Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 37 Entries. Wednesday, May 13 View Page My first diary picture entry of the 2009 season gives a good overall view of the patch. The three hoop houses on the left house the competition plants and the lone one on the right, the "Orange Crew" Wednesday, May 13 View Page The three competition plants are the 1483 Werner (1385 Jutras X 1207 Young), 1364 Daletas ( 1068 Wallace X 898 Knauss), and my own 1108 Pappas (1385 Jutras X 1053 Pappas). I had planned on growing the 985 Werner, but the germination gods were not kind. Wednesday, May 13 View Page The two seeds I have chosen in the hope of growing nicely shaped orange pumpkins are the 895 Grande, (1016 Daletas X 1385 Jutras)and the 719 Dudka ( 1250 Kline X 801 Dudka). Both of the mother pumpkins were beauties. The 719 won the best looking prize at its weigh-off in Nova Scotia and most of us have seen a pic of "Eddy" Thanks Wiz and Tom. These plants will be grown side by side in the flag pattern. Sunday, May 17 View Page Overall the plants are off to a great start.The 1364 Daletas is not quite up to speed with the others,but should catch up.Tendrils are growing out of two of them already. This is a week ahead of last year. As luck would have it, a backup plant is the largest and most developed of them all. Wednesday, May 20 View Page This is the 1483 Werner. Wednesday, May 20 View Page This is backup plant overkill. The keeper is the 1108 Pappas on the right rear of the pic. Wednesday, May 20 View Page The 1364 Daletas is on the left. How about that backup plant on the right? Things that make you go Hmmm. Wednesday, May 20 View Page The orange club house. 895 Grande on the left and 719 Dudka on the right. Wednesday, June 3 View Page The 1108 Pappas will be four feet long by the end of the day.It has secondary vines at about one foot long. The vine is fairly yellow. Maybe I will get good color out of this one. Wednesday, June 3 View Page This double vined back-up plant was culled today. Wednesday, June 3 View Page "The Orange Crew" 895 Grande on the left at four feet, 719 Dudka on the right at Three and a half. Wednesday, June 3 View Page This is the differnce between a plant grown inside a hoop house, and out. This is an extra plant I had. It was planted here on May 6 as an experiment. It was started the same day as all of the others. Wednesday, June 3 View Page The back-up to the back-up plant is now the keeper. Wednesday, June 3 View Page This plant was started as a back-up plant for the "Orange Crew" On this site the 985 Werner was supposed to grow. When the seed failed to germinate, the 1364 Daletas was supposed to take over. A severly kinked vine ended the 1364s prospects and now I am left with this six foot beauty. It's genetic heritage suggests that it will probably not produce a champion weight,but it should be pretty. This is the 975 Kline. Wednesday, June 3 View Page The 1483 Werner is slightly behind the others at three feet long. In the early season the position of this hoop house gets less sun that the others. It will catch up soon as the plant grows into the area of more daylight. I give my best seed prospect this area of the patch as it has been good to me in the past. Wednesday, June 3 View Page My wife's poppies are in bloom this week. Saturday, June 20 View Page The weather has been very challenging for pumpkin growers in New England. The sun has been out just two days in the last eight. The nights have been cool and wet. Plant growth has slowed considerably after being off to an earler great start. The forecast for the next three days is more of the same. Yet there is hope. Sunday, June 21 View Page The 1483 Werner. This plant has two females. One of them will open two days from now. Both are too close, but I am heartened by the number of females appearing on this plant and the others so early in the month. Sunday, June 21 View Page The runt of the litter is the 1108 Pappas. I placed this plant well in from the edge to try the "pitchfork" pattern with the rear most secondary's. Sunday, June 21 View Page The best looking plant is the 975 Kline. A characteristic of this plant is it's cup shaped leaves. A female sits at 11 feet. I'll wait for another while there is still room and time to grow. Sunday, June 21 View Page The board walk down the middle both separates,and gives access to the mains of these two plants. On the right flying the flag ( pattern that is ) for the great province of Nova Scotia is the 719 Dudka. Representing the Rocky Mountain state is the 895 Grande on the left. Wednesday, July 1 View Page This pumpkin growing hobby can be discouraging at times. After the coldest wettest June I can remember the plants were already well behind when this morning to top it all off, a deer ate the tip of the main vine, and the pumpkin flower due to open in two days on my 1483 Werner. This will probably take this plant out of contention. Tuesday, July 7 View Page 2009 Pollinations So far June 29 Five lobed less than perfect flower on the 975 Kline X 719 Dudka Twelve feet out. July 4 Four lobed perfect flower on the 895 Grande X 1108 Pappas Fifteen feet Est. Have to re measure July 4 Five lobe less than perfect on the 975 Kline X 719 Dudka Fifteen feet July 5 Five/six lobe less than perfect 719 Dudka X 975 Kline Thirteen feet July 6 Five lobe near perfect 1108 Pappas x 895 Grande Nine feet out Monday, July 13 View Page Time for a mid season update. Pictured here is my 1483 Werner. The deer ravaged main vine has a secondary trained to take over. The first chance for a pollination occurs tommorrow. It is a bit late but for now I'll care for the plant as well as I do for the others. You never know. Monday, July 13 View Page This plant has lagged behind the others all season. It has small low leaves and well shaped females. These characteristics seem to be passed down from the male side of the family tree. Currently about 14 feet long with a pumpkin pollinated July 6,at the nine foot mark. I am going to go with this one since the next didn't open until the 12th. Monday, July 13 View Page That was the 1108 Pappas Monday, July 13 View Page The 719 Dudka. Nineteen feet long with a nicely shaped pumpkin pollinated July 5. Monday, July 13 View Page The most developed plant is the 975 Kline pictured here. Twenty feet long with secondary's twelve feet out. A pumpkin pollinated June 29 sits at the twelve foot mark with another pollinated on the 4th of July at fifteen. Monday, July 13 View Page The 895 Grande. Arguably the best looking plant in the patch. An aggressive grower, it has thick vines,tall large green leaves, twelve foot secondary's and a torpedo shape fruit pollinated on the fourth of July in perfect position at the fifteen foot mark. Monday, August 31 View Page So far it has been a disappointing season. The worst spring in many years didn't get the plants off to a very good start. Throw in deer, aborts, and the first squash vine borers I've had in years...well you get the idea. Here is what I have: The 719 Dudka was never intended to be a competition plant. I planted it in the hope of getting a nicely shaped and orange pumpkin. The shape is good and the color seems to be coming. 244.5 OTT estimated at 316 pounds. Monday, August 31 View Page Oops! That was the 1483 Werner. This plant had the main vine and female flower chewed off by a deer in the first week of July. A secondary was trained to takes its place. A flower was pollinated on the 12th. This wheel shaped pumpkin is at 278.5 OTT and estimated at 460 pounds. Monday, August 31 View Page This is the 719 Dudka. Monday, August 31 View Page This rather homely girl is the pumpkin on the 895 Grande. And mom was so pretty too! The setback on this plant was a pumpkin set on the 5th of July aborted on day 20. This pumpkin was pollinated on a secondary the 26th of July, is at 257 OTT and estimated at 365 pounds. The 895 plant is the best looking in the patch. Huge leaves and thick vines. Monday, August 31 View Page The 975 Kline is orangeing up. At 280 OTT and estimated at 467 pounds. Monday, August 31 View Page My own 1108 Pappas at 304.5 OTT and estimated at 597 pounds. Growing at about 13 pounds per day. Tuesday, September 29 View Page The 895 Grande lifted out of the patch on September 19. Estimated weight was 521 pounds. Not bad for a pumpkin grown on a secondary vine, on a flag pattern plant, and pollinated on the 26th of July. Tuesday, September 29 View Page 1483 Werner fruit on the way to its new home at Tumblefun Gymnastics. Estimated weight is 556 pounds.