Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 47 Entries. Monday, April 30 View Page Hi to all growers. I am starting my 2012 diary here. Terrible weather. April has been colder than March according to the weatherman and my outside soil temp is 4 degrees centigrade colder than it was this time last year. 2 Cornish giant cabbage in the background. Each have 6ft 6" square and I am giving them a good try this year. Started in a polytunnel in winter and planted out 5 weeks ago in a netted cage. There`s a mole running riot already. Hope to catch it soon. Monday, April 30 View Page Giant swede and beetroot. Planted out but they dont like the weather Monday, April 30 View Page 4 main marrow seedlings. 66 Baggs 70.1 Thomas 91 Hollinrake 125 Holiinrake Thank you for the seeds David, Frank and Mark Giant cucumber seedlings in the background Monday, April 30 View Page Assorted veg. Tomatoes, peppers, african kettle gourde, giant raddish and others Monday, April 30 View Page Giant marrow on the compost heap. This was a germination test seedling. Its roots will soon reach some very fresh compost and manure. Just giving it a try to see what happens. A big thank you to the EGVGA members who have supplied me with the seeds for this growing season Tuesday, May 8 View Page I open my diary by saying the moles have moved in. I have caught 2. One yesterday and another today. The mole traps are doing their work. Tuesday, May 8 View Page Picture of plot. Plants are growing slowly despite the cold. We had a frost 2 nights ago -2 degrees Tuesday, May 8 View Page 4 marrow plants and all have first true leaves Tuesday, May 8 View Page 1st marrow planted out today. 91 lbs Hollinrake 2011. There was plenty of room for root growth in the plant pot so I can stagger planting out and give everything a chance to warm up. Monday, July 2 View Page 2 Giant cabbage plants mid photo Monday, July 2 View Page Closer photo of the 2 giant cabbage. Both plants seem very healthy but quite tall and wondering whether they will go to seed or make a head (time will tell) Monday, July 2 View Page Photo of marrow patch. Photo was taken last Thursday. Nearest plant is Baggs 66 14ft wide 15ft long. Next plant along is Hollinrake 91 15ft wide 14ft long. These are the best 2 plants up to now. 5 in total. I have crammed in a back up plant when I should have stuck to 4 as originally planned Monday, July 2 View Page 70.1 Thomas marrow. Doing fine Monday, July 2 View Page Another view of 91 Hollinrake plant Monday, July 2 View Page Giant swede. I thought there was also a picture of my boot as a comparison but its not there Tuesday, July 10 View Page Marrow thats starting to set Baggs 66. It has a banana bend trying to dig in. I have put some ground cover membrane underneath it and trying to raise it up slowly Tuesday, July 10 View Page 70.1 Thomas. A bit close to the root. I have a couple of options on this plant. I will have to decide soon Tuesday, July 10 View Page A view of the patch while I was at the back Tuesday, July 10 View Page Another view. Small back up plant in the far corner. It may have to be sacrificed to give the others room Tuesday, July 10 View Page Photo of the previous entry Tuesday, July 10 View Page Marrow set on Hollinrake 91. Early days but it`s in the right place Tuesday, July 10 View Page Marrow set on Hollinrake 125. It has gone green. The sets on the 125 back up are yellow Tuesday, July 10 View Page Giant swede. The plants look nice and healthy Wednesday, July 25 View Page An update on my 4 marrow plants. It will give me reference in about 10 days and again this time next year. Plants are still healthy and looking good. I sprayed a second dose of fungicide on Friday 20th. Powdery mildew is my greatest problem for wiping out the plants suddenly. I had a weekend away and came back on Monday and cut a secondary off next to a marrow, dusted the wound with green sulphur. Upon reading the dusting canister I saw it was somewhat effective in controlling PM in marrows so all the plants got a dust cloud to help fill in the gaps in the spraying programme Wednesday, July 25 View Page Marrow lengths are 66 Baggs 27" curved so I measured in a straight line ( I once measured on an outside curve and was disappointed when I weighed the marrow. Stands to reason really.) 70.1 Thomas 28" A bit short on the nose end but the rest is filling nicely. 91 Hollinrake. This fruit was later but is growing well and catching up fast. A very good shaped fruit in the right place. 125 Hollinrake. 30" growing well but has some indentation at ground level so will go a bit light Overall, very pleased, warm weather and more days to grow. Monday, July 30 View Page Grandaughter Georgia acting shy behind one of the 2 giant cabbages. It has stopped raining and the ground is cracking. The cabbage get 2 gallon of water each a day around the outside. Monday, July 30 View Page Photo of 66 Baggs marrow. A real ugly with lots of faults. Still holding together. Fingers crossed. Sunday, August 5 View Page Stem split marrow off the 77.1 Thomas weighing 73lbs on the bathroom scales. Grandson Kaylan posing with it. I have pulled the plant to give the other plants more air circulation Sunday, August 5 View Page 66 Baggs marrow still growing well. I would guess it has reached 100 lbs now. Still holding together Also have a good marrow on the Hollinrake 125 but has slowed up a bit on the 80 lbs mark. Plus a marrow 40" long on the 91 Hollinrake still growing strong Tuesday, August 7 View Page Another shot of the 66 Baggs marrow, still holding together but a bit short of weight on the nose end but a very good marrow. Its hard to measure because of the curve. Tuesday, August 7 View Page 125 Hollinrake marrow. 34" long and seems to have stopped any daily visible growth. Taps like a drum so this could be it. I`m still tending the plant to try and gain a few more pounds Tuesday, August 7 View Page 91 Hollinrake marrow. 41" long and still growing. The plant is still very healthy and I have high hopes on this one. Fingers crossed once again but know it can all go bang tomorrow Friday, August 10 View Page 66 Baggs marrow weighed 112 lbs on the scales. A big thank you to Frank and Mark Baggs for sharing this seed with EGVGA members Saturday, August 11 View Page Last entry should have included lost marrow to stem end split into cavity. Saturday, August 11 View Page Another day in the marrow patch and another stem end split. The big one this time Saturday, August 11 View Page Fruit off the 91 Hollinrake marrow 153 lbs DMG Disappointed with the split but can`t help but be pleased with the weight. Measurments 42.5" long 48" girth 197 cms end to end 93 cms side to side Approx 5 lbs heavier than the EGVGA estimation chart Thursday, September 6 View Page Giant cabbage. The bigger and better one of the two. It is leaning a lot. I was kindly advised how to try and rectify this by tensioning a rope on the stem. I was afraid of snapping the stem and being left with nothing so I have left it alone for now and i`m risking losing a few leaves only I hope Thursday, September 6 View Page Second marrow growing on the 66 Baggs. I have already had one 112 lbs dmg off this plant Thursday, September 6 View Page Second marrow on 91 Hollinrake. Still growing slowly. I have already had a marrow at 153 lbs dmg off this plant Thursday, September 6 View Page Third marrow on 91 Hollinrake. Still growing. More back up and insurance. This plant should make one heck of a total weight Thursday, September 6 View Page Marrow on 125 Hollinrake. It has sat maturing on the bare vine for a month without spoiling. I have left alone as back up for Harrogate show Tuesday, September 11 View Page 91 Hollinrake 2nd marrow. Split yesterday (monday) on a Dill ring weighed heavier than I expected 105 lbs. Cut the only marrow on the 125 today, it has been maturing for a month and weighs 74 lbs still sound. Cut the 2nd marrow on the 66 Baggs. I didnot weigh it as I want some kind of anticipation. I have left a 3rd marrow on the 91 Hollinrake on the vine for 2 more days growing. Will weigh on Thursday and see how it compares with the 74 lber and decide then which 2 travel and hope one arrives sound Sunday, September 16 View Page Entered my 1st giant veg competition this weekend. Firstly congratulations to Peter Glazebrook who beat his own heaviest world onion record at the show. Peter also took 1st in all 6 giant veg classes. I entered two. Cabbage 72 lbs which came second against Peters 81 lbs. And a marrow 69 lbs came second to Peters 115 lbs. All in all a very good learning experience and a good weekend seeing gardening at its highest quality in all aspects of the hobby from flower arranging to fruit growing and right across the spectrum. So now looking forward to next year. Hoping to help others, support the EGVGA, as have been done for me and look to improve my results on the show bench whilst once again enjoying growing giant veg. Saturday, September 22 View Page I won a gold medal for the ornamental gourds. (A chocolate one awarded by my grandaughters) They sowed the seeds - planted the seedlings in tubs and watered the plants every week when they visited and then harvested today. The gordes will go in a harvest festival display at their other Nan`s church where she is a Methodist minister. So good job all round and now we get to eat the chocolate. Tuesday, October 23 View Page Germination tests started on 2012 seeds 6 days in Very disapponting. I will do a 2nd trial soon but quite a lot of seeds are already in the balance of feeling light and feeling viable. 4 fruits tested here and only 2 fruits showed some promise. Tuesday, October 30 View Page Second germination test for the marrow seeds after a very poor first test. The 74 lb was 100% again. The 153 lb dmg failed completely again. The 105 lb dmg has 1 out of 2 again with equal vigour in the seedling this time ( I hope to grow this 2012 line as the mother 91 Hollinrake 2012 grew a total of more than 300 lbs on the 1 plant with 3 fruits I will have to try a high count multiple sowing) The 69 lb failed completely again. None viable seeds seem to often occur it with heavy fast growing marrows that split as the opportunity for the seeds to mature is limited The 74 lbs marrow is the only one good for seed distribution. A bit disappointing there Tuesday, October 30 View Page On previous entry the 91 Hollinrake 2012 should have read 91 Hollinrake 2011 marrow