Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 112 Entries. Monday, May 30 View Page Hi everyone, this is my first diary. At the foto you can see my patch. It is a 1.5 kilometer drive from my home. We have a pumpkin-club for several years , you can visit at: http://home.tiscali.be/pompoenclubgrasheide   Monday, May 30 View Page this is my 913Perez2004,a very fast grower. Thank you Carlos for the seeds!   Monday, May 30 View Page this is the 709.9Frei2003, like last year it wants to grow "up". A very fast grower and easy to pollinate. Last year it give me the second place in the European weigh-off in Duisburg (Belgium)and first place at our club (401 kg or 884 lbs.   Monday, May 30 View Page This is the 884VanRompaey2004 grown from the 709.9Frei2003, it was pollinated with my uncle's pumpkin. Don't no what she will give me but is a fast grower too.   Monday, May 30 View Page i forgot to thank Peter Frei for his seeds, Thanks!!   Monday, May 30 View Page This is a 735Eaton2004, growing good. Thans Mr. Al!! It's a reverse cross of his 1446 world champion!   Monday, May 30 View Page this is a 1446Eaton2004, growing very good too. Hope she gives me a 1000lbs!   Monday, May 30 View Page another shot of my patch... On next entry i will remove the plastic covers, its too cold now!   Friday, June 10 View Page The fastest growing plant of my patch: 913Perez2004 (1097.5Beachy x 842Eaton).   Friday, June 10 View Page First setback this year: i had to pull the 709.9Frei2003 because it was going double and the main vine was flat. Sorry Peter!! I replaced it with a back-up. This one is a rare seed. Sometimes she gives squashes and sometimes orange fruits. I'm hoping for a squash. My uncle is European recordholder squash with a fruit coming from this seed.   Friday, June 10 View Page 884Van Rompaey2004 (709.9Frei2003 x 627Broeckhoven2003), growing fast to.   Friday, June 10 View Page In the front: 1446Eaton2004 (842Eaton2002 x 1301.5Eaton2003) At the back: 753Eaton2004 (1132Eaton2002 x 842Eaton2003 Both plants growing well both the leaves are so heavy that the "hang" a bit. Or maybe they don't like our cool summer we are having? Temps are not above 21°C and for the weekend even 17°C. Next week better wheather is predicted, keeping my fingers crossed!   Friday, June 10 View Page Oops... a little fault in previous entry, cross of the 753 is: (1132Eaton2002 x 842Eaton2002) The plastic covers are too small now and plants will be unprotected now for the cold...Next year my greenhouses will be bigger!   Saturday, June 11 View Page at previous entry i posted the wrong pic... This is the 1446Eaton with at the back the 735Eaton.   Saturday, June 11 View Page This is a 606Eaton2004 (1301.5Eaton2003 x 1132Eaton2003) planted at de border of my patch, it is a back-up plant. Maybe i can use the males for pollination. Yes, i'm a Eaton fan...   Saturday, June 11 View Page This is a 555.1Frei2004 (940Mombert1998 x 1056.5Dueck2000), a back-up too and planted at the border of my patch. Can use this one also for male pollination.   Thursday, June 16 View Page the 913Perez2004...growing with an amazing speed. Females already, but its to soon to pollinate. Installed driplines this week will install more next week. Very dry weather overhere and this weekend temps above 30° C are predicted.   Thursday, June 16 View Page 654VanRompaey2002, also a female (green) but plant is growing slow.   Thursday, June 16 View Page 884VanRompaey2004 growing fast to.   Thursday, June 16 View Page 1446Eaton2004 looking very good with huge leaves already.   Thursday, June 16 View Page 735Eaton2004...i worry a bit about this plant. The biggest leaves are still "hanging". Besides this she's growing well. Will give a good soak with water tommorow and see what happens. One side vine was going double, pinched of one and let the other go. There is an other side vine that stopped growing, don't no the reson...suggestions are welcome!!   Wednesday, June 22 View Page 913Perez04 growing very fast, female will be pollinated tomorrow morning. Very hot this week, we had 32 °C on monday . Some new leaves on all plants were burned on the edges.   Wednesday, June 22 View Page 913Perez04   Wednesday, June 22 View Page 884VanRompaey04, female will be pollinated tommorow too   Wednesday, June 22 View Page 1446Eaton04 at the front and the 735Eaton04 at the back. This plants are growing good. Installed some more driplines because we had no rain for several weeks. The leaves of the 735 are not "hanging" anymore.   Wednesday, June 22 View Page Female on the 1446Eaton04, will be pollinated tommorow.   Friday, June 24 View Page The females that i wanted to pollinate are no good. Misformed segments and seeds in the blossom so i culled them. There is time enough to pollinate some other females in the next weeks to come. I only pollinate excellent females with nice formed segments of equal size.   Friday, July 1 View Page At this pic you can see my daughter (pollinated 9 years ago...LOL) standing behind the 913Perez2004. This plant is growing like crazy and many side vines already been cut at the edge of the patch. The thunderstorms don't harmed my plants and we had a lot of rain past days. Sprayed with insecticide last week and fungicide today.   Friday, July 1 View Page Pollinated this female (4 lobes) on the 913Perez with a male from the 1446Eaton. Both flowers closed the evening before with a little rope.   Friday, July 1 View Page Squash plant 654VanRompaey2002, growing good but someone broke the main tip and it was not me!! A secondary will take its place.   Friday, July 1 View Page 884Van Rompaey2004 looking good and has some terminated side vines too. Will pollinate in the next few days.   Friday, July 1 View Page 1446Eaton2004 doing fine.   Friday, July 1 View Page 735Eaton2004 growing fast.   Friday, July 1 View Page 735Eaton2004 front view.   Friday, July 1 View Page 884VanRompaey2004 front view.   Saturday, July 2 View Page Got an E-mail from Martin Reiss and he told me that the numbers "735Eaton04" are not correct!! He is absolutley right. 753Eaton04 is the correct number!!! Sorry for this error. Hope you all can forgive me, this is my first diary... Thanks Martin, if i been stupid again let me no!   Tuesday, July 5 View Page Correcting the angle on the 913Perez x 1446Eaton. It is a 4 lober about 13 feet out on the main. Growing slowed down on all plants because temps are down and we had a lot of rain and wind.   Tuesday, July 5 View Page a shot from an other angle.   Tuesday, July 5 View Page Female on onthe 884VanRompaey04 about 16 feet on the main pollinated with the 1446Eaton04 this morning. Flowers are closed the evening before with a little rope. I like this method because no rain can enter the inside of the flowers.   Tuesday, July 5 View Page Female on onthe 1446Eaton04 about 14 feet on the main pollinated with itself this morning. I selfed this 5 lober because there were no males on the other plants.   Sunday, July 10 View Page This is a pic of the first and only fruit on the 913Perez. I cut it because it did not grow for a week! This was caused by the cold weather last week. The holes are from a bird. As a second disaster i broke the main vine, so no females on the new main (a secondary) at this time. Maybe i can set some females on a few sidevines in the next days. Sprayed with fungicide on all plants yesterday because summer is back and it is very humid. Hopefully we have nice temperatures next weeks to come. But my hope to hit 1000 lbs is sure gone...maybe 800 to 900 is my goal now...   Sunday, July 10 View Page The squash 654VanRompaey, behind it: the 913Perez. The vines of the 654 are growing sraight up, maybe caused by low temps and the many rain we had?   Sunday, July 10 View Page Fruit on the 1446 (1446 x self); is it set? Will no it in the following days.   Sunday, July 10 View Page Second fruit on the 884VanRompaey pollinated with the 1446 on july 6. Behind the first fruit with the same cross, pollinated a day earlier.   Sunday, July 10 View Page This morning i pollinated the first good looking female on the 753Eaton04, it is a 5-lober and was pollinated with 3 males from the 1446. All were closed the evening before with a little rope.   Monday, July 18 View Page Female on the 913Perez to be pollinate the day after tommorow. A bit late but this is a new main vine. Not gonna be the heaviest fruit but with good genetics, will be crossed with the 1446.   Monday, July 18 View Page Fruit on the 1446 (1446 x self) on day 13. Is at a good angle now. Tommorow i will place a insulationboard under it.   Monday, July 18 View Page First fruit on the 884 on day 13, i think to cull this one because it has a bad angle to the vine.   Monday, July 18 View Page Second fruit on the 884 on day 12. This one will be the keeper i think. Correcting the angle to the main and the sidevine will be cut tomorrow.   Monday, July 18 View Page This is the first fruit on the 753. Correcting the angle with elastics. I saw this method at the diary from Gustavsson (Sweden), hope this works!!   Monday, July 18 View Page No females on the 654VanRompaey (squash) yet, it will be to late to get a decend fruit on this plant, but you never no. It is growing flag style. I think to never use this growing style again. All tips are growing straight up. Temps are very nice in Belgium right now so this is caused by the flag style wich is directing to much energy to the vines.   Saturday, July 23 View Page My daughter Charlotte with some huge male flowers from my 884 plant   Saturday, July 23 View Page 1446 x self   Saturday, July 23 View Page 1446 plant at front   Saturday, July 23 View Page 1446 stump   Saturday, July 23 View Page 884 x 1446   Saturday, July 23 View Page 884 plant at front   Saturday, July 23 View Page Pollinated this female with the 1446 at july 21...too late! Will be grown for the seeds.   Saturday, July 23 View Page This is the second fruit this year that won't grow. It is on the 753Eaton. Will cull this one in a day or so. There is one fruit further down the main that is open pollinated on july 21. Sprayed all plants with fungicide and insecticide because they all are infected by aphids.   Thursday, July 28 View Page 1446 x self: estimated weight is 54.4 kg / 119 lbs. Sprayed fungicide yesterday, and fertilised the entire patch lightly with 13-13-36. Tomorrow we go on a holyday to Austria (Ried im Oberrintal) for 7 (!) days. Man that's long to leave my baby's behind. What can i expect when i get back?? Splits, rot, hailed plants?? Or maybe nice fruits!!   Thursday, July 28 View Page 884 x 1446: estimated weight is 35.7 kg / 78 lbs.   Thursday, July 28 View Page This is another fruit on the 753 that won't grow!! Can't set anything on this plant, do not no how this is possible. Never had this problem before. Anyone having problems with a 753Eaton04 please E-mail me!   Thursday, July 28 View Page This female on the 753Eaton04 is pollinated this morning with 3 males from the 884. It is a perfect 6 lober, first i ever had!! Because all fruits aborted this one is more than 25 feet out and the main is almost at the end of the patch. Will see in 7 days if it is set when i get back from Austria.   Tuesday, August 9 View Page When i got back from Austria i found my fruit on the 1446 with a split next to the stem. Pasted it and is still growing 8 kg a day. But how long will it continue to grow?? Est 152.9 kg or 337.1 lbs.   Tuesday, August 9 View Page This is my fruit on the 884(884 x 1446), growing very well and at this time no split. Est 154.7 kg or 341.1 lbs. Very nice shape and color.   Tuesday, August 9 View Page 2 fruits on the 913 Perez. Fruit on the left is on a side vine and was open pollinated, the vine is terminated after the fruit. On the right is a fruit on the new main and was pollinated with the 1446.   Wednesday, August 17 View Page 1446 x self: est. 229 kg / 505 lbs. Every day i apply a new thin layer of pasta on the split and the fruit keeps on growing 9 kg a day. Will the split heal under the pata? Don't think so, but i will grow it as long as possible to get some good seeds!! Finally some higher temps today: 26 °C, tommorow also. But in the weekend temps will drop again.   Wednesday, August 17 View Page 884 x 1446: est. 239.5 kg / 528 lbs. Keeps on growing 10 kg a day. I like this one; very nice shape and color.   Sunday, August 21 View Page No pics today because i forgot to take my camera with me. 1446 x self: est 265 kg / 584.2 lbs, doing 8 kg a day. Removed 1 side vine that was stressing the stem on the fruit. The wound were i cut it was bleeding the entire day, but now it is closed. Pasted the split again. 884 x 1446: est 284 kg / 626 lbs, doing 10 kg a day. Tents above the fruits are getting too small!!   Tuesday, August 23 View Page Again i forgot my camera...so no pics again. 1446 x self: 285.3 kg / 629 lbs, gained 10 kg a day. 884 x 1446: 303 kg / 668 lbs, gained 9.5 kg a day. Removed the entire 753Eaton-plant yesterday because the 6 lober that was open pollinated splitted at only 20 kg. I was sick and tired of this plant and pulled everything out of the ground. It produced the biggest leaves and stems i've ever seen...but almost no females and difficult to pollinate. Will never grow it again!   Thursday, August 25 View Page This is my wheel-shaped fruit on the 913Perez. This 5 lober was pollinated on july 21, crossed with the 1446. It was flipping over ,so i had to make a construction to prevent this. Not meassured it yet but it will weigh about 90 kg i think.   Thursday, August 25 View Page Stem side of the 1446 x self. Here you can see the splits. Pasted it every 2 days and the fruit keeps growing 7.5 kg a day now. Est 301 kg / 663.6 lbs. It was a cold and wet day today, no higher than 19 °C. For the weekend and next week predicted temps will go to 25 °C and higher!   Thursday, August 25 View Page Blossem side of the 1446 x self.   Thursday, August 25 View Page Side shot of the 1446 x self.   Thursday, August 25 View Page Blossem end of the 884 x 1446: 319 kg / 703.3 lbs. Gained 8 kg a day.   Thursday, August 25 View Page Side shot of the 884 x 1446   Thursday, August 25 View Page The 884 has a huge stump, the biggest i ever had! Maybe the 884 was pollinated by an oak!!??...LOL.   Monday, August 29 View Page 1446 x self: est 330.7 kg / 729 lbs, slowed to 7.3 kg a day now. 884 x 1446: est 351 kg / 773 lbs, slowed to 7 kg a day. Summer is back in Belgium!!!   Wednesday, August 31 View Page 1446 x self: est 343.5 kg / 754 lbs, gained 6 kg a day. Pasted the splits. 884 x 1446: est 365.5 kg : 365.5 kg / 805.5 lbs, gained 7.25 kg a day. Looking very good so far, keeping my fingers crossed!! Very hot in Belgium, today we hit 30 °C in the shade!!   Friday, September 2 View Page 913Perez x 1446Eaton: is about 150 kg. I can not meassure it right because it is at a curious angle to the ground. Removed the vine after the fruit because it was about to split.   Friday, September 2 View Page 555.1Frei x open; est 109 kg / 240.3 lbs. It is growing on a mini-plant at the side of my patch.   Friday, September 2 View Page 1446Eaton x self: est 354 kg / 780.4 lbs. Still growing about 6 kg a day.   Friday, September 2 View Page 884Van Rompaey x 1446Eaton: est 382.5 kg / 843.3 lbs. Growing about 8 kg a day.   Friday, September 2 View Page Stemshot of the 884 x 1446. Still very warm in Belgium. For the weekend warm wheather also. Grow baby, grow... Visit us at: http://home.tiscali.be/pompoenclubgrasheide   Tuesday, September 6 View Page 1446 x self: est 373 / 822.3 lbs. Slowes down to 4 kg a day. 844 x 1446: est 409 kg / 901.7 lbs. Doing 6.5 kg a day but iss slowing down to.   Saturday, September 10 View Page 1446 x self: today est 380 kg - 837.8 lbs, gained 2.5 kg a day.   Saturday, September 10 View Page 884 x 1446: est 431 kg-950.2 lbs, gained still 6 kg a day. Pics were taken between 2 thunderstorms with heavy rain, hope that there will come no hail!!   Wednesday, September 14 View Page 1446 x self: est 387 kg / 853.5 lbs growing 1.5 kg a day now 884 x 1446: est 441 kg / 972.5 lbs, growing 2 kg a day   Sunday, September 18 View Page My daughter Charlotte with the 1446 x self. Est 394.6 kg / 969.9 lbs. Next saturday (september 24) is the weigh-off of our club. I'm gonna enter this one because splits are permitted, so my 884x1446 will be cut a week later to enter in Duisburg. Still growing 1.5 kg a day is amazing for this fruit because i am pasting her splits for weeks now.   Sunday, September 18 View Page Me in a struggle with the 1446 x self, this move will result in a hernia...   Sunday, September 18 View Page Ok, than i will move the 884 x 1446...est 443.6 kg / 978 lbs. Don't think i can get her to 1000 lbs but maybe she is a few % heavy. Almost no growth anymore and we have cold nights now. She stays on the plant untill oktober 1 and than will enter at the Belgian and European weigh-off in Duisburg (near Brussel)   Sunday, September 18 View Page Charlotte with the 884 x 1446. Visit our pumpkinclub at: http://home.tiscali.be/pompoenclubgrasheide   Sunday, September 25 View Page Yesterday we had our local weighoff. I won with my 1446xself, it weighed 460.3 kg / 1014.8 lbs and is 15% heavy. So this will be the fruits name: 1014.8VanRompaey05DMG. Will post pics tomorrow because i have no time right now. The 884x1446 is still on the other plant and is waiting for the weigh-off in Duisburg next week. Will measure it tommorow, maybe she gained a few lbs..   Monday, September 26 View Page The 1446xself ready to be lifted...   Monday, September 26 View Page notice the very flat bottom   Monday, September 26 View Page it takes 10 persons to lift this monster   Monday, September 26 View Page my oldest brother with the heftruck   Monday, September 26 View Page my brother nows i'm afraid of heights...LOL   Monday, September 26 View Page The fruit on the scale: 489.5 kg!!! Minus weighing tarp (3.2 kg) and minus the pallet (26,0 kg) makes 460.3 kg or 1014.8 lbs!!! My personal best!!! We weighed the tarp and the pallet again after the fruit was weighed and came to the same results. This is the official name: 1014.8VanRompaey05DMG   Monday, September 26 View Page With my wife and daughter on the foto.   Monday, September 26 View Page The first 3 of our weighoff. After this we had a barbecue and had many Belgian beers...   Monday, September 26 View Page When i inspected my 884x1446 today i found a soft spot on the fruit. Yep, my season is over, no weighing for me in Duisburg.   Wednesday, September 28 View Page So this is how my 884x1446 looks now. I had to do something so i treated the rot spot with fungicide. It will not help, i no... Now that all leaves and vines are removed i could do a proper meassurement. 399 - 264 and 255 cm. That is an OTT of 919 centimeters. So this fruit is est. 448 kg or 987.7 lbs. Tomorrow or the day after that the seeds will be removed.   Wednesday, September 28 View Page Side view...   Wednesday, September 28 View Page Stem view... So, how do i name this thing?? "Est987.7VanRompaey05/DMG" or "Est987.7VanRompaey05/ROT"?? This is a serious question, do any of you no the answer because i don't!!??   Wednesday, September 28 View Page The stump from the 884 was very rot inside, i didn't noticed this earlier , hte outside was still OK... So most likely this coursed the rotting of the fruit, or maybe something else? If only i cut her of the plant a week ago everything would be allright...   Thursday, October 6 View Page The stem split of my 1446xself now visible with the pasting removed, behind it was a small hole into the cavity. After this i cut the fruit and harvested the seeds.   Thursday, October 6 View Page This is Jef Boonen, 72 years old and winner in Duisburg: 484.5 kg or 1068.2 lbs.   Thursday, October 6 View Page the scale...   Thursday, October 6 View Page Not the most beautifull fruit but sure a heavy one.   Thursday, October 6 View Page Number 2 and 3.   Thursday, October 6 View Page A group-shot of the guys from Kasterlee.