Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 88 Entries. Monday, March 27 View Page Finally, it warmed up and blew in the spring. This season I plan to plant pumpkins in several stages to determine the most optimal option. I want to start in the first decade of April. Landing in the ground not earlier than the beginning of May, if the weather does not fail. In autumn, I sowed the soil with siderates, but because of the drought they did not germinate for several weeks. And when the rains came, it turned sharply colder and frosts began. As a result, the seeds of the siderates only managed to germinate and winter began. There were severe frosts without snow. But I managed to bring to manure humus at least 6 - 8 tons. Seeds could not be purchased due to financial sanctions. It's good that there were stocks from last year and there were their own. And most importantly, the first experience has appeared, which, I hope, will help to achieve more significant results. This is what the vegetable garden looks like now.   Saturday, April 8 View Page Launched the Wallace 2054 seed today. There were problems with the launch of this seed last season. The remaining seeds will be launched later. I believe in the great potential of McMillin seeds, despite the not very good result last year.   Monday, April 17 View Page Wallace 2054 came out eight days later, which, in my opinion, is a very long time. But it looks good compared to last year.   Wednesday, April 19 View Page Yesterday it snowed, and this morning it got colder to -16 degrees C. Spring this year was delayed for a whole month.   Wednesday, April 19 View Page This is my 959. The seed germinated in less than 36 hours. And three days later he got out of the ground.   Wednesday, April 19 View Page Wallace 2054.   Friday, April 21 View Page Today I launched the remaining seeds. Finally, it has warmed up a little, but there is still snow in the garden in some places.   Monday, May 1 View Page It's snowing again.   Tuesday, May 2 View Page In the photo Wallace 2054. The plant looks great, but it needs to be urgently transplanted to a permanent place. Wallace 1641 was dead, as was McMillin 1438. I had to replace my 959.   Thursday, May 4 View Page Wallace 2050. We are transplanted to a permanent place after three weeks.   Thursday, May 4 View Page This is what the root system looks like.   Thursday, May 4 View Page Under temporary shelter.   Saturday, May 6 View Page I'm dropping off my 959 today.   Saturday, May 6 View Page The roots are very good. The entire surface is covered with hairs of mycorrhizal fungi.   Saturday, May 6 View Page Everything is ready.   Sunday, May 21 View Page Today I dropped off McMillin 1641.5.   Sunday, May 21 View Page This is what my 959 looks like.   Sunday, May 21 View Page Wallace 2054 is out of competition. The main vine reached 55 inches. The plant is under a film shelter. Summer doesn't want to come. So far, frosts reach up to -5 degrees Celsius.   Sunday, May 21 View Page This is what it looks like under cover.   Sunday, May 21 View Page McMillin 1641.5   Sunday, May 21 View Page Wallace 2054   Saturday, June 3 View Page My 959. It does not grow so fast, but the plant is quite massive. Cold May is over, and June began with a heat of up to 35 C (95 F).   Saturday, June 3 View Page My 959. It does not grow so fast, but the plant is quite massive. Cold May is over, and June began with a heat of up to 35 C (95 F).   Saturday, June 3 View Page Wallace 2054 is gaining momentum. So far, about 8 feet. The first leaves were burned in the sun, but the new ones look good. Compared to last year, I am two weeks ahead of schedule.   Thursday, June 8 View Page It's been hot all week. Four temperature records have been broken in the entire history of meteorological observations.   Thursday, June 8 View Page This is what Wallace 2054 looked like. After the heat subsides, the plant looks normal.   Tuesday, June 13 View Page My 959.   Tuesday, June 13 View Page On one of the McMillan, just like last year, a thickened vine went.   Tuesday, June 13 View Page The second McMillin 1691.5. Ben, sorry, I misspelled your last name in the previous post.   Tuesday, June 13 View Page The last of the planted plants is McMillin 830.5. Despite the significant lag, it looks very good.   Tuesday, June 13 View Page Wallace 2054 is out of competition.   Tuesday, June 13 View Page Wallace 2054. A female flower appeared.   Tuesday, June 13 View Page But the next one will be pollinated.   Monday, June 19 View Page My 959. Is slightly behind in size from Wallace 2054. But it has a very thick main vine. The embryo of a female flower is visible. It will be pollinated in a week.   Monday, June 19 View Page Wallace 2054. It is over 13 feet long and 14.5 feet wide. It will be pollinated in a few days.   Thursday, June 22 View Page Today Wallace 2054 is pollinated by my 959. I cut off all the flowers on Wallace 2054 in advance. There are no other flowering pumpkins, so you can not close the flower, fearing that it will over-pollinate. This is my first pollination in June and half a month earlier than last year.   Thursday, June 22 View Page Behind 19 secondary vines.   Thursday, June 22 View Page My 959. Three future female flowers can be seen at once, which will bloom in the coming week. 21 secondary vines behind. Since the main vine is very thick, I'm going to prune it after pollination.   Tuesday, June 27 View Page Today I pollinated my 958 x Wallace 2054. The weather was not very lucky - it was cloudy, it was drizzling in the morning. I will hope that everything went well. But just in case, a foot from the flower has two more future flowers at once.   Wednesday, June 28 View Page Wallace 2054. It's almost 20 feet wide.   Wednesday, June 28 View Page Wallace 2054. Another flower has been pollinated today. I'm not sure about the first one yet.   Thursday, June 29 View Page Wallace 2054. DAP 7.   Thursday, June 29 View Page On my 959, I made additional pollination of Wallace 2054, and two flowers at once. After pollination, it immediately began to rain. I was in time and closed the flowers.   Friday, July 7 View Page Wallace 2054. DAP 15.   Friday, July 7 View Page Wallace 2054.   Friday, July 7 View Page My 959. DAP 10.   Friday, July 7 View Page My 959.   Friday, July 7 View Page On Wallace 2054, young leaves began to burn in the sun.   Friday, July 7 View Page I had to pull the covering material over the young shoots.   Sunday, July 9 View Page Pollinated McMillin 1691.5 by my 959.   Sunday, July 9 View Page McMillin 1691.5. The plant is relatively small, but compared to last year it looks great.   Wednesday, July 12 View Page My 959. DAP 15. It's starting to gain momentum.   Wednesday, July 12 View Page Wallace 2054. DAP 20. Unfortunately, it weighs only 63 pounds. But it was a very slow start. Only last week there was a significant increase. I will hope for acceleration. I like the shape and color.   Wednesday, July 12 View Page Wallace 2054. View from a longer distance.   Monday, July 17 View Page Wallace 2054 is growing slowly. DAP 25,116 lbs. Perhaps this is due to the fact that I did not interrupt the growth of secondary shoots in time. At their widest point they are about 33 feet.   Monday, July 17 View Page My 959. At the moment, this is the fastest growing pumpkin I've ever had. DAP 20 88 ft.   Friday, July 21 View Page The last pumpkin of the season has been pollinated MacMillin 830.5 x Wallace 2054.   Saturday, July 22 View Page Wallace 2054. DAP 30 173 pounds. It grows very slowly.   Saturday, July 22 View Page My 959. DAP 25. 164 lbs. I hope it will be bright orange.   Saturday, July 22 View Page McMillin 1691.5. DAP 13.   Thursday, July 27 View Page Wallace 2054. DAP 35. 239 pounds.   Thursday, July 27 View Page My 959. DAP 30. 278 lbs. Resembles the shape of a cube. Adds 22.5 pounds a day.   Friday, July 28 View Page McMillin 1695,5. DAP 20. 68 pounds. Since the main vine froze at the beginning of the season, it is grown into two side vines, which have become the main ones. The foliage looks just great.   Tuesday, August 1 View Page My 959. DAP 35. 400 ft. Gaining 24 pounds a day.   Tuesday, August 1 View Page Wallace 2054 doesn't want to gain more than 14 pounds. Therefore, the care of the plant is completely stopped.   Thursday, August 3 View Page McMillin 1695.5. DAP 25. 142 lbs. It looks great.   Sunday, August 6 View Page My 959. DAP 40. 530 ft. Gaining 26 pounds a day.   Tuesday, August 8 View Page McMillin 1695.5. DAP 30. 224 pounds. The pumpkin is piled on the tip of the flower.   Tuesday, August 8 View Page McMillin 1695.5. View from afar.   Thursday, August 10 View Page McMillin 830.5. DAP 20. 94 pounds. The biggest one I had. It is a pity that there is too little time left for growth.   Thursday, August 10 View Page Today I had to move the pumpkins on my 959, as the bending of the main vine began. I overdid it a little bit. As a result, small cracks appeared on the peduncle. Smeared with garden pitch. I hope that nothing serious will happen.   Friday, August 11 View Page My 959. DAP 45. About 620 pounds. Growth has slowed down. A lack of some substances began to appear on the leaves. After digging around on the Internet, I found out that this is a lack of potassium. Most likely, it was for this reason that the leaves of young shoots dried earlier. Well, experience comes with time. I'm going to prepare potassium acetate from improvised means. I hope that it is still possible to correct the situation.   Sunday, August 13 View Page McMillin 1695,5. DAP 35. Weighs about 323 pounds. Almost sat down on a flower.   Wednesday, August 16 View Page My 959. DAP 55. Weighs about 686 pounds. Growth has slowed down even more. But it's been cool all week and practically no sun.   Friday, August 18 View Page McMillin 1695.5. DAP 40. 437 lbs. The leaves still look very good.   Sunday, August 20 View Page McMillin 830.5. DAP 30. 233 lbs.   Monday, August 21 View Page My 959. DAP 55. 740 lbs. It looks like I can't beat last year's personal best.   Friday, August 25 View Page McMillin 830.5. DAP 35. Weight 330 lbs.   Monday, August 28 View Page McMillin 1695.5. DAP 50. The weight is about 600 pounds. The color of the pumpkin is rich light orange.   Tuesday, August 29 View Page McMillin 830,5. The first case in my practice when a pumpkin burst.   Wednesday, August 30 View Page There was hail last night. Now the leaves look like this.   Friday, September 8 View Page My 959 has finally stopped growing.   Friday, September 8 View Page My 959 has finally stopped growing.   Friday, September 8 View Page Weighing and the total amount is 760.5 pounds, which is 6% less than the estimated amount. When I pulled out the vines, I found that their roots were very small. Especially at the end of the vines. There were obviously not enough substances. Purchased a PH meter. Measurements showed that the PH is normal.   Tuesday, September 12 View Page McMillin 1695.5 adds a little more. The estimated weight is 706 pounds. Frosts are not expected yet.   Tuesday, September 26 View Page This is what the patch looked like yesterday. Tonight it was up to -4 degrees Celsius and all the foliage froze.   Wednesday, September 27 View Page Today I weighed McMillin 830.5. Despite the crack, it continued to grow. In total, a little more than 643 pounds.   Saturday, September 30 View Page McMillin 1691.5. Weighed today. A total of 813 pounds, which is 5% heavier than the estimated weight. The pumpkin is low, but very flattened to the ground. Nice orange color. The camera does not transmit real color. It turns out that this pumpkin beat all the favorites and turned out to be the heaviest for me this year.