Everybody is Chasing the Leader

1622 Young 2009 - 32 DAP

Dave Smith's 1622 Young is now 32 DAP and has an OTT of 176 - with an estimated weight of 126 pounds.  The plant is now protected by a 70% shade cloth that Dave erected over his plot yesterday.

Shade cloth is necessary for any grower wanting to keep a pumpkin growing in the Southwest Desert.  The sun moves overhead early and the long days (12 hours, 38 minutes today) beats down on the plants and sunburn is a constant threat.

Today's temperature reached 87.  Slightly higher than normal for this time of year.  April's average temperature is expected to be 86 degrees (low 60).  May temperatures will average 95 (low 69).

The AZGPG Memorial Day Weigh-Off is being held on May 30 because the average temperature in June is 104 degrees.  Without a temperature controlled environment, our pumpkins historically give up in June.  I expect that we'll all be hanging on in May, hoping to nurse our Giants to the weigh-off on the last Saturday of May.

Be sure to get some shade cloth over your plants.  It will help protect the leaves and fruit of your plant from our intense sun.  Also, be sure to give your plants enough water.  Evaporation is a concern in our Desert.  Consider how quickly you can become dehydrated during this season.  There is a reason we all walk around with a water bottle.  Your plants need you to remember they too can suffer from dehydration.  We don't want your plant to shut down before we get it to the scale.