WAY Ahead of Schedule!

The first post of the 2021 giant pumpkin growing season can be read here if your interested.

I've grown or attempted to grow Atlantic Giant Pumpkins for a number of years but started to get more serious and dedicated to the process in 2016 after I learned that seeds of GIANT pumpkins could fetch a pretty good price and after Donovan Mader of Garden City grew a Kansas State Fair record pumpkin in 2015 weighing in a 1034 pounds.  That following year (2016) my attempt was 243 pounds (previous pumpkins were less than 100 pounds).  I figured out a few things and in 2017 I grew a pumpkin that weighed 542.5 pounds and that one took 2nd in the Kansas State Fair (Mader's was around 725 pounds that year).  Then in 2018 I struggled with the upkeep but managed a 497 pounder but then in 2019 I basically gave up early after I neglected the patch for a few weeks (I was busy with life).

Last year was a pretty good season considering there were many issues early on.  The two biggest pumpkins were 595 pounds (personal best) and 505 pounds.  The stems on both pumpkins were split (I didn't notice until harvest), otherwise I would bet they would have been way bigger.  

Last year the Kansas state record (not state fair but the actual Kansas pumpkin record) was set by Jacob Maritzer of Westmoreland Kansas weighing in at 1,990 pounds!  He even had another that tipped the scales at 1,612 pounds!  Granted he has a huge advantage.  His pumpkins grow in a greenhouse that are protected by Kansas weather.  My pumpkins are subjected to extreme southwest Kansas weather including wild temperature swings, very hot daytime air, lack of rainfall, wind, hail, etc..  But still, if a guy (Mader) in Garden City can grow a 1,000 pound pumpkin, why can't I?  Mr. Marintzer in Westmoreland has invested a lot of money into growing giants (the greenhouse, amendments, fans, a drip irrigation system that is dialed in, a fertilizer system, a lot of luck, etc.) and has a ton of experience.  We emailed back and forth a few times late last fall and he gave me a few suggestions.  Those suggestions included adding tons of sand, removing trees, and getting several soil tests.  The only one that is out of the question is removing trees.  I just can't do it! Well, I actually did remove some hybrid willows that were put in before the Austrian Pine trees got big.

Wow this ending up long winded!  Yikes!

In the first post I did, I had mentioned that as of May 27th the pumpkins were WAY ahead of anything I previously had.   Despite the fact that the earliest I have ever pollinated a pumpkin was July 8, my goal this year was June 20th.  That would be quite a feat - BUT I beat that data!  This morning (17th) the first female flower was pollinated!  A female on the main vine (but only about 12 feet out) opened on the 1990 Marintzer (yes a seed from the Kansas record)!  I pollinated it with pollen from the 1989.5 Daletas.  That is probably not the best choice as the 1989.5 Daletas was the mother to the 1990 Marintzer.   I will also pollinate another female down the vine that should be ready in about 3 days.  I'll use pollen from probably the 450 Clements.  Then I'll give the growth about a week to see which is growing faster and looking better.  Here was that pollinated flower this morning....


...and the parent plant.....

1990 Marintzer as of 6/17/21

The chair is in place to protect the young pumpkin from the scorching June sun

In the previous post I showed a picture of the 595 Hutton plant that looked very sick (wilting).  I did discover the stem near the base was split.  However, that pumpkin plant has made a remarkable recovery!  I may have a pumpkin to pollinate on that one in about a week.


The other two plants are also looking very good!  However, they have shown a lot of heat stress during the afternoon hours (over 100 degrees the past 2 days) showing severe wilting late in the day.  I'm still  optimistic that the developing root system can "catch up" and they will be fine.

The 450 Clements as of 6/17/21


The 1989.5 Daletas as of 6/17/21


The new irrigation system (drip tape for secondary vines and emitters for the main vine) should make a difference this season.  Plus I have a fertilizer injector system that I will incorporate very soon.  My goal has always been a 1/2 ton pumpkin.  I think I'm off to a pretty good start but there is a L O N G way to go.  I've got to watch for insects though!


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