Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 68 Entries. Saturday, May 3 View Page Hello everyone. Like all of you here, I have been busy the last few weeks getting ready for the 2008 growing season. I am happy to say all of the patch prep is now finished, the hoop houses are on site, and the young plants are doing well. Saturday, May 3 View Page I had narrowed my list of potential seeds for 2008 rather early last year. Nevertheless, it was still difficult choosing the finalists. I'm gambling this season with three unproven but very promising rookies. They are the 1385 Jutras( 1068 X 998 ), 1462 Gibson ( 998 X 1068 ) and the 1053 Pappas ( 1340 Kline X 1110 Wallace ) Monday, May 5 View Page Three days of cool wet weather kept my plants in pots longer than I had planned. The sun came out today around 9:30 this morning and into the hoop houses they went. Each hoop house has two plants for now, the primary, and a backup. A cocktail of fish powder, mychorizae, and diazinon was mixed into the soil around each plant. Sunday, May 11 View Page The 1385 Jutras is looking good! Sunday, May 11 View Page 1462 Gibson is not far behind in growth. Sunday, May 11 View Page My own 1053 Pappas. I like this cross (1340 Kline X 1110 Wallace). I'm hoping for Orange, heavy, and nicely shaped from this one. The family tree contains the 1370 Rose, 1068 Wallace and 805 Pukos. Sunday, May 11 View Page Usually I grow in this area, but I decided to give it, and myself a rest this year. I have more things going on in my personal life than usual this year. I want to give the plants I'm growing the best care possible with the time available. I wonder how high this Winter rye will get? Thursday, May 15 View Page The seasons first set back occurred yesterday. I cooked my 1462 Gibson. I left for the day without ventilating the cloche enough. By now I should know better. Two backup plants were put into the ground. One will eventually be the keeper. Both are about four days behind the rest. Friday, May 16 View Page Upon examining the plant ( 1462 ), I learned that it was seed corn maggots that killed it and not neglect on my part. The clue was a backup plant in another cloche that died the next day. All of the remaining plants were treated with Tryacide in an effort to halt this pest. I never had this problem before. Monday, May 26 View Page The walkways on each side of the hoop house give an idea of the space allowed for this plant. This is the area that the 1053 Pappas is being grown and is about 600 sf. Monday, May 26 View Page One of these backup plants will take the place of the 1462 Gibson. The plant on the left was germinated nine days after the primary choices, and the slightly larger plant on the right five days after.I would prefer to grow the plant on the left, but every day lost can cost you and probably should go with the other. Problem is the right plant promises an ugly pumpkin,the left a pretty pumpkin. Monday, May 26 View Page The 1053 Pappas 32 days after hitting the dirt Monday, May 26 View Page The 1385 Jutras is a bit more developed Friday, June 27 View Page We have a serious underachiever here. At only five and a half feet long, the 1068 Mckie isn't going to be setting any records.This area gets less sun than the rest and the plant is younger, but it should be doing better than this. Friday, June 27 View Page The 1053 Pappas is seven and a half feet long now. It is just beginning to put out secondaries. I'm not too happy with the progress of this one either. In this site on this day last year the plant was eleven feet long and considerably fuller. Friday, June 27 View Page My best shot for a new personal best lies with the 1385 Jutras. At twelve feet long now and starting to grow quickly. Last year the plant in this area was thirteen feet long on this day and eventually grew a thousand pounder. Friday, June 27 View Page Two of my younger friends pose by the uncut winter rye planted last fall. Sure did get tall. Friday, June 27 View Page On a sadder note,I lost a good friend last week. This is Macy, a good companion, friend to all, and veteran of many critter chases through the patch. We will miss her. Friday, June 27 View Page These are Rocky Mountain mile high sunflowers ( Thanks Wiz ). They have been attacked by rabbits but seem to be outgrowing their reach now. Friday, July 4 View Page Born on the Fourth of July, a four lobed flower 13.5 feet on the main. 1385 Jutras X 1053 Pappas. Thursday, July 17 View Page 1068 Mckie plant Thursday, July 17 View Page Pumpkin on the 1068 at ten feet. Protection is in place There is not much plant behind this pumpkin. It is one of the stranger plants I have ever grown, and rather small for this time of season. There is only one secondary on the plant before the six foot mark. I'm sure there won't be a competitive size fruit here, but I'll grow it and see what it does anyway. Thursday, July 17 View Page I'm having trouble uploading pics today. I'll try later. Friday, July 18 View Page another try Friday, July 18 View Page Ok...The pic above is the 1068 Mckie Friday, July 18 View Page Pumpkin with protection. This is the pumpkin on the 1068 Mckie pollnated on July 13. Friday, July 18 View Page The 1053 Pappas plant. Friday, July 18 View Page 1053 Pappas X 1385 Jutras pollinated on July 14. A little late but ya never know. Friday, July 18 View Page The 1385 Jutras has nearly filled its growing area before the pumpkin. Friday, July 18 View Page Pumpkin on the 1385 pollinated on July 4. Friday, July 18 View Page A little bit of color Monday, August 4 View Page This is the 1385 Jutras pumpkin on day 30. It has attained the 30 day benchmark for 1000 pounds and then some. I'm rather happy with it. Monday, August 4 View Page Another view of the 1385 pumpkin. Monday, August 4 View Page This is the 1053 Pappas pumpkin on day 20. Another overachiever. Monday, August 4 View Page Day 22 1068 Mckie pumpkin. This plant continues to confound me. Hardly any plant behind the pumpkin, yet the pumpkins circumference on day 20 was 71 inches. Thursday, August 14 View Page Today is day 40 for the 1385 Jutras.I am happy to say that its measurements and growth rate suggest that it is still on track to go over 1000 pounds. Thursday, August 14 View Page Side view showing nice color. Thursday, August 14 View Page My grandson Sam nearly gave me a heart attack when he tripped over the main vine. No damage to him or the vine.He was over the charts when he was born at 10 pounds 3 ounces. Thursday, August 14 View Page And at thirty days old today, we have another pumpkin that is on track for 1000 pounds.the 1053 Pappas. Hasn't shown any sign of color yet, but I am hoping for a nice shade of orange. Thursday, August 14 View Page Lack of pumpkin behind the plant has doomed the 1068 Mckie to mediocrity. At 97 inches in circumference on day 32. Thursday, August 14 View Page Overall I'm surprised that the pumpkins have done as well as they have recently. The weather in southern New England has been wet and cool for some time now. The next few days are supposed to bring more normal weather to the region. Growth rates should improve. Wednesday, August 27 View Page Now at about 575 pounds and growing 18 pounds per day is the 1053 Pappas pumpkin. Still yellow without a hint of color to come. Wednesday, August 27 View Page The 1385 Jutras easily passed the day fifty milestones on her way to 1000 pounds. Wednesday, August 27 View Page Stern view 1385. Wednesday, August 27 View Page Tucked in for the night. Wednesday, August 27 View Page 14 foot tall Rocky Mountain sunflowers. ( thanks Wiz ) I like this multi headed variety. Wednesday, September 3 View Page With four weeks left to go until the weigh-off I am keeping my fingers crossed that no disasters will occur. The 1385 is growing at a steady 15 pounds per day now and may be a new personal best by the end of the season. The 1053 Pappas is doing about the same and will probably finish in the 750 to 850 pound range. Somehow I have managed to keep the powdery mildew beast at bay this year. Nearly every season in the past I have had serious infections at this time of year. The plants still look very healthy. Sunday, September 7 View Page These cleomes grew out of a compost pile in the patch. I'll have to cut them down soon before I have them everywhere next year if they drop their seeds. Sunday, September 7 View Page Cleomes Sunday, September 7 View Page This is a veiw from the end of the main vne of the 1385 Jutras plant. This thing just keeps on growing and is now more than 35 feet past the pumpkin. I don't know if this is a good thing or not. I have been keeping the length of the secondaries coming off of it short past the fifteen foot mark. Sunday, September 7 View Page The red headed step child of the patch the 1068 Mckie. I gave up on it a while back due to lack of growth. The plant is on the down side now and this pumpkin will probably be out of the patch first. Sunday, September 7 View Page The 1053 Pappas pumpkin. A grower in Nova Scotia recently passed the 1000 pound mark with this seed. Sunday, September 7 View Page The 1385 Jutras. Sunday, September 7 View Page I haven't measured in several days. I'm hoping for some good weight gain averages when I do. Wednesday, September 10 View Page Lila the pumpkin leaf princess Wednesday, September 17 View Page Just to put a face with the diary, here I am with my new personal best from the 1385 Jutras. Dimensionally anyway. We will have to wait for the trip to the scale to be sure. Thursday, September 18 View Page Since she was good enough to help me set up the tripod, I gave my daughter the honors of hoisting the first pumpkin of the year off the ground. This is the pumpkin from the 1068 Mckie. It weighs approximately 350 pounds. It will be going on display at a friends business. Thursday, September 18 View Page Forgot to attach that pic. Thursday, September 18 View Page My grandson atop the 1053 Pappas. It is just over 700 pounds now. Sunday, September 21 View Page The 1385 Jutras pumpkin's growth has slowed down in the last week.It averaged 4.5 pounds per day during this period. The first growing area has been weeded, and cleaned out in preparation for fall amendments. Saturday, September 27 View Page We took the 1053 Pappas pumpkin out of the patch today. Taping at exactly 700 pounds ( 321.5 OTT)it weighed 773 pounds or 10.42% over the charts.Weighed on a scale borrowed from Massa Industies of Hingham,Ma makers of sonar for U.S. submarines. Saturday, September 27 View Page On the pallet and ready to go to it's new home at Tumblefun Gymnastics. Monday, September 29 View Page The 1385 Jutras is still putting on pounds. Monday, October 6 View Page A view from inside the truck on the way to the fair Monday, October 6 View Page Strapped up and about to be weighed. Monday, October 6 View Page Although it had taped at 1145, the pumpkin came in 3.2% light at 1108 pounds. It is a new personal best and overall, I am pleased with the results of this season. Monday, October 6 View Page The 2008 1108 Pappas. 1385 Jutras X 1053 Pappas. One of twenty five pumpkins over 1000 pounds at the Topsfield fair. Has that been done before? Wednesday, December 31 View Page A final parting shot for 2008. The 1108 sliced down the middle in late November. Happy New Year everyone. May you all grow a personal best in 2009.