Pumpkin Nerd Updates

This is where we capture the data for daily circumference measuring.  If anyone is interested, the formula is above for how to calculate in Excel or a google doc - it starts working when a pumpkin is over 16" or so - good rough estimate on a fairly round pumpkin.

Mark still breaking new records daily... another heat wave this week, so I'm hoping to close that gap.

Kai getting smaller and smaller in comparison to Mark's pumpkin...

Protecting my pumpkin from vine scratches

Maybe Baby, Maybe...

Trying to catch Mark is going to be tough.  He's already broken our prior record, and is probably over 100 lbs now.  The angle of this picture doesn't do it justice- Kai is now dwarfed by it.  =)

For mine, growth coming on quick now... 10 days behind Mark now, but growing 3-4"+ per day, about 45 lbs now, adding 4-8 lbs per day.  Loosened the main vine near the stem- wanted to keep the tap-roots nearby, so I just dug down under them a ways, and raised the soil.  Skin is still very supple, so I'm hoping no slugs are taking up residence under it.  At this rate, going to have to build a bigger platform, good problem to have I suppose.  I do like how well the sunflowers went with the pumpkins this year, will do that next time, too.

Also have a decent size prizewinner in the front yard, so 4 total right now (Hester, MT x2, Prizewinner)... hopefully get a couple more carving ones going soon.

Charting fun

Growth to date... comparing against our largest pumpkins from previous years.  Pretty obvious that records are going to broken this year, the only question is if I can catch Mark...

A question easily answered with some rosy projections of growth... which won't happen, because we'd both be over 500 lbs at that point.  It's just a matter of when we'll level off this year.

Hyper Growth Phase, Round 2

Added sun shade to keep the skin tender, growing at 2-3" + per day right now, about a week behind Mark...

Mark's already sailed past last year's record, and is over 90 lbs as of today, 66.25" around.  Should be over 100 lbs by the weekend!

Hyper growth time

Mill fabric under Hester #2... growing a little faster, and on main vine (versus Hester #1, which is off side vine).  A little riskier since it's on a slope and the main vine is cracked, but no risk, no reward.  =)  About 10 lbs here... versus Mark at ~40 lbs.

Vine as a whole looking great, in the pattern I was hoping for, but wanted it to fill in the brown grass area, too.  Still, with 175 leaves on right now, should be able to push out 100 lbs+

Cast-off island coming along nicely- good MT pumpkin on the vine already, pollinated another, too.  Backup in case Hester fails.

Hester #1... might be the last photo of it, as it's getting culled tonight to focus on Hester #2.  Both are about 28" and 13 pounds right now.  Warm weather on the way, into the 80's and 90's.  Applied first anti-powdery mildew spray this morning.