Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 29 Entries. Friday, April 17 View Page No pumpkins for the last 2 years but I'm back at it this year. Started germination last night. I'm doing 2 this year. Watson1900 and Leiber1870. This should be an interesting cross for next year as well. I'm waiting on the soil test results I sent off 1 1/2 weeks ago. I've tilled the garden and will be tuning it up, adding ammendments, digging pits and putting up greenhouses this weekend. Good growing to all! Sunday, April 19 View Page I've tilled my plot a couple of times and added lots of composted yard waste...3 or so yards still to till in. I've added merit, gypsum, kelp meal and fish emulsion. Got the greenhouses up to warm the soil. I still have to dig pits with warming cables in them and rototill 3 or 4 more times. Sunday, April 19 View Page Plot with my 2 greenhouses up. Sunday, April 19 View Page My line up. The Sperry and Giarrusso seeds are for backup. Sunday, April 19 View Page Seeds have germinated and are in pots with humic acid, mycorrhiza, rootshield, actinovate and a pinch of kelp concentrate. Tuesday, April 21 View Page Lieber is up today and under lights. Friday, April 24 View Page All plants are up, but my Watson is just barely peeking out of it's seed coat- uncovered it carefully and it's got a club root. Leiber and Sperry doing great. Giarrusso is 75% rotted by some white fungus, despite being coated in captan. I've started a 1109Giarrusso seed and will start begging for a second 1900Watson. Saturday, April 25 View Page I dug my pits today. Heating cables in place. Now I just need some pumpkins to put into my greenhouses. I need to search for some good heaters as well. I plan to put 2 five gallon jugs of water in each greenhouse to help moderate the temperature- a heat sink during the day and radiating heat back at night. Saturday, April 25 View Page Close up of Giarrusso damage. The cots are 75% gone but a small true leaf is forming. Saturday, April 25 View Page Sperry, a little out of focus, but up and running. Saturday, April 25 View Page Lieber, in focus and doing well. Saturday, April 25 View Page Watson, peeking out but with hardly any root system, it doesn't seem to want to grow. Sunday, April 26 View Page In the greenhouse- all powered up and ready for a plant. Sunday, April 26 View Page New gate and fence up to keep big critters out. Tuesday, May 19 View Page I was able to get a replacement 1900Watson plant (thank you Hiram) and it's growing gangbusters. Now at 4 1/2 feet with plenty of secondary's. It will be outgrowing it's shelter in another week. I've gone through a couple of weekly systemic fungicide and pesticide cycles, with a weekly application of Azos, Actinovate, kelp concentrate, fish and seaweed emulsion, liquid K+, and a pinch of chelated iron. My soil report showed a low pH and low K+ so a few weeks ago I applied 280 pounds of lime and 10 pounds of potash to the whole plot. Tuesday, May 19 View Page I was able to get a replacement 1900Watson plant (thank you Hiram) and it's growing gangbusters. Now at 4 1/2 feet with plenty of secondary's. It will be outgrowing it's shelter in another week. I've gone through a couple of weekly systemic fungicide and pesticide cycles, with a weekly application of Azos, Actinovate, kelp concentrate, fish and seaweed emulsion, liquid K+, and a pinch of chelated iron. My soil report showed a low pH and low K+ so a few weeks ago I applied 280 pounds of lime and 10 pounds of potash to the whole plot. Tuesday, May 19 View Page My 1870 Lieber plant is behind. It seemed to not grow for 1 1/2-2 weeks but is starting to pick up nicely. Only a foot long but as it accelerates, it should do nicely and keep up with the Watson plant. Both plants are looking very healthy so far. Greenhouses should come down in the next couple of weeks. Sunday, May 31 View Page Leiber1870 at 3 feet plus. Minimal secondary's but the primary is growing well. It's been hot and dry but we've got rain and cool temperatures (highs in the 50's) for the next few days. Sunday, May 31 View Page Watson1900 plant is going gung-ho. 7-plus feet with nice secondary's. Sunday, May 31 View Page Nice male flowers on the Watson plant. Sunday, May 31 View Page 3 females forming on the Watson plant. Two are on the main vine and one on a secondary. I'll let them develop some but it's too early to pollinate for the fairs. I've got another 4 weeks before I pollinate one I want. Thursday, July 9 View Page It's been a busy summer so I haven't gotten around to posting for some time. I pollinated both my Watson and Leiber plants about 9 days ago, but it looks like neither of them took. I've pollinate a second pumpkin on both plants this morning and should have a third pollinated in 5-6 days. I'm hoping they take. When I have more time I'll get around to posting pics. Tuesday, September 1 View Page My Leiber pumpkin is all I've got. It's been a not so great year in the patch. I've had numerous failed pollinations. This one didn't pollinate until the 12th of July. There were multiple failed pollinations closer to the crown. I was sure I was going to be all set by late June, but to no avail. Now taping just over 800 pounds and putting on 20-25 pounds a day. I'm really worried that the blossom end will split. Tuesday, September 1 View Page My Watson pumpkin plant was a great grower out of the gate, but I failed 20+ attempts at pollination. Each would grow to the sixe of a cantaloupe, get a gnarled appearance and die. I was away mid August for a week and just left mother nature do it's thing...what do you know, I've got 3 pumpkins growing. Now I just need 2 more months of summer weather... Tuesday, September 1 View Page The largest of the Watson pumpkins, now just taping at 160 pounds. Tuesday, September 1 View Page My New Hampshire pineapples have done well- one is cut up in the fridge and the other was harvested today. Wednesday, September 16 View Page Lieber now at 1040 pounds and putting on 13-14 pounds a day. It's only 66 days old and with the warm weather persisting and a drip watering system set up, it could reach 1200 pounds. Still threatening a blossom end blow-out. I have 2 Watson pumpkins measuring around 200 pounds - definitely disappointing after a fast start out of the gate. Just could get it to pollinate. Off to Boston for a 4 day conference. Automatic watering system all set up. Two weeks until Deerfield or Topsfield. Monday, September 21 View Page Lieber still putting on weight- now taping at around 1080 pounds. Visited by my 20 year old cat, Sassafras Abagail. I think she approves. The bad news is I' have to put her down tomorrow.... Tuesday, September 29 View Page I've got my tripod hoist stand all set up but haven't cut my pumpkin yet. It's still growing and I've got 2 more days until Deerfield. Taping at 1133 pounds. We're expecting 2-3 inches of rain so I'm hoping to get another 5-10 pounds before Thursday.