Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 113 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.