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Rhode Island

ok all the elections are over sooooooooo it time for paps "state of the giant pumpkin address"or should i call it "the year of the two thousand pounders"?

2014 was a great year for 2,000 pound plus kins "but wait theres more",get ready for another two thousand pound club explosion in 2015. just to may great seeds and committed growers. this hobby is really growing in leaps and bounds.

just a few short years ago you would never have thought 1,500 pounders would be littered all over the charts? amazing what sharing seeds and info has accomplished.

greenhouse growers did very very well again this year. in the interest of continuing a level playing field could we soon be looking at a two catagory contest for indoor and outdoor growers?

we have many different levels of growers when you consider skill,climate and comittment however, the one thing that ties us all together is "love of this hobby".
as long as seeds and knowledge continue to be shared, clubs work together,growers donate top genetic auction seeds,the gpc continues to lead,etc,etc, our hobby will continue to grow.

ps----i have a very big announcement due out before end of year.

thanks, pap wallace

11/9/2014 10:39:32 AM

BC, Canada

Even in the "off season", I get up, make a coffee and have a look at BP while waking up.
What a nice start to the day to read a message by Pap. Thank you
Yes, I think that eventually there will be some judging divisions between greenhouse grown and field grown. But the biggest is still the biggest.
And now I have an excuse to look at BP in the off season,
I'm waiting for the announcement!

11/9/2014 11:01:30 AM

Karns City PA

Very well said Pap , the suspense it already eating at me lol

11/9/2014 11:53:08 AM

Ely Mn

is Ron going to have a little baby brother or sister!? ;)

11/9/2014 12:33:49 PM

Belgium

let start a new category for organic and chemical growers, that would be the same as greenhouse vs no greenhouse, so if you guys have better weather than someone else and that other guy is trying to have same climate as you you will just put him in an other class? that is just ridiculous. You all are experienced enough to know that a greenhouse doesn't make someone a better grower, you can easily grow a bigger pumpkin in CA than in New York, you make a new category for that too?
I never thought jealousy would go that far, even for respected growers this would be very low , the fact alone that someone is suposing it, is just not right, that's like starting a fire

11/9/2014 12:36:39 PM

Torrance, Ca.

lol Dan!

Always fun to read your posts pap!

11/9/2014 12:40:14 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

agree 100% ETM!!!

11/9/2014 1:47:58 PM

Anchorage Alaska

If the Wallaces were't so generous with there seeds over the years , I bet the WR would still be in New England

11/9/2014 2:15:42 PM

Colorado

Were only 5 seasons since Christy grew the first 1700lber. 2014 has 48 pumpkins over 1700, 24 over 1800. One always wonders whats the ceiling on weights and theres no ceiling in sight.

11/9/2014 2:24:36 PM

Colorado

I'm hoping Dick isnt taking over Obamacare

11/9/2014 2:29:53 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

no disrespect Dale but generosity has nothing to do with this. No doubt Beni will grow all of his own seed next year and then look out!! The man just grew 3 WR pumpkins and i'm not quite sure i want to see the results after he gets a fire lit under his ass...lol

11/9/2014 3:00:05 PM

Upa Creek, MO

lol, Cojoe

11/9/2014 3:11:15 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

lots of wealthy people in pumpkin land!!! Build a greenhouse!!!...lol

11/9/2014 3:16:23 PM

Torrance, Ca.

I know of more then a couple guys building some very elaborate greenhouses this winter,,,,,,,, we will see how that all works out.

Its a whole new learning curve once in a greenhouse.......

11/9/2014 4:34:13 PM

Whitehall Montana

I agree with ETM,I use a portable greenhouse and my biggest pumpkin grew outside by itself until first frost ,then I covered it.I had the worst bug problem I ever saw in my greenhouse to.Its a 10 x 20 ft cheapie but without it I couldn't put my plants in the ground until June.

11/9/2014 4:48:32 PM

Bethlehem CT

Was this years world record the first ever greenhouse grown world record?

11/9/2014 5:41:42 PM

Muddy Waters

Whats funny is the greenhouse had very little to do with Benis success.There are disadvantages to green house growing,like disease issues.its not the greenhouse getting the results its the feeding program & methods that are outting him over the top.I like my screenhouse for various reasons.The reality is Don Barron was only 30 lbs behind me growing outside with 2 kins.My 3rd biggest was grown outside 1641 lbs.Beni could grow outside & get the same results,but the greenhouses are there why not use them.Just my not so humble opinion.

11/9/2014 6:22:49 PM

Whitehall Montana

I like my portable greenhouse just even for hail protection as we only average 1-2 inches of moisture during summer months and that usually comes in the form of 1-3 storms.

11/9/2014 7:00:25 PM

Colorado

Greenhouses affect temperatures.You cant play ball if your temps are too cool. The green house had a lot to do with Beni's success

11/9/2014 7:59:41 PM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

For the record I do not support separate categories ie) greenhouse vs non greenhouse.....however, I can't help but notice contradictions in this post and others regarding the debate.

1. If it weren't beneficial, why choose a greenhouse?

2. Carl posts "There was a time not so long ago when I realized that in order to compete with the valley boys and other growers throughout with varied climates that changes would have to be made or find a new hobby .Set out to build 2 greenhouses in 2011 at an expense of $5000!" Carl, before building your greenhouse you grew a 1280 and John grew a 1356 outside I believe, pretty competitive I think. Your best was grown in a greenhouse. You grew an unofficial WR field pumpkin in a greenhouse your first try.

3. Gerard Ansems lives in the valley yet grows in a a greenhouse and outside. With such perfect conditions, why choose greenhouse growing.

4. Mark, you know I love you bud, but you post how your 3RD biggest was grown outside, but your biggest two were grown inside.

5. Beni's giants were greenhouse grown. If that doesn't make a statement I don't know what else to say.

If you are blessed and have optimal growing conditions outside, good for you. If you have the necessity and means to grow in a greenhouse to even the playing field, good for you. I repeat, I don't support separate growing categories, but please don't tell me that greenhouse growing doesn't improve your odds if you already posess the knowledge and experience.

11/9/2014 9:49:01 PM

norway , maine

I'm with Andy on this one !

11/9/2014 9:55:29 PM

Prairie Du Sac Wi

I'm unable to build green houses because of the location I rent to grow. And I'm too poor.lol. but I would hate to have them two facts affect growers that can. Size is size. End of story ( in my book ). Maybe Beni will see this and we can challenge him to grow an extra plant outdoors to see what difference it makes for him. With so many variables I think the grower and their choices for the care of their plants should be left alone.
Just my thoughts:-)

11/9/2014 10:04:02 PM

Lexington, Ky

I sure hope that the announcement isn't that you and Ron aren't growing

11/9/2014 10:09:03 PM

Anchorage Alaska

no worries Carl.. but Beni seemed to jump to the next level once the 2009 genetics got into his line -up .. yikes.. the man really has got it tuned in .. Mark is right when he says its the grower and not the greenhouse..but the two together can be awesome

11/9/2014 10:13:14 PM

Prairie Du Sac Wi

One more thought. Wouldn't starting are plants in a cold frame be considered a partial indoor grow? How would that work? It wouldn't work!

11/9/2014 10:15:24 PM

west central IN/East central IL

Pap and Ron are finally getting a greenhouse;)

11/9/2014 11:19:30 PM

The White House

so if you grow on the North Pole you can't have a greenhouse?

11/10/2014 1:44:21 AM

Netherlands

Well said ETM.

11/10/2014 2:57:44 AM

Weatherman

Pap is running for president!

11/10/2014 5:56:08 AM

nOVA sCOTIA

Andy.I know you have followed my diary for years and i also know you remember my plants demolished every single year from extremely high winds.The year i grew the 1280 a beautiful healthy 800sqft plant growing off the 1475 Reveir was ripped to shreds by high winds on aug 29.Pumpkin plants will not make it through the season in my area on the outside simple as that.With the high wind comes salt spray off the atlantic which will pretty much finish off what is left. How about spring weather? Do you think spring weather in the valley is behind us? I can tell you we are usually 2-3 weeks behind which in my mind adds up to lots and lots of pumpkin pounds!! I built the greenhouses with wind protection in mind only Andy...the heat that came with it was a bonus!

11/10/2014 11:59:43 AM

Muddy Waters

The greenhouses are good & help but my point Andy was 2 of my kins grew inside the 1609 & the 1395.5,were beat by the (outside)1641.How did that happen?? So its 2 were bigger 2 were smaller then the outside kin.If you put me in Napa Valley I wouldnt need the screenhouse.I like it for deer & woodchuck protection more then anything.I built it in 2001 to get rid of the SVBs back before we knew about merit.

11/10/2014 12:37:50 PM

Muddy Waters

I would like to hear how much Beni considers the greenhouse to have helped.I will be surprised if he gives it much credit.Its the feeding program/weather.I hope to prove this next season as I will grow 3 plants outside & 4 inside,Im going all kins in 2015 and Long gourds.Thats it.No distractions.

11/10/2014 12:41:02 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

CoJoe nailed it...better weather control...Heat at night

11/10/2014 12:46:19 PM

Eganville, Ontario

The night heat has to be huge. Up here it was really cold at night for June and July and even most of August. It would have been nice to keep the days heat.

I think though during the sunny days a greenhouse would be work. It's certainly not set it and forget it. Too much heat would be more of a problem as not enough heat. It's certainly not a cake walk if you buy yourself a greenhouse.

They would take time, and lots of watching. I don't think I could have a job with all the time needed for perfect adjustments...looking at some of the top growers, I'm thinking I'd have to quit my job in order to put in enough time. That could be the biggest difference from top to average grower.

I haven't figured out how to live on $1000 average annual winnings yet.

11/10/2014 2:59:35 PM

Langley, British Columbia

On page 4 of the December 2013 Sngpg's newsletter.

When asked about his greenhouse Beni says;

""The growing season is too short here in Switzerland to grow outdoors and compete on a world class level""

11/10/2014 3:06:55 PM

Muddy Waters

Thx Spambie

11/10/2014 5:26:06 PM

Minnesota

Their moving to Switzerland to grow with Beni,,,,,,,,,,,,,suspense is killing me!

11/10/2014 5:43:08 PM

Farming- a bunch of catastrophies that result in a lifestyle

While I haven't been a AG grower long, I've spent the last 14 years as a grower with their own greenhouse.
There are a TON of challenges to growing in a greenhouse, pumpkin or otherwise. Temperature, moisture, and disease being the big three. Depending on the crop a greenhouse can be a bonus or a deficit.
Last year I grew an over winter project pumpkin in the greenhouse as an experiment to get my "feet wetter" in the AG arena. Mother nature presents some unique challenges in the greenhouse as day and night temps have to be tightly controlled in regards to Sun vs dark to prevent "stretch". Days that are cloudy/sunny suck eggs because one minute the temp is perfect, then the sun pops out and your running to keep them from getting to hot. Each environment presents different challenges. Growers in the "greenhouse" industry will say the same thing: 'know your crop and your crop needs'.

11/11/2014 6:29:03 AM

Seattle, WA

If there was an organic vs chem or hybrid category, that would be cool for those of us that choose not to use chemicals.

11/11/2014 2:47:11 PM

Northern California Foothills

Seriously, a "level" playing field?

Is it fair that if I don't have an 8ft fence around it basically anything I grow the deer would devour? This when most growers that complain about deer damage are talking about vine tips being eaten when the have NO fencing around their plants.

Is it fair that my location has poor soil and receives next to no rainfall? This when some growers could plop a plant in unimproved soil with no irrigation and basically forget about it and end up with a 500+pound pumpkin.

I have conditions that aren't fair but I don't think there should be a separate category for me.

Success is largely due to circumstance rather than ability.

11/11/2014 3:44:26 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

i apologize if you think i muddied your post...if you look back i think etm was the first to reply to your post. No call out to him???????

11/11/2014 4:11:02 PM

Whitehall Montana

I just love to watch them grow,its great fun and always enjoy the challenge in.side or out

11/11/2014 4:19:22 PM

Lymington UK

I can see both sides of this story as the same thing happened to Stuart and myself at our local show, everyone thought we had an unfair advantage because we grow plants for a living. Our problem is that we have pumpkin sickness and it doesn’t matter how bad some years have been we just have to plant again and again. On a plus side we do try to do our very best to help other growers out and if we all do the same we are going to have some very happy patches next year.

11/11/2014 4:39:47 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Spoken like a true giant grower Ian:)

11/11/2014 5:48:15 PM

Halifax, PA

I believe success is a result of our ability to manage our circumstances and the only thing stopping us from overcoming our bad circumstances is our level of passion and commitment to do so.

11/11/2014 7:08:39 PM

East Jordan, MI

Well said Paul (obie1) I couldn't agree more.

11/11/2014 7:49:46 PM

Northern California Foothills

I agree with Obie1 except that money is a barrier for many. Passion and commitment cannot completely make up for a lack of sufficient funds.

11/12/2014 10:24:12 PM

Elk County, PA

Is this the same big news????

"I will have an opportunity to record a radio interview with Mr. Ron Wallace about Giant Pumpkin growing early next week. He has some big news about things that have helped him grow bigger pumpkins over the years."

11/14/2014 8:28:27 PM

Partlow,Va

Pap, Thanks for the state of the giant pumpkin address...and thank you, Ron and the SNEGPG for all that you have done to help make the state of the giant pumpkins what they are today!

11/14/2014 10:44:21 PM