Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 56 Entries. Friday, January 22 View Page Hi to all growers and thank-you to all the growers who have sent seeds for 2010 - David Thomas, Iwan Horde and Rohnny Clerinx. I have done a test germination on my giant marrow seeds. 5 out of 6 so far. See picture Tuesday, July 27 View Page Hi to everybody. Hope your season is bringing it`s rewards and the pleasure of the challenges ahead. Myself I have failed to get a strong plant to grow a pumpkin or squash. That said, thank you to those who sent me the seeds and I shaLL try again next year. I have put photo`s of some of my other plants on the pages that follow. Tuesday, July 27 View Page Giant Cucumbers with a cigarette packet for scale. I hope I have made my trellis strong enough to support these. Tuesday, July 27 View Page 2 Giant cabbage plants. Late sown for a test germination as my friend Don was unable to get plants passed the 2 week stage on 2 occassions (We now think too much heat was the cause. Will try again next year) Tuesday, July 27 View Page My wife Pat in her annual pose with our sunflowers. Newly built long gourd trellis supporting runner beans. Locally everyone has had pollination issues with a shortage of bees. Numbers have increased this last week as have cabbage white butterflies which have been absent up to a week ago Tuesday, July 27 View Page A few beans have set. Tuesday, July 27 View Page Giant beetroot starting to bulb up. A Vole has been gnawing the regular beetroot (No doubt he will find these tasty) He is cute when he puts in an appearance when you sit down for a quiet cup of coffee Tuesday, July 27 View Page Giant tomatoes. I got 2 plants from the seed in the EGVGA package. I believe they are from a Scandinavian record breaking tomato. I have lost a seed pack. Thank you for your generosity in sharing Tuesday, July 27 View Page Canopy of marrow plants. 7 plants all doing well. I might have been better with just the 3 early sown and more management and space per plant but you never know what the future day`s will bring and I am reluctant to cull. Plants are 62 Thomas 09 70.1 Thomas 09 is producing yellow fruits for me 82 Thomas 08 40 Thomas 09 ? Baggs 09 from Egvga package 2 Glazebrook plants unnamed seeds from his top weight marrows Tuesday, July 27 View Page My small tunnel. Tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. Our allotment society (community gardens) is having an open day on Sunday to raise funds for charity. I hope to cut a marrow for display and distribute seeds to interested but less well connected visitors and promote our hobby. Will post pictures next week. Best regards John Sunday, August 1 View Page 1st marrow of the season cut early to display. It is off the 62 Thomas 09 and weighs 44lbs. This plant has a second longer marrow with more potential and it will now get the bulk of the plants food supply. Our open day was a great success with almost 300 paying visitors. I think we have raised about £1500 for charity with the gate, produce stall and refreshments. I had a good update on sunflower, pumpkin and marrow seeds A very pleasing day and met lots of people Sunday, August 1 View Page Fellow allotmenteer with a scarecrow made by local schoolchildren for the open day. Tuesday, August 3 View Page Sprayed marrows with tumblebug on Friday, Sprayed Dithaine for mildew control today. Started trimming and culling fruit as I take my options Slowly does it, no hasty or rash decisions Friday, August 6 View Page 62 Thomas 09 Marrow. The keeper estimating 55 lbs at the moment. Friday, August 6 View Page Same marrow. Another photo Friday, August 6 View Page 70.1 Thomas 09 (yellow marrow) twins 2 fruits on one point Culled about 15 small fruit on this plant today Spent about hour and a half trimming and culling today still more work to do to get fully under control. Going to try milk solution this weekend in the mildew control regime Friday, August 6 View Page One of the giant beetroot. The best one`s are in the middle of the row and difficult for a photograph Sunday, August 8 View Page Giant cucumber. I have cut a smaller mishapen one to ease the pressure on the trellis and to satisfy my curiosity as to what the bigger ones might weigh. This one is 4 lbs 10 oz so I`m estimating the better ones at 8 lbs plus. That`s a lot heavier than I was expecting.I stopped the vine ends and have started pinching out side growth a couple of day`s ago to focus fruit growth Monday, August 16 View Page Giant tomato. 1095gms or 2.41 lbs. A personal best. I don`t think any of my remaining fruits will beat this one. The seeds came from the EGVGA seed package Monday, August 16 View Page One of the best cucumbers starting to mature now. Hardly growing but I am hoping it will put on a few more ounces Monday, August 16 View Page Giant beetroot. I have culled a plant that was starting to go to seed. A dissappointing 7 lbs but that puts the bigger one`s at about 14-15 lbs (dream on) Monday, August 16 View Page 5.5 lbs cucumber. Cut this one earlier in the week. It is 18 inches long and 12 inch girth My largest cucumbers are 22 inches long and 14 inches girth (circumference) Thursday, August 19 View Page Largest cucumber so far. Weighs 8.24 lbs or 3740 gms. 22 and a quarter inches in length I cut this today as I thought it might lose weight ripening. I have one that might beat it but not quite as ripe. Hope to leave that on for another week if I can Thursday, August 19 View Page Same cucumber next to a 2 litre coke bottle. I found that estimating against the size of a coke bottle gives a reasonable guess of weight while the fruit is still on the vine Thursday, August 19 View Page Same cucumber. A big thank-you for the seeds. John Saturday, August 21 View Page 62 Thomas 09 marrow 60 lbs plus. I had one of 44 lbs earlier. Still growing slowly Saturday, August 21 View Page 70 Thomas 09 marrow (yellow) well shaped in all proportions on a side vine. I have cut down to 2 marrows on this plant yesterday. The one on the main vine is bottle-nosed and making buttresses. Have an earlier one on back vine the same bottle-nose and exagerated buttresses. I thought they might change and fill out, this has not happened, Will cull the 2nd tomorrow at a 2 day interval Saturday, August 21 View Page Cull from 70 Thomas 09 weighed 26 lbs. The one on the back vine is about 35 lbs Saturday, August 21 View Page 82 Thomas 08 marrow. Banana shaped excellent length Saturday, August 21 View Page 80 Baggs 09 marrow. Good square shape about 70 lbs Saturday, August 21 View Page Glazebrooke number 1 unnamed marrow seed. Excellent length filling nicely from blossom end back. Saturday, August 21 View Page Glazebrooke number 2 unnamed marrow seed, Big chunky marrow. I am inching it around away from the fence as it grows Saturday, August 21 View Page Culled marrows from last 2 days. The yellow one in the front is 26 lbs. Keepers all sorted now, Hoping to beat personal best of 78 lbs Saturday, August 21 View Page Cabbage 63 inch ground span. Starting to heart up Saturday, August 21 View Page Right photo for entry number 30. 80 Baggs 09 marrow Saturday, August 21 View Page Right photo for entry number 31. Glazebrooke number 1 unnamed marrow seed Sunday, August 22 View Page 70 Thomas 09 marrow (yellow) cut from back vine this morning only one marrow remaining on the plant now. This fruit should have gone earlier but when it started making the exagerated buttresses I waited to see if it would fill out. Estimated 35 lbs on the vine. Weighs 46 lbs on the scales. Friday, August 27 View Page Cut another cucumber today. A new personal best. 4379 grammes or 9.65 lbs and 23.2 inches long. I still have 3 more on the vines hoping to make that elusive 10 lbs weight before the end of the season Friday, August 27 View Page 23.2 inch cucumber next to steel tape measure Monday, August 30 View Page My largest sunflower head. 19.5 inches wide placed on a 2ft wide paving slab. I will save some seeds from this one Wednesday, September 1 View Page 55 lbs marrow cut today, A bit disappointing but have 5 bigger one`s still sound at the moment. Started drying the 50 seeds out of it`s 44 lbs companion fruit harvested earlier. Will let this one mature and do the same Wednesday, September 1 View Page A large cucumber photo showing bulky clover shaped end Wednesday, September 1 View Page My largest cucumber didn`t want to swing this one out. 3 in 1 blossom end, hope to go over 10 lbs with this one Friday, September 3 View Page Giant beetroot - strain Mammoth from the EGVGA seed package. 20 lbs exactly, this plants primary foliage was dying back and a lot of secondary shoots ready to burst so I dug it up before the energy and weight transfered. Shirts off here in the UK some late summer sunshine for us. Saturday, September 4 View Page Large cucumber weighed on the co-op store scales 5085 grammes or 11.21 lbs. A personal best. I don`t think I have any others that will go heavier than this one now. Saturday, September 4 View Page Digital read out of large cucumber on scales 5085 grammes Saturday, September 4 View Page Same cucumber. Length 23.7 inches Circumference 16.5 inches at widest girth Saturday, September 4 View Page Had to have a photo with it. It is a personal best Tuesday, September 7 View Page My grandaughter Katie with todays marrow. Out of the 82 Thomas 08 weighed 69 lbs. Once again I thought it was heavier (I was looking at the greater outside curve) still looking to beat my 78 lbs personal best. 4 more marrows to go Friday, September 17 View Page Hi all. Cut my remaining marrows today. I was looking to beat my 78 lbs personal best and was a whisker off it. Pictured marrow is from 80 Baggs 09 and weighs 68 lbs. Looked heavier Friday, September 17 View Page Glazebrook marrow from an unnamed seed. We called this one the alligator. See next photo. Weighed 76 lbs Friday, September 17 View Page The alligator. Friday, September 17 View Page Marrow out of 70 Thomas 09 yellow. 77 lbs. What a disappointment when the scales didnt push the 78 lbs, Still there`s always next year. Lol Friday, September 17 View Page My son James and 2 beetroot 19 and 20 lbs. James lifted the marrows for me today as I had a minor operation last week and I am due another operation on Monday to put right what they did wrong. Thanks James,nice having you visiting home Friday, September 17 View Page Line up of marrows. The 3rd one is another Glazebrook unnamed seed. 58 lbs. Sunday, October 17 View Page Weighed a giant cabbage mid week (Cornish seed strain) Late sown, late cut. Weighed 47 lbs, pleasing result for a rookie grower