Growing Big Max here in Maryland - 1st time this year for these. I have several basketball sized pumpkins sitting out there and another 4-5 baseball sized. I'll probably start cutting off anymore because that's all I need and I can focus the energy to make the ones I have bigger. I had one REALLY big one that was basketball sized by last week June and it was well on the way to superstardom until my golden retriever decided to um . . . retrieve it. Don't know if what I'm doing is helpful or not, but I'll let you know just in case it helps. I've planted them with canteloupes and watermellons on a slight slope surrounding hills of corn and beans (3 sisters). I started them from seed in March indoors. I've been using sea kelp emulsion about every 3 weeks and Veggies Alive (from Gardens Alive) about once a month. Lots of mason bees all over the place every morning.

I think Douglas is correct about the hot temps. As soon as it cooled off a bit I started to get some female blossoms. The same thing happened with my tomato plants. As soon as the heat wave broke they started to blossom as well. I just checked and have about 20 pumpkins now. And Leafbrain, I will definately post a picture of a square pumpkin as soon as I have one for harvest. I'm not sure if my boxes will be strong enough to contain the pumpkins. In Japan, where they grow the square watermelons, they band together huge glass bricks to make the boxes. Those bricks are just too expensive so I tried to find a lower cost alternative. The polycarbonate sheets I used are 12"x12"x1/2" which I bought at a local glass shop. I had the retaining clamps fabricated at the local machine shop. All together the cost of each box was about $25. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that the clamps will be strong enough to hold. They weak links are the wing nuts I'm using to hold them shut. If they don't hold I'll just have to redrill the clamps and use much bigger bolts next year.

I have a couple of big max pumpkins that are doing the same thing. But one set a pumpkin last week and it's growing pretty well, about the size of a baseball now. It's still yellow and shows no sign of changing color, but it's definitely growing and appears healthy otherwise. I asked my father (old gardener) about it, and he thinks that that's just how they're supposed to look. Something about how BIG squash are usually yellow looking and pumpkins are actually squash.

11/1/17 update: it’s gotten much worse. The pale splotching has suddenly increased in frequency and spread. I’m noticing splotches on more leaves, and overnight they will turn completely. Some of the branches look gray too: Did I give it too much light too quickly after the transplant? Some of the fine roots came off during cleaning so maybe it has too many leaves in comparison to the roots? Also, the breeze has started to turn cold. It’s still 72 degrees F but the breeze in the house is definitely cool instead of warm now. Is it too cold in front of an open window? I have a spot near my other plants where the light is bright, but it’s essentially where it used to be (on the catwalk) just with more air circulation. The FLF I transplanted in gritty at the same time is looking very strong but hasn’t had new growth after its repot in May. It’s on the same wall just on the other side of the room. The brown spots were from previous root rot. They’re all about 10 feet from a wall of East-facing windows: Here’s the soil now: About 4 months after receiving, when I started noticing the hypo-pigmentation: Right after transplant: Currently: Pale splotching/bleaching used to just be a few leaves at a time but now they’re in handfuls. So far, loss has been all lower leaves but the top is drooping significantly. Too much light too soon? Too cold with an open window even if it’s around 70 degrees F outside? Just normal stress response to changes? It’s been about a week. All thoughts appreciated!