Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 175 Entries. Friday, March 15 View Page It’s been awhile since I’ve updated! Happy 2024 everyone. Here’s my 2024 lineup. I’ll be doing 2 plants this year. Excited to be growing the 2749 Gienger and the 839 Sandercock. Won’t be long until I start em! I wish everyone the best of luck this year   Wednesday, April 10 View Page And it begins…   Saturday, April 13 View Page And it begins! One of the best starts I’ve had with the giant pumpkins. I will be growing two plants this year. The 839 Sandercock and the 2749 (Micheal Jordan) My 1197s as backups which just happen to be some of the healthiest plants in here. Aiming to get them in their heated hoop house later next week! After last years unfortunate year with all the rain I’m ready to make a big comeback this year.   Wednesday, April 17 View Page Off to the races for the 2024 season. Plants hit the patch and tilling is complete! My 1197s as backups with the 2749 and 839 Sandercock as my two main plants   Wednesday, April 17 View Page Love a nice tilled patch!   Thursday, April 18 View Page 839 Sandercock is going strong right out of the gate! Strong growth once it hit the patch. Hoping to get a big plant for a June 10-15th pollination this year on the 2749 and 839   Thursday, April 18 View Page 839 sandercock vine really thickening up..   Sunday, April 28 View Page Off to the races as we head into May! Decisions have been made in the patch. My lineup this year is my 1197 Swenson and 839 Sandercock. I was never planning on my 1197 but it has been rock solid right out of the gate. I grew it last year and the plant was the most aggressive plant I’ve ever grown. This years 1197 is showing the same if not a little more aggressive. Probably my best start but it means nothing if I can’t get a good one by September. Let’s do this.   Sunday, April 28 View Page Secondary’s are starting to cook on the 1197!   Sunday, April 28 View Page 1197   Sunday, April 28 View Page The 839 Sandercock. This is a super nice plant so far and excited to see what it may produce   Monday, April 29 View Page And the vine burying begins   Friday, May 3 View Page Off to my best start ever in the pumpkin patch. My 1197 is showing its aggression once again this year. Secondary’s are really starting to cook. The 839 Sandercock is not far behind with some really nice growth. My goal this year is to get a big plant for an early to mid June pollination   Friday, May 3 View Page The 839 Sandercock. A solid plant so far!   Friday, May 3 View Page Secondary’s on my 1197 are starting to cook   Tuesday, May 7 View Page The plants continue to amaze me out of the gate! My 1197 is 8 feet long and the secondary’s in the back are nearing 3 feet. Hoops coming off mid to late next week as the weather warms up   Tuesday, May 7 View Page My 1197 showing its aggressiveness!   Tuesday, May 7 View Page The 839 Sandercock is not far behind! 6 feet long and the secondary’s really starting to go now! In the past I’ve had issues with secondary development but not this year :)   Tuesday, May 7 View Page Some of the biggest leaves I’ve ever had on 6 foot plants. 839 Sandercock shown here   Tuesday, May 7 View Page Looking down the main on my 1197   Sunday, May 12 View Page The plants continue to impress me! Today was my 22nd birthday and they are definitely the biggest I’ve ever had for my birthday!   Tuesday, May 14 View Page My 1197 is the biggest plant I’ve ever had for May 14th. My goal continues to be to have a big plant for pollination in early June. I’m super impressed with how aggressive it’s growing. Quite ahead of last year. Won’t be long until the hoop house comes off!   Tuesday, May 14 View Page 1197 from behind!   Tuesday, May 14 View Page Another view   Tuesday, May 14 View Page Loving these secondary’s!   Tuesday, May 14 View Page Love this view   Thursday, May 16 View Page And it’s off to the races! The plants out grew the hoop house this week and the weather is warming up! Got some rain last night which was great to wash in the ferts I gave them last night. My 1197 shown here is the biggest plant I’ve ever had for mid May. Secondary’s really starting to get going!   Thursday, May 16 View Page Secondary’s on my 1197. Here we gooooo   Thursday, May 16 View Page 839 Sandercock with some massive leaves! Secondarys are starting to go good now   Thursday, May 16 View Page Drone shot from last night. These plants will have over 1,000 SQF of room to fill   Thursday, May 16 View Page Another shot from over head   Thursday, May 16 View Page Game on!   Thursday, May 16 View Page I’m amazed on how fast everything leafed out this year. Took literally 3 days and BOOM   Friday, May 17 View Page The plants are enjoying today’s sunshine before a chilly and rainy weekend ahead with temps in the 50s. The good news is that next week looks warm with temps in the 70s and 80s! Right on track with where I want to be.   Sunday, May 19 View Page The plants are blowing me away for May. My 1197 is the biggest plant I’ve ever had for May 19th. The vines are really thickening up and even with temperatures in the 50s this weekend they somehow grew a few feet since Friday. This upcoming week is supposed to be near 90 degrees a few days in a row which will really get em cranking! I’m right on track on where I want to be. Can’t imagine what they will look like in a week with the hot week coming up. 1197 shown here   Sunday, May 19 View Page My 1197. Just wow..   Sunday, May 19 View Page Vine getting real thick over the last few days!   Sunday, May 19 View Page 839 looking solid!   Sunday, May 19 View Page Aggressive looking main! I’ve spotted about 15 pumpkins on my 1197 so far. 2 in the tip that I pulled off and another two showing up. Might consider the second one which is still way inside the tip but I’ll wait if I have too for a big plant. This plant is just loaded.   Sunday, May 26 View Page Patch update- The plants are really starting to kick into gear. Last weeks very hot temperatures caused some decent wilting on the leaves of my 1197 so I threw a shade cloth over it. My 1197 is now over 16 feet and over 15 feet wide. The 839 Sandercock is around 15 feet and about 12 feet wide. Few pumpkins in the tip of my 1197. Won’t be long until the pollinations begin 1197 shown here   Sunday, May 26 View Page 1197   Sunday, May 26 View Page 1197   Sunday, May 26 View Page 839 Sandercock looking good!   Sunday, May 26 View Page Stump view of 839   Tuesday, June 4 View Page Pollinated the first pumpkin of the season this morning. A nice 3 lobe on my 1197 at 19 feet out with 24 secondary’s behind it. I have a lot more pollinations coming up through the next 2 weeks on this plant. Leaning towards the next one but I will pollinate all and choose from there. The 1197 is getting BIG at over 20 feet wide now and 21 feet long   Tuesday, June 4 View Page My 1197!   Tuesday, June 4 View Page Really nice plant with aggressive sides!   Tuesday, June 4 View Page Next up is the 839 Sandercock. Starting to swell up so may open tomorrow. Would be 18 feet out with about 18 sides behind it. Leaning towards ones down the line as it still is early and I want a few more sides behind it.   Tuesday, June 4 View Page 839 from behind. Real nice plant!   Tuesday, June 4 View Page The patch is starting to fill in fast   Wednesday, June 5 View Page Pollinated the 839 Sandercock this morning with my 1197. 16 feet out with about 18 secondary’s behind it. Another one in the tip which will probably be the one I will lean towards as I want a bit of a bigger plant   Wednesday, June 5 View Page 839 tied up   Wednesday, June 5 View Page Spent the entire day yesterday removing my wind fence around the plants to put it around the perimeter of the patch and weeding the entire 2400 Square Feet. The plants are some of the best I’ve ever had for early June.   Wednesday, June 5 View Page More pictures   Wednesday, June 5 View Page I only get about 6 hours of sun in the patch but doing what I can! Plants seem to grow great regardless   Wednesday, June 5 View Page   Wednesday, June 5 View Page   Wednesday, June 5 View Page   Thursday, June 6 View Page Just when you have a great start to the season this hits. Going the main vine and a secondary rotting on the 839 Sandercock. So difficult to grow in my patch with extreme disease pressure every single year!   Thursday, June 6 View Page Root rot found as well…   Thursday, June 6 View Page Scraped the rot out and now have a big fan blowing on the area. Not sure what fungicides I should be using to treat this kind of issue to try and save the patch this year ugh.   Monday, June 10 View Page Some good news now! Main vine on the 839 that I found a rot spot on last week is now all dried up. I’ll continue to keep a fan on it but we are looking good now   Monday, June 10 View Page 5 day old pumpkin on the 839. Maybe the keeper?   Monday, June 10 View Page This is the next pumpkin on the 839. 22 feet out with 24 sides behind it. Problem is the shape and flower looks a bit off center and the next one after this one would be easily 25 + feet out. One that’s 5 days old has about 19 sides behind it.Tough decisions…   Monday, June 10 View Page 839 Sandercock from above! The plant is starting to fill in nicely! That secondary to the right is one the most aggressive secondarys I’ve ever had. It’s growing over a foot a day and throwing off some really nice tertiary’s that I’ll use to fill in some empty spots.   Monday, June 10 View Page My 1197 is an incredible plant. I knew I had to grow it again this year after an unfortunate year last year.   Monday, June 10 View Page And here is my hopeful keeper opening tomorrow. 22 feet out with a whopping 27 secondaries behind it! I have another pumpkin just coming out of the tip at 24 feet or so which would have 30 sides behind it but that’s likely a backup if lobes on this one aren’t very good. We shall see although I will pollinate everything   Monday, June 10 View Page The pumpkin patch this morning. We are starting to fill it in nicely!   Monday, June 10 View Page Another shot. 1197 on right   Monday, June 10 View Page The patch is looking good! I did a subdue drench for some disease problems I found last week and will continue to stay on top of other fungicides. I will be letting my patch dry out a bit more in between feedings   Tuesday, June 11 View Page Pollinated the hopeful keeper on the 1197 this morning. Unfortunately the lobes weren’t the best but not sure that matters as much as some people think it may. Crossed it with the 839 sandercock at 22 feet out with 27 secondary’s behind it   Tuesday, June 11 View Page I do have another 1197 opening in about a week but it is at 24 feet out although it would have 30 secondary’s behind it. I will pollinate it and choose from there. Some big heat on the way next week with temps near 100 potentially   Friday, June 14 View Page Pollinated the second 839 this morning at 22 feet out. Another blossom with seeds in it like my 1197! Just gonna have to roll with that this year   Friday, June 14 View Page 839   Friday, June 14 View Page First 839 at 9 days old. On the smaller side but growing. Another pumpkin opening on this plant in about a week so I have options   Friday, June 14 View Page Hopeful keeper on 1197 opening on Monday. 24 feet out with 30 secondary’s behind it! Let’s hope the lobes are better on this one!   Friday, June 14 View Page Super healthy plants this year. The pumpkins should hopefully follow!! Cmonnnn   Saturday, June 15 View Page The plants are kicking into high gear now!!   Saturday, June 15 View Page 1197 to right and 839 on left. Back to back about 3 feet from each other. 1197 with the shade net over part of it   Saturday, June 15 View Page Hands down probably some of the best plants I’ve ever had   Saturday, June 15 View Page   Saturday, June 15 View Page   Saturday, June 15 View Page Few more drone shots from higher!   Saturday, June 15 View Page   Saturday, June 15 View Page   Saturday, June 15 View Page Pollinated the hopeful keeper on the 839 Sandercock yesterday at 22 feet with about 24 secondary’s behind it. This is one of the biggest day 1s I’ve ever had (not that it matters much) but it gets me excited! The lobes weren’t perfect but the nub is pretty big for pollination. Let’s do this   Saturday, June 15 View Page I can tell this thing wants to be the one! I’m ready for the ride. Let’s do this!   Saturday, June 15 View Page First 839 is 10 days old. 18 feet out. Not bad but I’ll likely go with the one in previous diary. I’ll leave it on for a little while longer   Monday, June 17 View Page One of the biggest female flowers I’ve ever had! My 1197 is ready to produce. Opening tomorrow during the 100 degree heat wave for a few days so I’ll have to keep it cool the best I can!   Monday, June 17 View Page Shape looks nice!   Tuesday, June 18 View Page About to pollinate my keeper on the 1197! Biggest flower I’ve ever had. Just monsterous!   Tuesday, June 18 View Page Boom! This thing looks pretty knarly! A huge 6 lober. Not the most symmetrical but who cares. This thing wants to produce and gets me pumped up!   Tuesday, June 18 View Page Closer look!   Tuesday, June 18 View Page Pollinated with the 839 Sandercock!   Tuesday, June 18 View Page All tied up and ready for the 95 degree heat the next few days. I’ve got a fan and I’ll be putting frozen water bottles around it.   Tuesday, June 18 View Page My 1197 plant is getting huge. About 650 square feet right now   Tuesday, June 18 View Page Frozen water bottles around pumpkin to keep it cool during this heat wave   Tuesday, June 18 View Page The best plants I’ve ever grown this year. The 1197 (shade net over it) will have about 30 secondary’s behind it to hopefully push it well over 1,000 pounds this year. 24 feet out on the main vine. Let’s do this   Tuesday, June 18 View Page A sea of green!   Saturday, June 22 View Page And it’s off to the races with the 839 Sandercock! This pumpkin is 17 days old and has doubled in size in just 2 days. She’s really ramping up big time. Let’s do this.   Monday, June 24 View Page The 839 Sandercock is putting on an early show! 19 days old and she’s doubled in size in just 3 days   Wednesday, June 26 View Page The pumpkin plants are blowing me away this year! Filling in this 2400 Square foot patch very quickly now!   Wednesday, June 26 View Page Perfect foliage   Wednesday, June 26 View Page I’ll be all terminated in just a few weeks!   Wednesday, June 26 View Page   Wednesday, June 26 View Page The 839 Sandercock just behind that shade net.   Wednesday, June 26 View Page   Friday, June 28 View Page The 839 Sandercock is ramping up at 23 days old   Friday, July 5 View Page The 839 Sandercock has reached 30 days old! On the smaller side of what I’ve had in the past but she’s ramping up and I’ll take a long growth curve over a fast one any year!   Friday, July 5 View Page A very solid pumpkin with a lot of plant behind her! With the humidity creeping up I need to watch out for disease problems. I’ll be treating   Saturday, July 6 View Page My 1197 is starting to ramp up at 18 days old. She was a very small day 10 but 1,200 Square Feet of plant behind her should really push her!   Tuesday, July 9 View Page My 1197 is kicking into gear at 21 days old. 1,000 + SF of plant to push her   Thursday, July 11 View Page The 839 Sandercock is starting to step on the gas at 36 days old! Putting on 30+ pounds a day and continuing to rise.   Thursday, July 18 View Page The 839 Sandercock is looking good at 43 days old! Plant in good shape and I’m keeping the disease away so far..   Monday, July 22 View Page The biggest pumpkin in the patch is closing in on 700 pounds which is on the 839 Sandercock. Hoping to beat my personal best of 1197 pounds and with 75 days still to go until the fair I have some hope!   Sunday, August 11 View Page My biggest pumpkin in the patch this year is off the 839 Sandercock. She tapes 1,000 pounds. With 54 days still to go until the Topsfield fair I definitely remain hopeful of beating my PB of 1197 pounds. Let’s get it done!   Tuesday, August 13 View Page The 839 Sandercock glowing in the sun. She’s 69 days old today. By the Topsfield Fair she will be 121 days old   Tuesday, August 20 View Page My 1197 Swenson is producing quite the beauty this year with it. This pumpkin is estimated at 730 pounds with a deep orange color especially on the stem side. I plan on taking this one to the Vermont weighoff on September 21st   Tuesday, August 20 View Page Me next to my 1197   Thursday, August 22 View Page Me next to the 839 Sandercock this morning at 78 days old. She’s going the long haul with 43 days still to go until the Topsfield Fair on October 4th! An awesome plant and pumpkin to grow so far. Thank you Ned! She’s estimated at around 1080 pounds and putting on around 10 pounds a day. My PB is 1197 pounds back in 2022. I think I can beat it!!   Tuesday, August 27 View Page The 839 Sandercock is 83 days old today and now estimated at 1118 pounds and growing 8 pounds a day. With still 36 days to go until the Topsfield Fair I am hopeful of beating my personal best of 1197 pounds. Let’s get it done this year!   Thursday, August 29 View Page Norm Gansert with a beauty of a pumpkin at the Woodstock Fair! 100 pounds heavier than estimated. Nice job norm!!   Saturday, August 31 View Page My 1197 continues to amaze me. Her color is really standing out! She’s estimated around 810 pounds   Saturday, August 31 View Page Standing tall!   Saturday, August 31 View Page Wow   Monday, September 2 View Page Upper 40s for the lows tonight and tomorrow night so I am blanketing the pumpkins with several comforters!   Tuesday, September 3 View Page Down to the final month of growing!! The 839 Sandercock has an ugly side to her and a real pretty side! Here’s the ugly side. She is beefing up!! Got that HEAVY look to her. All the pumpkins grown off the 839 have gone heavy and most in that 10-12% heavy. Fingers crossed she does the same!   Tuesday, September 3 View Page Most of the 839 is a real nice orange color with those white spots! She’s 90 days old today and will likely pass my PB of 1197 by estimate by this weekend! Only the scale will prove that though. Still 30 days to go   Thursday, September 5 View Page WCVB Channel 5 news in Boston did a story on the giant pumpkins today! It will air at 6 PM https://www.wcvb.com   Thursday, September 5 View Page Here’s the link to the news article if you are interested! https://www.wcvb.com/article/giant-pumpkin-grower-hopes-to-squash-the-competition-at-topsfield-fair/62073791   Saturday, September 7 View Page 2 weeks away until this pumpkin heads up to Vermont for the Sam Mazzas weighoff in Colchester! Definitely one of the prettiest pumpkins I’ve grown. She’s estimated at just over 800 pounds. Grown from my 1197   Sunday, September 8 View Page The 839 Sandercock is now estimated to be the biggest pumpkin I’ve ever grown! Now estimates 3 pounds over my PB at 1200 pounds. Only the scale will tell but I have hope! 25 days to go. This seed is awesome   Sunday, September 8 View Page A look at the 839! Got that heavy look!   Monday, September 9 View Page 12 days until my 1197 heads to Vermont! She’s a beauty. Estimated at around 800 pounds   Monday, September 9 View Page Transporting her up to Vermont will be interesting. Very tall and not very long so I will need to figure something out. A 3.5 hour drive   Friday, September 13 View Page Crazy to think that this pumpkin was the size of a marble just 100 days ago! A huge milestone today as this marks the oldest pumpkin I’ve ever had in the patch and hopefully will be the biggest I’ve ever grown on October 4th! Estimated weight- 1215 pounds   Saturday, September 14 View Page 1 week until the Vermont weigh off for this beauty   Tuesday, September 17 View Page A very photogenic morning in the patch! Super excited to head to Vermont to weigh this beauty on Saturday. Grown off my 1197   Wednesday, September 18 View Page It’s harvest day for this beauty! Headed up to Vermont this weekend   Wednesday, September 18 View Page Loaded up and ready to head to Vermont on Saturday with this beauty. Let’s do this. Grown off my 1197   Wednesday, September 18 View Page Bring it on!   Wednesday, September 18 View Page Flat bottom!   Wednesday, September 18 View Page Hard to tell in this picture but this pumpkin was very close to tipping over once we get her on the pallet. Had to quickly hold her up with both hands. When she was growing I had to force a ton of sand to prevent her from tipping over but once that was gone because of harvest she wanted to tip right over!   Wednesday, September 18 View Page Had to put 4 bails of straw around her with a ratchet strap to tie all the bails of straw together to hold her in place. When I unload her in Vermont I’ll need to keep the bails of straw all connected together so she doesn’t tip. Tricky tricky tricky!   Thursday, September 19 View Page The 839 is 2 weeks away from harvest and she looks like a rock at 106 days old! Can’t be much air cavity in her!   Thursday, September 19 View Page She’s got that real heavy look! Estimated around 1230   Thursday, September 19 View Page She’s a beauty from the stem end   Saturday, September 21 View Page Vermont here we come! 3.5 hour drive   Saturday, September 21 View Page WOWZA! This beauty has hit the scales in Vermont at 942 pounds! That’s over 100 pounds heavier than what it was estimated at around 830 pounds! This beats my pumpkin I brought to this weigh off two years ago at 921 pounds and is now my 5th biggest pumpkin I’ve ever grown and the biggest so far in 2 years. I came in 10th place out of 25 entries. Under 2 weeks now until the Topsfield Fair and my hopes are high of beating my personal best of 1197 pounds with a hopefully bigger pumpkin still growing in the patch! Let’s finish off the season STRONG!!!!   Saturday, September 21 View Page Very happy!   Monday, September 23 View Page The 839 sandercock is turning red!   Tuesday, September 24 View Page Officially 10 days away until the Topsfield Fair! The 839 Sandercock is estimated at around 1250 pounds. My personal best stands at 1197 pounds back in 2022. Let’s get it done this year!   Thursday, September 26 View Page The 839 Sandercock has a lot of character! We are just 1 week away until harvest! She is 113 days old today   Thursday, September 26 View Page   Thursday, September 26 View Page She’s not growing much anymore but she is still growing!   Tuesday, October 1 View Page Crazy that it’s October! I’m excited and nervous at the same time as we are just 3 days away until the Topsfield Fair. Fingers crossed I can beat my PB of 1197 pounds back in 2022. Cmon 839!!!   Tuesday, October 1 View Page The 839 does not feel nearly as “heavy” as my 1197 which produced my 942 up in Vermont. That went 15% heavy. All I’m looking for is a PB. The 839s go heavy but watch my luck go south and it goes light lol   Tuesday, October 1 View Page   Wednesday, October 2 View Page My 942 in an awesome display :)   Wednesday, October 2 View Page   Wednesday, October 2 View Page   Wednesday, October 2 View Page   Wednesday, October 2 View Page Ready for harvest tomorrow on the 839 Sandercock. Cmon let’s beat 1197!!!!   Thursday, October 3 View Page HERE WE GO! After a long 6 months of working my ass off we are headed to the Topsfield Fair tomorrow with hopefully the biggest pumpkin I’ve ever grown during the 22 years of my life. This was not easy as I promised to bounce back after a rough year last year with only a 341 pound pumpkin. My history at the scales in the last 9 years has been an absolute NAIL BITER and this year is no different! Back in 2019 I grew an 1138 pound pumpkin and then in 2020 I broke my record with an 1184.5 pounder and 2 years later in 2022 I broke that record by just 12.5 pounds with 1197 pounds which is my personal best! This pumpkin right here is estimated a little over 1250 pounds.My 942 pounder from 2 weeks ago went over 100 pounds heavy but that means nothing now as each pumpkin is different! Let’s make it happen this year. My nerves are increasing but that’s all part of the game. Let’s freaking do this! Seed (839 Sandercock)   Thursday, October 3 View Page The bottom had an arch to it. Let’s hope this doesn’t mess me up for a PB   Thursday, October 3 View Page More pictures of bottom! Blossom end really tucked in straight towards the ground   Thursday, October 3 View Page Another view   Friday, October 4 View Page I’ve arrived! Let’s do this and beat my PB of 1197. Cmon 839 do your magic   Friday, October 4 View Page BANGGGGGGGGGG WE CRUSHED 1197 FOLKS!!! Introducing 1349 of the biggest pumpkin I've ever grown in my life so far! Ohhh what a feeling!   Friday, October 4 View Page What an awesome feeling! The 839 sandercock is an incredible seed!   Saturday, October 5 View Page The 2024 season won’t be a season I’ll ever forget. After a rough year in 2023 I promised to make a comeback this year and break my previous record of 1197 back in 2022. My record before that was 1184.5 and down. Last night was an incredible feeling as I finally blew my PB out of the water with an 1349 pounder off the incredible 839 sandercock seed. I want to thank you all for your support this season. Honestly it has been cool sharing my progress with all of you and I always enjoy watching all of your diary updates! The giant pumpkin community is such an awesome community with tons of friendships that have been made over the last 9 years that I’ve been growing these pumpkins. It hasn’t been easy with a lot of disease issues but I always have the mentality to never give up! I’m excited to get back at it in 2025 and hopefully that weather will corporate again. Good luck to all of you for the remainder of the 2024 season!   Thursday, October 17 View Page A cool article about my pumpkin this year and Armand Michaud from Ipswich! https://thelocalnews.news/2024/10/17/at-topsfield-fairs-pumpkin-weigh-in-local-growers-are-among-the-oldest-and-youngest-competitors/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3Eb1ocGlY_79rkKvxw8MY3HIWI2zii7Ib9ilM3LVjYhSWydEcR4mR8l54_aem_PkyvHBJwYdhvaH4Jz1DTag   Thursday, October 17 View Page My 1349 now on display at the Chatham Bars Inn on Cape Cod! What an awesome display they created https://www.chathambarsinn.com/life-at-the-inn/blog/our-giant-pumpkin-world-class-pumpkin-carver   Saturday, October 26 View Page Made a trip to the Chatham bars inn on cape cod last weekend to see my 1349!   Saturday, October 26 View Page An awesome display they created!