Gordo Gato Pumpkin Report

The pumpkin keeps growing, but not at any incredible rate.  Still signs that this one could flatten out the growth curve and if it does that we will be okay, but if it takes a regular growth curve and isn't a long grower, the pumpkin will be small this year.  Not overly optimistic.

The leaves right now look like my leaves did in mid-August of last year.  Not happy.  I did some checking today and there are early signs of spider mites.  I found an aphid on the pumpkin but didn't see any others, so I sprayed everything.  Added a fungicide into the mix.  I'll need to be diligent on the fungicides this year, because with the leaves in a weaken state they will be more susceptible.  Daconil and a TKO will be my go to powdery mildew killers along with some silica to help prevent spread.

Not thinking this will be my year.  It is taboo to say this, but it is the one hope that I've got.  The seed this pumpkin came from was a pumpkin that went 8% heavy.  This pumpkin has the same shape.  The pollinator I lost the pumpkin on early, but the 2255 progeny all went heavy except for one and many went big heavy.  The 2005 progeny that the seed came from all went heavy and some of those went big heavy.  This pumpkin thumps nicely.