Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 50 Entries. Tuesday, March 12 View Page Since 2005 Tuesday, March 12 View Page In an attempt to better the modern orange gene pool I am embarking on a big project for 2013. This is the 811 Gerhardt 2011. I am going to grow 6 of these seeds and self each of them. The finest specimen of the 6 looking at color, weight and shape will carry on the genes. Notice the order of importance. Tuesday, March 12 View Page The 811 is 923 Gerhardt x 1332 Wolf. The pollinating 1332 Wolf grew this 1217 lb pumpkin for me, the largest pumpkin grown from the 1332. Got lucky with the color too, which helps! Tuesday, March 12 View Page The 811 grew very consistant orange pumpkins in its first season out. Here is the one I grew, the 827.5 Gerhardt. Tuesday, March 12 View Page Here is the pumpkin that Jerry Leonard grew from the 811. Tuesday, March 12 View Page Here is the pumpkin that Shane Miller grew off the 811. Tuesday, April 2 View Page 2013 is now officially started. Pulled my samples and sent them to the lab. Saturday, April 6 View Page It finally dried out enough to work in the garden here in Eastern PA and I was able to subsoil. I like to cross cut it in perpendicular rows, on a diagonal from the direction that I will be tilling in. Saturday, April 6 View Page Got my soil test back yesterday and I am very pleased. I am just going to adjust upward for Magnesium and Sulfur which should also help to lower the pH a point or two. But I've reached a point where growing at 7.4 pH no longer scares me. Saturday, April 13 View Page This year I'm going back to my old method of starting all seeds on my birthday April 22- Earth day. I'm not putting hoop houses up this year. The trouble is, I can't decide what to pick between the 811, 811, 811, 811, 811 or the 811. Thursday, April 25 View Page Tuesday afternoon I added 40lbs of Epsom salt and 50lbs of 90% elemental Sulfur and did my final till. Everything seems to be coming along good. Thursday, April 25 View Page I started my seeds on Monday evening and they are all tucked in at their favorite temperature. I made a rookie-like mistake and put all my seeds on the table together after I filed them and forgot to label them. I think the tiny one is an 811 but I can't tell any of them apart for sure. Now no one will want to plant any of my crosses from this year :( Monday, May 6 View Page 11 x 811 Gerhardts Wednesday, May 15 View Page I put 11 x 811 Gerhardts in the patch on Thursday May 9 and watered them in with Merit. there was a cucumber beetle that landed on a seedling before I could even get it out of the pot and in the ground. I've not seen any more bugs or detected damage since then. I survived two extremely late frosts by placing 5 gallon buckets over the seedlings on May 12 and 13. Delaying my start allows plant sizes small enough to do this and succeed without the annoyance of hoop houses this year. Thursday, May 30 View Page The decision not to use hoops, combined with an abnormally cold May here in eastern PA has left my plants far behind in growth. But they are all very healthy. They were small enough to put 5 gal buckets over them and spray roundup on Sunday. They also got 1 tablespoon Neptunes and 1 tablespoon of humic acid / 2 gallons of water per plant. This week I will move up to a balanced drench if the hot weather allows them to finally put on some growth. So far, I'd say my 811 is the best plant in my patch. But the 811 is catching up to it quickly. We'll see next week. Tuesday, June 4 View Page Here are some 811s yesterday. Pretty much sums up my patch: all plants have just landed and are taking off. They have had pure sunlight since breaking ground in the pots, never spent a single day indoors after seed germination. This resulted in very compact plants with no burn issues. Secondaries already shooting out all over and the mains are barely 2 1/2 feet long. Plants continue to be super healthy. Yesterday I gave the first feeding of 10-8-8 organic fertilizer w/ biostimulants. 4 Tbs. per 2 gallons each. Overall, I'd say the 811 continues to be the best plant in my patch. Monday, June 10 View Page I pulled all of my backups and fed 2oz of organic 10-8-8 in 2 gallons water to each plant. We have gotten a lot of rain lately and the plants are just about to hit high gear. All of the plants are at about the same stage as this one in the picture. As soon as the rain stops I look forward to the first foliar application of bifen-daconil-merit. Thursday, June 13 View Page My watermelon is finally transplanted- 272 Edwards, in a new plot away from the pumpkin patch. Sunday, June 16 View Page Still playing catch up from the cool spring and no hoop houses this year. Plants are looking good though. This one is my 811. Sprayed Daconil and Merit yesterday. Discovered that I seem to be out of Bifen this season- got to order quick! Monday, June 24 View Page 811 Gerhardt #1, about 12 feet out and 9 feet across the back. There are a few female candidates coming up soon on most plants. Monday, June 24 View Page SVBs have arrived at my patch. Found this one during spraying- it is dead now! Currently spraying 1 gallon in the pump sprayer for whole patch- coating undersides of leaves and lightly dousing the tops. Ratio is: 1 gallon water: 1 TBS Bifenthrin: 1 oz Eagle 20: 1 oz Cal-Max: 2 oz 10-8-8 organic fertilizer. Rotate to Daconil also 1 oz per gallon every week. Still not ready for the Stihl sprayer yet and haven't begun Aliette or any of the heavy fungicides yet. Probably wait until patch is getting filled in for that to minimize impact on leaves. Wednesday, June 26 View Page Pollinated 811 Gerhardt #1 and #2 plants x self today. #2 plant had deformed lobes. Plants 1,2 and 3 are super clean, trimmed, trained and buried with myco and mushroom soil. Plants 1 and 2 also got coffee grounds in the mix. Friday, June 28 View Page Pollinated plant #3 x self today. Tried for second pollination on plant #1 but I damaged the flower and lobes so it was a no-go. Sunday, June 30 View Page Pollinated 811 Gerhardt plants #5 and #6 x self today. Monday, July 1 View Page Pollinated 811 Gerhardt plants #3 and #4 x self today. Wednesday, July 3 View Page Pollinated the 811 Gerhardt plants #1 and #2 today x self. Sprayed the patch with 3 gal water: 2oz Daconil, 4oz organic 10-8-8, and 1oz Cal-Mag. Also separately coated the soil around plants with 1 Tbs Merit 75WP. Wednesday, July 3 View Page clarification- applied mentioned sprays yesterday evening. Friday, July 5 View Page Pollinated 811 Gerhardt plant #6 x self/ sib today. Previous pollination aborted. Collected males yesterday and brought them in for pollination but too much July 4 spirit caused me to forget to tie off the female before bed last night. Oh well, plant 6 is not in the top 3 plants right now. Tuesday, July 9 View Page This morning I pollinated 811 Gerhardt plants #1, 4, 5 and 6 x self. Yesterday the first pollination on plant #1 blew out- first time that's happened to me in years. Yesterday I sprayed 3oz Aliette : 2oz Bifenthrin : 2 gallons of water. Thursday, July 11 View Page Got mill fabric and sand under 4 of 6 pumpkins yesterday. Photo is 811 Gerhardt plant #2 at 14 days (July 10). Sunday, July 14 View Page 811 plant #2- day 18. Day 17 circ was 63 inches. Sprayed Bifenthrin and Eagle 20 last night. Bifen- 1oz per gallon. Eagle- 2oz per gallon. 3 gallons total. Sunday, July 14 View Page 811 plant #5, day 13. Looks like my 827.5! Sunday, July 14 View Page 811 plant #3, day 16. Simply put, this pumpkin is going to be awesome. Wednesday, July 24 View Page 811 Gerhardt plant #2 day 28. Wednesday, July 24 View Page Yesterday, 811 Gerhardt plant #5 day 23. Wednesday, July 24 View Page Plant 1 continued to blow up pumpkin after pumpkin while we were away for a short vacation. Sunday, July 28 View Page This is 811 plant 5 day 28: 113-78-75, 268 OTT for 432lbs. Plant 3 day 30: 103-79-71 253 OTT for 364lbs. Sunday, July 28 View Page Plant 5 averaged 30lbs per day for the last 5 days. It has been cool at night- lower 50's so I am happy with these numbers. Plant 4 had to be pulled, I broke the main pumpkin off the vine and all others immediately blew up. Plant 2 may be shot as well. I will keep it another week to monitor the pumpkin but it appears to have quit. Thursday, August 1 View Page Day 30 numbers for plant 5 were 118-82-78/ 482lbs. Saturday, August 3 View Page 811 Gerhardt plant 1: game over. Saturday, August 3 View Page Or not- I still have this one going on plant 1. Sunday, August 18 View Page One of two pumpkins still worthy of competition, this one on 811 Gerhardt plant 5 tapes around 750lbs. It is day 49. Growth has slowed due to very cool temps especially at night. I gave them 0-0-25 for the first time today (1oz/ gallon with Daconil, Bifenthrin and Cal-Mag) and we are expecting above average temps for most of the week. Plants are going downhill fast. Saturday, August 31 View Page 780 Gerhardt UOW. Got a soft spot and had to get it weighed. Cross is 811 Gerhardt x self. Saturday, August 31 View Page 780 Gerhardt Thursday, October 3 View Page You know there is some tough competition at Doylestown when this pumpkin wasn't pretty enough to win the Howard Dill Award. 680 Gerhardt 2013; 811 Gerhardt x Self. Thursday, October 3 View Page On the bright side I won watermelons with my first 3-digit entry; 105 Gerhardt 2013. 272 Edwards x Self. Thursday, October 3 View Page On the personal side, Missy and I were married September 6! Thursday, October 3 View Page Here is the pumpkin we had sculpted for the wedding. It was about 550lbs for those who just have to know lol. Wednesday, November 13 View Page Almost done with fall prep- time to hibernate soon. I stopped counting but I think I have about 26 yards of SMS at this point. Whatever 3 inches across 3000 sq feet comes out to. Tuesday, December 31 View Page Please support the MAGPG auction Sunday Jan 05. Thanks and happy new year!