Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 15 Entries. Thursday, April 16 View Page Hi, a big thank-you to all seed providers and distributors everywhere who allow us to share the pleasure and potential of their seeds. This year I am concentrating on squash. I have selected 4 seeds and will choose 2 for prime places. 1st choice is 990 Hume 06 (627 Hume 05 x 715 Kennedy) 749 Brunst 07 (1053 Werner x 824 Brunst) The back ups I have 684 Hester 07 (848 Mckenzie x 898 Knauss) Also a 2nd 749 Brunst. Four out of four are up and shedding their seed coats. Good luck to all fellow growers. Hope you all enjoy the 2009 growing season. Best wishes to all. John Thursday, July 2 View Page Hi to fellow growers. All is growing well in north Wales. We are just coming to the end of a heat wave. I have 2 squash plants this year. On the left is the 990 Hume 06. I have pollinated at 14ft with a male from a 749 Brunst 07 this morning. I need this to set to be on target as an outside grower in the UK. The 749 Brunst 07 has a squash set at 10ft but I am hoping to get a set further out on this plant. All`s looking green Fingers crossed. Good look to all. John Monday, July 6 View Page Giant sunflowers. The one on the left now at 9ft 9". Multi headed with the 1st flowers just showing colour. I don`t think this will grow much taller. My wife Pat in the middle 5ft 1". On the right giant sunflower approx 8ft 6". Small single head. Lots of growing to do in this plant. Should get a personal best this season. Squash and marrows growing well, making good healthy plants. Regards John Sunday, July 12 View Page 3 giant marrow plants growing well. Starting to get fruits on the plants. Still plenty of time for nature to take its course and for me to make decisions on these plants. All Cornish Giants (David Thomas) 07 and 08 strain Sunday, July 12 View Page Oops. Hopefully this is the right picture Sunday, July 12 View Page Fruit on 749 Brunst squash is on a side vine. Still haven`t got one on the main vine yet. Sunday, July 12 View Page Fruit on 990 Hume squash is on a side vine. Once again have not got a fruit set on main vine yet. Friday, August 14 View Page Giant marrow from Dave Thomas 2008 stock. It started feeling soft so cut and weighed today 38 lbs. Friday, August 14 View Page Another marrow cut today. Dave Thomas 2008. Wanted to cut one in perfect condition as all plants are going down with powdery mildew. This one weighed 40 lbs. I have 3 more marrows still to cut but will not achieve last years top weight this time Friday, August 14 View Page 749 Brunst 07 squash stuck at 105 lbs on the side vine. It just stopped growing 2 weeks ago. Everything seemed perfect and it was like the plant decided the pumpkin was finished. No deteriation, just stopped growing. Friday, August 14 View Page 990 Hume 06 200 lbs. Putting on 10 lbs a day, it is also on a side vine. I have been unable to get a set on main vines of both plants all season. Good luck to everybody for personal bests. Regards John. Sunday, August 23 View Page A photo of the last of the marrows all between 35-40 lbs. The ones lying down are David Thonas 07 and the ones standing up are David Thomas 08. The plants are now finished due to powdery mildew. We had over 8" rain in July and I was unable to achieve last years top weight. Thursday, October 15 View Page One of the fruits off the 990 Hume - about 280-300lbs. there is a smaller one i might take to Mere Brow weigh off, we are not organised this year. On going health appointments twice a week and with no tow bar or trailer sorted. We may fit the smaller 990 Hume or the Brunst fruit (see next picture) in my son`s car boot. Thursday, October 15 View Page Fruit off the Brunst squash, about 220lbs. Nothing big this year, only had side vine sets. Looking forward to the day at Mere Brow. Sunday, October 18 View Page A picture of Maurice Bond`s 785lbs pumpkin that won the Merebrow giant pumpkin competition. Congratulatons Maurice. It was a very good turn out. A big thank-you to all the organisers and supporters. A great day and enjoyed by all in attendance. Only 268lbs for myself but it was very nice to have something to enter and appreciate that not every grower has a pumpkin that makes it to the weigh off date. (see Merebrow on "Links" for full list of results) John