Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 21 Entries. Wednesday, April 29 View Page Zappa 2196 set outside 4/23 Cold temps are approaching so hopefully the heater and greenhouse pull us through. Friday, May 1 View Page 2465 Dawson (2560 Gienger x 2006 Wolf) sprouted 05/01 in bag with wet paper towels. Planted in soil 05/01. Should be out in greenhouse by the end of next week. Friday, May 8 View Page Zappa 2196 This $12 TSC greenhouse has really come in handy. As well as a space heater from 2008. Friday, May 8 View Page Dawson 2465 05/08 This one will go out when the cold snap is over next week Sunday, May 31 View Page Zappa 2196 We had a storm that dropped 2in in 30 minutes on 5/27 so things were really wet and looking beat up after that. There was a brief mildew situation but Phyton35 cleared it up. One week ago this plant measured 1ft 10in and today it measures 3ft 7in. I'm a month ahead of last year. 135 days to go. Sunday, June 7 View Page Another 2 inches of rain yesterday as storms rolled through. Going to set up the cover today as the heat is going to kick up next week. Sunday, June 14 View Page Unfortunately dealing with some herbicide burn from our neighbor's farm. It got on all my plants, pumpkins, sunflowers, zinnias, weeds in my yard, etc. That's never happened before. I hope everything recovers. Sunday, June 14 View Page This plant got a little less herbicide burn than the other plant. Friday, June 19 View Page Hoping to pollinate Zappa 2196 with Dawson 2465 when this Zappa opens. Sunday, June 21 View Page Zappa 2196 about 11.5 ft from stump on the main vine. Pollinated by Dawson 2465. I will pollinate another further down the main vine once I get one. Usually I don't have a pollinated pumpkin until mid-late July so I'm excited to have at least one pollinated. We're building a hoop house for shade today. Saturday, June 27 View Page Shade house up and we ready for 100 degree temps next week. My husband built this for me! Tuesday, June 30 View Page Extreme heat warning in effect all week. I hope the pumpkin pollinates okay in these conditions. Tomorrow I'll have a pumpkin on Dawson and a pumpkin on Zappa both open and pollinated. We've got a 30% shade cloth up on the hoop house. Wednesday, July 1 View Page Tomorrow a Zappa pumpkin should open and I'll cross it with the Dawson. Friday, July 3 View Page Zappa 2196 x Dawson 2465 1 DAP pollinated in extreme heat conditions. I hope it takes off despite the heat and humidity! Tuesday, July 7 View Page 2 DAP on the Dawson 2465 Tuesday, July 7 View Page 5 DAP on Zappa 2196 x Dawson 2465 Saturday, July 18 View Page Replaced the foam board with a bigger foam board and got the vine set this morning. Wednesday, July 22 View Page Zappa 2196 x Dawson 2465 20 DAP OTT 95lbs. Gained 20lbs in 24 hours. Friday, July 24 View Page 2465 split and to be cut. RIP. But 2196 x 2465 is solid so far. It sits at the top of the patch and 2465 sat at the bottom. It was pretty soggy down there after the 3 inches of rain on Tuesday so I'm not surprised it split. I'll pollinate another 2465 this weekend. Tuesday, July 28 View Page 75 days to go. I need this pumpkin to be 600lbs to break my county fair record. Sunday, August 2 View Page 20lb gain overnight. Battling bugs with Talstar, Sevin, and neem oil is coming today. Battling small bits of mildew with Phyton35. The weather this summer has been less than ideal with all the rain and drops in temp overnight. 71 days to go.