Gardners Gone Wild

[MountainDon]

I was going to post this under the Garden Thread, but didn't want to drift it too badly.

I am an inveterate book reader.    The first thing I check when going to the library is to check the new arrivals shelf. Yesterday I found a terrific book. Backyard Giants is the name, Susan Warren the author.

The subtitle: "The Passionate, Heartbreaking, and Glorious Quest to Grow the Biggest Pumpkin Ever."

Over the years I've noted the newspaper special interest articles where someone grows a huge pumpkin and breaks a local or world record. I never realized the single minded obsessive nature of the growers. The books written in a humorous vein. It covers a year in the life of an obsessive pumpkin grower. These people will literally go to any length to grow huge pumpkins.

I'm 80 pages into the 240 or so page book. I've developed strange thoughts about replacing the synthetic turf in the backyard with a few cubic yards of assorted animal dung...   :-/

FYI, the current 2007 world record is 1689 pounds. My NM state record is a paltry 311 pounds.  :'(  You can check your state record at    http://www.backyardgardener.com/record.html

The book, with reviews, etc at amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Backyard-Giants-Passionate-Heartbreaking-Glorious/dp/1596912782/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-5982887-5612748?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192770128&sr=8-1

[glenn kangiser]

I think you should go for it, Don.  You can even leave and have it watered if you put an electronic hose timer on it - you probably already have a high tech sprinkler system though

[MountainDon]

Two unused circuits on the controller!    Only used to control drips now though. 4 different shrub and tree circuits in use.

[MountainDon]

I wish my mountains were warmer, longer. I'd try up there for sure. It would be a definite hoot to grow a huge gourd!!

This would be a cool thing I think. Karen has expressed interest as well. (that's DW) We'll have to see what insanity winter develops.  :-/  

There are websites that specialize in selling seeds from the previous years gargantuan progeny.

From the book, to illustrate the lengths the serious addicts will go to... a single seed from one of the years largest near misses has auctioned for as much as $425.00!!!    

[glenn kangiser]

That is an expensive seed.

We do all drip here - not enough water to do it any other way -- even that is 500+ gpd.

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

Good luck Don.  Winter brings on all sorts of gardening insanity... it would be fun to grow a really huge pumpkin, though.  My kids saw the pictures of one of the contests for the biggest one this year, and they are wanting to try to grow one next year.    Usually they are happiest with the Kakai pumpkins, though, because of the hull-less seeds... they love toasted pumpkin seeds with tamari and cayenne pepper, and of course, there's enough flesh on those little pumpkins for all the pumpkin stew and curry and bread we can handle, too.  When I asked my 4-yr-old what we'd do with one of those giant pumpkins, she promptly replied that we'd make thousands of pumpkin pies and give them to everyone who doesn't have anything to eat.

[benevolance]

500 GPD!

holy crap.... I water the garden and the fruit trees by hand... and i was pouring maybe 25 gallons out a day

of course we usually get a decent amount of rain (severe drought here this year, down 14 inches of rainfall at least)

[glenn kangiser]

The sun beats down here and it takes that to keep from stressing the plants too much.  Could use more.  Nearly no ground water  - moisture here at the top of the ridge.  There is a damp area below the spring a quarter mile down hill.

[MountainDon]

Most of the world record setting pumkins have come from New England. Maybe all, I don't quire recall. Some big ones grown in Northern CA, OR and WA too IIRC.

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

We seem to have better luck growing them here in WI than in OK... maybe too hot and dry there?
Gotta run.  My kid just took off out the back door barefoot in shorts and a tank top... it might be 50 degrees here today... dadgummit.

[glenn kangiser]

Our watermelons didn't do much here this year.  Other melons did fair but our squash generally do pretty good.  We have quite a few blue Hubbards that should top 15 lbs and many others that are a bit smaller.  Spaghetti squash from small to large - some acorns and Butternuts and some weird one about 8" dia -dark green shaped like a pumpkin.  Many of them split though.

I'll try to gather them all up and get a pix soon - but we are already eating on them .