Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 62 Entries. Thursday, April 30 View Page I wasnt going to do a growers diary this year due to the fact that I am going to be real busy. My daughter is graduating high school this year and we have about 10 graduation partys to attend. Plus growing 4 plants is going to be insane as far as free time goes. But I have been doing a diary for 9 years now so I will stay with it. It may not be as good as some in the past but I will try to do my best. I have 9 seedlings going in the greenhouse at this time. My 4 choices are still the 1258 Dwelly 1385 Jutras 985 Werner and the 1161 Rodonis. My 1385 and 985 look real bad the seeds both were very thin inside and only had about 20 percent of the seed cots develope but they both came up and are trying to catch up to the others and if they do put out nice true leaves I will use them. I have other backups that of course look great and I will use them if the others dont develope enough to use. They are the 1012 Hester 1090 Checkon 1357 Ghaye 1208 Thistle and the 1164.5 Carlson Peterson I think all these backups will be great seeds if I can just get them a home. I hope to be in the ground before May 5th if all goes well. Saturday, May 2 View Page My plants are looking good today. Lots of sunshine and first true leaf is about the size of a quarter. I am shooting for approx Wednesday to be in the patch depending on the forcast. I dont ever like to plant during a crappy stretch of weather. Here is a look at my seedlings. Saturday, May 2 View Page 1258 Dwelly Saturday, May 2 View Page 1161 Rodonis Saturday, May 2 View Page 1385 Jutras this one was a real poor looking seedling but I think it is going to be ok and it will go in my patch unless I can get a better one from someone else but I dont think that is going to happen lol Saturday, May 2 View Page Here are my backup plants and they really look good. I am also waiting for an 985 Werner to plant as my 985 is really got issues. But a good friend is going to bail me out on this one I really owe him now. Here is the 1012 Hester I hope to find a home for. Saturday, May 2 View Page Here is the 1090 Checkon and it is already been asked for it is one of my best looking seedlings I have been thinking all week about changing my mind and putting it in for myself but every time I have done thatin the past it has not worked out for me. I will let it go in my friends patch. He is a better grower than me and he should do great with it. Saturday, May 2 View Page My biggest plant and a great looking unproven NH seed is the 1208 Thistle I wish I had room for this one I think it will do real nice. Saturday, May 2 View Page This is a late planting and I like this one a lot. It is the 1357 Ghaye and I think I may have a home for it. I would love to get some pollen from it for a few crosses this year I dont think anyone has this cross. It is the 1248 Ford X the 1502 Wallace. I think it will produce a real super pumpkin as well. Sunday, May 10 View Page I had my first setback of 2009. I lost the new transplant 985 Werner last night. We had 50 mph wind gusts and it blew up one corner of my warming chamber and the tiny plant was whipping back and forth all night until it snapped. This sucks I had a mutant seedling from my 985 and I got this plant from a close friend and it is now lost. I have to choose a backup this afternoon and will replant later when it warms up. I have the 1012 Hester 1357 Ghaye 1208 Thistle and the 1090 Checkon to choose from. I like all 4 of them. I also have an 1164 Carlson Peterson but it is producing double leaves all around and I like to stay away from that sort of thing. Sunday, May 10 View Page Today I got some help from my little niece. She is 2 and I let her pick out my replacement plant. She picked the 1357 Ghaye without any hesatation so it must be a good one lol. I have never grown a plant from Europe before but I am now. It is a super cross 1248 X 1502 the mother was 10 percent heavy and the father was over 1000 pounds and 17 percent heavy. Sounds good to me now we wait to see. Sunday, May 10 View Page Here is a look at my 1385 Jutras Sunday, May 10 View Page 1258 Dwelly Sunday, May 10 View Page 1161 Rodonis Sunday, May 10 View Page 1357 Ghaye Wednesday, May 13 View Page Plants are starting to settle in good. I am happy with the growth for just 3 days. Here is a look at them. Wednesday, May 13 View Page 1357 Ghaye Wednesday, May 13 View Page 1385 Jutras Wednesday, May 13 View Page 1258 Dwelly Wednesday, May 13 View Page 1161 Rodonis Wednesday, May 13 View Page 1161 Rodonis correct picture Wednesday, May 13 View Page Here is a look at the watering stand my brother and Dad built for me. It will work good for mixing and pouring early batches of fertilizer. Saturday, May 16 View Page Plants are growing each day but I think they are a little to light in color so I fertilized early this morning with some water soluable miracle grow I hope this helps green them up a little better. I have not used any fertilizer yet on them so we will see if it helps. Here is a look at them Saturday, May 16 View Page 1385 Jutras Saturday, May 16 View Page 1161 Rodonis Saturday, May 16 View Page 1258 Dwelly Saturday, May 16 View Page 1357 Ghaye Monday, May 18 View Page I have only been in the ground 10 days and 2009 is starting out as one of the toughest season openings I have had since the 2006 flood. Cold wet weather since I have been in the ground. I lost my 985 Werner to 60 mph winds that got under my hoophouse frame. I have slow growing plants at this time with light green leaves due to lack of sunlight. Tonight calls for frost. I hope things start to get better soon. I think we may hit 80 degrees by the end of the week I could really use some sunlight. Wednesday, May 20 View Page Plants are looking better now each day. Tomorrow is going to be a hot one 90 degrees a bit to warm for me but I will get through it. I have 2 fans in the hoop house and I cut ventilation windows in my plastic as well. Wednesday, May 20 View Page Here is a look at the plants today. 1385 Jutras Wednesday, May 20 View Page 1161 Rodonis Wednesday, May 20 View Page 1258 Dwelly Wednesday, May 20 View Page 1357 Ghaye Saturday, May 23 View Page Plants are doing good. Two days of 90 degree plus heat I could have done without but that is New England for ya. Today low 60s and more clouds. I am at least home for the long weekend and can take better care of them. The 1258 is now the best looking plant and it also takes the heat very well. The 1385 takes the heat good to. The 1161 and 1357 are not as heat tolerant but they only got a few minor heat burns and they look real good as well. I will have photos later in the week. Saturday, May 23 View Page Just back from the patch. I have noticed that the 1357 Ghaye looks to be putting out a flat vine. I have never got a plant that did this to grow anything good for me in 10 years of growing. I have 1 backup plant left and it is the 1012 Hester. I will make a choice by tomorrow if I am keeping the flat vine or replacing it. Sunday, May 24 View Page Plants have 4 nice days under them now and are really taking off good. I do have another problem to deal with in the form of a woodchuck that is now moved in close to the patch I will start to make efforts to make him disappear for good lol. Hear is a look at the plants including the one with the flat vine issue. Sunday, May 24 View Page 1385 Jutras Sunday, May 24 View Page 1385 Jutras rear view. Sunday, May 24 View Page 1258 Dwelly Sunday, May 24 View Page 1258 Dwelly rear view. Sunday, May 24 View Page 1161 Rodonis Sunday, May 24 View Page 1161 Rodonis rear view. Sunday, May 24 View Page 1357 Ghaye Sunday, May 24 View Page 1357 Flat vine. Saturday, May 30 View Page Today the sun came out for the first time in about 3 days. My plants really needed it and after one day they are greening up nice again. I have about 2 foot runners going on 3 of them. The 1357 Ghaye with the flat vine looks as if it is about to straighten itself out. I am crossing my fingers. I am also slowly moving the vines a little each day until I get them in the position I want them in. I will have photos tomorrow. Sunday, May 31 View Page Plants are looking better today. They are more green than yesterday. The 1357 flat vine looks good this morning I think I may be ok. Here is a look at them. Sunday, May 31 View Page 1385 Jutras Sunday, May 31 View Page 1161 Rodonis Sunday, May 31 View Page 1258 Dwelly Sunday, May 31 View Page 1357 Ghaye Sunday, May 31 View Page 1357 vine tip looks to be a single solid vine now I am keeping my fingers crossed. Wednesday, June 3 View Page Tonight may be the last night I will be able to cover and heat my plants. They are growing real good and have almost outgrown my warming chamber. I even added an extra foot to it last night but they have really started to take off I have vines on the 1385 1258 and 1161 all approaching 5 feet plus. Sadly I had to pull the 1357 it went totally mutant the flat vine that appeared to have gone away at the end of it produced a huge mess of leaves going in all directions. I replaced it with a small leftover I had in the greenhouse and I will wait to see if it starts to grow. I am possibly a little late but at this point I have nothing to lose by trying. Sunday, June 7 View Page Pumpkins are growing slow. Still no days even close to 80 degrees here on the coast. Even worse the nights have been in the low 50s. The plants look good considering the cold temps. Here is a look at them. Sunday, June 7 View Page 1258 Dwelly Sunday, June 7 View Page 1385 Jutras Sunday, June 7 View Page 1161 Rodonis Sunday, June 7 View Page Replacement plant just for fun. Tuesday, June 16 View Page Cold wet and crappy here on the NH coast. I also had a visitor in my patch and it ate a few leaves but no vine tips. Plants are small main vines at approx 8 feet. sides at 3 feet. If I dont see some major improvement in the next week I am pulling the plants out and then I am pulling my golf clubs out and spending the rest of the summer golfing. Monday, June 22 View Page Well I got my golf clubs out and I am ready to play this weekend. I am just about ready to wrap up this pumpkin season that has sucked beyond belief. June 22nd and three days of sun for the whole month and zero days above 80 degrees. Time to tee it up lol. Guess what its pouring out again lol. Sunday, June 28 View Page I dont know why I am still wasting my time on these plants. I got about 2 hours of work done in total muddy conditions and had to quit because it is pouring out again on my patch. July is just around the corner and we hit 75 on Friday and Saturday. But today and the rest of the week are going to be in the 60s again on the coast. My vines are packed in hard soil do to the downpours that have gone on for about a month now. The vines are about 14 feet out but look real weak. Well my next entry will be when it finally hits 80 degrees so you may not hear from me again lol. Tuesday, July 7 View Page I have thrown in the towel for 2009. Plants look like crap it has been pouring out 8 of the last ten days the soil around my plants is packed like cement and full of weeds. the leaves are wilted and I have been playing golf all week in between the downpours. Maybe next year we shall wait and see though. Friday, July 10 View Page Nice weather is back and I played 9 holes of golf on Sat Sun and Monday. Yesterday I played 18 holes and I am loving it!!