Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 73 Entries. Thursday, January 1 View Page Perhaps I will never grow a bigger one, but lets try again : 1331.5 Preis 08 Tuesday, February 3 View Page 3. Feb. : Patch after amending organic fertilizers : 16 cby cow manure, 16 cby compost, 700 gal. Liquid manure Thursday, April 16 View Page 16. April First batch of seeds started. I use the zip-lock bag method with a self constructed germination chamber. 1331.5 Preis ( 1378 Pitura x self) 2 Kerne 905 Preis ( 833* Razo x self) 4 Kerne 738* Preis ( 1234* Wursten x self) 1309 Hebb (1068 Wallace x 998 Pukos) 1310.5 Pitura ( 1012.5 * Pitura x 1055* Pitura) 1343.5 Lyons (1385 Jutras x 1470 Wallace) 1357 Ghaye ( 1248 Ford x 1502 Wallace) 1286 Würsching ( 1092 Martin x 985 Werner) 982 * Sherwood (1129* Blalock x self) 1156 Hunt ( 1631 Mc Kie x 1689 Jutras) 1085 Bowles (1334 Daletas x 1186.8 Bowles ) 1370 Carlson Petersen ( 1343 Krug x 1068 Wallace) Thanks a lot to GVGO and EGVGA for their seed packages and all growers who provided me with their promising seeds. Thursday, April 16 View Page Germination works well, first roots appear 22 hours after filing ( split seeds, the others need 30 + hours) Tuesday, April 21 View Page 21. April : One of the two 1331 seedlings has folded cot leaves. The second is handicapped: 1331 had low seed count, so as backup I tried one which was nearly cut in halves when opening the pumpkin, but he germinated quite normal with two big scars in the cots. Friday, May 1 View Page 1. May : It seems I select my seedlings the rough way. A part of my seedlings has severe damage on the cots and partially on the first true leaf. Especially worse : one 905, 1357Ghaye, 1370 C&P, 1310 Pitura, 1331 B. Probably a combination of too much fresh compost in the pot mix, two much sun, not enough watering. Other extraordinaries : the 982* Sherwood had only one cot, the 1156 Hunt had two, but only one was growing , due to a hole in the middle of the cot a little slower than others. But I think AG growing doesn’t mean : who has the biggest seedlings ! Friday, May 1 View Page 1357 Ghaye Friday, May 1 View Page one of the 905 Preis Friday, May 1 View Page 1156 Hunt Sunday, May 10 View Page 10 May : the damages don’t go forward, but the plants with these damages are quite behind the rest. Monday, May 18 View Page 18. May : Transplanted 1331 A, 982* Sherwood, 1343 Lyons, 1310 Pitura, 1309 Hebb. ( shortly before they make a touch down besides the pots lol) I realized that the soil prep was not so good as I thought, there was no frost after ploughing and the soil structure isn’t ideal (although sandy soil). Tuesday, May 19 View Page 19 May : Transplanted 905 A und B, 1156 Hunt und 1325 Starr Thursday, May 21 View Page 21 May : Applied seaweed and a little nitrogen . Saw the first double vine in my life : Not one but three : 905 A ,905 Backup, 1331 A Thursday, May 21 View Page double vine on 1331 plant A Sunday, May 24 View Page 18. Feb. : Finally a chance for plowing : whom the bell tolls… Ground a little frozen on the surface so I didn’t compact the soil. Two experienced co-workers : Johnny the Deere and “Lady in red” Kverneland. Saturday, May 30 View Page 30. May : the last backups should be planted out before damaging their cage ! Saturday, May 30 View Page 30. May : the longest plant so far : 1343 Lyons, main at 3 feet Saturday, May 30 View Page 30. May : all double vines seem to separate into two vines : 1331 Preis A Saturday, May 30 View Page 30. May : 1459 Sundstrom This plant had burned cots ( therefore a little behind) and a very broad main from the beginning, so I choosed it as an backup . Perhaps a big mistake, aggressive growing now and really good looking plant. Saturday, June 6 View Page 6. June : 1343 Lyons running forward Saturday, June 6 View Page 6. June : 1331 Preis A : Also good looking plant, but I have some questions about it Saturday, June 6 View Page 6. June : 1331 Preis A : The double vine has separated into two mains. I think it isn’t good to train the weaker one as secondary because it has a bad angle to the vine ? Better cut it off? Saturday, June 6 View Page 6. June : 1331 Preis A : This causes more headache : when the vine layed I didn’t recognize that : the main makes a really sharp ´curve´ ( “ Knick” in german) in the stump region. The pale axis going to the left is the backvine, I´ve already cut it off. The main is running to the right side of the pic, the other elements are leaf stalks. Can this sharp curve in the vine cause health problems ( rotting/foaming stump )? I have a backup plant in the opposite corner of the patch, but it’s much poorer looking . Friday, June 19 View Page I have to cull one of my two 1331 plants : 1331 A , started double vining again, 12 ft long , severe kink in the main, vigorous growth Friday, June 19 View Page Main vine of 1331 A Friday, June 19 View Page 1331 B : 9-10 ft long, 7 ft wide, stated a little slow, but speeded up the last days. No signs of abnormalies / mutations. Female buds on nearly every of the latest nodes. Friday, June 19 View Page Nice flower showing on the 1331 B plant. Sunday, June 21 View Page A series of pollinations on the 1343 Lyons Friday, July 3 View Page The chances for a greenie are rising : 905 Preis A Friday, July 3 View Page and 1310 Pitura ( but this one is quite little for day 13, perhaps she will abort) Friday, July 3 View Page best for the moment ( after a slow start) 1343 Lyons, open poll. at 16.June, CC = 92 cm day 17 but Friday, July 3 View Page some longitudinal cracks on the stem appeared, running over the full length of the stem. Could that become the start of stem splitting ? Friday, July 3 View Page Perhaps its better to wait for these two females ? ( poll. 1.July, with 1309 Hebb ( left) and 1325 Starr (right)) Saturday, July 4 View Page Which pumkin should be culled was the question yesterday. Today I wonder whether Ihave to cull the whole 1343 Lyons plant ! After 12 inches rain tonight I was surprised this morning by severe wilting on that plant. Saturday, July 4 View Page The vine has a crack just behind the keeper, its surrounding is a bit soft and ´juice´is coming out. same on the keepers stem. Saturday, July 4 View Page And it seems that the wilting is going back towards the stump. What could that be ? What can I do against? Any opinions appreciated. Saturday, July 4 View Page I dont know what hurts more : The loss of the very promisung 1343 Lyons or the loss of my late cherries ! Sunday, July 19 View Page The 905 Preis A is really green ! Sunday, July 19 View Page The 1310 Pitura semms to be green also. This was no good grower from the beginning ,shortly after pollination I thought he will abort. And now, after 28 days and disappointing 53 lbs he finally died. Unfortunatly no other successful pollination on the main. Sunday, July 19 View Page 1156 Hunt with a very short stem.Day 27 150 lbs Sunday, July 19 View Page 1309 Hebb Day 25 125 lbs Thats my first pumpkin with a `sunken` blossom end. Sunday, July 19 View Page ooops ! forgot pic ! Saturday, July 25 View Page I also was not able to get a keeper on the main vine of my 1331 A plant. So I have to go with this one on a side vine. Saturday, July 25 View Page These are the loosers Monday, July 27 View Page 905 Preis A : very good looking from this side day 40 359 lbs Monday, July 27 View Page But here the problem starts ! Monday, July 27 View Page With such awful, dying leaves ( Anybody knows what that could be ?) Monday, July 27 View Page the 1325 comes only to 131 lbs on day 36 Wednesday, July 29 View Page The fastest grower : the stemsplit on the 905 Preis A Sunday, August 9 View Page Side view of the 905 Sunday, August 9 View Page I was concerned about stem stress on my 1156 Hunt, but not that kind of stress Sunday, August 9 View Page 1309 Hebb without problems day 46 498 lbs est Sunday, August 16 View Page My 738* Preis in the genetic patch is surprising me : day 43 367 lbs est Sunday, August 16 View Page 1370 C&P in the genetic patch . About 60 sqft Leaves . Day 41 232 lbs est Sunday, August 16 View Page 982* Sherwood. Also great leaf problems. Nice coloured but misshapened fruit ( perhaps not good pollinated and lef problems) Sunday, August 16 View Page sideview of the 1156 Hunt. Day 55 576 lbs. I stopped pushing her because of the stem split Sunday, August 16 View Page Stem split on the 905 Preis A is getting worse, I have no electricity in the patch and applying sulphur and powder is not enough to dry it out Sunday, August 16 View Page The Keeper on the 1331 A plant. Unfortunatly on a sidevine. Day 43 393 lbs est. Sunday, August 23 View Page The stump of the 1331 A plant starts to leaking clear liquid some days ago, I make holes to drain and sprayed sulphur in the cavity. Some of the leaves near by died but the main doesnt seem to rot. After a few days I decided to cut the stump off. Growth of the pumkin stopped. Sunday, August 23 View Page And when measuring the pumkin I reckognized that he starts rotting from the bottom. When I cut him off, I couldnt see any injury , only some brownish areas at/ in the stem. The vine has no visible signs of illness/infection or rotting. So I wonder if the leaking/rotting of the stem and the rotting of the pumkin have the same reasons or if they are independent. Sunday, August 23 View Page The 1325 Starr was never really starting to grow. Now I know thats not only caused by the bad leaves. Sunday, August 30 View Page The 738* Preis in the genetic patch has only about 250 sqft, mostly not buried, and for that he is growing well. Day 57 467 lbs est. Sunday, August 30 View Page Also in the genetic patch : a very late planted 905 Preis backup.( 905D) . As aproof that not all 905 are going green. About 46 days and 250lbs. Monday, August 31 View Page Why is a squash green ? So its easier for him to escape over the fence ! Sidevine pumpkin on the 982* Sherwood Monday, August 31 View Page Thats the reason why the christmas tree style is more and more changing to the jungle type style. Apple harvest begins, and i´m glad these are doing better than the pumps this year. Wednesday, September 2 View Page At least one open pollination on a sidevine of the 1310 Pitura starts to grow. ( about day 28 171 lbs est) Only one Pollinations from end of july stays, but its far out on asidevine and misshapened. I cut her of with a big part of that sidevine to get some seeds . And the last days I made more pollinations, hoping for seeds. Friday, September 4 View Page no record breakers my two biggest 1309 Hebb ( 8/23 : day 60 659 lbs) Friday, September 4 View Page 1156 Hunt ( 8/23 : day 62 638 lbs ) Sunday, September 6 View Page Side view of the 905 Sunday, September 13 View Page The stem split on the 905 A squash doesnt dry up and the last weeks the growth was not really mentionable so I decided to take it home. Perhaps I can dry out the split with a fan and bring her to a local weigh off in two weeks. Zbigniew posing with the 905 A. Sunday, September 13 View Page Ooops ! Some guests between squash and paper mill fabric ! Sunday, September 13 View Page Puuh, no damage on the bottom, the blossom end is also okay. Sunday, September 13 View Page Hard to measure, I ended with 810 cm OTT, 683 lbs est. Try to weigh her next week.