Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 38 Entries. Friday, January 28 View Page Last Fall I brought in 60 yards of compost. I also added some gypsum, kelp meal and humic acid. Then a cover crop was planted. This is one 10 yard load being dumped. Friday, January 28 View Page Growing for a number of years now I found it necessary to contain the soil in my planting areas. Lucky for me a costumer on my route was tacking out a trex deck and asked if I knew anyone who could make use of it. Friday, January 28 View Page Cover crop as of this morning. Sunday, January 30 View Page Future home of giant tomato plants. Sunday, February 20 View Page My cover crop looks good. I sent in a soil sample on Wednesday so I should get the results back very soon. Saturday, March 12 View Page Who ya gonna call... Sunday, April 17 View Page Wall o water for some early eating tomatoes. Sunday, April 17 View Page I am ready Sunday, April 17 View Page My soil is loose and full of organic mater. Sunday, April 17 View Page I built a door for this hoop house. Looks like potting soil in there. Sunday, April 17 View Page One more shot of the main patch. About 750sf per planting site. Sunday, May 1 View Page I broad-forked and tilled 2 of the 6 growing areas today. Not sure if I should wash or compost my socks. Sunday, May 1 View Page One week later than my other seeds the 991 Urena decided to join the party. I had all but given up on it. Makes choosing what to grow a little harder. Sunday, May 29 View Page Here are my plants for 2011. 1180 Pukos Sunday, May 29 View Page 1161 Rodonis Sunday, May 29 View Page 1409 Miller (1622 Young X 1658 Young) Sunday, May 29 View Page 1117 Pingrey (1404 Urena X 991 Urena) Sunday, May 29 View Page 1288 Pugh (991 Urena X 961 Urena) Sunday, May 29 View Page 1286 Pingrey (1253 McMullen X 991 Urena) Sunday, May 29 View Page 1288 Pugh. I wish I could go back and edit my mistakes. Wednesday, June 29 View Page We got close to an inch of rain yesterday and as I wait for the sun to warm up my plants I thought it was a good time for a "State of the Patch" update. Here is the 1180 Pukos with a 15' main. I have one set at 10' and what I hope to be my keeper opening at 13' soon. Wednesday, June 29 View Page 1161 Rodonis at 13' now throwing females every 2'. I should have a keeper at 12' by the 4th of July. Wednesday, June 29 View Page 1409 Miller with a 15.5' main and a nice 5 lobe female set at 12' on June 27th. 1409 X 1180 Wednesday, June 29 View Page 1117 Pingrey at 16' with fruit set at 11' and one opening soon at 14'. My plants are looking healthy this year. Wednesday, June 29 View Page 1288 Pugh at 15.5'. This plant scared me up until a few days ago. Not a female to be found and even now only 2. The good news is both are on the main vine. One at 14.5' and I can see one more in the cluster. 991 Urena X 961 Urena should be big and heavy right? Wednesday, June 29 View Page 1286 Pingrey at 17' with fruit set at 9' and 12'. Unfortunately my 12' set was deformed with seeds in the blossom. I have one that should open at 16' in about a week. Sunday, July 31 View Page 1409 Miller. Uncle Gary new what he was talking about when he suggested we grow it. Taping at 400 LBS and doing 35 LBS a day now. Sunday, July 31 View Page Just about finished growing plants. 1286 Pingrey plant. Sunday, July 31 View Page 1180 Pukos just about filled in. Sunday, July 31 View Page Growing a different gourd this year. Friday, August 5 View Page 1409 Miller at 300" ott on day 39. Wednesday, August 17 View Page Day 51 for the 1409 Miller with 352" ott. and going strong. Friday, August 26 View Page Day 60 for the 1409 Miller. 173-104-99 = 376 ott or 1100 plus pounds. It's doing about 5" ott every other day now witch is over 20 lbs a day. Friday, August 26 View Page Another view of the 1409 Miller. Hoping for my first pumpkin over 400" Monday, September 5 View Page The 1409 Miller on day 70 is 184-109-101 for a total ott of 394. Growth has slowed to an inch a day but it is growing. 400 inches is getting so close. Thursday, September 15 View Page Day 80 for the 1409 Miller. I have been taping every third day now so these are yesterdays numbers. 190.5-112-105 for a total ott of 407.5. Thirteen and a half inches in the last nine days. I'm a happy grower!! Friday, September 30 View Page 1161 in the truck and ready for Elk Grove. Good luck everyone. Friday, October 7 View Page 1409 Miller loaded and ready to travel. My first pumpkin over 400 inches has me anxious and excited.