Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 30 Entries. Saturday, April 9 View Page Today I started 1998.5 Jutras 1317 Clementz 1538 Jutras 1429 Kedziak 1127 Kedziak 1172 Paton, but only one will survive in this patch. Basically circling around the 1495 Stelts in the hope of producing something big and orange with good shape. I've high hopes for my fruit this season, I've my sights set for 1200lbs! � Sunday, April 10 View Page The first of the seed I started on April 9th have started to pip through their seed cases within 24 hours. As it's the weekend and I won be able to plant them during the week, I'm going to move them to 3L pots and keep them warm indoors until germination. � Thursday, April 14 View Page The first of the seeds started on April 9th have begun to break the surface. � Saturday, April 23 View Page A massive day in my patch today . I started early to finish the required tilling and till in the last of the amendments. I'd hoped to have all these amendments added back in late February and a cover crop added in order to get the soil life turning over. Time restrains got in the way, alas, the amendments got in when they got in. Lil bitta quicklime, lil bitta sulphate of potash , Manganese Sulphate and copper sulphate should be enough to leave my soil perfectly balanced. � Saturday, April 23 View Page Once all the amendments were added, I tilled them in with the trusty Honda. � Saturday, April 23 View Page Today I also started the second batch of seedlings for my new polytunnel. This line up includes the : 2102 Meier, 902 Marshall, the 1432 Northrup (thanks to Gary Lovitt) 1345 Paton And 1478.5 Clementz. I'm hoping for good size, colour and vigour out of this batch. � Sunday, April 24 View Page Beaten by the light and with the arrival of a friend in search of copious amounts of tea I had to call time at 9pm. I was back out early to finally get to prepare the planting beds/holes I'm planting 6 seedlings, 3 facing 3 , one foot apart. The slowest growing plants will be pulled leaving the most vigorous. I tilled a 25kg bale of Alfalfa meal , a good dash of Fish, blood and bone meal and two 85L bags of bedding compost into each of the two planting areas. I then opened the planting holes dusted them with Azos , fish/blood&bone meal and a sprinkle of some mychorizae . � Sunday, April 24 View Page A few of the seedlings had gotten a little bit leggy, so I wet the stems and dusted with a little rooting hormone powder and buried them right up to the cotyledons. I buried the seedlings at a 45 degree angle to alleviate any potential stem stress. I then drenched them in with warm Seaweed drench. It felt great to have them in and the season started � Sunday, May 1 View Page The last week of April has seen some really unseasonal chilly weather including a solid dusting of snow on the 28th. With the extent of my pumpkin early season protection within my polytunnel limited to hot water bottles and horticultural fleece. The plants undoubtedly took a battering. There were no direct casualties to the cold snap but the 1998 Jutras was looking a little sorry for itself. Leaf hairs up and wilty cots. Poor bugger looked stressed. As they were my prized seedlings, both the 1998 Jutras and the 1317 Clementz got a litle bit of extra lovin'. In the form of extra hot water bottles and a nice luke warm seaweed drench before I left for another week at work. What could possibly go wrong......(spoiler: something goes wrong) � Saturday, May 7 View Page Woe of woes I return to my patch after my working week to find not much growth or exuberance on display. In fact my 1998 Jutras and 1317 Clements are looking far from exuberant. They're looking pretty crappy, frozen in time from last week and beginning to turn a little yellowy. Struggling to fathom what could be holding these two plants of great genetic worth back while their contemporaries stride forward, I gently strip back the topsoil to find my worst fears realised. A combination of the cool weather, hydrophilic clayish soil and my extra drench before leaving last week has conspired to Collar Rot. I have only myself to blame. A fairly bitter pill to swallow. � Saturday, May 7 View Page Woe of woes I return to my patch after my working week to find not much growth or exuberance on display. In fact my 1998 Jutras and 1317 Clements are looking far from exuberant. They're looking pretty crappy, frozen in time from last week and beginning to turn a little yellowy. Struggling to fathom what could be holding these two plants of great genetic worth back while their contemporaries stride forward, I gently strip back the topsoil to find my worst fears realised. A combination of the cool weather, hydrophilic clayish soil and my extra drench before leaving last week has conspired to Collar Rot. I have only myself to blame. A fairly bitter pill to swallow. � Saturday, May 7 View Page In an effort to save the 1317 and 1998 I dust with Azos, tranfer back into post and put them back in the propagator Some what miraculously, they seem to be responding to treatment, I hope to keep them as pollinators in pots. Totally disgusted with myself for letting this happen, but all the same if this hobby was always easy it would be no fun. � Sunday, May 8 View Page The second Batch of seedlings look fantastic. I've never seen cotyledons as big as on the 2102 Meier or the 902 Marshall. They're settling the pace in this patch I think � Sunday, May 8 View Page Meier 2102 � Sunday, May 8 View Page 902 Marshall � Sunday, May 8 View Page 1538 Jutras � Sunday, May 8 View Page 1127 Kedziak � Sunday, May 8 View Page 1429 Kedziak No pictures included of the 1172 Patons but they're looking about the same as this. � Saturday, May 14 View Page This morning I spoke on RTE Radio One's "CountryWide" programme. It's an Agri-affairs programme broadcast across Ireland. I spoke about the sport of Giant Vegetable growing , particularly pumpkins and invited new growers to take up the hobby. Myself and Miche�l offered around 150 field pumpkin seeds free to new growers across the nation. Thank you to Iwan Horde and Mark Clementz for donating the seed. � Saturday, May 14 View Page The bauld Beni did well to get a mention on CountryWide's twitter feed too!! � Sunday, May 22 View Page I didn't get home to the plants this weekend, I decided to take a weekend off the 600km round trip. Here's a picture of the 1172 Paton twin plants sent to me by my brother E�in today. Plants are looking strong and ready to run! � Sunday, May 22 View Page Here's the 1127 Kedziak. All the plants seem to have settled in and are benefiting from the recent spell of good weather. � Sunday, May 22 View Page Here's the 1538 Jutras looking ready to begin vining, � Sunday, May 22 View Page Here's the 1429 Kedziak, it's looking a little more yellow than the rest. I has a double vine going on every second node or so. If it's vigorous it might stay. I'm more likely to blame the yellowing on cold rather than nitrogen deficiency but I'm open to suggestions. � Sunday, May 22 View Page Here's the first lot of the second batch, 2102 Meier in pole position in the centre, flanked by two 1432 Northrups. I'm really happy with how these plants are looking, they've benefitted from better weather and haven't suffered the set backs of the first batch. � Sunday, May 22 View Page Second lot of the second batch. 902 Marshall in pole position centre flanked by a 1345 Paton and two 1478.5 Clementz. I think they're just post watering in this photo hence the leaves. � Sunday, May 22 View Page Here's the 1998 Jutras post it's stay in ICU. I think it may recover to function as a pollenator I'm really kicking myself for what happened. Trying to be glad I managed to salvage it. � Sunday, May 22 View Page Here's the 1317 Clementz, shook and sore as the fella growing it! I might be able to salvage a genetic cross jack-o-lantern if it pulls through. � Saturday, June 18 View Page Now to sort this mess out!! � Sunday, June 19 View Page Some "better late than never" culling took place. �