Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 38 Entries. Tuesday, January 18 View Page Soil Test   Tuesday, January 18 View Page Soil Solution Test   Tuesday, January 18 View Page Lab Recommendations   Tuesday, January 18 View Page Coir   Tuesday, January 18 View Page 2022 Seeds and Backups   Wednesday, February 2 View Page Scoring System - Explanation   Friday, February 11 View Page 2022 Planting Schedule   Thursday, March 3 View Page Electrical Diagram for four (4) pumpkin sites. Requires one 50' cord and four 25' cords., no including cord to outlet.   Thursday, May 5 View Page Ready to Rock!   Thursday, May 5 View Page 2091 Uhlmeyer   Thursday, May 5 View Page 2365 Wolf   Thursday, May 5 View Page 1760 Uhlmeyer   Thursday, May 5 View Page 2200 Wolf   Wednesday, June 15 View Page Using a single white plastic drum: A table like stump cover. Using the cut outs from making the table and the other end of the drum: A fan cover with legs; the cover also keeps electrical plugs protected from the rain.   Tuesday, June 28 View Page 2200 Wolf - Round and Symmetrical   Tuesday, June 28 View Page 1760 Uhlmeyer (east patch) Culled one before this one due to bad position.   Tuesday, June 28 View Page 2365 Wolf - Looked somewhat asymmetrical yesterday, but not so bad this morning. The main of this plant was purposely removed early due to about 5 foot of unopened growth (balled up leaves) This pumpkin is on the last secondary before the amputation of the main. The secondary is doing well and pretty much caught up to other plants.   Tuesday, June 28 View Page This is the 1760 (west in patch) This plant was a third backup planted in this spot 12 days after the other three plants. It has grown like crazy here and caught up, at least in footprint and main length. However has only produced a single female to pollinate on the main. That pumpkin aborted likely due to two day of 90 plus temperature and high humidity subsequent to pollination. I should have put Ice bottles out for this one.   Tuesday, June 28 View Page The plant above (1760 Uhlmeyer - west in patch) was a third backup replacing the 2517 Mendi which failed after two days due to cold under identical conditions to 3 others which had no problems (all were covered, heat cables, and lamps) . Note that the root system on the plant seemed relatively under developed at the time of planting. Subsequently that plant was replaced with a 2091 that showed no growth at all after 10 days. Finally the 1760, which had two badly damage leaves was put there as the last available backup. (I already had a 1760 growing in the east section of the patch. The plant is growing like crazy with more secondary vines than any other at this point, but it's only had one pumpkin on the main at 16' which aborted due to hot weather, I think. Hope I can get another one pollinated soon.   Thursday, June 30 View Page Taking the leaf behind this off tonight I think.   Wednesday, July 13 View Page Manganese is deficient though there's no apparent symptoms and Magnesium is border line. Both easily correctible with some foliar applied Epson salts and chelated manganese.   Wednesday, July 13 View Page Lab Recommendations associated with tissue test.   Wednesday, July 13 View Page Tissue Test - Without my personal address on the doc. :) Thanks Ken for noticing that!   Thursday, July 14 View Page Four (4) plants growing this year. This photo was taken on June 28th. The plant appearing closest is a 1760 Uhlmeyer, planted 2 weeks after the others. It caught up quickly, but had some issues with pollination, a split main vine, and now has some stump issues as well. It has a pumpkin pollinated 7/4 that's growing and the plant is still hanging on though I don't know for how long. All the other plants have been free of trouble so far - knock on wood.   Thursday, July 14 View Page Meet KoKo! I named this pumpkin KoKo after Jane Goodall's famous Gorilla. The pumpkin has a "sagittal crest" like the very prominent sagittal crest of a gorillas skull seen in the photo below. I wasn't charged for this vital biological tidbit; it came free with my education. :) The photo below of an actual gorilla skull shows what the crest looks like.   Thursday, July 14 View Page Hit this link if you want to see a photo of a Gorilla's sagittal crest. https://www.thinglink.com/scene/711643092117094401   Friday, July 15 View Page The 1760 Uhlmeyer one of two growing in my patch is toast. For some reason this NW quadrant of my patch has been kind of like the Bermuda Triangle. This plant is the 3rd plant in the mound there and has had problems of its own really since the mini came off. Beginning with two broken leaves before it even got in the ground then a split main a few days after the cover came off. All of that followed by a foaming and now rotten stump. I made an effort to repair the split vine and it did heal over nicely but I think the effect was to increase turgor pressure in the stump causing a "blowout". I tried for 10 days to dry that out by cutting it below the water line, adding a would draining wick, coating it with Daconil, sulfur, brushing it out, fan etc. It was dry for about one day. Finally he stump was completely gone. Today I separated the stump from the main vine with a sterilized hacksaw leaving only green healthy main tissue. I sprayed the end with Daconil and gave it a light dusting of Sulfur. I lost the firs four secondary vines in the process. We'll see what the pumpkin does on this vine but I don't expect much. I'm thinking this all could have been my fault. Perhaps I didn't get the plant at the right angle when I put it in the ground. The main was arched up at the split. Maybe I buried it to soon causing the arching by not allowing the main to stretch out more. Oh well! Live and learn. I've "cut my losses". :)   Friday, July 22 View Page This is a photo of the 1760 Uhlmeyer pollinated on 7/6/22 after several 3 previous and funky looking pumpkins were culled. This one is the only one that grew well initially but as you can see it has some weird brownish blotching on the side. There is no rot or softness, just discolored. You can also see that the pumpkin is not very smooth skinned. Anybody have an idea of what causes this look. No problems like this one with 3 other plants/pumpkins in the patch.   Tuesday, September 27 View Page First pumpkin to the scale, Ridgefield CT Weight Off. 1,102 pounds- pollinated July 4th, stump and first 5 secondary vines removed one week later do to rot.   Monday, October 24 View Page Thick Walls compared to the other 3 I hacked open. This pumpkin went 18% Heavy. Grown on the 1760 Uhlmeyer seed. The 1102.5 is a 1760 x 2365 Wolf.   Monday, October 24 View Page 1102.5   Tuesday, October 25 View Page Fall Soil Test - Results Note: OM was retested - result was 9.4%   Tuesday, October 25 View Page Fall 2022 - Soil Solution Test Results   Monday, October 31 View Page Seems like the perfect day to introduce this lifting ring I made. All of the parts are from eBay. The total cost including all shipping was $157.00 Parts include 17" diameter x 1/4" steel plate, 8" diameter x 1/4 inch steel plate, 8 - 3 bar strap adjusters, 1 - 2,500 lb. hoist ring, 8 - 3" x 5" x 1/2" thread square U bolts, (came with flat washers and nuts), 16- 1/2" nuts (nylon locks), 1 - grade 8 1/2" bolt (to fasten hoist ring). I had some orange spray paint but had to buy a can of black for $8.99 (WTF used to be 4.99). It's included in the total cost, but optional of course. The total cost does not include straps. For those I bought 4 - 2" x 20" recovery straps which have 20,000 lb. strength. I cut them in half to make 8 straps. The 4 straps cost 14.95 ea. on Amazon. I also used a 1/2" cobalt drill bit which I already have.   Monday, October 31 View Page Top of Ring. The only thing I didn't like when this was completed is the that the bolts stick up on top about an inch and a quarter but not really worth the work to cut them off. What I did like is there's not welding involved in the construction. Welding is a skill that requires patience which I'm usually a little short on.   Monday, November 28 View Page My Farmer Buddy Dave, brought over some cow manure and his spreader. He spread a good layer over the patch in about 5 minutes. In a couple of days when its a little dryer he's going to chisel till it for me. This will reduce compaction, provide more oxygen for microbial growth and for a bonus eliminate some bug pupae over wintering in the soil.   Monday, November 28 View Page Farmer Dave, chisel tilled the manure layer in today Nov. 24   Monday, November 28 View Page Chisel Till complete. Looks great! I'll bust this up with a garden tiller in the spring. Applied the lab recommended dosages of B, Mag, and Mn today preceding coming rain. Plan to apply sulfur too, when ever it arrives at my suppliers place. Saving the N and K application for April 1.