Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 22 Entries. Sunday, March 1 View Page First time Giant want to be grower for 2026. My wife put the bug in my head for this in Oct. 2025. We picked our normal tiny pumpkin patch and carved one to fit the granddaughter in and my wife made the comment your going to have to learn how to grow a bigger pumpkin! So I started researching Big Pumpkins. Wow, I would have never known what you guys have been able to grow. Wish me Luck and I would appreciate advice along the way. Tuesday, March 3 View Page I pulled soil sample in early Oct I worked Mustard in late December after we finally got a killing frost it grew well but it was a warm fall. I have a 10,000 ft garden I did do a large gypsum amendment on new years day 180 lb. per 1000 ft.and 1.6 lb of borax per 1000. 70 degrees in Arkansas happy new year. I would appreciate some suggestions on MG and CU and anything else you guys think I could do. Wednesday, March 4 View Page 10-10-2025 Compost,I have been playing with compost for about 6 years, the stew will look a little different from year to year but I use pretty much the same stuff year in and out. The research I put in to maybe growing a giant pumpkin in 2026 made me think I should step it up.I started with 30 yards of cotton gin trash, 6000 lb. of rice hulls with broken rice pieces mixed in(rice hulls are packed full of Silica)15 yards off leaves, 10 yards of dried soybean hulls and around 10 yards of wood chips. I don't know how much coffee grounds I added but quiet a bit, guessing I added 200 lb. of whole soybeans, probably a ton of cow manure. I know this was not all I added but its the majority of it. By the way I did build the pile in a windrow it started about 6 feet high. Just add water and stir watch it cook. Rice Hulls and cotton gin trash are both hydrophobic did I mention add add add water. I will put a pic of the gin trash I would guess a few of you guys haven't been around it. Wednesday, March 4 View Page 10-10-2025 Compost,I have been playing with compost for about 6 years, the stew will look a little different from year to year but I use pretty much the same stuff year in and out. The research I put in to maybe growing a giant pumpkin in 2026 made me think I should step it up.I started with 30 yards of cotton gin trash, 6000 lb. of rice hulls with broken rice pieces mixed in(rice hulls are packed full of Silica)15 yards off leaves, 10 yards of dried soybean hulls and around 10 yards of wood chips. I don't know how much coffee grounds I added but quiet a bit, guessing I added 200 lb. of whole soybeans, probably a ton of cow manure. I know this was not all I added but its the majority of it. By the way I did build the pile in a windrow it started about 6 feet high. Just add water and stir watch it cook. Rice Hulls and cotton gin trash are both hydrophobic did I mention add add add water. I will put a pic of the gin trash I would guess a few of you guys haven't been around it. Wednesday, March 4 View Page Compost, I spread the rice hulls in a separate spot for a few days soaking them morning and night. I will set a sprinkler and a timer next year can't get them to take moisture until they finally do. they are about like vermiculite. Wednesday, March 4 View Page 11-16-2025 compost starting to look like compost should. 5 weeks and about 12 flips in the project. Had some good help hosing it down today. those blue shoes went home dirty enough that granddad got in in trouble. Friday, March 6 View Page 12-30-25 Lucky me, my Lil brother has a turkey production farm and he brought me two loads of house clean out turkey manure.I will spread it on the pasture but today I put about 5 tractor buckets on the Pumpkin patch and 5 on the watermelon patch. Friday, March 6 View Page New years day spread the gypsum and boron on top of the turkey litter and enjoyed the warm day, timed the rebuilt fuel pump a little better on the old 4010 she rolls black smoke instead of white gray she hasn't done that in 25 years. I think she enjoyed working in the mustard and amendments as much as I did. Friday, March 6 View Page Gonna fast forward to today probably have some more history to talk about later. Stuck the BBQ probe in the ground this afternoon and she is warming up. Hope everyone has a good time at the convention! Tuesday, March 31 View Page 3-13-2026 Worked watermelon patch,did final amendments on watermelon and pumpkin patch. The watermelon patch is 22'X120'Probably squeeze 8 plants in. Started watermelon seed.mixed bag of seed,McCaslin,Bratcher,Dawson,Neptune,Miller,Vail. Tuesday, March 31 View Page 3-27-26 Sand and soak night wont be any Friday night fish. Okay it didn't take that long started 18 seed, 6 for me 6 for back up. 6 for some friends that think I have gone crazy. maybe I can pull them over to the dark side.It helps to have a plan and mark cup ahead of time.got that done and marked ziplock bags for Saturday morning. Tuesday, March 31 View Page 3-28-26 Put names on ziplocks last night and worked out a issue that I created with watermelon seed in zippers.checking seed morning and night I decided to fold towels all the same,double fold on top right side left side don't matter as long as they are the same.helps a old mans eyes gazing twice a day. Tuesday, March 31 View Page 3-29-26 14 of 18 germinated after 10 hour soak and 24 in zippers. I set heat pad at 88 and covered them with my wife's favorite towel. Tuesday, March 31 View Page 3-29-26 once again I broke routine and thought ahead.had my pots ready and warming didn't take long to get the seed transferred to pots. I turn 53 Monday and this kinda makes me feel like a kid again.Gonna work on drip lines today after I plant sweet corn patch. potatoes in barrels and garden are sprouted, I love spring!!! Wednesday, April 1 View Page Just got home from the daytime seed Job. Rice farmers want there seed now, its time, gotta take care of them. checked the punkens and melons exactly 4 days from putting in a ziplock bag.You guys said they would surprise me how they grow.All 14 that germinated in 24 hours are showing in pots, a few of them are doing the Austin Powers (shagging baby). Im doing the Joe Dirt (life is a garden dig it)!!! Big thanks to everyone that has helped me,posted info to read or youtubed info and how to. I owe you guys. Saturday, April 4 View Page Looking like planting time. It has been dry and we got about 6 tenths today. Saturday, April 4 View Page These guys got soaked last Friday put in pots Sunday. Weather looking so good for the next couple of weeks I will move them outside for a couple of days then leave them day and night for the rest of the week. They will get a taste of Arkansas dirt with in 6-8 days. Sunday, April 5 View Page Good family day, Easter Sunday, church, feast, egg hunt, kite flying. when the smoke cleared from the fun Drip tape and weed fabric hit the melon patch. I know pumpkins will get planted end of this week, mite put a Mellon or two in the patch next weekend too. Thursday, April 9 View Page I need some advice on wind fence, I am going to use 3' silt fence for the first couple weeks close to the plants. Not sure if that is high enough for the perimeter of the patch, would appreciate advice. Salvaged a old push cart drilled some water relief holes and she worked perfect for moving in and out Mon,Tues.The plants have been out hardening around the clock for two days.They should be ready for soil this weekend. 80 degree days 60 nights no hoops or heating cable in Arkansas. Plants are 13 days from soaking seed. Sunday, April 12 View Page Put the plants out today. all of the AG are in and 4 watermelons. soil had a little crust but very nice under, would have tilled the planting spots but proud I didn't, the wind got bad by 10 am and I would not have got the wind fence up before 35 MPH wind. Bugs are active here army worms are marching, may be because it is so dry about 1 month early for Army worm stampede. Normally we get invaded when Wheat crop is starting to mature and rice is 3-5 leaf and taste good to them. No telling what else is on the prowl.Lost a cot off my 2618 Mendi (picture 2618 near 2115 Barron far) bummer.held back 2115 Mendi I think it will be safer for a few days in the pot. One of the other guys may not survive the wind I have that and a 2168.5 Werner that will be better than back ups,I don't like that term, would prefer to call them super insurance. Gave them a light watering in and came back about an hour ago and watered in a dose of Imidacloprid. Wish me Luck for a little less wind and maybe a rain shower, Oh ya,got to Shout out to Christie she ran to the dollar store and bot me some laundry baskets for the melons She is a very supportive wife. the baskets seem to be protecting them well, maybe they get some 4" holes drilled in the top or is it the bottom either may it will let a lot more light in. patch 1 2294.5 Noel ins, 2480 Graham. 2618 Mendi ins. 2115 Barron. 2507 Noel 2102 Noel. 2251 Andrusz 2342 Andrusz. Patch 2 A Pair of 2168.5 Werner and a Pair of 2297 Werner. Best looking plants today 2507 and 2297. Monday, April 13 View Page Watermelon patch posted last night about the laundry baskets. thought I would put a pic with it.may pull them and use a section of a plastic barrel for wind, keep these handy for storms. Monday, April 13 View Page Drilled two 4" holes in the laundry baskets plenty for watering and a sneak peak picture. think that was a 269.1 Dawson, didn't even look when I snapped the picture. Pumpkins are surviving, wind is tough.