Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 52 Entries. Saturday, January 2 View Page Happy new year ... and Grow-em big in 2010! Monday, January 4 View Page Now if I showed ya-all my small patch, every one of you would say I was crazy! And if I tell you I'm growing in the Chihuahua Desert, every one of you would say I'm crazy! Any you know what, you are absolutely right! But ya-all can say that all that really matters is the number on the scales, but I’ll telling you right here, right now, it is really all about being crazy! Thursday, February 18 View Page I’m starting to think I insane trying to grow-em big in the Chihuahuan desert. In another month the dust storms will come – did you know you can clean pots and pans hanging them on the clothes line? Then I’ll have to contend with 100+ temps all summer. The Monsoons will kick in and bring that sweet desert rain … but also more wind and, gulp, hail, hail, hail. And on top of that, OK, you’ll just laugh (perhaps cry) so I’m not even going to tell you how small my patch is. But I’ve started so I now I have to finish … and my lineup is … 986 Schieder (set one record so let’s see if it can set another!) 817 Schieder (going to see if this sibling rivalry is a match for BiZ an WiZ) 917 Sperry (hoping it takes the heat since it is southern grown) wasn’t going to grow this one this year but was just too hard to resist. I’ll call this one the Pollinator) 1166 Mohr (was a last minute pick but really should grow something from the club) 683 Horton (for the green) 666 Horton (there is something about that number, hummm, going to name it the green beast) 117 Attaway (going to grow up – I always threaten I would do that someday :P ) 112 Sperry (The the sky is the limit! And I do have space up) Lastly, my thanks to all these growers! Thursday, February 18 View Page Owwww yea my small patch -- I will say I expanded it from the 2009's 75sqft patch which I grew 5 AGs in. Yea, it can be done folks (and one reason for me doing a diary). But just in case ... I'm partnering with a few other growers here that do have space :) And I'm also hoping it will expand the interest in the sport as NM is one of the top 10 pumpkin producers but dead last for size! Tuesday, March 2 View Page OK, I'm bummed! In 4" peat pots at 85 and still nothing popping! Nothing! Not one! 917 split to a toco during the pre soak so I had my doubts on that one, but nothing? not one? So now I'm wondering if I declare all a loss and start over ... for now, I can continue to wait. Sunday, March 21 View Page Well the first batch didn't germ (rotted, guessing too wet) so nothing has seen dirt yet. Did get a couple of LG going but already killed one trying to help it along shedding it seed. Started another batch but don't have a second Mohr or Sperry ... going to try Horton orange this round. Probably a good thing they didn't pop as someone, and I'm not pointing fingers, is blowing that colorado weather south. Issued by The National Weather Service El Paso, TX 3:15 pm MDT, Sat., Mar. 20, 2010 ... LIGHT FREEZE ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO AND FAR WEST TEXAS SUNDAY MORNING... AN UPPER STORM SYSTEM AND SURFACE COLD FRONT MOVED THROUGH SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO AND FAR WEST TEXAS ON SATURDAY. WITH THE EXIT OF THE STORM SYSTEM SATURDAY AFTERNOON DRIER AIR HAS MOVED OVER THE REGION. IN ADDITION NORTHERLY WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT HAVE BROUGHT COOLER AIR TO THE AREA. TONIGHT... WITH CLEAR SKIES... DRY AIR... AND LIGHT WINDS... TEMPERATURES WILL RAPIDLY COOL AFTER SUNSET. BY DAWN SUNDAY MORNING TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO COOL BELOW FREEZING FOR NEARLY ALL OF THE LOWLANDS ACROSS THE REGION. TONIGHT'S FREEZE IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE EXTREME OR OF EXTENDED DURATION BUT PETS AND TENDER SPRING PLANTS WILL BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE MUCH BELOW NORMAL OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES. THIS EVENING YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE MEASURES TO PROTECT THE FOUR PS... PEOPLE... PETS... PLANTS... PIPES. Wow and probably a good thing I didn't fix my solar heater manifold. Dang thing shatered during last freeze. It's a bad design as freeze protection kicks in to circulate, but I've learned a solar collector at night is cooler not a heater -- or should I say freeze breaker. Well it gave me time for mre things but I still havent downloaded pictures for diary :P next time! Saturday, May 8 View Page Every fall we wonder what we'll find under the pumpkins -- a nest of these is not what I want to see! Saturday, May 8 View Page Cracks@! And dont want to see that this year! Saturday, May 8 View Page And if you look at the leave you see some holes -- that is a little hail damage. Hail is the best and fastest defoliant I’ve seen! Don't what that this year either but I don't think that is a choice :P Saturday, May 8 View Page See we do get snow here … sort of. Those be the Organ mountains to my East. Mountainous areas have many different microclimates do to the various elevations. It can easily be 20 or more degrees cooler and with different vegetation (AKA trees) then here in the desert plain. Just a couple of miles to the west is the fertile Rio Grande valley which is slightly different too (including pesky mosquitoes which we don't have!) Saturday, May 8 View Page Spring brings wind and dust storms, and this year was no different! So here is a picture to my northwest showing the desert plain and the Dona’ Ana Mountains … trust me they are there! Notice the gravely soil – a product of the wind! Did you know the settler’s would hang their dirty dishes out to clean? Or should I say to be sand blasted! Saturday, May 8 View Page OK, this picture is just a few feet from the spot above – now you can see the Dona’ Ana Mountains! Saturday, May 8 View Page OPS here is the picture. Sunday, May 9 View Page So, let see, first we have the wind tear up the plants, then the hail tears up the plants, then the 100+ heat cooks the plants, then more hail, and all sorts of ailments inbetween … then, and if we are lucky, we end up with a decent pumpkin. I’ve grown in Washington, Michigan, Nebraska, Maryland, and now New Mexico. But growing here is like no other place for sure. If you are wondering why anyone would grow AGs in NM, well I live here. And if that isn’t a good enough answer, all you really have to do is look in the mirror! Well, anyway, I decided to do a diary this year, not because I wanted to growz-em big and compete. Yea, growz-em big is the utopia, but my intent is to show that you don’t need 1000s of sq ft per plant to grow them. Last year I grew 5 plants in about 45 sq ft of dirt. I did intend to thin them out, but didn’t, and they were crowded, but they all grew and grew pumpkins. I did this by just growing the mains, no secondaries so I could grow them side by side. This also didn’t give me the luxury of pollinating three and picking the best, rather I had to say "this plant’s pumpkin goes here", and "this plant’s here", and "that plant’s there" (and I did miss the mark on one). I’ll agree that is not the best way to growz-em, no argument here, but it is the best way for the space I have. And that is my whole point: if you don’t have space, you just have to make the best use of the space you do have and don’t let the lack of space deter you, rather be creative. Basically, if there is a will, there is always a way. So this pic is of last year’s patch. Sunday, May 9 View Page Now for this year, I extended the patch on one side which gives me two full 3X15 strips of dirt, one for green (two plants) and one for orange (two plants). My grow plan is much the same. I just went with 4 plants (as I should have weeded one out last year anyway – long story but that one did grow my biggest!). In hindsight, I probably should have went with more than 6, weeding out the weakest, and thus leaving 4. As it stand right now, looks like I’ll end up with one green (683 Horton) and one orange (986.6 Schieder) [[see next pic]]. So in this pic, left to right is 817Schieder, 986 Schieder, 683 Horton, and just off the picture is the 1236 Vincent-McGill. Note, I also set up an un-improved side yard patch with 1166Mohr and OGVO’s 1330 (I’ll have to tell them about this unusual seed). It was to be for experimenting (the fun part of growing) and for LGs and not for diary. And I do have two other patches and partners at other locations but don’t plan any of this for diary either. Sunday, May 9 View Page As you can see from this pic, the 817Schieder is about finished. The wind flipped it 180 and cracked the stem. I covered most of the stem with dirt in hopes it roots, but, well, it’s a goner. Same with the Vincent-McGill which is the small green spot near the right edge of pic – it’s positively history. The two remaining were also affected by wind and now growing the opposite direction (that is same direction of first leaf). I’m not going to try to fix them, rather just swap the way I planned them to go. Having two is probably is for the best as I can now grow some secondaries and maybe bigger AGs. But it does take away from how one can grow in small spaces (i.e., only half the plants intended). This is still a very small plot at 45 sq ft per plant. PS, for thoes that wanted me to update -- this is it for awhile at least untill I trench and weed (embarassing as it is). Thursday, May 13 View Page Though I would grow a OGVO 1330 "seed of the year" to see what it was all about. But guess I will not grow as cotyldones formed but is missing the epicotyl apical shoot. I'll probably just keep it to see how long it lives and just posting for anyone interested... Thursday, May 27 View Page This is, or was the 1330. I say "was" as I grafted a bud :) It been 5 days in humidity, and it took, and should be slowly reintorduced, but I'm going out of town for awhile so probably only chance is to get it into dirt and it will just have to rough it out. I really do hate abanding my patch like this -- I'm sure we all do! Thursday, May 27 View Page Current stat of my meger patch! Yep, I lost two as previously indicated, so just one plant in each direction. I trimmed off all buds, trendel, and secondaries as soon as possible leaving just the main shoot. But since I only have one plant in each direction, I can grow some secondaries (or second main?). That is a good thing as not only are they starting to shoot out, I'm going out of town and can't trim. Infact, I even have to hope there is a patch when I come back! Friday, June 11 View Page Vacation was nice … and needed! While I was gone, squash continued to grow nicely and AG plant grew 5-6 secondaries. Problem is a couple of secondaries, along with the main, terminated! Bummer, bummer, and bummer! Son was watering while I was gone; so suspect that area may have been hit with 100ft of hot hose water from sitting in sun. Relax, I’m not passing blame -- I always wait till it cools but failed to tell him so is my fault! The plant also doesn't have very well formed leaves so it may just be diseased. So I’ll treat (overdue anyway) and see if I can’t turn a couple of the remaining secondaries into mains. I had originally planned on two plants here anyways. I’m trimming secondaries due to my limited space so it was a good thing I left a couple growing (noted in lessons learned)! And this does goes to show nothing goes exactly as planned … come-on, does anyone ever really have a perfect season? NO!, you just have to adapt and overcome! Anyway, it is an ugly mess right now and I do have work to do! I have to remind myself I’m not in competition and am only doing this diary to show folks they can grow in small places (but to be honest I am giving it my best shot!). Well, seems I’ve lost or misplaced my camera’s batteries since returning from vacation, but I’ll try to get pic(s) and post when I can. Right now it’s back to work! Saturday, June 12 View Page But vacations are nice :) Saturday, June 12 View Page My daughter was insisting on taking this picture of me -- Owwwwwwww Now I get it! Monday, June 14 View Page Saw this in San Francisco. Now, I heard they are desperate to get a WR at half moon bay, but this is getting a bit extreme. And to think I had a small patch -- this one certainly takes the cake! Hum … but It does give me and idea for next year :) Well I’m still a bit busy to take a Patch pic, but I’ll take one soon. Friday, June 18 View Page After the damage, loosing the main, I'm training two secondaries. I had planned two plants here to grow as shown anyways. So the race is on... Also note the space just in front of the leaf growing over rock -- this is where the damage occured. You can see a end stub just in front of the leaf where I burried the vine. Again not sure what happened but I don't like the looks of the leaves -- almost like a mosaic virus? But could be heat strees as we have been 100+ Friday, June 18 View Page This is my corner of teh world -- this is all the space I have, so I have no choice to make due. I do envy thoes with space, but that doesn't mean we can't grow-em! The back side plant is my squash -- it was smaller the the pumpkin but has since caught up and looks nice. The white poles hold my misters and hail cloth (not yet installed) once the monsoons hit around begining of july. The side grows another pumpkin and my LGs. I call it my lab as it doesn't get but a few hours of sun -- trying to see if that has any impact in this heat -- right now I have to say NO! Friday, June 18 View Page This is the rest of the yard and why I have no growing space. Am thinking it might make a great pumpkin farm ... and thinking of how I might do that! But I am outnumbered in my votes for sure, including the super-veto! Here in the SW, this is actually rejuivination and life saving equipment -- one dip in this heat and you know why! Monday, June 21 View Page Well looks like the mains are terminating again. They grow great but then the leaves fizzle and the bud becomes dry. Because te leaves are not well formed, I thinking it is a desease as other shoots don't seem affected. Of course these didn't seem effected either at first :P. Second though is the heat as it as we have been 100+. I do have misters kicking off every half hour and the squash loves it and has shown no signs of problems. Also if it was the heat, why don't they all terminate? That, of course, is the mystery! Anyway, I don't have much hope of this one being polinated at this point as takes too long to recover and have good mains and then only to terminate. So I'm not that sure I can keep a main long enough to polinate! And it is starting to get to be a messy plant at this point. But one never knows! Last year I had one pop in sept and if wasn't for an early frost might have put on some good weight -- it was still a might good one! Saturday, July 10 View Page I really like this stump (not to affend thoes tech types). But that empty can of bud is really telling the story. This 1385 can not take the heat and buds are not maturing. Females are withering away along with the males. In fact, I didn't get a single bloom. The patch is now full and I missed my landing mark for a pumpkin. So I fear I must wait for the second (sept) growing season (we have two here). Saturday, July 10 View Page Here is an example of heat termination. The tip just dries. You cn see leaf damage on the end leaves. If you look closely, that is a dried up female blossom at the end. Although the male blossom just in from that looks good, it will wither in a few days. Sad to say I did not get a single bloom, male or female! Saturday, July 10 View Page But the good news is I do have this green female. The green does seem a bit more heat tolerent but it did terminate once (not like the every 4 feet for the AGs). Some are more heat tollerant them others so it is just the luck of the draw -- and I didn't get the draw! The season is still long, but I hope this greenie will show all that you can grow them in as little as 30 sqft. I never said more space isn't better -- it certainly is better! But not everyone has acres -- we have to do with what is available. Patch is full size now -- I'll have to get some pics.... Thursday, July 15 View Page Think this is my last entry... ... THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR CENTRAL DONA ANA COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT 530 PM MDT... THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED BELOW SEVERE LIMITS. HOWEVER HEAVY RAIN IS STILL POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. ONE INCH DIAMETER HAIL WAS REPORTED WITH THIS STORM IN NORTHEAST LAS CRUCES AT 515 PM MDT. Sunday, July 18 View Page I don't know how, but I survived the hail! Least it was a warning to get a move on in geting hail cloth up! I was amaised as I was caught driving in storm. Just befor the storm, car temp said 104 and just after the hail it said 64! Seems the rain dragged down lots of that colder upper air! After the warmest recorded June, due to record contracted thermosphere (and while at solar cycle is at minimum) ... I'm gland we had some cooler temps in July (90s vice 100s). I couldn't get any blooms to reach maturity in 100+ June temps and battled several vine end terminations due to heat. Now past mid July. I've finally seen three females and a male flower (one of each deformed though). So today I attempetd to pollinate with squash so as to at least have some chance at a AG (but genes could be interesting?). So, I may have two AG but only one sitting where I want it (had to take what I could get at this point). Heat is expected back today and looks to be here for awhile -- will have to see if these take! Also polinated a second squash but I'm happy with first polinated on the 5th (second is backup as first had a ring end ... second may have same). I know it isn't on OTT charts yet but will take first measure at 15 days (20 July). Patch is full size now so have been trimming (recall I have a small patch -- that is why I'm doing a diary!). I plan to take some pics later today. Tuesday, July 20 View Page Everything else grow big here -- why not pumpkins??? Tuesday, July 20 View Page This is my squash -- hoping Wiz or Biz will bend down there and demonstrate how to measure for me... I'll be getting OTT tomorrow (still the 19th here) at 15 days. Tuesday, July 20 View Page Squash OTT was 119 today, day 15. Only issues is it is barely in landing zone and so likely to grow into grass a bit. "landing zone" is what I call spots where I have have 4ft space for an AG grow -- I have two on each end of patch because I have limited space. But I pollinated two more squash on the 19th and one dead center in the landing zone. Anyway, this OTT will be baseline for assisting in picking final fruit. I also had three female pumpkin flower on 19th but one was bad (brown inside) and only one in landing zone. The pic above is one but clearly not in a landig zone! With all the heat problems, I decided to go with what I could as these are the first 3 flowers to reach maturity due to heat! I had one male but it was also deformed and no polen (I'm assuming heat issues). So, had on choice but to polinate pumpkin with squash. But good news is one AG was is in landing zone. So now just have to see if they take. Perhaps later in season I can self one for seeds as I really really really like these genes (abiet for not being heat tollerent). As you can see from pic, there is much heat damage and so very lucky this one ever came to bloom! Tuesday, July 20 View Page So this is final patch size -- now it is trim, trim, trim! This pic was taken around 2PM in the heat of the day. You can see the .5gph misters I have running 5min on and 25min off. And I have no shade cloth up (but will be putting Hail cloth up ASAP, PROMISE!). At this time of season, without misters, leaves would look like sticks from flagging and eventually get leathery and brittle (AKA dead). So this is good news! I didn't want to use shade cloth as sun produces carbs which goes into fruit. The only question is if there is a max amount of lumens they can absorb and thus the rest just contributes to heat damage -- will have to wait the season out for that answer. Tuesday, July 20 View Page Diary Correction, a third squash was polinated on 19, AGs and second squash on 18th. Tuesday, August 10 View Page This is what I found all year off Chris's plant. I think it may of been the heat but no well formed males with polin! First attempts to polinate had to be with squash as other pumpkin plant had no males. Non of thoes took again due to heat. I had polinated four more and finally one crossed to mohr (still haven't had a good polination of mohr -- I'll have to trim back to force some more growth in hopes to get one by 1 sept. Sept starts to cool off so hopefull don't have a 30 day wonder (i.e., a pumpkin that stops growing within 30 days) Wednesday, August 11 View Page And here is the one I have started finally off scneider X mohr. I had tried two off mohn but neither took -- I'll have to cu back plant to promote growth to hopefull get a start around 1 Sept weather permitting. Wednesday, August 11 View Page And here is my 30 day wonder = Horton X self. Thought I was going somewhere with this one as was 10 inches ahead of 1200 benchmarks but atarted cutting back on day 20 instead of picking up. It really hasn't put on inches since 25 July -- est 125lb. I'm hopeing but what you see is probably what I get! I have misters which help with the flagging (ie, no flagging) but just too hot here to polinate. Was lucky to get this one as other two started later didn't take. If I see another female on this plant I would try again as will start geting cooler soon, but right now all growth is in suspended animation (which is same problem as last year. I did try to get an early start but not early enough as june was 100f all month -- needed it polinate my 1 May for any hopes of beating the heat! But for less then 75 sqft of growing space, it not bad. It is a good plant, but the only thing I don't like about this is fruit has a nipple end (dill ring on blossem). The other fruits had the same looks. Wednesday, September 29 View Page Didn’t do well with kins this year due to heat. I did get one to pollinate late and with any luck I’ll get some seeds and will be my Halloween kin. Heck, I’m still trying to pollinate the second plant, ummm yea, guess it would be my Christmas kin LOL. But LG did good here and I did get squash so I decided to take them to RMGVG Jared’s weigh off – wow what a trip that was! It started with cutting the squash and putting it in the car Thursday night. Thursday cuz Friday was work and then 12 hours or so of travel and so I would have been a heck of a long Friday. I don’t have good side yard access so I had to take it through the house on a pumpkin blanket. Yea, actually glad it wasn’t a monster! I think of how I would handle that situation every year – and I’m still thinking! Anyway, the real problem was lifting it through the hatch of the car. It measured 150lb so shouldn't have been a problem but we lost control and almost dropped it on the pavement. In the process I grab the stem and snapped it off – well guess I lost a pound there. But we managed to load it. Then I cut all my LG and loaded the 80.5” one. And if either were any bigger, I would have had to swap vehicles. As it was, a bit uncomfortable of a drive, but they fit. Friday went as planned and we had a good night’s rest before the weigh off. Wednesday, September 29 View Page Saturday pulled into Jared’s early. It said it started at 10:00, but didn’t say if that was the entry or weigh time? I would have been really bummed to have gone to such measures only to miss the entry time so I came early. Mine was first to be weighed and then had to wait for others. Scale said 190.5lbs so it went heavy! And no wonder we had a problem lifting it into the car! As time went on it looked to take #1, a state record, and I was thrilled. Unfortunately it had developed a soft spot on it's nose and was leaking = not sound fruit = Exhibition only and no record. I’m thinking I had more problems then I though in loading it into the hatch and must of banged the nose ... then siting almost two days and then out in the sun??? But the worst part really was the 12 hour drive back the next day as it was really leaking then and starting to stink! The good was the 80.5 LG was good enough for a third place showing and as far as I can tell, setting the NM state record for now. Thanks you Mr. Sperry!!!! Thursday, September 30 View Page Jared's = lots of great lookig kins! Thursday, September 30 View Page and a nice croud at Jared's! Thursday, September 30 View Page And my squash .... Thursday, September 30 View Page And my LG ... um it's the one on the bench ... think the one on the table is the Wiz's :P Thursday, September 30 View Page 80.5 yea, LG seem to grow rather trouble free here! O-yea, once you get them started that is! Thank everyone for the the seeds (this one was off 114.63 sperry ... X open). I'll certainly try to grow LGs again next year! Now if I can only grow kins! Thursday, September 30 View Page Wiz had thsi 27% heavy one -- nice but not good enough for largest in Co. No records for Co. this year but certainly great kins! Thursday, September 30 View Page But there was a record for Wy! (and third place I believe) Thursday, September 30 View Page And a wopping record for SD! Was first place and bigest kin weighed in Co. And in Sept at that, so I wonder what another month might have brought???? Friday, October 1 View Page This is what I call my experimental area. As I have shown, I really don't have much growing area; however, I wasn't doing anything with this side area so thought I would give it a shot with the LGs and another pumpkin plant the Mohr). It is not ideal because it's on the west side so only gets a few hours of direct sun mid day. It was good enough for LG, but jury is out for pumpkins since I didn't get one polinated on this plant. It was handy as a polinator since males were defective on other AG. Friday, October 1 View Page This is my only AG. 10+ attempts at polination with squash and none took ... why squash? because this plant had defective males (no selfing) and the mohr didn't have mature flowers at the time -- I had no choice! However I did get this one one first attempt at polination with Mohr but way too late in season (will be my hallowen kin!). So I'm done growing for season. I've already participated in my weighoff and since nearest weigh off are 600+ miles away, well one is enough ... a second not really worth the effort for a 300 lber. But weigh off are fun -- I also went to the puyallop fair weigh off to watch. Anyway, I'm done! Recall the purpose of doing a diary was to show one can grow decent pumpkins in small places. Dispite my setbacks (and BTW that *IS* all part of the growing experiance!), I believe I've show they can be grown in as little as 35 sq feet (but admit bigger is better)! Of course setting a state record, well yea, now that would have driven the point home -- there is always next year! So don't let someone say you can't do it -- simply show them you can!