Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 118 Entries. Sunday, February 8 View Page Started organizing for the coming season. Bought some y valves and seed starter soil, and some pots. Planted my "4th of July tomao seeds" today, will put them in the green house I built last fall when it warms up a little. Planted a lemon tree from a cutting will wait see what happens, and also trying to grow some angel trumpets from seed that I harvested last year. Decided this year I am going with just two pumpkin plants instead of 3 due to space issues. Tuesday, February 17 View Page Placed hydrangea cutting in root hormone medium, bought triple phosphate for patch, and saoker hose. Sunday, March 15 View Page Started heater in greenhouse! Monday, March 30 View Page new greenhouse for 2009 Monday, March 30 View Page progress of tomatoes Monday, April 13 View Page Jen and I did some yard work today. I thatched the lawn while she picked up 6 1/2 wheelbarrows of dead debris and placed it the patch. I then tilled the patch for the first time. I placed my soil amendments-grubx, super phosphate, and biotone starter plus. I tilled the patch for the second time to stir it all in. I then started two squash seeds and placed them in mini green house they are 421 A. Engel 04 and 820 Lovelace 06. Friday, May 8 View Page plants going in the ground on monday Tuesday, May 12 View Page Hoop houses went up yesterday, heating coils are in for the first time ever, and plants went in too. Tuesday, May 12 View Page planted 5/11/09 Tuesday, May 19 View Page lovelace 5/19/09 Tuesday, May 19 View Page noel 5/19/09 Thursday, May 21 View Page maybe this year 500lbs. Monday, May 25 View Page lovelace bent in the wind, but thank goodness it did not snap, so much for a soft landing. Friday, May 29 View Page looked at vines today and lovelace that was bent over straigthed itself straight up again, this must be a good sign that this vine is healthy Saturday, June 6 View Page Planning on taking down th hoop houses this weekend. Sunday, June 7 View Page Hoop houses off today, thinking about planting a back up for fun. Monday, June 8 View Page Planted backup today for third plant, will be grown probably in a flag pattern. The plant is 822 Carter 08. Monday, June 8 View Page Lovelace Monday, June 8 View Page Noel Monday, June 8 View Page Carter Monday, June 8 View Page Picture of patch! Monday, June 22 View Page Both squash are now 5'6" long, third plant still growing, wish it would stop raining, we have had 17 days of rain in the month of june, how is the weather everywhere else. Thursday, June 25 View Page Split in the vine of lovelace seen today placed captan on it, should be ok, vin still growing and showing first female, males came out today. Noel doing great small split at beginning placed captan on it, shouldnt be an issue. Carter doing fine maybe it will beging to grow not that the sun is back. Sprayed all plants last night with 3in1 for the first time. Monday, June 29 View Page Lovelace and Noel each are 8 feet long and both have a female at the tip, Carter is now 2 feet long. Monday, June 29 View Page buried all 3 vines today Friday, July 3 View Page Sprayed all three plants today for bugs. Lovelace and Noel are 10 feet long, both have a female at 9' which I look to pollinate next week. Carter still growing strong. Saturday, July 4 View Page Squashed my first squash vine borer fly today. Put own some more systemics, added p, fertilizer, and humus. Foliar fed with miracle gro. Monday, July 6 View Page Started overhead sprinkler today, will need to set timer! Tuesday, July 7 View Page carter throwing out first female at about 3 feet Tuesday, July 7 View Page carter throwing out first female at about 3 feet Thursday, July 9 View Page Got femal bagged tonight looks like will be pollinating for first time in 2009 tomorrow. Friday, July 10 View Page $$$$$$$ pollinated lovelace 5 lobe open Friday, July 10 View Page Female pollinated this morning 10 fet out. Friday, July 10 View Page picture of patch Sunday, July 12 View Page Lovelace 14', Noel 13', Carter 5' long vines. Monday, July 13 View Page Buried the vines some more today, weeded a little, will be pollinating Noel for the first time tomorrow, no sets yet..fingers crossed. Tuesday, July 14 View Page $$$$$$ pollinated noel today open 4 lober Thursday, July 16 View Page Noel day 2 Friday, July 17 View Page First cull of the season... Sunday, July 19 View Page Got some granular fertilizer on wet leaves and burnt some of the leaves.. feel like an idiot! Sunday, July 19 View Page Day 5 noel, 11 inches in circumfernce. Monday, July 20 View Page Pollinated two females this morning i think one is a twin, one on lovelace, and one on noel. Monday, July 20 View Page lovelace was a four lobe monster, and noel was twins i think....placed pillow under pumpkin to create softlanding. Thursday, July 23 View Page Squash Day 9 Friday, July 24 View Page Day 10 noel 19c Saturday, July 25 View Page Day 5 lovelace 8"c Saturday, July 25 View Page Kelvin floodlight dinnerplate dahlia Sunday, July 26 View Page Day 12 noel 23c. Monday, July 27 View Page 311 noel 05 Monday, July 27 View Page Can you find the hidden mickey? Let me know! Tuesday, July 28 View Page Day 14 Noel 26 inches only one inch of growth. Thursday, July 30 View Page noel day 16....29"c Friday, July 31 View Page Carter pollinated today 6 lobe, open Saturday, August 1 View Page noel day 18.....30"c. Tuesday, August 4 View Page All squash and pumpkins have aborted, pollinated 3 squash this morning hopefully one will take and last to the end. Friday, August 7 View Page Pollinated 3 females this morning, one on each plant, and terminated some of the side vines, don't know how 2 of the pollinations will go had to use some old males on them, time will tell I guess. Saturday, August 8 View Page Pollinated another squash today, now I got 7 pollinated, hopefully 7 is lucky for me. Sunday, August 9 View Page 8/4/09 pollinations day 5---1=9" 2=10" 3=13"c. Monday, August 10 View Page Pollinated another female pumpkin on lovelace today. Monday, August 10 View Page Jutras patch from tour. Monday, August 10 View Page Wallace patch- from patch tour. Tuesday, August 11 View Page pollinated second pumpkin on Carter today, hope to get a 3rd one before the 15th, that is the date i think i will stop pollinating as it is gtting to late in the season. Wednesday, August 12 View Page 8/12/09 DAY 5 1=13", 2=4", 3=6". POLLINATED ANOTHER FEMALE ON NOEL 3 SET NOW, JUST SIT BACK AND WATCH THEM GROW NOW. Thursday, August 13 View Page 8/08/09 polinnation just 4"c,, pollinated another on the main vine of lovelace,will be pollinating one more one carter on the first secondary tommorrow. Day 10 measurements tomorrow, hope to be at 25"c. Friday, August 14 View Page Day 10 lovelace #1.....17c Friday, August 14 View Page Day 10 Lovelace #2....17c Friday, August 14 View Page Day 10 Noel......24"c Saturday, August 15 View Page 8/10/09 day 5 pollinations 6c, 8c...probably will cull thess pumpkins. Sunday, August 16 View Page Terminated some secondary and tertiary vines, culled off a small pumpkin, fixed the sprinkler, and fed the plants some fish. Monday, August 17 View Page Carter 1 day 10=27c Monday, August 17 View Page Carter 2 day 6=14c Monday, August 17 View Page Noel day 13=31c Monday, August 17 View Page Lovelace 1 day 13=23c Monday, August 17 View Page Lovelace 2 day 13=25c Monday, August 17 View Page Carter 3 day 3 Monday, August 17 View Page Lovelace 3 day 7=9c Monday, August 17 View Page Terminated more secondary and tertiary vines, culled of 2 more pumpkins, placed some 10-10-10 granular fertilizer down, placed board under the pumpkins,and sprayed vine with 3 in 1. Need to place sheets over pumkins tomorrow. Tuesday, August 18 View Page placed sheets over pumpkins today, tomorrow i will start making daily measurements to determine which pumkins to cull off. Wednesday, August 19 View Page Noel is now at the end of the main vine as i cut the rest of it away because it wasn't that long and not rooted into the ground and now it made it much easier for postioning, tomorrow going to cull off to small pumpkins, thinking of terminating the main on carter at the pumpkin, lovelace has two squash going the one on the secondary is growing faster and has better position so i may keep that one and cut off the other one of the weekend one half at a time at the stem. Friday, August 21 View Page looks like the pumpkin vine lovelace made its choice for me, the squash on the main vine seems to be aborting so that leaves with the one on the secondary vine, cut off the end of the main vine on carter so now the pumpkin is on the end of the vine now i dont have to worry about the vine rubbing on it and it poor positioning, all pumpkins are still growing well, but we had some heavy rains today so i hope the pumpkins dont split. Saturday, August 22 View Page culled off the last two pumpkins today, down to one on each plant, all or nothing now, didn't take any measurements today as it was raining here, will get some tomorrow and also post some pics. Sunday, August 23 View Page Went out to inspect the pumpkins today and my lovelace squash split on the end and the stem so no squash on that vine now, i think all of the rain and the shape it was growing is what caused it to split. i have another female on a secondary that is going to open tomorrow so i will try to pollinate that one hopefully grow something decent before the end of the season. Monday, August 24 View Page My daughter Maisy and the big pumpkin day 17(Carter) 56c45s42e=143ott, grew 14 pounds over night, hope there is enough warm days left to reach my goal of 500 pounds this year. Monday, August 24 View Page day 17 carter......16 feet out on the main vine Monday, August 24 View Page day 20 noel squash 116ott Monday, August 24 View Page Noel squash-- if you can tell from the picture it is on the end of the main vine which is next to the stump, i ran out of room so i had to turn the vine back 180 degrees, it has about 85 leaves behind it and is growing 5 inches a day and it is now at day 20, would like to see it get to 200 pounds, do you think i have a chance-- i would like to know? My othe squash on lovelace vine split on the blossom end and on the stem so i pollinated another female this morning. Sunday, August 30 View Page Carter day 23.......172 ott, beat last year's peronal best of 170, still growing about 4 inches a day, hope it will pick up when hits day 25, last couple of days it has been raining and cold. Sunday, August 30 View Page Noel day 26 squash growing around 3 inches a day in ott. Sunday, August 30 View Page Another try for the lovelace vine a everythinghas aborted or blown up, this oneis on a side vine and was pollinated on 8/24. Monday, September 14 View Page Carter Day 37 Monday, September 14 View Page Noel day 40 Tuesday, September 22 View Page Well I finally reached to 200 pounds today, was hoping to get to 500, but a very late set due to all the rain so I am happy that I have a new pb, and hopefully can squeeze another 50 pounds before the weigh off on 10/17/09. Both squash are still gorwing Noel is about 100 pounds and Lovelace is about 55 pounds, I wish the first one hadn't blown up becaus it was gorwingo fast...oh well. Friday, September 25 View Page Six days to the first weigh off and my squash got a plit in the shoulder, not all the way through to the cavity so filled it with captan and crossing my fingers it can hold on for few more days. Sunday, September 27 View Page Carter still growing at 1 pund per day. Monday, September 28 View Page 110 Menard 09 DMG......Wanted to bring this one to the fair but developed split that went into the seed cavity I weighed it at home and it went 10% heavy. If anyone wants any seeds just email me at the the address at the top and I will send you some seeds. It is a light green squash. Monday, September 28 View Page 110 Menard 09 DMG light green squash Thursday, October 1 View Page Carter pumpkin loaded up into the truck and headed to the first annual weigh off agt the Deerfield fair, this is the first time my family has ever been to the fair, hoping for a new personal best. Friday, October 2 View Page My personal best, now known as 230.5 Menard 09, Had fun at the weigh off and got to speak to a lot of nice growers, and a great thanks to Robert for letting me drive his forklift around the ring. If anyone wants any seeds from this relatively small, but pretty pumpkin just email at the address at the top of the diary page. Sunday, October 4 View Page The pumpkin line up at the Deerfield Fair weigh off. Friday, October 16 View Page Getting ready to bring the Lovelace to the NHGPGA weigh off tomorrow in Goffstown, NH. Monday, October 19 View Page lovelace squash, a very late set but turned out to be 95 pounds. Sunday, October 25 View Page Took my soil sample, will send it off to the lab tomorrow. Then my wife and I went up to a friend's farm and got two pick up truck loads of aged manure compost and added it to the patch. It was full of red worms very good stuff. It came out to be about an inch of soil, then tilled it all in. Still have more compost from the yard and kitchen scraps to add to the patch afte that I will wait to the spring to add the rest of soil amendments. Monday, October 26 View Page Sent soil sample to texas a & m, curious to find out the result, bought some 2x10 for my raised vegetable garden next year. Sunday, November 1 View Page Seeds harvested out of the pumpkin today and are now in the basement on a screen for drying. Pumpkins were chopped up and thrown into the patch. Monday, November 2 View Page Built a new raised vegetable garden today for next years vegeatable productions, first layed down some newspaper, then put about 3 inches of shredded leaves, and then added about 1 1/2 yards of aged manure compost that has sand, saw dust, and animal feed in it. We will see what this yields for me next year, did great this year with containers as I had tomatoes from the middle of June to the end of October. Monday, November 9 View Page 1/4 lb of N and 1/4 lb of Phos per 100 sq/ft; things to remember Tuesday, November 10 View Page If you're growing Giant pumpkins remember they will require a lot more fertilizer. Giant pumpkin vines require approximately 2 pounds nitrogen (N), 3 pounds phosphorous (P2O2) and 6 pounds potash (K2O) per 1,000 square feet of growing space. The addition of organic matter to the garden is important to establish good soil tilth. Tuesday, November 10 View Page Between 80 to 90% of every pumpkin is water; and water is an essential medium for bringing nourishment to the entire plant. Pumpkins are shallow rooted, so water slowly with at least one inch of water per week if rainfall is not adequate. More water may be required during hot windy summer days for vigorously growing pumpkins. Water during morning or early afternoon hours so foliage dries by evening. This helps prevent the spread of leaf diseases. It is best to water the plant at the roots rather than sprinkling from above. Trickle irrigation is best, but soaker hoses also work well. Avoid getting the foliage wet, as wet foliage increases the chance of disease, especially mildew. Tuesday, November 10 View Page To grow giant pumpkins, allow only 4 to 6 pumpkins per plant. Once growing pumpkins reach volleyball size, trim back to one pumpkin. The more you reduce the competition for nutrients, the greater your success rate will be for achieving a giant-size pumpkin. Tuesday, November 10 View Page With Giant Pumpkins, their size and fast growth makes training vines and root pruning very important. When the growing pumpkin is basketball size, curve the vine 80 to 90 degrees away from the fruit. About 3 feet out from the fruit, curve the vine back in the general direction it was headed. Clip roots 3 feet out on the vine. This will allow the vine to easily move upward as the pumpkin grows. Pumpkins long in shape tend to push the vine forward, resulting in a kink. If this happens, slide the pumpkin back about 4 to 5 inches - this is usually necessary when the pumpkin is about 300 pounds. Tuesday, November 10 View Page Adjust your pH to between 6.5 and 6.8 by adding sulfur to lower the pH or lime to raise it. Apply three to five yards of composted manure per 30-foot-diameter circle. Tuesday, November 10 View Page Adjust your pH to between 6.5 and 6.8 by adding sulfur to lower the pH or lime to raise it. Apply three to five yards of composted manure per 30-foot-diameter circle. Tuesday, November 10 View Page Give seedlings a fertilizer that stresses phosphorus, such as 15-30-15. Shift to a more balanced formula, such as 20-20-20, once fruits are set. By late July, use a formula that stresses potassium, such as 15-11-29. I apply water-soluble fertilizer at the rate of one to two pounds per week per plant from fruit set until the end of the growing season Tuesday, November 10 View Page Large types of pumpkins require 2 pounds of nitrogen, 3 pounds of phosphorus and 6 pounds of potash for every 1000 square feet of garden space. In the absence of a soil test apply approximately 25 to 30 pounds of a 5-10-10 fertilizer for every 1000 square feet of garden. Tuesday, November 10 View Page Place sidedressing fertilizer 6 to 8 inches from the plants on both sides of the row. Tuesday, November 10 View Page To capsulate the all this targeting by example, we will say that the target date for competition is October 12. Count back 70-80+ days to the fruit set date of July 24 to August 3. Then count back 60-70 days to the planting date of May 15-25 and 9-10 back to the seed planting date (May 5-10). In reverse - 9-10 days to 3 leaf, +60-70 days to fruit set and +70-80 days to harvest (total days seed to harvest 130-150). Too often growers start too early! Tuesday, November 10 View Page Granular fertilizers should be applied as a broadcast application over the soil surface and incorporated into the soil 4 to 6 inches deep a few days ahead of setting out your transplants Sunday, November 15 View Page Tilled in 19 pounds of sulfur to lower the ph to hopefully about 6.8-------we will see in the spring, fall patch work is now done for the season.