Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 13 Entries. Monday, January 7 View Page Happy New Year! It's time to start thinking about what we are going to do this year. I guess the most important thing to do is get some seeds! Buy some merit, buy some calcium and do the soil testing. It's going to be 65 degrees today! I want to plant something....anything! Well, here's to a New Year and a Bigger Pumpkin for John and I. Thursday, January 31 View Page Bought two Jutra Seeds at the seed auction on Sunday night. Have a couple more in my radar from the SOGPGA auction this weekend and through their seed sale. John wants to grow "his own" pumpkin this year, all by his self....I say GAME ON!! He also wants us to try our hand at Giant Watermelons. Planning on going to the garden store this weekend to look at flower seeds and get the materials for seed starting. It's getting close and I couldn't be happier!! Thursday, April 3 View Page We have purchased some really good world class seeds. I am wondering what to do. Since this is only our third year growing, I don't want to waste the seeds. So I need to make the right choices. John is going to TRY to grow a pumpkin, he is going to grow the 1524.5 Liggett. We have 3 McKie seeds....1256.5, 1068 and 1404 and we have 2 Jutras seeds....1068 '05 and 1225 '03 I also found a 384 Huffer in my seed stash. I am going to grow only 2 pumpkins. Which ones do I grow? Which ones will make the best crosses. I have some research to do..... Wednesday, April 30 View Page This year is a strange year. A lot going on in our personal lives, but pumpkin growing will still take center stage this summer!! The patch has only been tilled once, but then again we had an inch of snow this morning. With all that is going on, we didn't do a soil test, that may come and bite us on the butt. But last years test was not that bad and we didn't have to make that many amendments last year, so I am hoping for the best. I am still going to put down molassis and calcium, along with worm castings and endo biogrow and merit. This will all be tilled into the planting spots. This central Ohio weather has been really strange. We've been so wet, then so warm and now cold again. We have a freeze warning for tonight. We started the seeds last Sunday and I will have pictures, as soon as I can get the camera away from my 13 year old. So far the best time this year has been spending some good quality time with Doc Liggett. We went to Circleville last weekend to get the Endo and spent some time with Doc and Jo Liggett. We saw their patch and Doc gave me his recommendations on what to plant this year. As we stood by his patch and he was telling me all he had already done,and I saw all the hard work, I was truly amaized at the love of the sport that he has. I can only asprire to be that dedicated of a grower. Thanks Doc for the time. Pictures and line up for 2008 to follow. I can hear them growing from here....Next year I'll be closer. And I did not have to pee 7 times on the way to Doc's...it was only 3! Breakfast/Pancakes on me the next time down south. ~Citygirl Thursday, May 1 View Page On Sunday, April 27th we filed the sides of the seeds and then we soaked the seeds for about 2 hours. Wait, these are not pumpkin seeds...this is what you eat while you are filing and soaking the seeds. Thursday, May 1 View Page Here they are..... Thursday, May 1 View Page And the line up is....John's pumpkins: 442.5 CawleyKidwell '07 and the 1524.5 Liggett '07. Chriss' Pumpkins: 1225.4 Jutras and the 1404 McKie. Thursday, May 1 View Page We put them in pots with potting soil, endo biogrow, and some ferts. Thursday, May 1 View Page Then we placed them in coolers with a heat mat. I use the word "we" very loosely. Good Luck everyone! Have a great 2008 growing season, I know I will do my best to have a personal best!! Monday, May 5 View Page Seed up date: Liggett, Jutras, and CawleyKidwell all growing like crazy. 1404 McKie seed did not germinate. I dug it up today and it was soft. Green goo squirted out of it when I touched it. Started the 1256.5 McKie in its place. We'll see what happens now. Monday, May 12 View Page Well it has rained here for 5 straight days and the garden and patch are one big puddle. I have repotted the Liggett and Jutras into very large pots. They seem to be doing ok. First true leaf is out on both of them. The other two seeds I started last Monday have not come up. I will give them a day or so before I start to dig. We need at least 5 days of sun and wind to dry everything out! Saturday, July 5 View Page What a horrible growing year this has been!! Started every kind of great seed....McKie, Jutras, Liggett, Huffer. They either did not germinate or they were hit with our bad weather. It has rained so much here, and if it isn't raining, it's very cold and very windy. John and I do have three pumpkin plants...two KidwellCawley 470 uow from last year and a CawleyKidwell also from last year. The vines are only about 3 feet long now. The weeds have taken over, it's been too wet to till. Hoping to get in the garden tomorrow and do some real work!! Pictures to follow, when I figure out the new printer and camera! Good Growing everyone!!! ~CityGirl Monday, October 6 View Page We did take a pumpkin to the fair....won the red ribbon, 2nd place. Only 2 pumpkins entered!! Here is a picture of the pumpkin and John on my front porch.