Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 71 Entries. Wednesday, April 14 View Page 2010! To you, reading my diary, I wish you good health, good friendships, good luck, and a GREAT BIG PUMPKIN! Wednesday, April 14 View Page This year I need to cut WAAAAY back. So instead of 60 Prizewinners, Phat Jacks, etc, there will be 15. And just ONE AG.....But which one? Thursday, April 15 View Page Now....you can grow your own seeds....or beg from a HH.... or buy at auction....OR you can bake 450 cookies and trade with The Great Eddy Z! Thursday, April 15 View Page Trade him for a super seed....grown by the one and only Bill Rodonis....the 1161. Bill, a highlight at Niagra was meeting you! Thursday, April 15 View Page Come oooon Baby! Make it to Canfield! Friday, April 30 View Page OK....so it looks like a girly garden....but that doesn't mean I'm a sissy grower! I am, however, a little gun shy about putting seedlings in too early because of last year's problem with seed corn maggots. I did a Merit drench, and have 9' x 12' plastic sheets at each planting site, doing a nice job of warming the soil. Friday, April 30 View Page Each plant's space is ribboned off. There will now be two AG's. Hopefully the 1161 Rodonis and 904 Stelts. They, along with backups, have sprouted and are in 2 gallon pots, warming in the sun. There are 20 spaces for "regular" pumpkins which won't be started for a couple more weeks. Saturday, June 26 View Page Here is this year's smaller patch, looking from the top of the hill. OK....I had 2 plants, each planted with a back-up. Maybe its the tender hearted grandma in me, but I just couldn't....as Christy says,"kill 'em off!" So now I have 4 plants, with creative vine patterns, living in 2 spaces. But they're pretty big spaces. Saturday, June 26 View Page The svb traps are doing their job. Saturday, June 26 View Page One big difference in this year's program is NO straw mulch. I did put straw on the center path, for my garden cart. Saturday, June 26 View Page 1161 Rodonis....affectionately named "The Cookie Monster." Saturday, June 26 View Page 1161 Rodonis and its partner plant, 1483 Werner. Saturday, June 26 View Page 1662 Stelts. Its partner plant is 1059 Vincent/McGill. Friday, July 9 View Page Sadly, I had to pull the 1059 plant. It just couldn't seem to get going. I held up on burying vines during our recent 90+ degree days. Several leaves were sunburnt. Friday, July 9 View Page Party pumpkin plants are starting to take off. The two at the front are Wee-Be-Little. Others are Prizewinner - 150 Rea - Phat Jack - and my own Phat Nana!!! Friday, July 9 View Page More party pumpkins. One Too Many, and some new varieties for this year: Red Warty Thing and a white Crystal Star. Friday, July 9 View Page 1662 Stelts - day 15 - CC 50". I had a LeBron b ball to use for this year's size comparisons......BUT.....I think this sprinkling can will be a much better choice! Friday, July 9 View Page 1483 Werner - day 10 Friday, July 9 View Page 1161 Rodonis - day 10. GOOOOO Cookie Monster! Sunday, July 18 View Page This is the 1662 Stelts - day 25 - 237 lbs. And...that is not PM on the leaves, but a residue from a foliar spray. I'm making a big attempt to NOT get the dreaded PM!!! Sunday, July 18 View Page 1483 Werner is my best grower so far. At 20 days, there's a loooong way to go! Sunday, July 18 View Page The 1161 Rodonis is being a bit of a slow poke. But I'll fix that by giving it a foliar spray of chocolate chip cookie emulsion! Sunday, July 18 View Page This is 1/2 of the party pumpkin patch. There's lots of little pumpkins getting started. Friday, July 23 View Page I guess a dark cloud must pass over every patch! Tuesday evening the 1483 plant looked perfect.....Wednesday morning the leaf edges were wilted and curled up.....Wednesday afternoon, they looked like this! Friday, July 23 View Page Now a pretty picture. This plant is "Red Warty Thing". It thinks it is a flower garden! Sunday, August 8 View Page "C"............. Sunday, August 8 View Page .......is for cat! Here's the recipe for how to ruin a perfectly good pumpkin: * BE STUPID!...*Believe the weatherman's stormy forcast....*Tarp the pumpkin....*Have the sun come out....*Get the temp up to 90....*Let the pumpkin cook for several hours....*There's no guarantee what letter will get cooked onto your pumpkin. Sunday, August 8 View Page 1483 Werner. This is the plant with the damaged leaves. Lbs per day have dropped a little, but she's still hanging in there. Sunday, August 8 View Page 1161 Rodonis - Now I'll bet you think this is a birdbath. WRONG! Sunday, August 8 View Page It's a cookie jar! Friday, August 13 View Page A peek in the patch.....Crystal Star Friday, August 13 View Page Red Warty Thing. The grandkids love these! Friday, August 13 View Page Phat Nana....lookin' good! She will turn orange. Friday, August 13 View Page INTRODUCING....drum roll please.... The Designer Pumpkin of 2010....a true collectors piece.... "THE BOZ" !!!! Friday, August 13 View Page Last year I sent Brooks a One Too Many seed. He grew it and sent me shiny silver-white seeds back. This is what they are growing! Sunday, August 15 View Page The party pumpkin patch has really filled in and is staying quite healthy....looking to the right Sunday, August 15 View Page ....and looking to the left. The leaves are so thick, it's hard to tell what pumpkins are growing under there. Sunday, August 15 View Page Last evening and this morning, hundreds of these were hovering around a couple of the party plants. They did not land on the plants....just in the gravel. I think they are harmless. But if you think they aren't....let me know! Sunday, August 22 View Page Today was our pumpkin carving picnic. My grandkids, great nieces & nephews picked their pumpkin and carved their name on it. They totally love doing this! Sunday, August 22 View Page Kasey, the youngest, did a super job! Sunday, August 22 View Page Spencer decided to pick a "BOZ" instead of a Prizewinner. Sunday, August 22 View Page Here is the whole gang....quite a silly bunch! What fun!!! Sunday, August 29 View Page As the sun sets on the patch, here is the 1483 Werner. Day 63....approx 850 lbs. The early season damaged leaves have held her back. Sunday, August 29 View Page 1662 Stelts is at day 67, and has passed the 1,000 lb. mark. I'm still kicking myself for the scar on this pumpkin!! Sunday, August 29 View Page 1161 Rodonis....day 63....approx 950 lbs. Every evening I give her a little pat and say, "Come on Cookie, you can do it!!" Wednesday, September 22 View Page Here is "Cookie", 1161 Rodonis, with my niece Hannah. Watch for both pretty girls at the Canfield weighoff. Tuesday, September 28 View Page Sunday was our "Punkin Pickin' Party." We had 25 kids, their parents and grandparents. Tuesday, September 28 View Page Getting pumpkins out of the parch Tuesday, September 28 View Page "I know I can carry this by myself!!" Tuesday, September 28 View Page "OK....I give!!" Tuesday, September 28 View Page Everyone is having fun! Tuesday, September 28 View Page Another load ready to go up the hill Tuesday, September 28 View Page "That's my pile....don't touch 'em!!" Tuesday, September 28 View Page Samantha and Charlie Tuesday, September 28 View Page More fun....a mini hayride! Saturday, October 2 View Page My great nieces at the Canfield OVGPG weighoff. They had a great time! Saturday, October 2 View Page This 1662 pumpkin is NOT that orange....OR that green! But it IS my new personal best at 1165 lbs. Saturday, October 2 View Page Top three....Jeff Zoellner, 1663 lbs. Quinn Werner, 1634 lbs.....Tim Parks, 1571 lbs. Saturday, October 2 View Page Canfield top 10 average....1490 lbs. Fantastic!!! Congratulations to all the exhibitors! Wednesday, October 13 View Page Positive thinking!!! Wednesday, October 13 View Page An evening of pulling vines can be a lot of fun!!! These girls worked their fannies off! Saturday, October 16 View Page Here are some of my favorites from this year. Phat Nana and Red Warty Thing. Some Phat Nana's had long, thick, dark green stems. Saturday, October 16 View Page Others has long, skinny, twisted stems. Both were definitely a big hit! Saturday, October 16 View Page The Red Warty things are.....well.....warty!! Saturday, October 16 View Page Crystal Star is the purest white I've ever grown. Saturday, October 16 View Page The "BOZ". Try and pick one of these up! You'll think it's made of concrete! I guess it fits....tuff stuff! Saturday, October 16 View Page Prizewinner Sunday, October 17 View Page Granddog Charlie has his own pumpkin too. To use him as a size reference for the pumpkin, you have to know that he weighs 100 pounds! Saturday, October 23 View Page 8 year old, tough guy, Heath atop (left) 1110 Rea 10 (1161 Rodonis) and (right) 1165 Rea 10 (1662 Stelts). Saturday, October 23 View Page The grande finale to another season. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge and friendship. Thanks to Eddy Z for making the trade. Thanks to Brooks for the nudge and encouragement I needed pre-season. See you next year! Tuesday, December 21 View Page Merry Christmas from The REA clan!