Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 88 Entries. Thursday, April 24 View Page Hello All! First of all I want to thank Ron Hoffman for his wounderful seeds! Also, I would like to thank the Big Pumpkins web site for the entire setup. This is my first year with the Atlantics. Wish me luck. I received Ron's seeds and decided that was plenty for my 1st year. Here's my selections. Thursday, April 24 View Page I since I have limited growing space I figured that I would go with one of these two- smaller in size but nice shape and color history. Thursday, April 24 View Page My final choice is the 497 Hoffman 06. Thursday, April 24 View Page Hello! I'm new and I would like to thank Ron H for his seeds and Big Pumpkins for the site! Tried 3 entried earlier- does not look like they went through. Trying this as a test. Saturday, April 26 View Page This is my growing area, 4.5 x 28 ft. To the right is my "pyramid of growth". Drip watering hose in place. Saturday, April 26 View Page Ground temp maintaining 75 - 80 F 8 inches deep. Saturday, April 26 View Page I just checked the weather report. In the next few days it's going to drop in the 40's during the day and 30's at night. There is no way I will risk planting outside. I will be trying the coffee can method- seed edges lightly sanded, seed soaked for 8hrs, can bottom can out, lid placed on bottom, can 1/2 full with damp seed starting material (used warm water),heating mat wrapped around can, 497 Hoffman 06 placed 1 inch deep at 20 degrees at 9AM this moring and can sealed with plastic wrap. Wish me luck! Saturday, May 3 View Page Well, the first 497 did not go well with the coffee can. It did not sprout. My seed starter must have been too moist. I took the seed apart, impatient, and is was like a seed that was sitting in mud. The insides basically fell apart. I had success with the second 497. Soaked for only 3 hrs and did the damp paper towel method in a plastic bag. It sprouted in 24 hrs and is potted now. Thursday, June 26 View Page My last entry was 05/03/08. The 497 Hoffman was born on 05/09/08- looking for a big female. It is now 49 days old and 8.5 feet long with 2 main seconds. The othe seconds are growing fast(will trim and cover soon) and the roots are jumping out of the ground. Thursday, June 26 View Page Under the Jungle. Thursday, June 26 View Page Roots are growing faster than I can cover the seconds. Sunday, June 29 View Page Pic from 06/28/08. The first female has arrived at 10.5 ft from the stump. I ran into a problem though. The female was on the wrong side of the vine for my growing area. I carefully started the U and at the same time rotated the end of the vine 180 degrees. All is well with the vine this AM. Sunday, June 29 View Page Closer Pic 06/28/08. Wednesday, July 9 View Page It has been a few days. I changed my mind with the first female. My growing area is very narrow with limited area for the secondaries. I wanted to go for maximum leaf cover for grow energy. Since she was only 11 ft out so I took a risk and aborted her on 06/06/08. The next female arrived on 07/03/08 at 15 ft. The next few pics and entries will update through this morning. Wednesday, July 9 View Page Plant is now 18 ft long and 62 days old. Wednesday, July 9 View Page Female. Wednesday, July 9 View Page Female Wednesday, July 9 View Page Female close up -- 4 perfect lobes! Wednesday, July 9 View Page My 3 studs. At 7:05AM these three males and the female all opened at the same time. The males were covered with our all important dust. Wednesday, July 9 View Page Before pollination. Wednesday, July 9 View Page And after. HeeHee! Wednesday, July 9 View Page Pollination 07/08/08 at 7:15AM. If it does not abort I will have my first pumpkin with my name! A -- Wt? Locher (497 Hoffman 06 x self). Wednesday, July 9 View Page Sorry. The first entry for 07/09/08 should have an abort date of 06/30/08 Friday, July 11 View Page 2 days old. Friday, July 11 View Page Some flowers in the back. Most of the larger blooms are 8 inches across! Friday, July 11 View Page My giant mater - a "White Wonder" heirloom.. The largest plant that I have ever grown. The tape on the wall (top left) measures 7ft from the base. The tape measure is set at 4ft from the base. What you see in the pic is all 1 plant. There is one behind about 2/3 the size but this plant is huge and still growing! These seeds were a replacement for seeds that were not in stock from one of the heirloom seed companies. I'm very pleased. E-mail me in the fall if you want seeds. Friday, July 11 View Page View of back yard towards the house. Pumpkin in front. Back right is Chinese red noodle bean. To the left of the bean is garden huckleberry. To The left of garden huckleberry are 2 yellow romas. The white wonders are left of the romas. Saturday, July 19 View Page I think I found a 6 lober!!! Saturday, July 19 View Page 10 days old - measurement is 24 inches. Grew 5 inches in 1.5 days. Saturday, July 19 View Page Tigger melons in the front yard. Saturday, July 19 View Page My critter ridder. Sammy. She got a mole and a sparrow this morning. (poor bird- had to take her to the maker) She wants to eat anything that moves... Flys , bees, chippers, rabbits, elephants- oops don't have those up here. Saturday, July 19 View Page I figuered it was time, since the pumpkin set, to put a face with the pumpkin. Here I am! Saturday, July 19 View Page Night shot - just for fun. Saturday, July 19 View Page Well--- my wife thinks I have lost my mind. HaHa! I'll address that when she wants to go out for dinner. Actually, she encourages my fun. (did 4 hrs of back yard work today- she helped with cleanup) Thursday, July 24 View Page 15 days old. Measures 40 inches. Thursday, July 24 View Page 15 days old - better pic Thursday, July 24 View Page I saw a major problem with my last post. The lady was not happy with her position. After a major watering and a 30 minute wait ( to allow the main vine to be a little more flexable) ,while making sure the main vine lifted with the pumpkin, I repositioned her 1.5 inches up at the end. I am pretty sure there was no stress on the pumpkin or the vine. --Additional information -- 9 hours grew 1.25 inches since this mornings pics. Thursday, July 24 View Page Last Pic Correction. The lift actually moved the main vine up initially but gave a about a 1 inch lowering after the punpkin was set in the sand. Now there is movement of the main vine for future growth. Thursday, July 24 View Page Off the pimpkin for a moment. This my beautiful wife and me with our catch at Raystown Lake 06/14/08. Friday, July 25 View Page The war has begun! This morning I was checking out the pumpkin to make sure the was no damage from the repositioning and found on the underside of the stem a little bump. On closer examination it was a sticky pile, about 1/8 inch round, of post worm feeding stuff. The worm is now TERMINATED! I, also, applied a paste of powder insect killer that you can sprinkle on your plants to assist with the wound closure and sprayed the whole plant, including under all the leaves, with liquid insect killer. I think the damage is minimal, only about 1/16 of an inch deep by 1/8 inch x 1/4 inch. ---- I have to take extreme measures and decided that I will postpone vacation this year, buy one of those $1500 camera systems and apply for Family Medical Leave from work so I can care for my "baby". If I can't get the FMLA, I will have to consult a security agency! lol Sunday, July 27 View Page Day 18. Measurement 52 inches. The stem has healed with no complications. I was away for the weekend and my wife was great! She covered, watered and took post all night and day but, is missing a toe now. She shot at one of those black and red vine demons and missed. It was not pretty! I put some mud on it and sent her to bed. Just kidding. lol I did get one of those demons today though! IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR! KEEP WATCH! I missed the first one as you can see with my prior documentation. Wish you all bug free growing! Sunday, July 27 View Page Check out this bunch of White Wonder maters! Tuesday, July 29 View Page Day 20- 60.5 inches. Tuesday, July 29 View Page Second pic of day 20. The primary vine started to powder and brown close to the stump. Entire plant hit with fungicide post heavy water. Additional 50 lbs of sand placed around my "baby" to allow for level growth. Sunday, August 10 View Page I just got back from Myrtle Beach yesterday. Thats why there have been no entries. This pic is named "Posies and Pumpkin". My neighbor was great and did the watering while I was away. Day 31 measurement was 85 inches. 25 inches in 11 days. Sunday, August 10 View Page The rest of the patch near the pumpkin. Sunday, August 10 View Page Red noodle beans. 24 inches long! Sunday, August 10 View Page Green and red Love Lies Bleeding along my wall. Sunday, August 10 View Page These White Wonder maters are HUGE! The largest one is 5.75 inches across!!!! Sunday, August 10 View Page I saved the best post ,08/10/08, for last. She is a monster, for my first year!! Sunday, August 10 View Page Me trying to keep in shape. A little lifting, had no weights. Sunday, August 10 View Page This is what life is about. My wife and my pooch!!! Thursday, August 14 View Page My first meal from the garden (my wife's creation): Beautifully browned chicken breast with 24 inch long noodle beans as a side ( nutty in flavor ) in a wonderful , light white wine with cream sauce embelished with yellow romas, artichokes, yellow squash, zucchini, and mushrooms. Tigger Mellon with Garden Huckle Berries with whipped cream as dessert. Actually all is correct from above but, we did not like the huckle berries so they went aside. I have 100's of them. I think they may be good for some kind of wine. Did I make you hungry!!! Thursday, August 14 View Page Day 35, yesterday 08/13/08, Measurement 92 inches. The pumpkin has reached a point where I will have to start over the top measurements on day 40. Thursday, August 14 View Page Another view of day 35. Saturday, August 16 View Page My best pupper pic. Saturday, August 16 View Page No measurements today. Just a perspective pic. Saturday, August 16 View Page Watering can and shot glass height - watering can is 14 1/4 inches tall. Shot glass is 1 7/8 inches tall. Saturday, August 16 View Page The White Wonders will be turning a light shade of yellow from what I have picked ( 2 both over 4 inches diameter - those are my medeium size) The biggest one is turning right now. Take a look. Saturday, August 16 View Page My last pic for the day is a beautiful close-up of a blossom from the "Chinese Red Noodle Bean". Monday, August 18 View Page My largest mater was picked yesterday. Wt exactly 2 lbs. Monday, August 18 View Page Perspective pic. 2 pounder on the left 1.25 pounder on the right. I picked 4 since yesterday - all are a pound or over. There are about 10 more at least a pound on the big plant. I will save many seeds for the Atlantic Growers ( if you want them) and family. No more pics of the red noodle beans - growing strong. Chinese Red Noodle Beans( 10-12 will go to seed) they will also go out on request. Monday, August 18 View Page I think it has slowed way down. Circ- 98, W - OTT 56, L - OTT 59 = 213 - approx 214 lbs per the chart. It is probably a little more due to the stem side thickness - OTT measurements are kind of an even out to adjust. I hit the whole plant with fungicide before vacation but we had a few rains while I was away. Bad news- When I came back from vacation the main vine caught a fungus to about 4 feet from the pumpkin and all was almost dead from the ground up. I thought the vine still living could support growth( it is but slow). I will keep watering any doing the fungicide to for remainder or the plant. Monday, August 18 View Page A pic from the other side. Monday, August 18 View Page My pic of the day - the great end of an evening. A beautiful small sun flower that has branched off of one my large plants after trimming. The sun flowers were 6 ft tall and 12 inches across and pretty much done. My wife saw a sprout and said cut them off and see what happens. So I did. The trimming was just before vacation 07/29/08. Since then, many nice small flowers have sprouted continuing to bring in the yellow finches. Sunday, August 24 View Page My line up of big maters. Left to right in ounces-- 9,10,11,11,12,13,13.5,14,14,14.5,15,16,18,19,20,24 and 32. Sunday, August 24 View Page Day 45 was 08/22/08. Circ 100, L OTT 60, W OTT 57 = 217. Most of the remainder of the plant is basically fungi free. Sunday, August 24 View Page Another view. Sunday, August 24 View Page Top view. Starting to orange off. Sunday, August 24 View Page Final pic of the day- A little butterfly on my wife's flowers. Wednesday, September 3 View Page I'll start off with one of my closing pics since I have not posted in a some time. Wednesday, September 3 View Page Last pic was a beautiful sunrise on 08/28/08 - day 51 for the pumpkin. I have several pics for 08/27/08, day 50, but the growth is so slow and not much change to be seen. The most change is a filling from the sides and nice depth of vallies. Measurement- 101 Circ, 61 OTT, 58 OTT = 220 inches - approx 234 lbs. Wednesday, September 3 View Page Day 50 - 103 Circ, 63 OTT , 59 OTT = 225 inches approx 249 lbs. She is still maintaining a slow growth with nice mature orange color with maturing vallies. Wednesday, September 3 View Page Day 50 was 09/01/08. Another view. Remember the can is 14 1/2 inches tall. Wednesday, September 3 View Page Last pic of the evening. I had to post my final pic - my pupper with my "Love Lies Bleeding" . She was looking at about 100 sparows across the way sitting on the power lines and bushes. There were thousands of bugs in the air just before the birds settled. I had to capture her focus. Saturday, September 6 View Page Day 55 09/06/08. Circ 104 L 64 W 60 = 228 inches approx 259 lbs. I do not know how this thing is still growing. Most of the plant is dead. I'll take and additional weight at this point! I think it is time to uncover her. Tuesday, September 16 View Page Sorry about the e in medium last post. Saturday, September 20 View Page This mightbe my final measurement 09/16/08 day 65. Circ 106 L OTT 65 W OTT 61 = 232 inches , approx 272 lbs. It is still on the vine as of today. I just can't detach her because I still have about a 10 foot section at the end still alive. I'm very happy with the color. Saturday, September 20 View Page I finally can post a pick of this end- after 3 evenings of weed wacking, pruning, grass cutting and pressure washing- My prefall cleanup. Thursday, October 16 View Page My lifting crew. Getting ready to load her in the back of the Jeep. Thursday, October 16 View Page Up and in. Pumpkin loading was Thursday evening 10/02/08. Thursday, October 16 View Page Part of the line up at the Altoona, PA weigh off on 10/04/08. Mine is the one on the green tarp. Thursday, October 16 View Page It's official! I have my first Giant Atlantic with my name. 287 Locher 08 (497 Hoffman 06 x Self). Thursday, October 16 View Page The final list of all the pumpkins at Altoona. I'm number 12. Thursday, October 16 View Page The winners. Great job!!!! Sunday, December 7 View Page Carving the pumpkin a few days prior to 10/31/08 Sunday, December 7 View Page Around Halloween, I was checking out some of the woods near my home and found this very unusual cave. Sunday, December 7 View Page Me and the finished carving. Due too pumpkin thickness I went with a simple freehand pattern that I created.