Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 60 Entries. Thursday, April 18 View Page Here we go.....Using the starting date from 2010 which was a pretty good year. Wednesday, April 24 View Page SUCCESS! Whew, I was losing hope. 5 3/4 days total time. I used a wash cloth at first instead of paper towel since I don't trust paper towel to be acid free but then I got spooked and switched back.Glad this part is over. Friday, May 17 View Page @24 Days from sprouting. 2009 under 400 watt metal halide.....too bright perhaps? As the next picture will reveal,there is a some yellowing but growth is good. Its not the soil but I leached it the other day and the ph of that water was ok . Baby has a touch of jaundice. Friday, May 17 View Page 2009 - It gets real sun whenever it is possible. This is in the basement and temperatures vary from 59 degrees to 70 when I turn the heat on in the daytime for the plants. Friday, May 17 View Page Giant watermelon seed I planted with good intentions but its been awhile since I've grown one, my first guess is that this is a dud because the second leaf is so slow emerging. Have another seed sprouting but it sure is late in the season. Friday, May 17 View Page This is my pollinator perhaps or backup maybe but it shows good growth despite being neglected and in such a small container-2 liter ice cream container. Thursday, May 23 View Page 6 days from the last set of pictures on the 2009 shows lots of serious growth. Full steam ahead and unless the weather turns tropical,I'm letting this grow indoors and see no advantage to moving it yet and risk any slow down. Friday, May 24 View Page Somehow I thought this would work...but it doesn't. I figured that since the tube inserted and soldered and pointing with the flow of water would ,if inserted as a joiner in my watering hose, would siphon nutrients out of a bucket and adding to the stream spraying as I watered my plants. What happens is that you can feed the tube with a funnel and a rubber hose at a very low pressure, not enough to even spray and at higher pressure, well then water comes back thru the feeder. Did I just dream that this might work, or maybe the design could be tweaked some. The internet is no help for information. I will solicit any advice by posting in the general discussion under "siphon tube feeder" once the picture is uploaded and I can provide a link. It would be a good rig if I could get it to work. Wednesday, May 29 View Page Planting out day. A little over 1 month from sprouting. I have a big roll of straw coming and planting area has been groomed, aged manure spread(never used before)and pro-mix BX to prime the hole. The weather has turned for the good and is why I picked this day,although last nite there was a frost warning. Wednesday, May 29 View Page 2009 Pumpkin is in the hole. Doing a little picture promo for Pro-Mix. Weather is very warm and will be for the next couple of days. Tuesday, June 4 View Page Six days since last picture when I planted this outdoors. Already at six feet. Saturday, June 8 View Page 2009 - 1st female @ 7 feet out. No males open yet. 46 days from seed sprouting. Very rainy day from tropical storm bits and pieces. Tuesday, June 11 View Page The 2009 - no longer fits very well in its greenhouse made for it.The red marker tape is the point at the plants growth when it was set out on the 29th of May.Gave it a spray of skim milk on Monday. Tuesday, June 11 View Page One more picture not pumpkin related but shows my garden I started for growing fiddlehead ferns.By next year, there should be a lot more plants. A super idea I think. Sunday, June 23 View Page A picture from last week but the results of this I must note. Last years cuke beetles were at least a three weeks battle with spraying of chemicals and damage to cucumber plants as well,and I was dreading it this year for the amount of tending and time it requires. This year,keeping a sharp eye out, I noticed the heat and humidity brought out the first sighting. I covered the entire plant with an old sheer type curtain,like remay but allows more air to breathe thru. I had to kill cuke beetles for about two days and they were gone. I kept the cover on for a bit longer-still no beetles. Amazing that I am leaving both the pumpkin and the cucumbers uncovered - there are zero cucumber beetles.Apparently you have to get the first few or they will reproduce very quickly. I hope to pollinate the first pumpkin tomorrow,further out (10+ feet) than a female that is not as far and showed up 4 days earlier. Monday, June 24 View Page 2009 pollinated at about ten feet out and some worn out males. My previous post about cuke beetles....well hmmmm, ha ha, woke up this morning and the plant had lots. The warm humid nites sure draw them out.Plant is covered once more for awhile.The 1st female at 7 feet still hasn't opened yet, probably tomorrow,and there are lots of females on side vines. Wednesday, June 26 View Page Back end of the 2009. Always protect the areas around your plant as the roots sure do travel far. I was surprised to see these lengths so early.This makes up for the lack of secondary growth on this plant.Under the straw is masses of roots. Thursday, July 4 View Page 2009. No viable pumpkins yet but there is a female that may open tomorrow under the blue towel. No panic yet but this female needs to be the one. Had 2 other females that didn't take. Extremely hot out. Saturday, July 6 View Page Pollination today,about 12-13 feet out on 2009 with temps expected to 32 degrees (90's). It was 23 degrees C at 7 AM pollination time and have put a shelter over the lady. Saturday, July 6 View Page 2009 front view on pollination day (same as previous picture-same time) Sunday, July 7 View Page Ate first cucumber today. This is a suyo long variety. Sunday, July 7 View Page An experiment last year has expanded this year. I enjoy the hull-less variety of popping corn that I purchase at the local bulk foods outlet,but it can be pricey if you eat a lot of it like I do.So here are my popcorn corn plants doing very well and it is simply popcorn kernels used for seed. The flavor is excellent when you grow fresh corn.Drying can take some time however. Sunday, July 7 View Page Not pumpkin related but thought I'd give a review of these lobster flavoured chips that are made here in New Brunswick. The quality of the chips is very good but the lobster taste is a little obscure. Reminds me of the taste you get when you eat a bad chip, but better than that. Lobster flavoring is probably a little hard to fake. Sunday, July 7 View Page Pumpkin is 16 feet long at this date. Waiting to see if yesterdays pollination took.Still stinking hot. Saturday, July 13 View Page 2009 pollinated this one week ago today in extreme heat and used ice packs. Showing growth. Saturday, July 13 View Page 2009 plant. Extremely hot today. Saturday, July 13 View Page 2009 Wallace. I pollinated this last Saturday,exactly a week ago.I think this one just might take off. Saturday, July 13 View Page I'm using a technique this year - we'll call it back-door root farming. Here I have removed a big piece of plywood to illustrate and underneath is straw which I keep wet always. This area is just behind the stump of the pumpkin. As you will see in the next picture,lifting the straw will show a network of roots, which I do my best to feed the best natural fertilizers. Saturday, July 13 View Page Quite a nice mess of fine roots under the wet straw. The roots are really moving on this plant. Saturday, July 13 View Page Overall a nice looking plant. Just finished a milk spray-no more constant overhead watering this year . Saturday, July 13 View Page First sign of a watermelon on this giant watermelon plant.Seed from a 250 lb'er. Saturday, July 13 View Page Nice looking giant cabbage this year. Refer to the old 7-up bottle for reference in the background. Keeping it covered always this year and it seems to be bug free so far. Wednesday, July 17 View Page day 11 morning on 2009. Cooling weather now but still hot and no rain for some time. The stem is really quite big this early.Put a small cut in the skin with the tape measure after telling myself not to do so. Need a nerf tape measure I think. Thursday, July 25 View Page For those of you reading my pumpkin diary...thanks! I try to keep it brief.I see some really decent pumpkins growing this year and don't get discouraged about the numbers too much because keeping a pumpkin growing into October...well not every pumpkin will have what it takes.Also should point out that if you are reading diaries with the setting "since your last visit" , you may miss some entries-I know I do, not sure why that is. Anyways here is the 2009 at 19 days. Funny how they all look the same! I guess Ron didn't achoo and get the seeds mixed up...ha! Plant very healthy-4+ inches a day, Friday, August 2 View Page Thanks for reading my diary.2009 Wallace. Somewhere between 175 and 200 pounds at day 27 since pollination.July was rainiest month on record here.Ever. Next two pictures, first is a tape measure reading for today for circumference and the second is a picture from 2010 pumpkin on this date that grew 1000+ pounds. It will make those with small pumpkins feel better! Friday, August 2 View Page day 27 I believe measured this morning. Friday, August 2 View Page picture from 2010 on this date. This went over 1000 pounds that year and put on crazy weight every day. Not over 'till its over. Tuesday, August 6 View Page Thanks for reading my diary. Short and sweet today.Closing in on 300 pounds with 30 pounds in 24 hours. This plant is ramping up. This plant is around 105 days old with DAP at 31. Friday, August 9 View Page Thanks for reading my diary. This is Friday August 9th. On Monday, 2009 Wallace was at approx. 250 pounds.Today, 350 pounds. Plant is very healthy. Tuesday, August 13 View Page getting some really silly daily numbers on the 2009 Wallace. Last nite was 43 pounds and the previous day was 39 pounds. No stretching of the measuring tape. Just crazy. Friday, August 16 View Page Thanks for stopping by. 2009 Wallace @ day 41, plant is 115 days old and estimated at 517 pounds. I have named it "The Zeppelin" just for fun.Plant is very healthy,no issues and constant rain keeps the water up and the straw keeps it down. Still have September and October left to go,hoping it won't slow down with hot weather ahead.I am surprised of the minimal extra salad that comes with terminating the vines-usually I'm pulling huge vines grown overnight. Good job Tuija on your tomato record! Friday, August 23 View Page Now at approx. 677 pounds, this pumpkin is starting to get bloated like a Zeppelin, and I hope this one doesn't "break up". No roadies around ,only the road in the background, and if there is "time to change the road I'm on", I'm gonna need a forklift. Sunday, August 25 View Page Not pumpkin related but a full moon allows the picking off the rocks in the Sunday, August 25 View Page The full moon allows the picking of red seaweed off the rocks in the Bay of Fundy in in Brunswick, Canada and this is all I could carry on my back. Funny thing, I managed to navigate over the slippery seaweed covered rocks and not break any bones only to twist my ankle in the shower when I got home. Sunday, August 25 View Page Close up shot of dulse. You can eat this stuff for a couple bucks a bag or you can spend 20 to 50 bucks for this ground up into pill form. Same thing. Sunday, August 25 View Page You're back! Glad to see ya! 1st lets get to the specs...... Day 50 - plant is 124 days old - 2009 Wallace. Est 700 pounds Well, I took to overhead watering,(it's so much easier and fun) and as a result, powdery mildew reared its ugly head. I took to action and harvested some leaves-didn't like to, and my neighbor donated 6 jugs of expired milk which I sprayed and today the plant is now okay.Watering is something I just don't feel confident about- keep the soil always wet or is that too much, sorta thing.Growth has dropped off and I really hope its not over.Funny that the pumpkin looks bigger but not measuring as so.Will have to see what the end of this week brings with a stretch of good hot weather. It's not easy growing a giant pumpkin and it would be nice if you could grow a giant this big with no work. I'm wondering maybe next year,whether to just let 'er hang and see what the results would be...... Friday, August 30 View Page 2009. 800 poundish. Powdery mildew advancing with the wet weather despite milk spraying. Oddly it started all around the pumpkin near the stem area and moved out from there.I just did a quick read on the topic and read that this could have been started by myself and my daily measuring,since the disease can be carried easily by people. Live and learn. Monday, September 9 View Page The 2009 is 912 pounds on the old chart.Still growing. Thursday, September 12 View Page Hi again! I see your not tired of looking at endless pictures of pumpkins....and here's another! This is the 2009, (I know,... who wants to see another 2009 picture again!), and her measurements are 353.5 OTT and so that means its pretty big. Powdery mildew is better. I had to order some potassium bicarbonate- had to order it all the way from England on ebay and amazing it arrived in 4 days! I tried everywhere to buy some mildew control and my city is very uncooperative which really sucks as a grower, I mean it.Unfortunatedly I did not buy enough and 250 grams was sprayed pretty quickly. But it looks like I'm good for the rest of the season.Not getting any pedestrian traffic but the leaves and positioning make it a little less obvious from the highway,plus I did not grow on a pallet this year. Wish I had the means to get this weighed but all in fun anyways. Thursday, September 19 View Page 2009 X self. At least 1000 pounds according to old scale. Still putting on weight despite loosing some prime leaves to frost. Lots of new growth and new pumpkins trying to emerge. Saturday, September 21 View Page Some of us are better at growing some things than others. Here is my giant watermelon. A melon this size would be $6.99 at the market. I suppose it would be a gamble to grow watermelons as a cash crop in this part of the world, but it can be done. I managed to get it partially on the bathroom scale in the next picture and have at least a 30 pounder. Saturday, September 21 View Page Balancing on the scale-30 pounds at least. Friday, October 4 View Page Me and my pumpkin , taken by a nice couple from Winnipeg, who were vacationing in the area and stopped by. Saturday, October 12 View Page picture of the new world record 2032 pounds. Sunday, October 20 View Page Sauerkraut making time. This year I am adding some red cabbage to the mix at a 4 to 1 ratio (green to red) and hoping it doesn't turn some really bad color.It's the first time I've grown red cabbage and the color stains the kitchen counter when it's cut-a purple juice flows. Love the kraut and it provides good digestive bacteria that some people lack and is recognized by the cancer society people as a cancer fighter if you consume it often. Sunday, October 20 View Page The color of the kraut.Pretty eh? Now this was a few days ago and I have been sneaking some spoonfuls of the fresh cabbage as it ferments, but this morning,some of the very top layer has changed color and is all a rather grey color,so it's hard to say if the whole batch will turn color as it ages. Probably. Maybe I'll freeze it. Tuesday, October 22 View Page Joining the mustard bandwagon. Did you know that Canada is the world's largest exporter of mustard seed but has few manufacturing facilities,which are mostly U.S. based. The Canadian prairies are ideal for growing mustard. Anyways, the local bulk barn has come to my rescue again and I thought I got a pretty good deal @ roughly 2.50 a pound ,but I bet this stuff less by the sack.I put some in a wet paper towel and 24 hours it was sprouted. I am thankful I was able to buy this locally. You should see some of the crazy prices for mustard seed on the internet. Too bad this site wasn't more interactive as I'd be interested in how much others are paying for mustard seed. Saturday, October 26 View Page I swore this would be the last pumpkin I would ever carve again, getting electric shocks from the power tools and covered with pumpkin bits. Mind you I only put in a little more than two hours,but for some reason just don't find this very enjoyable. Saturday, October 26 View Page From the previous entry....... And then the school bus stopped with a load of screaming kids "he's carving his pumpkin!" ........ Saturday, October 26 View Page night picture with a 100 watt light.