Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 59 Entries. Wednesday, March 26 View Page The 2025 vegetable season has started with the Vermont State vegetable which is the Gilfeather Turnip. This was created in the town of Wardsboro VT and they host a contest every October. If any Vermont Giant Pumpkin Growers are interested I still have plenty of seeds to share. � Sunday, April 20 View Page The pumpkin and long gourd season has begun. Here are the first round seeds. I am guessing the 907 may not germ but if they do it would be great to mix these older orange genetics in. � Sunday, April 27 View Page We were able to get the amendments on and garden tilled before the rains hit Saturday. The hoop houses are in their spots and soil heating cables are dug in. Next up will be weed barrier but that will come later once the soil dries a bit. � Sunday, April 27 View Page We also started 22 giant tomato seeds in hopes to fill 18 spots but if more germ we will plant them outside. So far we have 14 pumpkins and 6 long gourds started for just 6 total spots. Typically, we end up giving away most of our backups to growers who have had bad luck. � Sunday, May 11 View Page Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there. Kerry and I could finally get some patch work done as Vermont has been cool cloudy and too wet. Hard to believe this is year 29 for us attempting to grow giant vegetables. � Sunday, May 11 View Page We have decided to grow all of our pumpkins on our main 2400 square foot patch as the ground between the long gourds gets too wet. Soooooo.. Why not grow another greenhouse of giant tomatoes on the drier portion of old patch! � Sunday, May 11 View Page The starting lineup this year includes these 839 Sandwrcock's. We have grown Ned's super seed for the past couple of years and have been happy with the outcome! � Sunday, May 11 View Page For long gourd growers who have black fungal issues. I believe growing in the same foot print is part of the problem and is caused by the rotting root mass from the past year. The last 2 years I have dug down in the root zone about 18 inches and leave the hole open a couple weeks before planting. The last 2 years has been mostly fungal free. � Sunday, May 11 View Page Here are 2 1416 Young seeds in our small 400 square foot area. � Sunday, May 11 View Page Here are the 1552 Young plants. � Sunday, May 11 View Page Last but not least is our 1503 plants. We also have 6 long gourds growing inside and 18 giant tomatoes that will be planted out closer to June. Giant sunflowers were started yesterday too. What a great time of year! � Sunday, May 18 View Page I will start this week with our grow bench as the weather the next 7 days is cold and wet. Tomorrow we have a high of 48 degrees. We have brought most plants inside. Here are giant tomatoes, sunflowers, long gourds and back up pumpkins. And maybe a flower or two. � Sunday, May 18 View Page Here are two 1503 Young plants battling it out. One has a tendril showing which means it is getting ready to run. � Sunday, May 18 View Page Next are the two 1552 Young plants. � Sunday, May 18 View Page One of our 1416 Young plants had issues with corn seed maggots. The smaller plant is a 1416 back up just in case the bigger plant has issues. � Sunday, May 18 View Page The patch leader so far is the 839 Sandercock. We have received over 3 inches of rain this weekend and now cold and rainy. Although this is a marathon, the first mile has been slower than it should. � Monday, May 26 View Page Happy Memorial Day! Well the sun finally said hello today after 8 days of drizzle and cold. Our plants are the smallest we have had at this date in the last 10 years. Still love the grow and the journey. Sometimes I feel we put too much stress on the end product and miss the magic of the Dill Atlantic Giant as it grows. � Monday, May 26 View Page We filled the old garden today with long gourds, tomatoes and a couple Gilfeather turnips. It feels good to get everything in the ground. � Monday, May 26 View Page We have 2 tomato huts this year and 4 more plants outside of this one. The plants are: two 9.5 Clayton, two 9.06 Brown, two 7.28 Young, two 7.91 Trombley, 10.2 Jolivette, 8.63 Clayton, 7.44 Jolivette and 7.28 Jolivette. � Monday, May 26 View Page This tomato hut has: two 10.2 Jolivette, 9.06 Brown, 7.95 Young, 7.91 Trombley, two 6.48 Young, and 4.42 Young. � Monday, May 26 View Page The long gourds have sat inside too long and are looking a bit sad. Here are two 135 Jutras battling it out. Hopefully they will look much better next week. � Monday, May 26 View Page On the other 14.5 foot trellis we have the 144 MacDonald. They look a little better but need the sun and space to spread their roots. � Monday, May 26 View Page Here are our baby sunflowers. You have to squint to see them now but by the end of summer they may be 15-20 feet tall. � Monday, May 26 View Page Here is our 1416 Young in our 400 square foot space. � Monday, May 26 View Page Here is our 1552 Young in a 600 square foot patch. � Monday, May 26 View Page Here is the 1503 Young in a 600 square foot patch. � Monday, May 26 View Page Our patch leader still is the 839 Sandercock in a 800 square foot space. � Monday, May 26 View Page For the flower lovers, here is our antique wheelbarrow filled with johnny jump ups and pansies (yet to bloom). Happy start to summer! � Sunday, June 1 View Page Happy June 1st.! Although the weather is making it feel more like April. May is going to make the top 10 list for rainiest and the temps have fluctuated up and down almost as bad as the stock market. Even the weeds are not growing well this spring! � Sunday, June 1 View Page The old patch is handling the rain better than it used to after a little bit of landscaping. � Sunday, June 1 View Page The sunflowers are still alive which is a win. Let's hope next week's warmth will help them pop. At least we can see a little bit of green. � Sunday, June 1 View Page Here is the 1416 Young. Just shy of 3 feet long but running and looking healthy as the wet and cold allows. � Sunday, June 1 View Page Here is the 1552 Young just shy of 3 feet long. � Sunday, June 1 View Page The 1503 Young is a little over 3 feet long. � Sunday, June 1 View Page The patch leader is still the 839 Sandercock. It got blown around pretty good in the storm yesterday but is still sound. It is 4.5 feet long today. � Sunday, June 1 View Page Welcome to tomato alley. All 22 plants are alive and are patiently waiting for Mother Nature to be more friendly. � Sunday, June 1 View Page The 144 MacDonald long gourds are starting to look a little bit greener. � Sunday, June 1 View Page The 135 Jutras long gourds are still struggling a bit but are still alive. � Sunday, June 8 View Page June has finally warmed things up for us and the plants look ok for the most part. In looking at the past few years diaries, we are almost 2 weeks behind growth wise. Still enjoying the grow! Let's hope Mother Nature stays kind the rest of the summer. � Sunday, June 8 View Page The long gourds are starting to green up. The leaves are still small. Hopefully another week or two will kick them in gear. I am not going to try to push fertilizer as the plants have not shown they are ready to be pushed. 144 MacDonald under 2 feet long. � Sunday, June 8 View Page 135 Jutras long gourds. � Sunday, June 8 View Page Tomato alley is starting to look greener. Patch leaders so far are 9.06 Brown's and 6.48 Young's. � Sunday, June 8 View Page Here is our 1552 Young. Healthy so far but our slowest grower. Currently around 4.5 feet. � Sunday, June 8 View Page Here is our 1416 Young. Just under 5 feet long today. � Sunday, June 8 View Page The sunflowers are finally starting to kick in. I believe our soil temps were so cold that they just stalled out. Let's hope the temps stay warm for us. � Sunday, June 8 View Page Next up is our 1503 Young. This plant is a bit over 5 feet long today. � Sunday, June 8 View Page Still our best grower so far is the 839 Sandercock at a little over 7 feet long today. � Sunday, June 15 View Page Happy Father's Day to all of the fathers out there. This Sunday update will start with the official Vermont State vegetable which is the Gilfeather turnip. These are supposed to get to the size of a softball and have a nice mild flavor. � Sunday, June 15 View Page June has been much kinder than May so far but we really haven't seen any heat. This week we are supposed to have a few days in the 80's that will help. Night times have been great for sleeping in the high 40's and low 50's. But not so much for growth. � Sunday, June 15 View Page The old garden is starting to show a bit of green. Everything appears fairly healthy at the moment. � Sunday, June 15 View Page The 144 MacDonald is still showing signs of being pot bound but are starting to stretch out. Who knows if the will actually do anything but we will give them time. � Sunday, June 15 View Page Tomato alley south is looking good. This is where our fair pumpkin was grown in the past. Our 6.48 Young appears to be the most vigorous grower here so far. � Sunday, June 15 View Page The 135 Jutras long gourd seems a bit happier than the 144. Soon we will make a decision on which one to keep. � Sunday, June 15 View Page Here is tomato alley North. The 9.06 Brown is currently the best grower of this group. � Sunday, June 15 View Page The sunflowers are starting to grow a bit better. Even these are quite smaller than our sunflowers at this date last year. All are healthy though! � Sunday, June 15 View Page The 1552 Young is a bit of slow secondary giver but they are starting to come. The plant appears happy but is our slowest grower. The plant is 7 feet long today. Last year our shortest plant at this date was 12 feet long. Let's hope at least they are beautiful! � Sunday, June 15 View Page The 1503 Young is starting to pick up the pace and is 8.5 feet long today. Secondaries look good. � Sunday, June 15 View Page The 1416 Young in our 400 square foot space is developing nicely and is at 8 feet in length today. � Sunday, June 15 View Page The patch leader remains the same which is the 839 Sandercock. It is a little over 10 feet long today and has first baby showing at 9.5 feet. �