Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 49 Entries. Monday, January 30 View Page 2012, here we go!!! Thought I would start out my 2012 Diary by throwing in an old pumpkin pic from 1992, before I discovered AG's. Acid washed jeans, clockwork orange hat, rock tshirt, boat shoes with no socks on, pumpkin taking over grapevines . . . this dude needs some serious help! Good luck to everyone this year! Thursday, March 29 View Page Spring soil test. Amendments have been ordered. Planning on growing two plants this year - one for the Iowa State Fair (if all goes well), and one for Anamosa. Saturday, April 14 View Page Here's the line-up for my yard patch. 1658 Young for the Iowa State fair - started germination on that seed today. The 1231 Pukos an unplanned acquisition from the BP action, will use this one for Anamosa. Saturday, April 14 View Page I'm also very excited about these crosses as well - maybe will be grown at the Hartgers patch. Monday, April 16 View Page After about 40 hours in the incubator, the 1658 Young has come to life! Thursday, May 3 View Page The 1658 out in the mini-greenhouse is not looking so hot. Out of state travel and stuff here at home has me running behind on pumpkin growing. Tonight started the germination process on 1231 Pukos, 1027 Lombardi, 1176 Lombardi, and 1099 Schnicker. Fall weigh-off plant for me and plants for the Hartger's patch. Tuesday, May 15 View Page 1658 Young is looking better now that more normal leaves are present. Tuesday, May 15 View Page Here's an example of what the first few true leaves looked like - kinda funky. Monday, May 21 View Page Lost the 1027 Lombardi yesterday . . . Crap! This will be replaced with my 482 Boelman (1622 Young X 1725 Harp). Growing my own seed for the first time ever. As a side note - the first true leaf of this plant developed in the same "crumpled" way as my other plant. Monday, May 21 View Page The 1658 Young is chugging right along. The kids have really been getting into gardening this year, which is great! Friday, June 8 View Page First female flower opened yesterday. Friday, June 8 View Page 1658 Young X Self Tuesday, June 12 View Page Our Tall Corn. The stalk to the left of Ashley was started indoors during the first week of March and is now about 48" tall. Hopefully we'll get a couple of stalks over 20 feet for the contest at the IA State Fair Thursday, June 14 View Page Pollination #2 1658 Young X Self, 4 Lobe Friday, June 15 View Page 482 Boelman Friday, June 15 View Page Saw a couple of SVB's flying around yesterday. Plants already have Imidicloprid on board, but gave them a reinforcing shot anyway. Using this ProThor 75% Imidicloprid this year, so hopefully this will be the first year I won't have to do surgery on a vine to remove one of those little suckers. Monday, June 18 View Page Just noticed on the product package photo on my previous diary entry, that "Thor" appears to be shooting a lightning bolt out of his ass. I guess if he can do that then he should certainly be able to take out a few pesky SVB's. LOL! Tuesday, June 19 View Page Pollination #3 of 1658 Young X Self, 5 lobe with 2 males. Have had some helaciously hot, dry weather, and going out of state for work for the next five days. Hopefully I can bribe someone to help with watering while I'm gone :-) Sunday, July 1 View Page 1658 Young, 24 DAP, OTT = 211" Sunday, July 1 View Page Only problem is poor vine placement, distal to the pumpkin. Have scooted the pumpkin as much as possible, and last night removed a couple of side vines to buy time. Sunday, July 1 View Page Pollination #1 on my 482 Boelman X 1658 Young. 4 1/2 Lobe? I've shaded it and iced it, but its a hot day. Saturday, July 7 View Page Day 30, OTT = 254 Looks like starting tomorrow the heat wave is over (at least for one week), but no rain in the forecast. Tuesday, July 24 View Page Pick my first cantaloupe today after seeing it was developing a split. 20 pounds, on a 42 James plant. Thursday, July 26 View Page Tall Corn at 12 - 13 Feet. Would really like to have a stalk over 15 Feet by State Fair time. Thursday, July 26 View Page Tall Sunflowers at 12 - 13 Feet. Looks like they're going to get even taller before flowering. Thursday, July 26 View Page With a lot of help watering the 1658 Young plant, this baby has continued to grow despite the record breaking high temps and drought. Wednesday, August 1 View Page Have been surprised by the "2nd Wave" of SVB's recently. Seems like in the past after late June they were done for the year. Merit (75% WP) applications seem to be protecting the AG's well. I did remove a small one from the stump of my 482, glad I caught it early! My untreated field pumpkins were a different story. Saturday, August 4 View Page First decent tomato this year. Monday, August 6 View Page I had a wonderful surprise Saturday evening when my friends from work showed up with some gifts to help me keep an eye on "The Great Pumpkin". Totally awesome! Monday, August 6 View Page Nothing like a good bedtime story after a long day of watering and vine burying. Friday, August 10 View Page Today was a great day for a new PB! Tuesday, August 14 View Page Final Cull on my 482, had a funky shaped blossom end. Tuesday, August 14 View Page This one has a better shape, but it's growing on a Tert! DAP = ? We'll see what happens over the next 53 days. Saturday, September 1 View Page Our Pumpkin/Iowa Hawkeye t-shirt arrived today, just in time for the first game of the season. Thanks to Marc for ordering them for us. Go Hawks! Thursday, September 20 View Page A different kind of "Patch Tour" that took place yesterday at a couple of homes down on the street where a couple of my family members live. Hint: all of those unmarked vehicles aren't growers, and they weren't growing giant pumpkins, LOL Thursday, September 20 View Page Never heard of BM6 Potting Soil before, but must be good stuff. They got hundreds of very healthy looking plants out of that house :-) Saturday, September 22 View Page I couldn't wait any longer - we measured our tallest corn stalk today - was 14 Feet 8 Inches - new personal best. Hopefully next year won't be a drought year and can grow one up to 20 Feet tall. Saturday, September 22 View Page 2012 Tall Corn - "Mercador" Bolivian corn variety. Saturday, September 22 View Page Litte girl, big corn :-) Saturday, September 22 View Page Tallest single head Sunflower was 13 Feet 8 Inches. Had a few that were a little taller, but were blown down in a storm. Saturday, September 22 View Page Getting seeds ready for next year & to share with anyone who would like to grow them. Sunday, September 23 View Page The frost we had last night ended the 2012 growing season. Since Anamosa Pumpkinfest isn't in the cards for me this year I pulled my 482 Boelman X Open out of the patch for our fall display. Final OTT = 262" = 407 Pounds. Sunday, September 23 View Page Oh hi Jimmy! Yes, yes now that pumpkin growing season is over we can go fishing more often. Wednesday, October 31 View Page Was awesome to see any article on my 3rd Place finish at the IA State Fair weigh off in the newsletter which was sent out by my employer. Copy & Paste the link into your browser to check it out: http://www.webfulfillment.com/ega/lp.asp?l=285 By reading this you may also learn a thing or two about poison ivy identification in the fall, plus prevention & treatment of the rash. Saturday, November 3 View Page Halloween! Wanted to do an epic carving design on my pumpkin, but ran out of time. Sunday, November 4 View Page post Halloween look inside my 903 (1658 Young X Self). Solid all the way around, even after sitting in the yard since August. Only a few seeds germinated while still inside. Got about 120 nice seeds out of it - available to anyone who may be interested. [email protected] Wednesday, December 26 View Page Hope everyone had a great Christmas! Wednesday, December 26 View Page Had some great help earlier this month with some late fall patch prep - Thanks Ashley! Wednesday, December 26 View Page All ready for spring, and for a new PB in 2013!