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Eddyz@efirehose.net

Joe, Ken and myself are going to try and really streamline the Featured Grower Chat by pre qualifying questions.
So with all your help, please post your questions here and the list will be presented to the grower so as not to put them in the hot seat and they will be able to pre answer the questions in advance and these answers will be posted during the chat session
Joe Ailts will be the moderator and Ken will be announcing the date and time in the next few days.
We may hit a few bumps but we will work through it as this is the first attempt, so bear with us

So what would you ask Ron Wallace ????

12/2/2015 9:14:29 PM

Austin MN

What is the biggest thing you have learned to do in the last 5 years?

12/2/2015 9:23:31 PM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

Okee doke.....so how many 2009 plants would/ did you go with? Did you weed out the weak performers and go with just one plant. ie) did you start out with multiple 2009 plants and select the best performer or was it a matter of plant treatments or supplements along the way. Nature or nurture, was your best genetically inclined to do well or did you nurture the best to achieve it's potential. Long time listener, first time caller..

12/2/2015 9:33:48 PM

Muddy Waters

What is the most important 3 products you use to insure your plants stay disease free.

12/2/2015 9:58:25 PM

Michigan

Before you start your season, what numbers do you like to see your calcium and boran at?

12/2/2015 10:15:50 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

I've been going to ask Ron this for some time but now with his WOW products it maybe more appropriate. I know this maybe time consuming but what is the chance of a quick note of what you did each day throughout the growing season. like products are you using and how much.

12/2/2015 10:53:36 PM

Citrus Heights, CA

Ron, Can you explain how you insure that you're getting the most weight gain in regards to plant watering?

12/3/2015 12:38:37 AM

Minnesota

How much water per plant a day, a rough average. 100 gallons, 150 gallons a day?

12/3/2015 4:49:40 AM

Hanson Ma

Do you use systemics? How do you protect bees for all your other plants/trees?

12/3/2015 5:51:33 AM

Gays Mills, Wisconsin

Use any synthetic hormone products like Anthesis or BigStem?
Use any products or techniques specifically for their hormone capabilities?

12/3/2015 7:14:40 AM

Do you use Plant Growth Regulators? If so which ones, at what rates and when? Thanks

12/3/2015 7:17:22 AM

Oops guess I was typing while you posted Cornhusk!

12/3/2015 7:18:34 AM

Central NY

If you were workin one patch with good dirt on a desert island that got exactly 1" of water per week and you could only fly in your supply's in one trip , what would your shopping list consist of to get you to the end..including water?

12/3/2015 7:26:42 AM

Central Illinois

What are you doing when covering nodes(vine burying), whats in the mix you are using,what technique do you use to drench your plant

12/3/2015 7:41:07 AM

Central Illinois

What type of bloom fert do you use, is it done daily or weekly, dry or liquid application

12/3/2015 7:43:27 AM

Minnesota

Your a Culinary Chef, how do you cook a great Steak! and what's your favorite Beer? (actual questions I would probably ask Ron Wallace if I ever met him.)

12/3/2015 7:59:06 AM

Germany

How much secondaries do you have behind and infront of your fruit and when do you terminate the vines?

12/3/2015 10:09:10 AM

Georgetown, Ontario

this may be similar to what BamBam is asking, but I have heard that the time of day you water is very important to achieving the biggest % heavy to chart. When do you do most of your watering? ... and do you feed them milk, turn them to keep them round, and how many pies do you get out of a big one?

12/3/2015 10:25:33 AM

NE Arkansas

just would like to know what his soil test numbers are at the beginning and end of a season to get an idea of how high to start and how much the plant uses.

12/3/2015 10:32:57 AM

Mn

What do you believe sets you and other top growers apart from other pumpkin growers? Also, is Kelly Rippa getting better looking with age?

12/3/2015 10:42:25 AM

Vermont

What disease control products do you use and how often are they applied? What beneficial organisms/products do you use and how often?

12/3/2015 1:00:20 PM

west central IN/East central IL

How often do you add mycorrhizae or root shield throughout the season, if you do?

12/3/2015 1:01:20 PM

Ireland

Have you ever used silica or would you consider using it?
Micheál

12/3/2015 1:55:41 PM

Colorado

Hey champ. Do you do any traditional fertilizing during the season(water soluble) and are you thinking any of the non mycho. biologicals are helping put on that championship extra pounds. eg trichoderma,bacillus subtillus,harpine protein etc.

12/3/2015 2:05:16 PM

Western ny

what would couse the bottom of a pumpkin to CUP on the bottom side ?? pumpkin was about 1150 lbs----was grown on mill paper ---it did it 2 yrs in a row

12/3/2015 3:18:12 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Has your watering style changed in the last 3 years and if so,,, how ?

12/3/2015 3:36:52 PM

Minot North Dakota

Hi Ron, Congrats on a great year. What is your ideal pollination date? Thank You

12/3/2015 7:07:39 PM

Massachusetts

I understand that you used a moisture probe to monitor soil moisture and control watering this year. Could you tell us more about that setup? A Watermark moisture probe and handheld reader? or what type of system did you use?

12/3/2015 7:24:48 PM

Central NY

What explains the giant leap in weight increases in these giants over the last decade....What is the key to unlocking that 2500lb mark?....

12/3/2015 7:28:49 PM

Central NY

Where did all the bungee cords go this year?...I also have someone to thank for that idea last year...

12/3/2015 7:30:38 PM

San Diego

I would really like to know what he likes to see on his soil test as far as ratios go.

12/4/2015 2:39:24 AM

Central Illinois

Boxers or briefs in the patch don't tell us if its commando

12/4/2015 7:52:51 AM

JACKSON, WISCONSIN. ; )

Do you use milk, powdered milk, how do you turn you pumpkins, the best way to work on plants at night.. Head lamp.. Lantern..

12/4/2015 8:41:08 AM

JACKSON, WISCONSIN. ; )

Ron will like those questions from me.....lol

12/4/2015 8:41:28 AM

Central NY

How and how often are you monitoring ph?..where do you like it at?

12/4/2015 9:29:51 AM

Central NY

Will you and pap be getting into the hydroponic game?

12/4/2015 9:30:27 AM

Central NY

Tomatoes... How can we beat fabrice next year?

12/4/2015 9:32:29 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

Will the Bills make the postseason playoffs this year?

12/4/2015 11:06:22 AM

New Richmond WI

Hi Ron! What is your favorite part(s) growing giants besides making it to the scale?

12/4/2015 1:02:56 PM

Aberdeen

Do you alternate soil plots or just continually amend the same ones?

12/4/2015 1:23:16 PM

Coventry RI USA

Wiz, I am afraid we will be home for the playoffs for the 16th straight season :(

That did make me LOL along with a few other ?? Most of these questions are very good, bring them on !

12/4/2015 1:56:50 PM

weed control . do you still grow cover crop early ahead of plant then till in at what point also after that what do you use stirrup hoe? or tiller or roundup at what time frame
calcium use. is it most gypsum when (month) so do you add or is there other types also
humic or fulvic acids when how
reality tv show you ever been interviewed would you take the deal if it ever got off the ground
how about ron traveling around a bit farther kinda equall opportunity weighoff threat lol

12/4/2015 3:25:19 PM

Weatherman

Hi Ron, do you still have the GTO?

12/4/2015 3:35:02 PM

Coventry RI USA

Yes Dr, 389 tri power 4 speed!

12/4/2015 5:36:35 PM

Portland, OR

What is your ideal fruit set distance from the stump?
How long do you let your secondaries grow?

12/4/2015 5:44:24 PM

Portland, OR

When setting up your patch, you used a lot of Humic Acid. How much do you add each fall?


If you had to pick 1, which do you feel is more important, Soil chemistry or Soil biology?

12/4/2015 6:29:22 PM

Central NY

what are the two products you absolutely would not go without ?

12/4/2015 8:45:49 PM

Central NY

Could you take strahan in a fight?

12/4/2015 8:48:33 PM

Ohio

If you could only have three products in the early stage of plant growth. (before pollination) what would they be and why? Then only three products from pollination to weigh off what would they be and why?

12/4/2015 9:58:05 PM

Central NY

Is a vine with a kink in it a big deal ?

12/4/2015 10:07:59 PM

Central NY

Do you have any secret pruning techniques ?main vs no main?

12/4/2015 10:09:44 PM

Ham Lake, Minnesota

Ron, the 2009 seed is the undisputed champion of all seeds. My question is when this seed becomes extinct and if we don't see another world record before then from another seed, where do we go? Most seeds coming close in the 2100's have 2009 in the genetics already. What seeds or crosses are exciting your interest for the future?

12/4/2015 10:52:24 PM

Rhode Island

ron is it true your dad taught you everything you know?
does he really work on his plants in the nude?

12/5/2015 9:54:58 AM

Muddy Waters

Do the Organic gasses from Paps rear help feed the Beneficial s?? LOL!

12/5/2015 10:01:47 AM

Eddyz@efirehose.net

UPDATE
We would like to ask that all questions be asked by Monday Night December 7th so Joe has a chance to get these questions done up for Ron and also give Ron a chance to answer them ahead of time.
There will also be an open forum at the end of the featured growers chat to allow for new questions. And I believe Ron has an announcement to make at that time about the 2016 season.

12/5/2015 10:08:06 AM

Whitehall Montana

over the years,how did you determine what seeds to use to keep your seed line consistantly grow bigger each year leading to the 2009 and what were the product changes along the way that really helped in over all growth?

12/5/2015 10:47:55 AM

Oak Grove, Mn

A question for all the HD growers out there. We all know the biggest you have grown. What is the prettiest you have grown?

12/5/2015 10:54:21 AM

Weatherman

Ron, El Nino is here 50° in December, Can pap keep his beer cold?.lol

12/5/2015 1:23:37 PM

Central NY

How many pounds of mykos per plant would u recommend ?...

12/5/2015 4:03:33 PM

Central NY

Any general advice for folks totally new to the hobby?

12/5/2015 4:04:14 PM

Central NY

Are you afraid of eddys setup?...

12/5/2015 4:11:18 PM

Torrance, Ca.

I'm very afraid of Eddy's set up.

12/5/2015 5:10:05 PM

Minnesota

What was the first ag seed you grow, how heavy, and what did you think of your first time growing them.

12/5/2015 6:19:11 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

Steve Sperry
Gene McMullen
Joe Jutras

12/5/2015 7:05:56 PM

Eddyz@efirehose.net

Ron
What is the difference between Myko's and Pumpkin Pro or are they just brand names

12/5/2015 7:29:44 PM

North Smithfield, RI

Is giant pumpkin growing an exact science ?

12/5/2015 7:39:07 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

sorry guy's wrong post above...

12/5/2015 7:42:57 PM

Central NY

Do you ever into panic mode growing these?.. For what reasons?

12/5/2015 8:25:48 PM

50 Acres

at how many days growth do you decide which is a keeper and which will be culled ? thank you.

12/5/2015 8:54:09 PM

Central NY

Any thoughts on using RO water?

12/6/2015 2:08:42 PM

West Pa

Pap posted some time ago that the Wallace’s applied 0-0-50 when burying vines. Do you still use 0-0-50 when burry vines? If so, could you elaborate more on the use of 0-0-50.

12/6/2015 3:58:51 PM

Nova Scotia

Do you use a EC meter and if so what numbers do you keep in check?

12/6/2015 8:31:14 PM

Johnston, Iowa

What am I probably not doing that I should be

12/6/2015 9:59:59 PM

B.C. Canada

Hi Ron after starting a seed what do you look for in the seedling to indicate that it has a good start and has the potential to be some thing Big....( I know genetics plays a big part but I have found not all seeds of one pumpkin performs like it siblings....) just my thought.

12/7/2015 12:30:57 AM

Central NY

Lol... Pumpkman Dan..great question

12/7/2015 9:19:06 AM

Johnston, Iowa

Thanks Porkchop, I guess another way to put it would be: "For those of us who put our heart and soul into this hobby year after year, and try to do everything right, yet can't break X number of pounds, what are we probably not doing, or should be doing?"

12/7/2015 1:56:06 PM

Rhode Island

ron what do you feel it takes to break that 2,500 pound barrier???can it be done out doors?

12/7/2015 3:07:49 PM

Mn

Will you adopt me so we can grow pumpkins together? What do you say "Dad"? .....LOL

12/7/2015 3:58:24 PM

Central NY

Lol..I know... It actually my question too.. I just tried to disguise it a litte better...

12/7/2015 6:25:16 PM

Whitehall Montana

Do you feel every seed has a potential to go big given the right soil and weather conditions?Have you had and seeds that you feel let you down as far as pumpkin size at season end?

12/7/2015 6:49:43 PM

Southeast

Ok If I had to start over again since I started growing Dills Atlantic in 1999 what would be the three biggest changes I should make using 2015 growing tecniques. David Garrell

12/9/2015 5:53:14 AM

Nova Scotia

What water soluble fertilizers do you use?

12/10/2015 4:20:37 PM

Massachusetts

Do you grow a field of Zinnias for their beauty or do you consider that a good cover crop?

12/13/2015 7:02:46 PM

Rhode Island

both fur sure

12/13/2015 10:11:36 PM

Sissonville wva

if you self a 1975 wallace would the resulting seed carry all of the 1975 genetics

12/14/2015 5:36:24 PM

Grant, AL

How often do you use a root innoculant during the growing season?

12/14/2015 6:16:23 PM

Italy

Do you have a green house? If not, are you planning to grow pumpkins in a greenhouse in the future to break the 2500 lbs barrier? Otherwise, why do you prefer keep growing outdoor?

12/15/2015 11:16:55 AM

San Diego

You missed it already Salvo. The transcript will have the answer to that question though.

12/15/2015 12:13:48 PM