Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 41 Entries. Wednesday, June 18 View Page Been busy trying to get the garden ship shape for my little one which has meant I've had the slowest start for all the years I've been growing. The plant didn't hit dirt until May 27th but I'm actually happy with how its growing now. I very much doubt it'll be a pb but should be able to grow a nice one for 3D carving come October. No pics as yet but thought I'd add my winning entry into the Villafane 3D Carving competition from last year. :) www.facebook.com/totallypumpkins   Tuesday, June 24 View Page Pulled the backup last night. So I'm now running with the Horde 1177. 7ft out at the moment so miles behind past years but we are getting some amazing weather compared to my last growing seasons so hopefully it'll catch up a little.   Monday, June 30 View Page Main vine out at 10ft 3 inch with no pollination as yet. However! On closer inspection of the main tip there is a female. Bad news is I reckon there is another 6ft of growth before it lays down. 16ft in total means running out of polytunnel room. Maybe 2 weeks before it can be pollinated? Going to be very late. The latest pollination I have had was July 4th on my first year which grew a 675. However on the upside if this one takes I will have the largest plant behind a set that I've ever had so maybe I'll see greater growth rates. Wishful thinking.   Thursday, July 3 View Page 'Veg gone bad' Took this old butternut squash and decided to carve it without any idea of what it was going to be. This is the result.   Monday, July 7 View Page Here's a current pic of the plant before the side vines begin to be trained underneath the right hand side and into the adjacent 5ft x 24ft growing area. The plant is a couple of inches under 14ft long and just over 10ft wide. Side vines are noticeably picking up speed now with a lot more root growth showing under each leaf. A couple of the early side vines on the left hand side have been very sluggish where I had planted the backup. So maybe I planted them a little too close. The void will be filled with later side vines instead. Looking back on previous years the polytunnel should be there or there about full of leaves. However I'm still pleased with the plant. A couple of weeks and the poly will be full and hopefully a fruit set.   Monday, July 7 View Page Can now see the pumpkin without disturbing the leaves. Sat at the tip just under 14ft so probably settle just under 16ft. Fingers crossed for a successful pollination as this has been the only one I've seen. None to follow on the main that I can tell and not much more space before it starts growing outside. None have appeared on the secondaries.   Monday, July 7 View Page I've had no yellowing on the leaves this year which is a first for me. Usually get some early on. Another first is the cot leaves are still on the plant. I always loose them early on but they seem to be staying for a while on this one. I'm sure that doesn't mean much but maybe a sign that the plant is fairly healthy.   Tuesday, July 8 View Page I don't know how I missed them at all. They certainly were not so obvious yesterday. When I walked into the poly this morning there were 3 females lines up on 3 consecutive side vines with a 4th one positioned at the first leaf on another side vine close to the current main vine female. So maybe not the best locations but I have a better chance of having a pumpkin. Rather have one than none.   Wednesday, July 9 View Page We were too late this year for sowing giant tomato plants so as a last ditch effort we bought some shop bought heritage varieties that are on the large side. They will do for the local show next month. This one was the first flower to open and the only megabloom so far. Granted, I think it only just classes as a double.   Wednesday, July 9 View Page I'm growing 3 giant runner bean plants again this year. This one is in the same place as when I grew my 31 inch runner bean several years ago. Upto the crop bars of the polytunnel with the other 2 lagging.   Friday, July 11 View Page Removed the leaf and side vine early and its naturally corrected itself into a nice position.   Friday, July 11 View Page The first side vine is out and under the left hand side with no problem, with 3 more probably by tomorrow. Really helps having aluminium base rails to hold the polythene instead of buried polythene. The main is swerving to the right with the aim to have pumpkin in top right then veer back to the left to hopefully run the main for another 8ft inside the polytunnel in case the first pollination does not set. However, I think it will be far too late to wait for another female to appear on the main.   Friday, July 11 View Page View from the tip of the main. The main is currently at 16.5 ft with female at 16ft. This year I've removed the 1m2 sand bed and raised the path up onto 8ft planks to extend the root zone underneath the walkway. I often use to see roots where I was walking which couldn't have been good.   Friday, July 11 View Page It is more obvious today but I discovered that every leaf on the right hand side of the vine has missing 'cuts' in the leaf. the left hand side is fine as you can see from the pic. Any ideas what maybe the cause? I know its not the canes for training the vines as after the first time it appeared I took care in the placement of them so ruled that out but it keeps appearing every other leaf. Would like to get it sorted before the fruit starts growing.   Monday, July 14 View Page Fingers crossed I should have the first pollination tomorrow morning out at 16.5 feet on the main.   Wednesday, July 16 View Page We are finally out of the starting blocks! Hopefully it's not a false start. A nice 5 lobe. A day later than I expected. Pollinated 6.45am. I hope you can't over do the pollen because I massacred 7 males for this. I have another 4 waiting on ends of side vines as backups but if this one takes then this will be the one.   Thursday, July 17 View Page A close up of one of the leaf cuts. Still don't know the cause. The main has stopped throwing leaves out like this but a few have appeared on the side vines.   Saturday, July 26 View Page 10 days after pollination and we are still growing so fingers crossed.   Sunday, July 27 View Page Half the area outside is full now and terminated. The main vine is just appearing outside at about 29ft. There is 60ft2 still left to fill, then the patch will be complete. Thursday and Friday of last week were scorchers and caught me off guard. Had no protection over the new growth outside and so you can see the damage in the bottom left hand corner. Lesson learnt.....so now we have musical chairs racing across the patch.   Sunday, July 27 View Page All vines are now terminated in the polytunnel with the exception of 2 x 6ft secondary's running parallel to the main vine; sort of like a pitch fork just after the pumpkin. Once the vines are finished I'll have 312 ft2 in the polytunnel and 120 outside. So 432 ft2 in total.   Sunday, July 27 View Page Trying to get a picture of the stump is not as easy as it looks.   Tuesday, August 5 View Page Day 20 and an OTT of 121.5. Faster than my 675 but slower than my 763. Could be faster but I'm happy so far. It's growing that's all that matters!   Tuesday, August 5 View Page Polytunnel filled out with all leaves at an even height.   Tuesday, August 5 View Page I currently have the pumpkin raised up with bags of sand underneath. I have been gradually emptying them to lower the pumpkin as it grows. However, the other night I reached in and felt something not quite right! Peered in and this is what greeted me.   Tuesday, August 5 View Page I have never seen a toad in the garden for the past 6 years and all of a sudden we are inundated with them. I didn't realise they liked sand. Would have thought that was too dry for them. However, they seem to love it. The day after putting the ply board down and stood on it, out popped this fella who cleared off under the shed. Then back again in the bag of sand and continuously under the planks.   Sunday, August 24 View Page The Toad just will not take no for answer! He's a permanent resident. I've warned him though. Pumpkins are not the safest places to sleep.   Sunday, August 24 View Page Toad making him self at home   Sunday, August 24 View Page Stubborn toad just wont move out of pumpkins way! Pumpkin is gaining between 20-25lbs a day for the last 7 days. I know people are getting really high gains but I'm happy with that if it remains steady. At this point each year the pumpkin usually falls victim to spider mite infestation and powdery mildew but I think I them under control this year....so far. Fingers crossed for some nice warm nights.   Thursday, August 28 View Page Should have just gone over 400lbs this morning. A slow start but it is maintaining a steady pace at the moment even with some recent cold nights. Just hoping the PM doesn't show up too soon. It has reached the critical point dimensions wise. If it grows a little bit more then it's not going through the side gate. Which means it's going up and over the garage! Been a few years since I had to get the farmer to bring some mechanical help(tele handler)but looks like this might be another year for it.   Thursday, August 28 View Page The best foliage on a plant I have had at this time of year but perhaps that is just down to a late seed starting date.   Thursday, August 28 View Page I think this will be our biggest tomato this year. I didn't think we would have any joy with these shop bought plants but this plant just kept throwing out megablooms. Still it will only be around 2 maybe 2.5 lbs but happy with that for what it was. Doubt it will pass our pb of 2.75 lbs.   Wednesday, September 3 View Page Pumpkin edged over the 500lb mark last night but not as much as I thought. Recently been putting on a steady 18-20lbs a day but after the glorious weather yesterday only managed to put on just over 10lb. There is a void that has been filling out underneath so maybe that's it. Otherwise it didn't like the watering I gave it yesterday. Next year need to set up the watering properly. Still running off cold tap water with chlorine.   Wednesday, September 3 View Page My little helper inspecting the pumpkin for cracks.   Wednesday, September 3 View Page Didn't like the look of this when I noticed it so decided to get rid. Had a nice green leaf but the stem looked discoloured. As soon as I chopped the stem at the base, out rushed fluid. The central cavity was full of it. Is this Gummy Stem?   Friday, September 5 View Page Possibly overwatering with cold water shocked it maybe? Not watered since and gains have gone back up to about 17 lb.   Saturday, October 25 View Page Been so busy that the photos are piling up now. Too many to do for the amount of time I have but here we go. I had a 2 day stint carving event at the UK national Giant Veg Championships at the Malvern Autumn Show.   Saturday, October 25 View Page Tv Gardening Presenter Joe Swift was at the show so we decided to have a go at carving his face. Thanks to David Thomas for supplying the pumpkins.   Saturday, October 25 View Page Applefest 2014. The third time I had carved here. Instead of the giants we opted for a couple of smaller pumpkins.   Saturday, October 25 View Page Pumpkins with the owls just like every year   Saturday, October 25 View Page A little quick carve I did just to see how well I could cope with coming up with something on the spot with no reference to work from.   Saturday, October 25 View Page Here is a promo pumpkin I did for the Blackpool Pleasure Beach this year. I will be carving there from 10am till 10pm on Thursday 30th October.