The Colorado weather finally got the best of the Wilson (Champion0607) pumpkin patch. A heavy hailstorm last evening pretty much eliminated any chance of growing a substantial pumpkin. Take a look at the pictures and try not to cry (we couldn't hold our tears back). Well, maybe it will give a chance to the other "competitors" to take first prize...
The 2 plants had pretty much covered our 400 sq ft plot. Everything outside the hoophouse got destroyed. Leaves that were 18 inches across are now just shreds. Note the healthy leaves inside the hoophouse compared to what's left outside...
Here's a closer shot of the damage...
All of the pumpkins that had set are now heavily pitted from the hail. Even the young female flowers that hadn't even opened yet were all hit.
Here is our biggest pumpkin (almost volleyball size). Even if it continues to grow, it isn't going to be a pretty pumpkin. But at least it can't be as bad as the Adams' entry a couple years ago (or could it)?
All of the pumpkins that had set are now heavily pitted from the hail. Even the young female flowers that hadn't even opened yet were all hit.
Here is our biggest pumpkin (almost volleyball size). Even if it continues to grow, it isn't going to be a pretty pumpkin. But at least it can't be as bad as the Adams' entry a couple years ago (or could it)?
So next year we're going to get serious...I've already been looking up hail netting on the internet. I'm going to cover our entire 800 sq ft of garden for next year. We won't settle for less than 500 lbs.
Good luck to the rest of you. Hopefully the warm weather will hold through early October so we can see some giant ones...
Brett teaching his sons about "the birds and the bees" of pumpkin growing.
Brett and Orion looking for more female flowers.
We have about a dozen pumpkins this size - that is Orion's hand sitting on the pumpkin, not Sabrina's 
