Holy Smokes! Updated - 07/22/2020
Well, first off it's been a crazy week in July across the area. Copious amounts of rain has fallen (but with high winds) across the area. At my location, I measured 4.25 inches during this past week (for SW KS in July that is a lot) but with 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 inches within the county! This rain has mitigated hot temperatures and as a result the giants have responded - as well as the field pumpkins and WEEDS! I'm pretty pumped at this point as a couple pumpkins have REALLY accelerated in growth!
The 250 Wallace plant is "out-of-control" in growth! Look at the plant this morning and compare to just 8 days ago!
Click here to see what it looked like on the 14th.
The very first pumpkin to get pollinated on the 5th was open pollinated (by bees) and had been slow growing. It appears to be done so I'm removing it. It actually lost weight during the past few days. Here it was this morning...
It was around 16 pounds. Bye-bye pumpkin!
Yesterday I pollinated two more females using pollen from the 1713 plant. Now, this is very late in the growing season to have newly pollinated pumpkins (at least 3 weeks late). However, that is the only choice with this plant. I'm really excited though! Why? Because one of these pumpkins has SIX lobes (the segmented stigma)! I've NEVER had a six lobed pumpkin! A six lobed pumpkin is rare. I've read reports from professional growers that the more segments (lobes), the greater the potential size of that pumpkin. I sure hope it took (fertilized). I'll know for sure within 4 or 5 days.
The 1257 Wallace plant is going bonkers too. Look at this crazy growth!
The first pumpkin pollinated on this plant (pollen from the 250 Wallace plant) was on the 9th. So, it's now DAP13 (Days After Pollination). This morning the estimated weight was 39 pounds with accelerated growth this past few days! My state fair pumpkin in 2017 was 29 lbs at DAP13. Here was that pumpkin this morning...
At the rate of growth (and increasing exponentially), I would estimate that in a week (DAP20) the weight will be around 160 pounds, or more! That is of course unless issues arise, which is always possible. I did pollinate another one yesterday, just in case. I'll pull that one next week if this first pumpkin continues growing good.
But maybe what is more promising to me is the pumpkin on the 1713 Lancaster plant! The plant is growing rapidly but so is the first pollinated pumpkin. This morning it was at DAY7 and was estimated to be 4.9 pounds. That is heavier at Day7 than the 1257 pumpkin and has a really nice long shape. Here is the pic.....
There is a slight issue as I damaged the top (scraped it) which will manifest into a bigger scar as it grows - but hopefully just a scar and not a deformation. You can see that in the pic, on top near the stem.
I did also pollinate another female down the main vine, just in case. I'll make a decision in about 5 days on what to do.
The 250 Wallace plant is "out-of-control" in growth! Look at the plant this morning and compare to just 8 days ago!
Click here to see what it looked like on the 14th.
The very first pumpkin to get pollinated on the 5th was open pollinated (by bees) and had been slow growing. It appears to be done so I'm removing it. It actually lost weight during the past few days. Here it was this morning...
It was around 16 pounds. Bye-bye pumpkin!
Yesterday I pollinated two more females using pollen from the 1713 plant. Now, this is very late in the growing season to have newly pollinated pumpkins (at least 3 weeks late). However, that is the only choice with this plant. I'm really excited though! Why? Because one of these pumpkins has SIX lobes (the segmented stigma)! I've NEVER had a six lobed pumpkin! A six lobed pumpkin is rare. I've read reports from professional growers that the more segments (lobes), the greater the potential size of that pumpkin. I sure hope it took (fertilized). I'll know for sure within 4 or 5 days.
The 1257 Wallace plant is going bonkers too. Look at this crazy growth!
The first pumpkin pollinated on this plant (pollen from the 250 Wallace plant) was on the 9th. So, it's now DAP13 (Days After Pollination). This morning the estimated weight was 39 pounds with accelerated growth this past few days! My state fair pumpkin in 2017 was 29 lbs at DAP13. Here was that pumpkin this morning...
At the rate of growth (and increasing exponentially), I would estimate that in a week (DAP20) the weight will be around 160 pounds, or more! That is of course unless issues arise, which is always possible. I did pollinate another one yesterday, just in case. I'll pull that one next week if this first pumpkin continues growing good.
But maybe what is more promising to me is the pumpkin on the 1713 Lancaster plant! The plant is growing rapidly but so is the first pollinated pumpkin. This morning it was at DAY7 and was estimated to be 4.9 pounds. That is heavier at Day7 than the 1257 pumpkin and has a really nice long shape. Here is the pic.....
There is a slight issue as I damaged the top (scraped it) which will manifest into a bigger scar as it grows - but hopefully just a scar and not a deformation. You can see that in the pic, on top near the stem.
I did also pollinate another female down the main vine, just in case. I'll make a decision in about 5 days on what to do.
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