by? Iāve raised crosses of neck pumpkins and pumpkins which always results in tan round pumpkins in my experience or warty summer squash crossed with pumpkins sometimes winds up a warty yellow pumpkin but taste of summer and winter squash crosses is not desirable!
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I only have Atlantic giants growing in my yard. I hand pollinated this pumpkin with a male flower from the same plant. I have two other Atlantics that I planted for pollination but they did not flower in time to pollinate this pumpkin
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That pumpkin is a machine!
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I hope it at least hits 500 lbs , that would close to double my last one.
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Hah, itās wearing a hat now. Itās turning into a monster, keep the kids away from itā¦
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It needs a name , thoughts???
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My wife, whoās a big Peanuts fan, said call it Linus, the keeper of the Great Pumpkin patch.
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I can hear it sayingā¦āFEEEEEEED ME, JAAASON!!!ā
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Here it is with the smallest grand kid tonight. Measurements say it is 224 lbs, that is really more than it should have gained so let me stress that the measurements are not perfect and just give you an estimate on the weight. Thatās why it is so important to to measure daily and keep a chart. I use a soft rope and I measure around it level with the ground, then from the ground over the top to the ground on the other side two different directions. You add all of the measurements and then plug them into a chart. Being just a couple of inches off can add ten pounds.
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Measurements again seem to indicate more growth than I think possible. I am going to do some research tonight on pumpkin growers diaries and see if I can find one with similar growth rates. It is going to be considerably hotter this week so it may slow it down. Charlie, ( I like the great pumpkin reference above, but it just didnāt look like a Linusto meā¦lol) is now 26 days after pollination.
Circumference
96 inches
Length ( from ground over the top back to the ground)
63.5 inches
Width ( from ground over the top back to the ground)
63 inches
Total inches
222.5
Estimated weight
252 lbs
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Awesome, keep us posted. What are you doing for the plant, any thing special? Nice sand bed you have for it there. I see you are zone six , when did you set it out?
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I set the plant out around the first of June. I give the plant a mixture of 9-58-8 fertilizer and seabird guano each night. I also use mycorhizzal inoculant in the soil surrounding the pumpkin.
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