Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 59 Entries. Saturday, February 13 View Page Today I start my second test run. This time I filed the edges of the seeds just till the color changed. Yesterday I set up the 10 gallon fish tank. I put a heating pad and four jiffy pots filled with seed starting soil and watered. I'm soaking the four seeds in water for about two hours. The soil in the covered tank is at 85 degrees F. I'll see how long it's takes for these to come up. My grandson (kurty) said I must grow an orange Ag this year or I'm fired. Thanks to a couple of growers I get to keep my job. Wednesday, February 17 View Page Three of the four test seeds came up in four days. Waiting to see if the fourth seed will come along. Thursday, February 18 View Page The fourth test seed came up this morning. Saturday, February 20 View Page Finish the framing of the green house(10ft. deep x 12ft. wide x 7ft. tall). I'll order the plastic on Monday. I still need to make five cold frames. The green house is for a plant I'm going to grow a month early. Hopefully this one will go to the Lake County Fair. Monday, March 1 View Page I put the plastic on the green house frame. Never do this when it's windy, never do this by yourself and never do this in the mud. I will never do this again!!!!! age is taking it's toll. Thursday, March 25 View Page A cold front came thru today with high winds and took the green house with it. Thursday, April 1 View Page Just recieved 10 yards of 7 year old composted wood chips. The garden is draining very well. Which in the past has always been a problem. The soil is turning out much better than I hoped for this year. Things are looking up! Saturday, April 10 View Page I'm starting the 1022 Pingrey 09' two weeks early(today). Hopefully for the Lake County Fair in Indiana. Monday, April 12 View Page Finish rototilling the garden today. I can't believe how well the water is draining thru the soil. It's seems to be perfect. Monday, April 26 View Page After changing my mind a dozen times here's the line up: 1022 Pingrey, 700 Young, 993.2 Vincent-McGill, 1094 Horton, 1140 Stevens and 1662 Stelts. The 1022 Pingrey was potted 04-10-10 and sitting in it's heated cold frame. The others were potted on 04-23-10, the 700 and 1662 popped out of the soil this morning. Tuesday, April 27 View Page 5 of 6 have popped up. The 1140 Stevens hasn't come up yet. I'll wait two more days, my fingers are crossed. Wednesday, April 28 View Page Things aren't looking good. Even the four that came up the other day. Pulled the 1140 and removed the shell and wrapped in a wet paper towel. Soaking my back up 1140, the shell is dark and thick so I'll let it soak for 6 to 8 hours. Wednesday, April 28 View Page Everything is ready to go, hope I have plants to put in the cold frames. Thursday, April 29 View Page I thought this was going to be a good year, Warm weather, good soil, no drainage problems . These high winds are KILLING me. The wind destroyed the canopy on my back deck. On the silt fencing, three 2"x2" stakes have broke. oh yay five plants are in the cold frames. The frames are holding up so far. I thought this was suppost to be fun, let the stress begin. Thursday, April 29 View Page I hate to do this. However, I'm soaking three more seeds as back ups.I think I'm really going to need them. 1364.5 Hopkins, 1042 Barenie and another 1022 Pingrey. Thursday, April 29 View Page Pulled the 19 day old 1022, something got to the main stem. Saturday, May 1 View Page Believe it or not the 1140 Stevens, the one I removed it's shell and placed in a damp paper towel it started to root. It took nine days. The back up 1140 hasn't started to root yet. I really want to grow this seed this year. Sunday, May 2 View Page The 1140 Stevens the one I removed the shell. The cot leaf is starting to break thru the soil. The back up 1140 hasn't done anything yet. The 1365 Hopkins,1042 Barenie and the 1022 Pingrey all have broke thru the soil. This time I've counted right. The 1140 took nine days to break thru the soil. Tuesday, May 4 View Page The back up 1140 after 6 days shows nothing. I removed the shell and placed in a wet paper towel. Monday, May 10 View Page Lets try this again. All plants are in the cold frames. My line up for the year has changed do to mishaps in the garden. Now it's; 1364 Hopkins, 1140 Stevens, 1094 Horton, 1042 Barenie, 993.2 Vincent/McGill, 700 Young with a 1022 Pingrey as a back up if anything happens to one of these plants. Wednesday, May 19 View Page 1140 Stevens, 1094 Horton, 700 Young are looking great. The 1364 Hopkins, 1042 Barenie are looking good. The 993 Vincent/McGill isn't growing well. I did a foliar spray with fish/seaweed at half strenght today. I still have the 1022 pingrey as a back up. Sunday, May 23 View Page Planted the 1022 Pingrey two feet in front of the 993.2 Vincent/McGill. I'll give the 993 one more week. As much as I want the 993, it's move it or lose it week. Sunday, May 23 View Page Foliar sprayed fish & seaweed at half strength on all seven plants today. Saturday, May 29 View Page 1094 Horton is my best grower. Saturday, May 29 View Page This use to be white clay. Saturday, May 29 View Page The soil this year is really nice to work with. We'll see if the Ag's like it... Monday, May 31 View Page It's raining cats and dogs. Lighting every few seconds. That's what I call free nitro. I've been waiting for a good rain like this. Those plants are going to take off now... Saturday, June 5 View Page 1094 Horton Saturday, June 5 View Page 1140 Stevens Saturday, June 5 View Page 700 Young Saturday, June 5 View Page 1042 Barenie Saturday, June 5 View Page 1363 Hopkins Saturday, June 5 View Page 993.2 Vincent/McGill Saturday, June 12 View Page 1094 Horton is my best grower. Saturday, June 12 View Page 1140 Stevens is looking good. Saturday, June 12 View Page 700 Young is growing good but may produce an ugly pumpkin. Saturday, June 12 View Page 1042 Barenie is growing well. Saturday, June 12 View Page 1364 Hopkins is starting to move. Saturday, June 12 View Page 993.2 Vincent/McGill slow grower but, I really want this plant. Saturday, June 12 View Page I need to thank everyone who gave me advice thru the fall and winter. When it rains the garden drains. I have removed over 20 females. The soil is much better this year than I expected. Still a couple of years away but we'll get there. Saturday, June 19 View Page Couldn't get in the garden to take good pictures, ground is just too wet from the storm last night. This is the 1094 Horton it's 15 ft wide by 15 1/2 ft long with a female at the end that I will go with. Saturday, June 26 View Page June 24 pollinated the 1094 Horton with the 993.2 Vincent/McGill.June 25 pollinate the 993.2 X self. Was going to pollinate the 700 Young and the 1042 Barenie this morning. However, it's raining. Pollination for the 1140 Stevens and the 1364 Hopkins may happen tomorrow. Saturday, June 26 View Page Sun came out so I pollinated the 700 Young X self. Pollinated the 1042 Barenie with 993.2 Vincent/McGill. Monday, June 28 View Page This years plants look alot better than last years. Monday, June 28 View Page This years plants look alot better than last years. Wednesday, June 30 View Page Pollinated the 1140 Stevens with the 700 Young today.(5 lobes) Saturday, July 3 View Page On 07-02-10 1042 Barenie was pollinated with 1094 Horton. On 07-03-10 700 Young was pollinated with 1140 Stevens. Saturday, July 3 View Page What is this? Saturday, July 10 View Page Day 15, 49 inch circumference. Notice the sun burn, that happen about 8 days ago. All pumpkins are covered with white sheets. Saturday, July 10 View Page They're slow, but getting there. Wednesday, July 14 View Page I'm doing better than last year. But I see now 1000 lbs. isn't in the cards for me. How these growers do it? "CRAZY SKILLS". Saturday, July 17 View Page 1094 Horton, I've named him baby huey. The 1140 Stevens is picking up steam. Had 12 aborts,I do have a pumpkin on each plant.I wasn't going to keep any of them. But mother nature had something else in mind. So I go with what she has given me. Saturday, July 24 View Page The 1094 Horton has slowed to 5 lbs. a day. There's always next year. Monday, August 23 View Page 1094 Horton est. 370lbs. Monday, August 23 View Page 1140 Stevens at est. 470lbs. Thursday, September 9 View Page The little girl is the youngest of my eight granchildren. Pictured with the 1140 Stevens Tuesday, September 21 View Page Removed all the plastic off the cold frames today. The weather for the next 10 days looks good. All the plants on the west side of the garden are doing great.The ones on the east aren't doing as well. Tuesday, September 21 View Page Here's a picture of wwilliamson's(my son)1028 Gienger. The bottom is gettig soft. Est.502 lbs. It's crossed with the 1339.5 Vincent/McGill.The 1339 has a really nice color also. Tuesday, September 21 View Page Here's another picture of wwilliamson's 1028.