Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 33 Entries. Saturday, April 24 View Page I filed, soaked and planted my seeds for 2010 today. Lineup is as follows.... 1134 Starr 1421 Stelts 1236 Harp 1236* Vincent/McGill 1500.5 Revier 980 Klinker 1231 Pukos Looking forward to a great 2010! Friday, April 30 View Page The 980 Klinker was the first out of the gate, it came up on the 28th. The rest of the group emerged on the 29th. Most agresive plants so far are the 980, 1236 Harp, 1231 Pukos and 1500 Revier, the runt is the 1134 Starr. This is the first year, I believe, that I have had 100 percent germination! The plants will remain in the house for a few days since there are severe storms in our forecast. Hopeful planting date is Monday, May 3. Sunday, May 2 View Page All of the plants went into the ground last evening(5/1). Sprayed Subdue, Cleary and Merit just before it rained three quarters of an inch. Pics will be up soon. Wednesday, June 2 View Page My massive potato plants! The mound around them is 30" tall, plants are standing 4.5 feet tall! Taller than my tomato plants right now. As a side note these plants are this tall without any fertilizer whatsoever! Wednesday, June 2 View Page Here are the tomatoes. Wednesday, June 2 View Page Here is the 1421 Stelts. Just over a month old and just starting to run. Wednesday, June 2 View Page Here is the 1231 Pukos. I had some kind of problem with this plant over the last few weeks but it seems to be pulling out of it. Wednesday, June 2 View Page This picture is of the 980 Klinker on the left and the 1134 Starr on the right. The 1134 is the runt for sure, but looking better. The 980 Klinker is just ahead of the 1421 Stelts with a vine close to two feet long. Wednesday, June 2 View Page This is the mutant on the patch, no double or flat vines just has four vines that cant decide where to go. Wednesday, June 2 View Page This is the first of the patch kings! The 1236 Harp, same age of the previous pictures, but an absolute beast! Vine is over four feet long and putting on almost a foot per day! Wednesday, June 2 View Page Here is the largest in the patch. This is the 1500 Revier. Main vine is almost five feet long, has a second side main that is four feet long. Both vine are putting on over a foot per day now. Side vines are really starting to show now. Wednesday, June 2 View Page Here is my Indiana State Fair plant. This is my 775.5 from last year. Vine is 8 feet long, sides are just over 3 feet long. Looking very good! Thursday, June 3 View Page I see I did not put which seed the mutant looking plant is! It is the 1236* Vincent-McGill. Monday, June 14 View Page Pollinated a flower this morning on my 775.5 Fair plant, self pollinated, 5 lobes. Pretty much every plant is looking awesome, just seems the soil cant dry up for me to till more space for them. Largest plant other than my fair plant is the 1236 Harp, about a 10 foot main. Thursday, June 24 View Page Day 10 for my 775 fruit, 29" Cir. 23" STS, 23" ETE, 75" total. Good day 10 numbers, just hope to keep her going. The rest of the plants are struggling now, almost 14 inches of rain for June has not been good for them. I am trying to keep them alive and hope they pull out of it once we dry up some. Late sets are better than no sets! Sunday, July 4 View Page July 4th was day 20 for my 775 fruit, 71" Cir, 54" STS, 50" ETE for a total of 175" est. weight of 124 Lbs. Slightly ahead of last year, the string of nights in the low 50's/upper 40's really slowed growth. Tuesday, July 20 View Page July 20th, I pollinated a side vine flower on my 775. Four lobes and used three males from the 1231 Pukos. Main vine fruit on the 775 is 36 Days old today. Growth has been slow but steady at 15 pounds per day the last twenty days or so. Measurements this morning are 105" CC, 72" S to S and 68" E to E. for a total of 245" giving it an est. weight of 318 Lbs. This will be my Indiana fair fruit. Hoping for another 200 pounds out of her by then. All but one of my fall contest plants are done, over twenty inches of rain from the end of May thru June did them in. The only plant that is doing well among them is the 1231 Pukos. It may be behind but it is coming on very strong. Should have a fruit set in the next week. Thursday, July 22 View Page This morning(July 22) I pollinated the first female on my 1231 Pukos with four males from my 775. The female was 4 lobes and is about 16 feet out on the main. As for the big fruit on my 775, growth is down to 10 lbs. per day. I will fertilize tomorrow night, trying to reach 400 for the fair! Friday, July 30 View Page Day ten for 775 fruit #2, she measures 34" Cir, 27.5" STS and 26" ETE for a total of 87.5". That day ten mark beat the other 775 fruit by 12.5 total inches! The other 775 fruit is sitting just shy of 400 lbs. est. and will be going to the Indiana State fair two weeks from today. On a side note, the 1231 Pukos fruit will be ten days old Aug. 1st. Sunday, August 1 View Page Day 10 for the 1231 Pukos, 30" Cir.- 23" STS- 22" ETE- Total 75". Plant looks awesome. Friday, August 6 View Page August 6th, Day 15 for the 1231 Pukos fruit, 55.5" Cir., 40" STS and 38.5" ETE. That is a total of 134". Average gain from day 10 to 15, 5" Cir, 11.8" Total! Wednesday, August 11 View Page Day 20 for the 1231 Fruit. 76.5" Cir.- 56" STS- 52" ETE for a total of 184.5". My best day 20 numbers by 15.5". She gained 21 Lbs. from yesterday. Day 10-20 Average total gain was 11 inches per day. Forecast is hot and wet, hopeing growth keeps picking up! Monday, August 16 View Page Today is day 25 for the 1231 Pukos fruit. Cir. 93", STS 68", ETE 62" for a total of 223" or an estimated weight of 243 Lbs. Average of 20 lbs. per day over the last five. Gains keep increasing as she did 27 Lbs. since yesterday! On a side note I grew my fair best that was weighed on Sat. Final est weight of my 775 fruit was 434 Lbs. Final actual weight was 443, so 9 pounds heavy! Pics will be up soon. Saturday, August 21 View Page August 21st. was day 30 for the 1231 Pukos fruit, 104" Cir., 77" STS, 68" ETE for a total of 249" or an est. weight of 333 Lbs. That puts this fruit 20 Lbs. ahead of my 775 from last year at 30 days old. Thursday, August 26 View Page Day 35 for the 1231 Fruit, 113" Cir., 83" STS, 74" ETE, for a total of 270". Est at 421 Lbs. Up 88 Lb. the last five days. Cool weather has slowed her. Hopeing for an increase with some warmer weather in the forecast. Tuesday, August 31 View Page Day 40 for the 1231 Fruit was 8-31. She measures, 119" Cir, 88.5" STS, 78" ETE for a total of 285.5" giving her an est. weight of 495 Lbs. Growth has averaged 15 Lbs. per day the last five days. Growth since day 20 has averaged 17.6 Lbs. per day. Friday, September 10 View Page Today (9-10) is day 50 for the 1231 fruit. Lows in the very low 40's have really slowed growth. Still have a chance to beat my second best of 644 though. She measures, 127" Cir, 93" STS, 82.5" ETE for a total of 302.5" giving her an estimated weight of 585 Lbs. Still have 21 days until she is picked. I do have to say though, this plant was nearly dead the end of June after the 15" of rain we got that month, the fact that I now have a pumpkin sitting close to 600 is amazing and again proves that if you never give up, you will succeed!! Thursday, October 7 View Page Here is my 1231 Pukos fruit on the scale. Official weight of 625 pounds. Final official estimate once out of the patch...131.5" Cir, 93" STS, 82" ETE for a total of 306.5" or 609 estimated. She went 2.7 percent over the chart. This fruit is pollinated with my 775(2009) which grew my 443 State fair fruit. Thursday, October 7 View Page Here is a stem view of my 625. I finished in 10th place at Gatewood Vegetable Farm. I also recieved my first Howard Dill Award for this beauty. Thursday, October 7 View Page Another pic of the 625. Thursday, October 7 View Page Another view of my 625. Thursday, October 7 View Page Here is my 625 and 443 side by side. Best two pumpkin weight I have grown. No personal best single pumpkin, but I crushed my best pair weight. Old pair best was the year 2005 and 880 pounds. This year my two best fruit combined weighed 1068 pounds! Thursday, October 7 View Page Here is a final shot of my 625 with my 10th place ribbon and the Howard Dill Award. Also to note, the 443 is the last pic was picked August 13th, set outside through the hottest month in years and is still solid and shows no sign of rot! Amazing how long some of these pumpkins can last.