Update 6/8/18 Southwest Kansas Weather and Giant Pumpkins - Like Oil and Water

This weather so far this spring has been brutal on EVERYTHING!  We had one of the driest fall/winter/spring periods on record! We started with one of the top coldest Aprils on record. Then we had a record warmest May at Dodge City (and it obliterated the previous record).  Hot and windy days, high humidity at times, thunderstorms with a lot of wind!  The previous post I did on the 29th (you can read it by clicking here) I was scrambling to build some protection from the elements (hail at that time and now a hot wind).  It did help, thankfully!

This past Wednesday night we had a high wind event from a collapsing thunderstorm during the night with 70-75 MPH winds here at the Hacienda but even higher winds southwest of here!  I had to leave in the dark yesterday morning so wasn't sure what I would find when I came home.  The only damage we had was a downed poplar tree and a pool full of debris (took about 1 1/2 hours to clean that up).  But the pumpkins?  They came through with no issues (just one broken large leaf)!

Since the 29th, the plants have been making steady but relatively slow growth, but at least they have vine growth.  Once the vines start putting down roots, growth should accelerate and will be less susceptible to wilting in the hot Kansas sun.

Here is the 1733 on the west side.



The 1522 (closet to the camera) and the 1861 plants are exhibiting the vine growth too!

 

My goal is to have a pumpkin pollinated and set by July 1.  I'm doubting that will happen but you never know.  The main vine needs to be at least 15 feet long.  So, they have a long way to go.

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