Research - Pumpkin Evaluations 2008
Prepared by Mark Hutton and David Handley
Large, medium and small pumpkins were evaluated at Highmoor Farm in the 2008 growing season. The experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block with three replications. Each plot had ten plants. The plants were spaced 60″ on center and the rows were 6′ apart. The pumpkins were direct seeded on June 3 into raised plastic mulched beds that were carried over from the 2007 growing season. Immediately after seeding, the field was covered in floating row-cover. The cover was removed on July 3 and the plants thinned to a single plant per hole. Weeds were managed with a non-selective herbicide applied between the beds prior to covering the field with row-cover. One fungicide application of Topsin and Pristine was applied on August 8.
Results:
Small Fruited Pumpkins
| Variety |
Average/Fruit Plant |
Avg Wt (lbs) |
Min Wt (lbs) |
Max Wt (lbs) |
| Oz |
3.14 |
3.2 |
1.5 |
5.1 |
| Gargoyle |
3.12 |
3.9 |
1.9 |
5.7 |
| Iron Man |
2.95 |
3.7 |
2.5 |
5.1 |
| Mystic Plus |
1.86 |
5.9 |
3.3 |
17.3 |
| Goose Bumps |
1.85 |
8.0 |
1.9 |
23.8 |
| Knuckle Head |
1.54 |
11.8 |
2.1 |
24.8 |
|
Oz
Round shape
Smooth
Medium orange color
Strong, long handles
Semi bush plant
Colors early (similar to Neon)
1.5-5 pounds (avg. 3.2)
3.14 fruits per plant |
|
Gargoyle
Flat/round shape
Shallow ribs
Some warts
Medium color
Straight, long handles
Hard rind
1.9-5.7 pounds (avg. 3.12)
3.12 fruit per plant |
|
Iron Man
Round shape
Smooth
Dark orange color
Strong long handles
Hard rind
Tolerance to powdery mildew, Fusarium and
Phytophthora fruit rots
2.5-5.1 pounds (avg. 2.95)
2.95 fruit per plant |
|
Mystic Plus
Flat round shape
Dark color
Strong, long handles
Hard rind
Powdery mildew tolerant
3.3-17.3 pounds (avg. 1.86)
1.86 fruit per plant |
|
Goose Bumps
Unique
Variable warts
Round to tall round
Long straight handles
1.9-23.8 pounds (avg. 8.0)
1.85 fruit per plant |
Medium Fruited Pumpkins
| Variety |
Average/Fruit Plant |
Avg Wt (lbs) |
Min Wt (lbs) |
Max Wt (lbs) |
| Magician |
1.81 |
15.7 |
8.4 |
28.4 |
| Sorcerer |
1.64 |
17.5 |
11.2 |
29.1 |
| Racer |
1.59 |
13.6 |
4.5 |
31.7 |
| Charisma PMR |
1.56 |
15.1 |
7.3 |
24.1 |
| Knuckle Head |
1.54 |
11.8 |
2.1 |
24.8 |
| New Rocket |
1.45 |
17.6 |
9.0 |
27.1 |
| Merlin |
1.27 |
16.8 |
9.6 |
26.1 |
| Warlock |
1.25 |
16.9 |
10.8 |
27.1 |
| Gladiator |
1.22 |
15.2 |
10.9 |
23.1 |
| Gold Challenger |
1.22 |
18.9 |
12.0 |
26.8 |
| Magic Lantern |
1.22 |
16.8 |
6.3 |
24.9 |
| Big Rock |
1.20 |
19.3 |
11.6 |
31.6 |
| 20 Karat Gold |
1.09 |
17.7 |
9.7 |
26.7 |
| Oktoberfest |
1.06 |
18.3 |
4.5 |
29.5 |
| Hannibal |
0.91 |
19.6 |
10.1 |
31.7 |
| Expert |
0.81 |
17.8 |
11.7 |
26.6 |
| |
Magician
Round shape
Good ribs
Dark color
Strong, large handles
Dark green handles
Powdery mildew tolerant
8.4-28.4 pounds (avg. 15.7)
1.81 fruit per plant |
| |
Racer
Round to flat round
Good ribs
Dark color
Strong, large handles
Very nice attractive fruit
Semi bush plant
4.5 to 31.7 pounds (avg. 13.6)
1.59 fruit per plant |
| |
Charisma PMR
Flat round shape
Fairly deep rib
Medium orange color
Strong short handles
Good uniformity
Reduced vine
Powdery mildew tolerant
Crew favorite
7.3 to 24.1 pounds (avg. 15.1)
1.56 fruit per plant |
| |
Knuckle Head
Unique
Variable warts
Tall shape
Good ribs
Dark orange
Long handles
2.1 to 24.8 pounds (avg. 11.8)
1.54 fruit per plant |
| |
New Rocket
Tall round shape
Good ribs
Medium orange color
Good handles
9 to 27.1 pounds (avg. 17.6)
1.45 fruit per plant |
| |
Merlin
Round shape
Weak ribs
Medium dark color
Good handles
Powdery mildew tolerant
9.6 to 26.1 pounds (avg. 16.8)
1.27 fruit per plant |
| |
Warlock
Round shape
Weak ribs
Variable color
Strong handles with large attachment
Semi-hard rind
Powdery mildew tolerant
10.8 to 27.1 pounds (avg. 16.9)
1.25 fruit per plant |
| |
Gladiator
Round
Good ribs
Dark color
Strong, large handles
Powdery mildew tolerant
Strong semi-vine
10.9 to 23.1 pounds (avg. 15.2)
1.22 fruit per plant |
| |
Gold Challenger
Round shape
Variable ribs
Variable color
Long handles
Semi bush
12 to 26.8 pounds (avg. 18.9)
1.22 fruit per plant |
| |
Magic Lantern
Round shape
Wide ribs
Variable color
Strong handles good color
6.3-24.9 pounds (avg. 16.8)
1.22 fruit per plant |
| |
Big Rock
Round shape
Wide ribs
Variable color
Strong handles good color
11.6-31.6 pounds (avg. 19.3)
1.2 fruit per plant |
| |
20 Karat Gold
Round shape
Weak ribs
Good color
Strong, long handles
9.7-26.7 pounds (avg. 17.7)
1.09 fruit per plant
Powdery mildew tolerant |
| |
Oktoberfest
Round to tall shape
Good ribs
Variable color, mostly very dark
Variable handles
4.5-29.5 pounds (avg. 18.3)
1.06 fruit per plant |
| |
Hannibal
Round to tall shape
Shallow ribs / smooth
Dark orange
Strong, moderate length handles
10.1-31.7 pounds (avg. 19.6)
0.91 fruit per plant
Powdery mildew tolerant |
| |
Expert
Tall shape
Deep ribs
Dark color
Long, dark handles
11.7-26.6 pounds (avg. 17.8)
0.81 fruit per plant
Long vine |
Large Fruited Pumpkins
| Variety |
Average/Fruit Plant |
Avg Wt (lbs) |
Min Wt (lbs) |
Max Wt (lbs) |
| Camaro |
1.63 |
20.2 |
10.0 |
33.7 |
| King Midas |
1.32 |
25.8 |
17.8 |
37.2 |
| Gold Gem |
1.23 |
20.0 |
10.6 |
39.5 |
| Gold Medal |
1.06 |
22.3 |
11.8 |
40.0 |
| Dependable |
1.04 |
25.5 |
13.6 |
36.4 |
| Rock Star |
0.86 |
22.1 |
14.9 |
33.6 |
| Super Herc |
0.86 |
23.9 |
17.5 |
33.9 |
| Harvest King |
0.80 |
25.0 |
11.5 |
39.6 |
| Wolf |
0.71 |
24.1 |
18.3 |
36.4 |
| Gold Medallion |
0.59 |
22.9 |
13.8 |
30.8 |
| |
Camaro
Round shape
Smooth
Variable pale color
Average handles
10-33.7 pounds (avg. 20.2)
1.63 fruit per plant
Powdery mildew tolerant
Semi-bush |
| |
King Midas
Tall round
Variable ribs
Dark orange color
Nice, dark handles
17.8-37.2 pounds (avg. 25.8)
1.32 fruit per plant
Best yielding large pumpkin
Powdery mildew tolerant |
| |
Gold Gem
Shape variable
Mild rib
Color variable
Handles not great
10.6-39.5 pounds (avg. 20)
1.23 fruit per plant
Large vine |
| |
Gold Medal
Mostly tall shape
Not too ribbed
Variable color
Variable Handle
11.8-40 pounds (avg. 22.3)
1 fruit per plant |
| |
Dependable
Mostly tall round shape
Fairly ribbed
Color variable
Good handle attachment
13.6-36.4 pounds (avg. 25.5)
1 fruit per plant
Full vine
Moderate powdery mildew tolerance |
| |
Rock Star
Round to tall shape
Weak ribs
Light to medium color
Long handles
14.9-33.6 pounds (avg. 22.1)
0.86 fruit per plant |
| |
Super Herc
Round to tall shape
Good ribs
Dark color
Strong, large handles
17.5-33.9 pounds (avg. 23.9)
0.86 fruit per plant
Large strong plant
Powdery mildew tolerant |
| |
Harvest King
Tall round shape
Fairly ribbed
Dark orange color
Strong short handles
11.5-39.6 pounds (avg. 25)
0.8 fruit per plant
Weak plant
Some warts |
| |
Wolf
Round to tall shape
Good ribs
Variable color
Strong, large handles
18.3-36.4 pounds (avg. 24.1)
0.7 fruit per plant
Large vine |
| |
Gold Medallion
Round shape
Fairly smooth
Good color
Variable handles
13.8-30.8 pounds (avg. 22.9)
0.59 fruit per plant
Weak plant |
Image Description: Oz pumpkin
Image Description: gargoyle pumpkin
Image Description: ironman pumpkin
Image Description: mystic plus pumpkin
Image Description: goose bumps pumpkin
Image Description: magician pumpkin
Image Description: racer pumpkin
Image Description: charisma PMR pumpkin
Image Description: knuckle head pumpkin
Image Description: new rocket pumpkin
Image Description: merlin pumpkin
Image Description: warlock pumpkin
Image Description: gladiator pumpkin
Image Description: gold challenger pumpkin
Image Description: magic lantern pumpkin
Image Description: big rock pumpkin
Image Description: 20 karat gold pumpkin
Image Description: oktoberfest pumpkin
Image Description: hannibal pumpkin
Image Description: expert pumpkin
Image Description: camaro pumpkin
Image Description: king midas pumpkin
Image Description: gold gem pumpkin
Image Description: gold medal pumpkin
Image Description: dependable pumpkin
Image Description: rock star pumpkin
Image Description: super herc pumpkin
Image Description: harvest king pumpkin
Image Description: wolf pumpkin
Image Description: gold medallion pumpkin
Image Description: Print Friendly
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52 U.S. Route 202
