Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 44 Entries. Thursday, January 9 View Page This is the 710 Wagler ( X 1753 ) 20 days old. I like this one, best grower in my patch at the moment.   Thursday, January 9 View Page This is the 1630   Thursday, January 9 View Page This is the 1544 32 days old, growing slow, but still ahead of the 1544 from last year, and it ended up 279 kg. I hope the weather people are wrong as they are saying it's going to be very hot next week with 2 days over 44 C ( 111 F ). And between now and then it's going to be mid-high 30's ( 95 F plus )   Monday, January 27 View Page Finally an update ! Patch has suffered badly lately, we coped 4 days ( 14-17 Jan )over 41 C (106 F ) in a row with the day before being just under 40 C, with most night staying over 30 C (86 F ) And to make matters worse the power company turned our power off as they belive the line to our house was a fire danger ( which is there part of the line, as ours is all underground ). However if the guys from the power company had turned up to do their job the power would be 100 % underground, then there would have been no problem. Due to no power I could water from the normal pump. I did tap into our cows drinking water, but when 700 cows plus 150 heifers plus 100 calves are drinking in the heat of the day not much water gets to my garden. So plants took a beating but most plants are still alive, however most pumpkins aborted or stopped growing. A few have starting growing again but very slow.   Monday, January 27 View Page Here is a pic of the biggest stump i have ever seen, it's 74 cm around at the ground and 86 cm a little higher. It's the 1293 Wild stump, its a little hollow but in good condition.   Monday, January 27 View Page Here is the pumpkin growing off the 1293, it was growing good till the heat, has just starting growing again but just 1-2 kg a day.Better than not at all. Pumpkin est 83 kg. I have been talking to all the growers that finished in the top 10 pumpkins grown in Victoria last year, i'm the only grower who still has a pumpkin going. Unless there is a few from a unknown ( to me, which is very unlikely ) around it won't be a very big show in March. And with tomorrow being 39 C and then friday and sat being around 39 C also, not sure how much more mine can take but will have a good water supply so that will help.   Monday, January 27 View Page This is the 710. Before the heat it was my 2nd best day 26 ever and was just starting to go. It has starting to grow again but just about 2 kg a day. I have hit them hard with ferts and water but can't get them going more, I guess the damage has been done. Might creep to 200 kg ?   Monday, January 27 View Page This is the 710. Before the heat it was my 2nd best day 26 ever and was just starting to go. It has starting to grow again but just about 2 kg a day. I have hit them hard with ferts and water but can't get them going more, I guess the damage has been done. Might creep to 200 kg ?   Monday, January 27 View Page This is the 1544 Reiver it's est 135 kg, and my biggest pumpkin. Had done nothing till the last couple of days where it has added 3 kg a day so might pick up a bit. Will go 10 % heavy plus.   Monday, January 27 View Page 1630, 89, 907,1209, 1143 and 1464 pumpkins all aborted. The 89 and the 1143 plants were pulled, as no more pumpkins/squash were possible on these plants. will leave the others for a while but if I dont get a set very soon it will be too late.   Monday, January 27 View Page This is a young 1680 it's growing ok, it's on a side vine. not sure how old as it's a open pollination, and was ment to be picked off but the main pumpkin aborted due to the heat. I also still have pumpkins on the 1676, 1445, 1623, 1753, 1799 and a young one on the 854. Will add pics soon.   Sunday, February 16 View Page I decided to get my marrow weighed last week it weighed 30.5 kg, so a new PB. The cross is 45 Holub X 78.4 That grew my 27.2 kg. This seed will see dirt in my patch maybe in the winter if I decide to have a winter project. Also will be in my 2014-15 patch.   Sunday, February 16 View Page Not a good pic but this is my FP (109 Wagler ) I think this is going to be very good. At 13 days old it's est 9 kg. Most of my marrows are only half that size at 13 days old.I'm hopping to get it over 100 lbs, but if it gets over 45 lbs it would be the biggest grown in Australia.   Sunday, February 16 View Page I will start to pick my pumpkins on Thursday for a local show ( not a giant veggie show ), most of them either went rotten or didn't start growing again after the 9 40 C plus days. What I noticed it was only the white pumpkins that started growing again, but very slow. The only 1 that might end up sort of ok is the 1676 which is Est 170 kg and is growing ok.   Thursday, February 27 View Page Forgot to mention that I was planning to take a pumpkin ( off the 607 to a local show last weekend but due to all the fires near there i decided not to. Now that pumpkin is going rotten anyway. Was Est 150 kg, but had very thick walls which I was not expecting as both perents went so light.   Thursday, April 10 View Page The next 3 pics are the first 3 pumpkins at the Victorian giant pumpkin comp. The weights were down so was the number of entries due to all the 40 C days when most of pumpkins aborted. This is my winning pumpkin 218.5 kg 8 % Heavy. Grown off the 1676 crossed with the 854 Frei. There was huge interest from people wanting to give it a try next season, seeds were given away to all interested people/kids.   Thursday, April 10 View Page This is 2nd 196 kg grown by M. Madigan. There was just 1 inch OTT difference between 1st and 2nd. It was grown off the 575 kg Oliver.   Thursday, April 10 View Page This is 3rd at 109 kg grown by D. Patiance a first time grower and very keen to grow a huge one next year. 4th was 107.5 kg and was grown by W. Stayner. ( For those long time growers Wendy Stayner has just came out of retirement of growing giant pumpkins, and is going to put more effort in next season ) Wendy was known world wide as the pumpkin lady and was Austalasian champion 4 times, (southern hemisphere champion ) and broke the Australian record a number of times. Also held lots of other giant veggie records at the time.   Thursday, April 10 View Page This is my FP after I brought it home after the show which weighed 25 kg, and is the biggest ever grown in Australia. It was grown off the 109.8 Wagler, thanks Jorg for the great seed. However for some reason Australia doesn't have a official FP record. We don't have a official Squash record either, but the main growers all know what the record is. We need to change a few things, but a few of the older growers say that pumpkins and squash are the same thing.   Thursday, April 10 View Page My tallest sunflower this year was just 3.3 metres due to all my sunflowers going to head early due to the heat. All the pumpkins that stopped growing during the heat, and didn't restart growing when cut open none had mature seeds. The only thing still in the patch is 1 LG plant and it has a 2.4 metre long gourd on it. ( still growing slowly ) I haven't fertilized this plant since the gourd has been growing. It was only grown for seeds. Since it has grown so long I wish i had given it more attention as it might have gone close to the Australian record. Seed was from the 2nd longest grown in Australia. Will give LG's a fair crack next season.   Friday, September 19 View Page Time to start my 2014-15 grow diary. Still fairly cold here 13 C ground temp, but this next week it should warm up a bit. I started 4 very early seeds, in the hope to get 1 pumpkin set by the end of oct. So I can take a pumpkin with me to the kyogle pumpkin weigh off at the end of January. This was the best seedling by a mile, and is the only one in the ground yet. It's the 874 Geyelin ( 1770 X 1290 )   Friday, September 19 View Page 2 weeks ago I started 5 more seeds. 3 of them are now are good plants. This is the 1526 Menting 1770 X 1623. I need to get this one in the ground in the next couple of days.   Friday, September 19 View Page This is the 1024 Berard ( 1634 X 2009 ) I also have a 1408 Whittier ( 1409 X 1647 ) which looks similiar to this one.   Friday, September 19 View Page Trying lots of giant veggies this year, most for the first time. This is a giant cabbage, looking good so far. ( first time growing giant cabbages ) I will be starting some more pumpkin seeds in tthe next couple of days.   Friday, September 19 View Page Other giant veg i have going at the moment are : marrow, parsnip. beetroot, kolhrabi, carrot, radish, swede, tomato ( from my 1.28 kg ) kale, and 1 runnerbean. only a couple of each at the moment, just hopping to have a large range of giant veg at our local show in March.   Monday, October 27 View Page Time for a little update, been a bit of a funny spring so far had 2 light frosts 2 weeks ago. Then last week its been hot up to 34 C. Plants are looking good so far, even though I haven't been able to put much time into them lately. This is the 1312 Weston, very nice plant.   Monday, October 27 View Page This is the 1024 Berard, starting to take off now.   Monday, October 27 View Page This is the 874. Hopping to set a pumpkin in about a month for the summerland pumpkin comp. I need to get some time to get some weeding done. ( working over 100 hours a week doesn't leave much time for weeding )   Monday, October 27 View Page This is the mystery plant, all I will say this seed hasn't been grown before. Very nice plant so far, growing fast. Other pupkin plants that are in the patch are 854 Frei, 1766 Debecco, 1408 Whitter, 1526 Menting which did get hit hard with the strongs winds a couple of weeks ago, but it just wants to grow. I have a couple more ready to get transplanted.   Monday, October 27 View Page This is my radish no fancy seed just a packet bought, long white radish seeds. Also the giant cabbage might be going to seed, its 5 ft across.   Thursday, December 4 View Page Finally adding a few pics of my plants. This is the 1312 Weston. great plant! I have pollinated a couple of females but won't keep them. Got a female to open in about a week which I might keep, hopping to cross it with my mystery plant.   Thursday, December 4 View Page This is the mystery plant, it's younger than most of my plants. I love this plant.   Thursday, December 4 View Page This is the 1526 menting. Did pollinate a female a few days ago but will cull it as I want it set out a bit further, plus I want to cross it with the mystery plant.   Thursday, December 4 View Page This is the 1882   Thursday, December 4 View Page This the 546 Musso, nice size for it's age.   Thursday, December 4 View Page The 8.41 maccoy. ( thanks so much Dan ! )   Thursday, December 4 View Page 5.6 kg radish, not weighed officially just on my scales. Still a new PB !   Sunday, December 28 View Page Time for a few updates. This is a marrow that's doing well, it's slowed down now. but est 36.5 kg so should be a new pb. Photo was taken a few days ago.   Sunday, December 28 View Page This is a young 1312 Weston pumpkin. Haven't measured it yet as this will be the only main vine pumpkin so it will be the keeper anyway. Lost the vine just after the pumpkin and a few other vines due to phytoptora. ( I think ) had this 4 years ago on one plant. I have 6 plants that got it all within 2 days. Had no evidence of it since, but have sprayed for it too. Lost a few vine tips the day before that happened so not sure if it was kind of weather related too?   Sunday, December 28 View Page This is on the mystery plant X self. This plant has lost lots of vines and vine tips. It only covers 140 sq ft but the young pumpkin is doing very good. Will measure all my pumpkins in the next few days.   Sunday, December 28 View Page This is off the 1024 berard. Got 2 growing on this plant one on the main and one on the first side vine. Will keep them both till they are older than day 40 then I will cut the side vine one off ( 1/3 of the stem a day ) I just want the seeds from the side vine fruit. ( 1024 x1312 ) 2 of my best 3 plants.   Sunday, December 28 View Page This is the field pumpkin I had to pick due to a blossom split. It weighed 29 kg. I have no more growing at the moment. Was 26 days old when picked.   Sunday, December 28 View Page Another pic from the side. Love the shape !   Sunday, December 28 View Page Not pumpkin related but a pic of my 3 month old foal, he is going to one very big boy ! His mum pictured is 17.2 hands and I think he will be bigger.