Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 156 Entries. Friday, February 20 View Page This is my 1357 from last year cut open. It was grown from the 1248ford and pollinated with the 1502wallace.pollinator went 17% heavy and grew 1008 for me.   Friday, February 20 View Page Another pic of the 1357ghaye08   Friday, February 20 View Page This is what left of my 1357 seeds. More than 500 were sent out to clubs, growers etc. As you can see seedcoats are splitted. I talked about this with some experienced growers and it should be no problem.Propably they even will sprout easier. Or maybe they just got excessif 'Power' ?? !!!   Wednesday, April 15 View Page Weather has become very nice here in the last 8 days, and soiltemp in the greenhouses is up to 24°C. Last few days we made last preps on soil and greenhouses.Next week seeds will go in pots.   Wednesday, April 15 View Page Time to move from livingroom to patch ... Pumpkin time !!!!!   Sunday, April 19 View Page Today i filled pots with potting soil mixed with some endomyccorizhae.Potting soil was preheated.Seeds will be soaked overnight now while pots are going in germination chamber.Tomorrow 14 seeds will go in. We'll see what germs. I need 6 plants and 6 backups.   Sunday, April 19 View Page In one plant area hundreds of fieldpumpkin seedlings are popping up through the manure mulch.I hope they will benefit those bacteria and mycchorizhal funghi that are specific for pumpkin plants.I will cut them later as AG plant will fill up the spot .   Sunday, April 26 View Page All pumpkin plants except the 1207young are in the patch. The two 1207's i planted needed some help to pop up, but today i peeled of the seedcoats and both are fine. Big greenhouse : spot 1 : 1357ghaye (backup: same) spot 2 : 1350starr (backup: 1408daletas) New greenhouse : spot 1 : 1309hebb (backup: 1156hunt) spot 2 : 1207young (backup: same) Hoop : 1306jutras(backup : 1008ghaye)   Thursday, April 30 View Page Spot nr1 in big greenhouse. The 1350starr and it's backup. Seeds started 4/20. Up 4/23. Transplanted 4/26.   Thursday, April 30 View Page Two 1357ghaye seedlings in spot nr.2 in big greenhouse. Seeds in pot 4/20.Up 4/23.Transplant 4/26.   Thursday, April 30 View Page Spot nr. 1 in new greenhouse : 1309hebb and it's backup. Seeded 4/20 . Up 4/23. Transplanted 4 /26   Thursday, April 30 View Page Spot nr. 2 in new tunnel . Two 1207young plants. Early to tell, but i think both developping double vine. Seeded 4/20.Up 4/26 . Transplanted 4/29   Sunday, May 24 View Page Plants were transplanted 4 weeks ago now and finally picking up some speed thanks to the very warm weather last few days. This is the 1350starr.Plant you see in the back is one of the fieldpumpkins i planted in the 1350 patch to colonize pumpkin-specific beneficial microbes and funghi.They will get cut away at soil level as the main plant will fill up the spot.   Sunday, May 24 View Page 1357ghaye. Main vine 'landed'.   Sunday, May 24 View Page 1207young   Sunday, May 24 View Page 1309hebb (left) and 1256hunt. Still to make final decision.   Sunday, May 24 View Page 1306jutras. In the back is the 1689jutras witch is grown by my friend marcin.   Sunday, May 31 View Page 1350starr   Sunday, May 31 View Page 1357ghaye. The first sidevine has developed very strong and allready half as big as main vine.   Sunday, May 31 View Page 1306jutras   Sunday, May 31 View Page 1309hebb.This one has very fat vines and a couple of very strong secondaries allready.   Sunday, May 31 View Page 1058ghaye. Had to cull the 1207 because vine tip continued to produce a bunch of leafs, sidevines ,tendrils etc. at each node.   Sunday, June 7 View Page 1357ghaye. There's a female bud at about 9ft.out.Unlike it's mom it's very longstemmed.   Sunday, June 7 View Page Vineburying job will keep me busy for the next 4 weeks or 5 weeks.   Sunday, June 7 View Page This is the 1350starr. Plants are growing at a good pace and still tips are 'crawling' instead of reaching for the sky.That's a sign for me soil is in balance.   Sunday, June 7 View Page 1309hebb. 45days old,transplanted 6 weeks ago.   Sunday, June 7 View Page 1058ghaye. Planted a few days later than the other plants.   Sunday, June 14 View Page 1357ghaye 7 weeks in patch now. First secondaries on this one and the 1309hebb are terminated.   Sunday, June 14 View Page 1350starr female buds got very long stems.   Sunday, June 14 View Page Took down cover of the 1306jutras and marcin's 1689jutras.   Saturday, June 20 View Page 1357ghaye*1689jutras.5 lobes,14ft.   Sunday, June 21 View Page 1357ghaye plant today.Main vine is 6,5meters long.5 sidevines each side are terminated.   Sunday, June 21 View Page This one was pollinated yesterday.1357*1689   Sunday, June 21 View Page Teritaries running back from one of the sidevines to fill up greenhouse corner.   Sunday, June 21 View Page Female buds protection against bird attacs.   Sunday, June 21 View Page This female bud on 1058ghaye plant has perfect angle to vine.   Sunday, June 21 View Page 1309hebb in the front and 1058ghaye in the back.   Sunday, June 21 View Page 1309hebb*1350starr.4lobes,15ft.out.   Monday, June 22 View Page 1309hebb*1689jutras,15.5ft. 5lobes   Tuesday, June 23 View Page 1058ghaye*1309hebb.13ft.5 lobes.   Thursday, June 25 View Page 1350starr*1309hebb 4,5 deforemed lobes,13ft. 1357ghaye*self 4lobes 17ft.   Friday, June 26 View Page 1357ghaye*self.Perfect 4lober,18ft.   Sunday, June 28 View Page 1357 plant today.   Sunday, June 28 View Page One of those two will be the keeper on 1357ghaye.   Sunday, June 28 View Page This will be my last one to pollinate this season. it's on the 1350starr plant at 22ft.Propably it will be ready by july 1.   Sunday, June 28 View Page Here's the 1350starr.   Sunday, June 28 View Page 1309hebb plant. In the back my 1058ghaye.   Sunday, June 28 View Page Fruit on the 1309hebb   Sunday, June 28 View Page Pollinated this 4lober on the 1058ghaye today at 17ft.Pollinator was the 1689jutras.   Thursday, July 2 View Page 1350starr*1309hebb.22ft. Biggest 10 day measurement is on the 1058 : 29" circ. Other ones all about 25" at day 10.About same as former years for me.   Sunday, July 5 View Page 1357ghaye plant. Fruit is 9 days old today.   Sunday, July 5 View Page Soakerhoses run underneath fruit on plywood.   Sunday, July 5 View Page Fruit on the 1309hebb plant is 13 days old today.   Sunday, July 5 View Page Fruit on 1058ghaye plant,12 days old.   Sunday, July 12 View Page 1357 plant and fruit.Got some issues with this one. Stump is allready foaming up and the fruit started furiously but gains dropped quick after day 10. 42" circ. at day 16 today.Still have a backup fruit, but some more sidevines should be sacrified in that case.   Sunday, July 12 View Page Here's the 1357 stump. Made 2 big holes on top and 2 at bottomside for drainage to prevent bad fluid from running in main vine.   Sunday, July 12 View Page Fruit on the 1350starr plant. 10 days old and 27" circ.   Sunday, July 12 View Page 1309hebb plant and fruit.   Sunday, July 12 View Page A closer look. never had a bigger 20day fruit.   Sunday, July 12 View Page 1058ghaye plant is smaller than my other ones because some sidevine tips were burnt.Fruit is doing amazingly well however.61" circ.at day 19.   Sunday, July 12 View Page I love the shape of my son's 1306jutras fruit.   Friday, July 17 View Page Fruit on my 1058ghaye plant is 24 days old today and looking good.   Friday, July 17 View Page On july 14 i had to amputate the stump of my 1357ghaye due to stumprot. On the bright side ,by discovering it in time i only lost one secondary.   Friday, July 17 View Page Second setback on the 1357 plant was i had to cull the 'keeper'.Shape wasn't good and growth was very slow even for my standards.   Friday, July 17 View Page This is the new keeper on my 1357. Cross: 1357ghaye*open Pollination date : unknown. I terminated the main right after the fruit and it's growing well.   Friday, July 17 View Page Because new keeper ob the 1357 is at the edge of it's patch i have to grow it on a pallet with watering system underneath it.   Friday, July 17 View Page This might get interesting view in a couple of months. on the left : fruit on 1350starr, on the right fruit on my 1357.   Friday, July 17 View Page Fruit on 1350starr is 15 days old today and it's circ is 42".   Friday, July 24 View Page 1309hebb plant in the front, 1058ghaye plant in the back.   Friday, July 24 View Page Fruit on 1058ghaye is 31 days old today and about 365lbs.   Friday, July 24 View Page The pumpkin on the 1309hebb is 32 days old and about 400lbs.   Saturday, August 1 View Page The fruit on my 1309hebb plant is 40 days old today and it's estimated weight is 567lbs.(257kg).   Saturday, August 1 View Page Fruit on 1058ghaye plant. Day 39. Est. wgt.: 538.5lbs(244,5kg).   Saturday, August 1 View Page 1350starr is giving me the kind of fruit i was hoping for and it tapes 341 lbs.(155kg) on day 30.   Saturday, August 1 View Page 1357Ghaye plant doesn't seem to be able to grow me a decent fruit. Over 25 days old and only 65" circ.   Saturday, August 1 View Page 1357 fruit is getting those kind of cracks on several spots.Don't know yet if i will let it grow or pull plant and start prep for next season.Plant lost it's stump at the time pumpkin was set.   Thursday, August 6 View Page 1309hebb fruit tapes 683lbs(310kg) at day 45.   Friday, August 7 View Page 1058ghaye, day 45. 660lbs(300kg).   Tuesday, August 11 View Page 1309hebb day 50. 793lbs.(360kg).Steady 10kg/day for 25 days in a row now.   Tuesday, August 11 View Page Day 40 for the fruit on 1350starr. 587lbs.266kg. 11kg/day.   Tuesday, August 11 View Page Siemen measuring his pumpkin on the 1306jutras plant. Tape says almost 400lbs.   Wednesday, August 12 View Page Fruit on 1058ghaye plant.Day 40 : 767lbs(348kg).Stump is almost gone now.   Wednesday, August 12 View Page oops.. mistake in previous post. 1058 is 50 days old   Friday, August 21 View Page Fruit on the 1309hebb plant is 60 days old today and it's est.weight is 964lbs.(437kg).   Friday, August 21 View Page Fruit on the 1350starr plant. Day 50 : 805lbs.(365kg).   Friday, August 21 View Page 1058ghaye on day 59 tapes 900lbs.(408kg).   Monday, August 31 View Page In the front is my 1058ghaye plant. Fruit is 69 days old and it's est.wgt. is 1007lbs.(457kg). The one in the back is on the 1309hebb and at day 70 it tapes 1080lbs.(490kg).   Monday, August 31 View Page Fruit on the 1350starr is 60 days old today and it 'tapes' 970lbs.(440kg).   Saturday, September 5 View Page Luc Bex was here today for his annual visit.Here he is with the fruit on 1309Hebb plant,75 days old and 1150lbs.(522kg)est. Fruits ont he 1350starr(65days) and 1058ghaye(day74) are 1050lbs.(477kg) and 1070lbs.(485kg).Gains were better than i expected , all 3 gained more than 30kg during last 5 days.   Tuesday, September 15 View Page Fruit on 1350starr plant is my youngest and at day 75 it's taping 1111lbs. 504kg.   Saturday, September 26 View Page Lifting day for the fruit on my 1058ghaye plant.It's only 94 days old and was still gaining but it's picked up for a weighoff i didn't know of at planting time.   Saturday, September 26 View Page On the pallet.   Saturday, September 26 View Page Measurements on pallet is 385" 977cm ott. Est. wgt.1193lbs 540kg. Don't think it will fit in the car.   Saturday, September 26 View Page Well packed and ready to leave tomorrow early in the morning.   Sunday, September 27 View Page We left at 6 am and at 10am we arrived at the holidaypark, Germany.My two friends Marcin and Jens and my kids Robin and Siemen are ready to enjoy a day at the nice amusementpark organising this weighoff.We all got free entrance to the park and all the attractions.   Sunday, September 27 View Page My pumpkin on the display before weighoff   Sunday, September 27 View Page On the scales ... 573,9kg 1264lbs. Fruit of my 1058ghaye will now be known as 1264ghaye09(1058ghaye*1309hebb) 6% heavy.   Sunday, September 27 View Page 1264ghaye first place at holidaypark weighoff.   Sunday, September 27 View Page The 'ceremony' ... lol   Sunday, September 27 View Page Group pic !   Sunday, September 27 View Page I promissed the kids i would take a ride in 'this thing' in case we won. 4,5 G ..wew !!! I ' survived ' , but for the next weighoffs i prefer the beers to get drunk,lol   Friday, October 2 View Page Time to pick up the fruit on the 1309hebb.Pumpkin is 102 days old .   Friday, October 2 View Page This season my cousin Marc is the guy we have to depend upon to get them out of the patch safely.   Friday, October 2 View Page Getting her out of the greenhouse frame is the tricky part.   Friday, October 2 View Page Bottom   Friday, October 2 View Page 1350starr fruit is in 'rollup sides' greenhouse. Can't use lifting ring. Gonna try it this way.   Friday, October 2 View Page We lifted fruit, plywood and sand.   Friday, October 2 View Page Got her !   Friday, October 2 View Page Family pic. Now i have to decide witch one to witch weighoff. Both are taping excactly the same.First time i ever seen that in my patch.   Saturday, October 3 View Page Belgian Weighoff Today. My fruit of the 1309hebb getting unloaded.   Saturday, October 3 View Page My son Siemen brought his pumpkin too.   Saturday, October 3 View Page Jef Noyens brought a big one of the 1566rodonis.   Saturday, October 3 View Page Brad Würsten an Leo Cuypers. Leo brought a couple of big squashes.   Saturday, October 3 View Page Part of the lineup.   Saturday, October 3 View Page mmmm.. 119 entries.. Gonna take a few beers till ours got weighed.   Saturday, October 3 View Page Siemen's pumpkin heading to the scale !!   Saturday, October 3 View Page Job well done . 324,4kg (715lbs). Happy grower !   Saturday, October 3 View Page 715(siemen)ghaye09. Cross is 1306jutras*open.   Saturday, October 3 View Page 1047cuypers09 New belgian squash record. Congrats Leo !   Saturday, October 3 View Page Last two fruits going to scale.on the left is Jonas' fruit of the 1457paton.   Saturday, October 3 View Page On the scale...   Saturday, October 3 View Page Wow!!.. beats my own belgian record from last year by 1,2kg.   Saturday, October 3 View Page 1360ghaye09 !!! It taped 391,5" for an est.weight of 1260lbs. seed was the 1309hebb08 and it was pollinated by the 1305starr07.   Saturday, October 3 View Page Weighoff crew with the 1360. 1305starr in my previous entry should be 1350starr.. typo..   Saturday, October 3 View Page Podium... After the ride home i will go to sleep for a couple of hours before leaving to next weighoff with another pumpkin.   Sunday, October 4 View Page Pumpkin of my 1350starr plant in the lineup for the german open GPC weighoff at ludwigsburg castle.   Wednesday, October 7 View Page To my own surprise i won the weighoff.My pumpkin wasn't the biggest by far, but it went 16% over chart.On the left is Robert Jaser(Billy Orange) with his new German record pumpkin of the 998Pukos:617kg 1360lbs.On the right is Johannes Tanner(Bigpumpkin)with his fruit of the 1207Young:503kg 1110lbs.   Wednesday, October 7 View Page 1452ghaye09. 1350starr07*1309hebb08.Ott is 391.5". 16% heavy.Pumpkin will stay in Ludwigsburg for the European Championship on sunday oct.11.   Saturday, October 10 View Page Ludwigsburg Castle will host European pumpkinchampionship.   Saturday, October 10 View Page View from inside the castle. Egvga members got a guided tour inside castle.   Saturday, October 10 View Page Tom Delles(luxemburg), Kaarina Rinne& Thuya Osmala (finland)and Anders Lilja(sweden) at egvga convention.   Saturday, October 10 View Page Albin (hiding behind his empty beerbottles) and Lars from Sweden.   Saturday, October 10 View Page Pumpkin exposition was even better than it allready was in former years.   Sunday, October 11 View Page My pumpkin lined up for Euro Weighoff. From left to right : Anders, Kaarina, Lars,Albin and Thuya.   Sunday, October 11 View Page Anders with his 1380Lilja09.   Sunday, October 11 View Page The podium : from left to right : Me, Anders Lilja,Beni Meyer and Robert Jaser.   Sunday, October 11 View Page 1410Meyer,1452Ghaye and 1380Lilja. Pumpkins will stay at Ludwigsburg castle till 'slaughtering party ' after halloween.   Friday, October 16 View Page Start of the 2010 season ! Especially if you grow in greenhouse it's important to prepare your soil in fall.   Friday, October 16 View Page Patch is cleaned up , plants are gone .Roots stayed in , hopefully together with beneficial microbes and funghi.   Friday, October 16 View Page Every year i come home from EM in Ludwigsburg with some new stuff for my pumpkinpatch.Two years ago it was a lifting ring built by Peter Frei, last year it got a precisionclock from Anders, gypsum from Sergio, this year i got two 'Gustavson' soildrills.   Friday, October 16 View Page Drilling some holes here to provide proper drainage and fill them partially with sand,partially with compost. Wow.. 17cm diameter and it goes in like in butter. Good stuff.   Friday, October 16 View Page Here's the link to Börjes' website : http://www.skurupsborren.se/   Sunday, October 25 View Page 1611Daho on the scales at Kasterlee weighoff !   Friday, October 30 View Page Kasterlee. Jonas, Leo, Paul , me and Mehdi.   Friday, October 30 View Page Me and Mehdi with the growers from Essen.   Friday, October 30 View Page Kasterlee gang...   Friday, October 30 View Page There was some beer too.   Friday, October 30 View Page Talking with the 'pumpking' Jef Noyens.lol.   Friday, October 30 View Page Top 3 in Kasterlee.   Friday, October 30 View Page Siemen on the 1611Daho. Next season he wants one like this in our patch he said... So i know my mission for next season.   Saturday, October 31 View Page Cutting open the 1360.   Saturday, October 31 View Page Collecting seeds.   Saturday, October 31 View Page Carving.   Saturday, October 31 View Page Happy Halloween !!!   Sunday, November 1 View Page My 1452 was cut open today in Ludwigsburg by Robert Jaser. Thanks Robert! Here's a look at the inside. No wonder she went 16% heavy !! Cross is 1350starr*1309hebb.   Tuesday, December 29 View Page Got bubble from Big Grower today !