This is going to be close!

 In the previous post on the 17th (read it here) the 1990 Marintzer was gaining a putrid 10 pounds a day (that is low for an Atlantic Giant pumpkin) and as of this morning the average weight gain has dropped to around 5 pounds a day.  One reason is probably the brutal SW Kansas weather that has occurred this past 2 weeks.  This morning the pumpkin taped out ~923 pounds. 


I had planned on entering the pumpkin in the Kansas State Fair on the 9th.  But, today I found out that the deadline to enter has come and gone (it was POORLY advertised)!  Boy that sucks!  Even removing the pumpkin by the 9th, I still think it will be close to 1000 pounds by then.  The taped measurement is a little difficult to make given the size so that 923 pounds is only an estimate.  On the other hand, the genetics of this pumpkin are "heavy" meaning it just might actually weigh more than the measurement would suggest.  UGH!

As mentioned, the SW KS weather has been unfavorable for pumpkin growing.  There have been a lot of blast furnace days (100 degrees plus and 30-40 mph winds).  The plant leaves are getting pretty ragged from the heat and wind and honestly pretty old too.  There could be decent growing weather in September, so if I left this pumpkin grow until frost I would bet another 100-150 pounds or so could be added.  I won't know since it won't be taking a trip to Hutchinson.

The other pumpkin plants are also seeing heat and wind stress but honestly are not that bad given the time of the season and the weather that has been unfavorable.  

As of today, August 30th....

1989.5 Deletas...~734 pounds  (note the vine/stem interface where it split.  I screwed up on this as I should have adjusted how the pumpkin was laying early on.)


450 Clements (secondary vine)...~444 pounds  (It's almost to the weight of the parent plant pumpkin)


450 Clements (main vine)...~391 pounds  

No picture.  I should have removed this pumpkin early on in favor of the other one growing on the secondary vine (even though growing on a secondary is less favorable).

595 Hutton (weird shape)...~378 pounds

No  picture.  This is a very long pumpkin so I'm not confident of the estimated weight.  

So, unless I find a contest, I guess all of these pumpkins will remain on the vine through September.  There was an event in Woodward, OK this past weekend but I could not enter because those entering had to reside in Woodward County.  The winner was a 386 pound pumpkin.  The prize was $1,000.  If I could have entered, I would have taken that bigger Clements pumpkin (the 444 pounder).  Garsh darnit I could have used that cash!


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