Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 74 Entries. Tuesday, March 17 View Page My first attempt at germinating seeds indoors. Also my first year growing Giant Pumpkins. Setup seemed to keep the temps constant. At this point it was more hope than knowledge! Thursday, March 19 View Page Seeds starting to sprout. All of them are Foss seeds. I have 834 and 748's. So far.....So good.....Now I can start to panic. Saturday, March 21 View Page Transplanted to larger pots. Plants seemed to handle it well. Looking forward to going outside. Wednesday, March 25 View Page Plants continue to grow well. Looking good. Began light mix of Miracle Grow Starter. Preparing outside patch. Sunday, March 29 View Page Planting Day!! Trying to fight the heat and wind here in Southern New Mexico. Prepared the planting mounds with Premium Potting Soil mixed with Composted Chicken Manure and Humus about 3' Diameter and 3' Deep. Saturday, May 16 View Page Plants are about 4' out from the stump. Had to put up the wind barrier all around and five 6' x 27' commercial shadecloth panels because of the extreme heat. Plants seem happy and are growing about 8" to 12" per day Saturday, May 16 View Page Another picture of the shadecloth over the patch. This has really worked well for me, even with days of over 50mph wind gusts. The ends are 1/2" PVC with 1/8" cable running through it. The cloth is simply held on with Binder Clips which makes it very easy to move and adjust. As you can see there are also cables running through the center and diagonally. Luckily I own a Hardware Store!! Thursday, May 21 View Page The closest plant is the 834 and the other two are 748's. As you can see I trenched in front of the vines, mixing in Humus, Potting Mix and Composted Chicken Manure, as the vines grow down the trench I then cover it with the mix. I also started a light spray with Fish Emulsion. Thursday, May 21 View Page In case the pumpkins don't work out I do have the other half of my garden! LOL Thursday, June 18 View Page This was my first pollination and although it is on a side vine I can always cull it later. So far all the pollinations I have done have stuck. Sunday, June 21 View Page All the pumpkins are growing strong. About 4 to 6lbs per day. My favorite one is on the left with the glasses! haha and NO she is not gaining 4 to 6lbs per day! The one on the right is 15 days old. Sunday, June 28 View Page Same pumpkin one week later. My other females were slow and were only pollinated a few days ago. I found that one gallon mesh paint strainers worked great for covering the blossoms. Thursday, July 2 View Page Because of the heat and sun I had to add 3 more panels of shadecloth to protect the plants. I have been alternating betweeen applications of Sevin and Daconil along with fertilizing. So far I have seen no pests or disease. Thursday, July 2 View Page Here is a set of twins that I just hate to cull. Because I have never grown giants before I have no idea if these will last or if they will eventually crack. The pumpkins now are gaining over 10lbs a day and I still need to cull about 3 more pumpkins. Decisions.....Decisions..... Thursday, July 2 View Page On the right is the right is the 748 on the main vine and on the left is a side vine pumpkin on the 834. Which I may have to cull since I have a good pumpkin on the main vine on the same plant which gained over 10lbs today!! I have a feeling for every right decision I have made I have also made about 20 wrong ones!! Maybe next year will be better?? Friday, July 3 View Page One of several culled pumpkins of the year. This one measured 49.6 lbs and actual weight was 51.4. I think I have one more to cull which is over 70lbs. All the other pumpkins are doing 12lbs a day. I am keeping my fingers crossed. Friday, July 3 View Page Just starting to pick a few ripe tomatoes from the other end of my garden. My plants have stayed very healthy this year and I will top them out at 7 feet. Anyone willing to stop by get some free squash!! haha. Friday, July 3 View Page Here is the next pumpkin that I will probably have to cull, It is a 834 foss x 748 foss. It is on a side vine, gaining about 6 to 8 lbs per day at about 30 days old. The main vine pumpkin on the same plant is doing about 12lbs per day now at about 19 days old. Friday, July 3 View Page Headed back to Las Cruces from Cloudcroft NM where we have a vacation home. The weather is wonderful for a nice bike ride. Since this photo I moved up from my 1100 V-star to a 1900 Roadliner/Stratoliner. Friday, July 3 View Page Lurch is all packed up! (Lurch is the name of my Roadliner). Headed to see my family in Oklahoma, Yup, I am orig. from Oklahoma!! On my old bike I did 1045 miles in one day coming back from Oklahoma to New Mexico. Next time I am out I would love to see someone's Pumpkins or if you are out this way stop by! Friday, July 3 View Page And Awaaaaay I go!! Only 13 1/2 hrs to Oklahoma. Too bad they do not have a Motorcyle Pumpkin Tour. I would be great to see 30 bikes showing up at my house to check out the pumpkins and share some stories! So far I have not found anyone else in NM growing giants. Saturday, July 4 View Page A litte sunshine to dry out after yesterday's rain. I decided while I was at it I had just as well enlarge my huts. Saturday, July 4 View Page To Cull.............. or not to cull........... Being my first year growing Gaint Pumpkins I hate to cull any, especially these twins. My other pumpkin on this plant is on the main vine and is doing well, I just wonder how much better it would do if I culled the twins?? Saturday, July 4 View Page Main vine pumpkin on Plant #1. Doing well over 12lbs per day, also have a side vine pumpkin on the same plant which I need to cull. It was my first pollination and first giant pumpkin but I think it is holding my Main vine pumpkin back. At 80lbs I hate to see it go!! Saturday, July 4 View Page Mr. Sunflower is slowly outgrowing my tomatoes, every year the volunteer sunflowers come up so I let them grow for good luck! haha. Hope everyone has a great 4th! May your pumpkins outgrow your immagination! Sunday, July 5 View Page This is my side vine pumpkin on the 834 Foss. It was my first pollination and first giant pumpkin and I really hate to cull it. I think I will give it another week or so and make a decision then. Sunday, July 5 View Page Here is the main vine pumpkin on the 834 Foss. Even with the side vine pumpkin this one is up to 15lbs per day. Yesterday I put up all new huts, enlarged them and cleaned the area around them. My Mill Fabric will be here on Friday, I hope I can still lift them by then!! Sunday, July 5 View Page Here is a better picture of my new huts. I really like being able to get around them easier. On my 3 plants, I am down to 3 main vine pumpkins, one side vine pumpkin and a set of twins on a side vine. If anyone knows much about the twin pumpkins or have had any experience please email me, I don't know whether they will be detrimental or just how much harm they may do. They sure are cute, though, hahaha!! Sunday, July 5 View Page With a little sadness I made the decision that the twins had to go. They weighed out at exactly 30lbs even. Even though I thought they were unique, I thought back about my goal of growing giant pumpkins. I have one more side vine pumpkin left which is measuring over 80lbs. This will leave me with 3 vines, 3 pumpkins all on main vines. Wednesday, July 8 View Page Here is the first pumpkin that I had ever pollinated. It is on a side vine but I have decided to keep it since it is doing well and just in case something goes wrong. The main vine pumpkin on this plant has already passed this one and looks good too. Wednesday, July 8 View Page Here is the main vine pumpkin on the same plant as the one above. I really like the shape of this one. Friday I will get my Mill Fabric that I ordered, I hope I can still lift them somehow to get it underneath them! Wednesday, July 8 View Page This is my #2 plant with my main vine pumpkin. About 12' out from the stump. It seems to be really tall and is growing strong. I had heard to put mothballs around them to keep varmints and critters away, what do you think of my "ring of death"?? Wednesday, July 8 View Page This is plant #3 and the pumpkin is about 9' out from the stump. This pumpkin is younger than the other 3, it was the last one that I pollinated and it is on a smaller plant. For it's size it is gaining 10lbs per day which is good with the heat we have had. May all your pumpkins outgrow your immagination! DannyO Friday, July 10 View Page YAHOO!! got my Mill Fabric today and it sure is nice. For any other new growers, unlike me, buy it BEFORE your pumpkins weigh 150lbs. I did rig up a nice system and lifted them with the help of my wife, leveled the sand underneath and slid the fabric under. We got all 4 pumpkins done in less than an hour. We also checked the underneath while they were airborne and all was well. Friday, July 10 View Page All the pumpkins landed without incident. This one is over 150 lbs, growing about 13 lbs per day, I had heard that the state record here in NM was 311 lbs, maybe with some luck and all the great info the people from this forum have given me, I will set the new state record this year! Being my first year it is hard to tell......May all your pumpkins outgrow your immaginiation. DannyO Friday, July 10 View Page OOps,forgot to add the picture!! Wednesday, July 15 View Page This is a pic of Plant #3, "the Runt". It is about 120sqft but for such a small plant it is doing really well. Today its est weight was 166lbs and gaining about 11lbs a day steadily. With over 100 degree heat, 40 miles from Mexico, that is not bad! Wednesday, July 15 View Page Here is a side view of "the Runt". I hope the little dip up towards the vine end is not a dill ring. THis is my first year growing pumpkins so I really do not know. I guess I will just have to wait and see. Wednesday, July 15 View Page Here is Plant #2, it is about 280sqft. This is "Jimbo" the pumpkin, today his est weight was 200lbs, Yipee!! He has a steady gain of 10 - 12lbs per day now. I think he is about my best looking pumpkin, so far....so good.... Wednesday, July 15 View Page This is a side view of "Jimbo". The skin is really smooth and soft, maybe it is from washing him by hand with a microfiber cloth everyday??hahaha Wednesday, July 15 View Page Here is plant #1 which has 2 pumpkins on it, This one is the "old Lady", a main vine pumpkin. The other is a side vine pumpkin the "old man". The "old Lady" gains about 4 to 6 lbs per day. Wednesday, July 15 View Page Here is a side view of the "old Lady". Wednesday, July 15 View Page Here is the "old Man", he is a side vine pumpkin and the first that I pollinated. His est weight is 149lbs, 6 lbs less than the "old lady" on the main vine of the same plant. He is the only long, flatter type pumpkin of the 4. His surface is also the only one that has the "canteloupe" skin, maybe he was adopted??? hahaha Wednesday, July 15 View Page Here is a side view of the "old Man". He seems quite different than the other 4, even though they were all crosses between the 834 Foss and the 748 Foss. For my first year growing I think I am doing OK, for sure I have learned alot for the future. May all your pumpkins outgrow your immagination!......DannyO Wednesday, July 15 View Page Oops, forgot the photo again, Here is the "old Lady" Wednesday, July 22 View Page Here is the Runt on plant #3, today he measures about 215lbs. He keeps going towards his blossom end like he wants to sit down. Everything else looks pretty good on him. He is actually less than 100lbs from the current NM state record of 311lbs. Wednesday, July 22 View Page This is Jimbo on plant #2. He currently measures at about 265lbs and is gaining about 13 to 15 lbs per day. He is less than 50 lbs from the current NM state record. Our growing season is approx 90 to 100 more days here, As long as it continues to look good and grow well I will let it go and see how big he will get. Wednesday, July 22 View Page This is the Old Lady on plant #1, she is measuring at approx 205lbs today. She is on the main vine of the plant with another pumpkin on the side vine so she only gains 6 to 8 lbs per day. Wednesday, July 22 View Page This is the old man, he is on plant #1 on the side vine. He looks like a giant clove of garlic, why I do not know. He also has the texture of a cantaloupe. He is approx 175 lbs today and gains about 5 to 8 lbs per day. So far my garden has been void of bugs or disease, This being my first year I have really felt fortunate and hope the rest of the growing season goes well. May all your pumpkins outgrow your immagination!! DannyO Tuesday, July 28 View Page Here is a pic of my tomato plants. I like to grow them up tall so I don't have to bend over to pic them, hahaha. I have about 20 plants and all of them are doing well. Tuesday, July 28 View Page This is Jimbo. Plant #2, main vine. He is measuring well over 320lbs, He is very tall and has wonderful striping, like a giant sunburst. He is now over the NM state record.......I believe?? Because of the extreme heat here he has slowed to about 8 to 9 lbs per day. But this should pick back up towards the weekend when it is supposed to cool off. He is a very happy pumpkin! Tuesday, July 28 View Page This is the "old Lady" left and right, hahaha. The one on the right, est weight is 240 lbs. The one on the left won't tell me. The old lady is on a main vine on plant #1 along with the Old Man that is on a side vine of this plant. Tuesday, July 28 View Page This is the Runt on plant #3, he is the only one on this plant and is on a main vine. His est weight is 252 lbs. he seems to keep wanting to "sit down" so I have built up some sand on that end to help support him. Tuesday, July 28 View Page This is the old man, plant #1 Side vine, Est weight is 200 lbs. It is hard to tell by the pic but the nieghbor's cat has tried to use him as a scratching post. Some of it is long scratches but there are a few places that there are distinct pucture wounds that are an exact match to a cat's paw and claws. I am going to treat it with anti-fungal powder and buy a dog!! hahaha. May all your pumpkins outgrow your immaginations!! DannyO Wednesday, July 29 View Page This is the old man that was on a side vine. He had also been brutally cat attacked. His wounds proved fatal so I had to amputate. He was my first pumpkin and weighed out at 209.5. He will be missed.................A moment of silence for the old man. Tuesday, August 4 View Page This is the Old Lady from Plant #1 who is now by herself because the Old Man was amputated due to fatal cat wounds. She is currently est at 262lbs. All of my pumkpins have slowed down quite a bit due to the heat here, It has been over 100 many days over the past few weeks with approx 2/10th of an inch of rain. She had developed some small stem splits so I mixed up some captan powder with a small amount of Daconil to form a paste which seemed to stop the split. Tuesday, August 4 View Page Here is the Runt on plant #3, His est weight is 275lbs. A mere 36 lbs from the NM state Record. Besides having a saggy butt he is doing quite well. He should be over the state record within a few days, barring stray cats!! Tuesday, August 4 View Page Here is Jimbo on plant #2. His est weight is 365 lbs, which is 54lbs over the current state record. He is doing quite well and seems happy. When you look at the picture if you squint your eyes you can almost see him smile. hahaha. Even with the extreme heat I am very happy with my plants, I have had no insect problems but what is weird is I have had some powdery mildew which seems odd withh such a dry climate. May all your pumpkins outgrow your immaginiation! DannyO Friday, August 7 View Page I have decided if all goes well I will take Jimbo in to be weighed and maybe set a new New Mexico state record on the 18th of this month. He could weigh light...or have a crack underneath......or maybe fall of the trailer on the way to the scales.... I guess I will know on the 18th... Wish me luck... DannyO Wednesday, August 12 View Page Aug 12th 6:10 pm MST 60 to 70 mph winds, 1 1/2" of rain in 20 minutes and HAIL !!!!! I guess my season has ended. Luckily my huts survived and none of the pumpkins were damaged. I will take them in to weigh them in the next few days once I get the harness built. Wednesday, August 12 View Page My shadecloth did quite well but the wind was blowing the hail so bad that it blew it underneath and cut the leaves to shreds. Wednesday, August 12 View Page At first glance I thought maybe the plants may come back but after looking closer at the stems and even the vines where the dirt had washed away there was more damage than I first thought. Wednesday, August 12 View Page All in all, no one was hurt, the cat came home and the pumpkins will get weighed!!! I should know in the next few days whether Jimbo will be the new state record for now. i will have to admit for my first time growing giant pumpkins it was great and I look forward to watching the rest of everyone else's season all over the world!! May your pumpkins outgrow your immagination!! DannyO Friday, August 14 View Page Since the storm and the damage to my plants I decided to pull Jimbo and have him weighed. I never lifted a pumpkin but from the photos I have seen I did the best I could. Friday, August 14 View Page The harness we made worked great! Jimbo was put on a pallet and ready to load on to the Truck. Friday, August 14 View Page Once loaded, we secured him with straps and to the scales we go........ Friday, August 14 View Page Here we are at San saba Pecan here in Las Cruces, NM with Jeff Anderson, the local Ag Extention agent. He has really been nice about coming out to see the pumpkin and showing up on short notice to be on hand to witness and certify the final weight today. Friday, August 14 View Page Here we are just inches away from knowing whether it will be a personal best or a new state record!!! Friday, August 14 View Page Here is Jeff inspecting the bottom thoroughly and taking photos also. Friday, August 14 View Page WOOOOHOOOO!!! Happy day... Friday, August 14 View Page Old state record 311 lbs....... New state record 404 lbs!! Friday, August 14 View Page Jeff Anderson and I reviewing the photos of the day. I still can't hardly believe my first try I did as well as I did. Friday, August 14 View Page Here we are at our Hardware Store where Jimbo will be displayed. Hopefully alot of parents will bring their children by to see this. Today a big article came out in the Las Cruces Bulletin in the Homes and Southwest Living section and you can see it online at lascrucesbulletin.com. Friday, August 14 View Page Jimbo will be displayed at our store and hopefully many people will come in to see him, so many people ask if he is real! None of this could have happened without the help and support and advice from the other growers here on bigpumpkins.comand my wife Virginia and all of her patience. Thanks everybody!! This being my first year growing AG's and setting the new state record has been wonderful but even more sharing it with so many others has made it even better. Maybe this will encourage others to plant that seed and go for it!! May all your pumpkins outgrow your immagination!! DannyO P.S. I still have one more pumpkin growing.....keep your fingers crossed.....