Half Moon Bay, California proved our luck this year as we were lucky enough to take first place among 80 competitors, 10 of whom weighed more than 1,000 pounds each. Columbus Day marks our weigh-off and we stay until after Labor Day for participation in HMB Pumpkin Fest on Labor Day weekend.
Over 250,000 people flock to this small coastal community each year for its parade, music, food and fun events. A California beach theme was chosen for this float’s design, including dune buggies, surfboards and an impressive sand dune.
Our 1,229-pound pumpkin was displayed atop a hill of white sand, while I rode through HMB on a beach chair sitting right beside it. As part of our prize package for our winner and his family, they received two nights at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, situated amidst an outstanding golf course with panoramic ocean views – quite an unforgettable experience!! Additionally, in this video are visits to top Northwest grower pumpkin patches.
At one point I had eight pumpkins that were on track to weigh 1,000 pounds or more! Unfortunately, five days of intense rainfall put many prospects onto growth curves that couldn’t sustain themselves; structural defects like sag lines, blossom splits and stem splits all took their toll.
After one month from fruit set, my best prospect was on an 846 Calai vine that was over 100 pounds larger than any pumpkin I have grown before at 30 days; unfortunately it blossom end split and became less viable as an option. Soon thereafter, the 1,260 Weir pumpkin became my top contender, reaching an estimated 911 pounds by 45 days.
The 1,260 was on an aggressive growth curve that would have easily reached over 1,500 pounds had some heavy rain not caused its stem to split open on August 12th. Unfortunately, after being subject to heavy downpours it succumbed and became an empty cavity on that date.
On August 28th, I had one on the Bobier 723 that estimated 1,184 pounds and was still growing over 21 pounds per day when it blossom end split. On September 2nd I weighed it officially as 1,194 pounds; another at 1,127 pounds developed a pinhole at its sag line/rib interface which I then had “unofficially only weighed at Puyallup Fair on September 10th. Without the unusually heavy August rains that we rarely experience, more prospects may have made it through to maturity during that month; I think several more may have survived through to maturity this season than they have done so far.
After amending my soil in spring with commercial fertilizer, I exclusively utilized our Soluble Seaweed, Soluble Fish and Biomin Calcium products throughout the season. Furthermore, Bio-Endo Plus (endomycorrizal fungi) was applied in my potting soil, planting hole and at each leaf axil on at least the main vine of each plant.
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