Pumpkin Transport

The weigh off date is tentatively Oct 3rd, 1 month from now.  Between now and then, I have to figure out a way to transport it, safely, to Mark's house.  After a visit to harbor freight for a basic moving dolly, and some elastic netting, I used other 'found' materials around the house...

Step 1- dolly and cargo net

Step 2 - reinforce the top of the bed

Steps 3-4, reinforce the bottom of the bed, and add handles to lift it into the Jeep.

Step 5 - added padding (thermarest) to keep from too much jarring, and tested cargo net in order to keep the pumpkin in place... but since the pumpkin is about the size of 5-6 basketballs, will need one more cargo net and will tie them together.

Visit from Mark

Mark checked out the pumpkin over the weekend.  After putting a spell on my pumpkin, it only managed 1/2" of growth for the weekend.  With 85-90 degree temps the next several days, however, am hoping to close the final 5" gap between our pumpkins in the last 4 weeks.

Overview

This gives a little perspective on the size of the pumpkin at this point... on a slope, which I'll do better to correct next year, with a stronger platform.  You can also make out some the powdery mildew that will take over all of the leaves in few more weeks.

Weekend Update

A reminder of what this pumpkin is growing off of, 2 feet from the main root... the main vine snapped in half, and still held on.  Good lesson not to give up early.

This was an MT that never really put on any size... but being near the compost pile and moisture, was really just a matter of time before the slugs took over.  ~25 lbs.

Overhead shot... I need to put something near it for scale.  Should be ~118 lbs here, 73.5" around.

The MT at 44.5" (~40 lbs) below a mammoth sunflower

Closing the gap ever so slowly... but Mark's is likely a bit heavier due to the thickness of his skin.  We're both battling powdery mildew at this point, too... using GreenCure on a weekly basis to try and knock it down.

Breaching Hundreds

Shows the true size of Mark's pumpkin, pushing over 130 lbs with really solid (like knocking on a tree) side walls.  Measured 78" yesterday.

At ~100 lbs and almost 70" this morning, my pumpkin is outgrowing the platform on one side, and too big to re-situate at this point without risking breaking the main vine.

So I added reinforcements of mill fabric around the side and shoulder today - ready for 10-15" or more of additional growth.  =)