Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 120 Entries. Friday, January 30 View Page Well here goes for the 09 season, 1st year of keeping a diary...best of luck to all Growers this year!!!!! Friday, January 30 View Page Id like to Thank Tom and Jane at Cobbs for the land to grow this year and many more to come!!! Friday, January 30 View Page This is my new patch for the 09 season..south facing to maximise the sun shine hours. Friday, February 6 View Page Now we have had a bit of snow, snow for the UK is not a common thing at all..only 9 inches!.. However enough to grind everyting to a halt!!! Not much can be done here at present...bring on spring! Wednesday, February 18 View Page While I am waiting for my broken hand to fix itself I thought to try a new germination technique, not new to many others but is to me. Had a look through the Jordan Rivington " How To ", and hey presto..lets see what happens! Two test seeds went in at 13:00 pm filed and soaked, temp bang on 29'C.. Will check in 24hrs time.. Thursday, March 12 View Page This is my other winter job........ Thursday, March 12 View Page Only on the weekends though... Thursday, March 12 View Page This is where it all happens... Thursday, March 12 View Page My best friend and guardian... Sunday, March 29 View Page Damn it..lost I checked the 915 Young (Rotted)and 1357 Ghaye (tap root rotted)..am gutted, good job had 2 backups filed and soaking just incase.. Friday, April 24 View Page My germination chamber, looks odd but works very well. All seeds filed and soaked for 6 hrs then into pots at 31'C..just right! Tuesday, April 28 View Page My Patch..adding 1 or 2 bags of leafs..or nearer 250! Wednesday, April 29 View Page OOOOOOOooooooooo What do have here I see there is some sign of life!!! Wednesday, April 29 View Page Not quite all up..Steady 30-31'C Great thing for sure..the start of life! Friday, May 1 View Page OK so all up ok, doing well climatising (Sunbathing) Friday, May 1 View Page Lovely warm day...... Saturday, May 9 View Page My Step Daughter..little does she know..she offered to help me this year...!! Saturday, May 30 View Page 1341 Baggs Settled in.. Sunday, May 31 View Page Transplant Time........ Sunday, May 31 View Page 1286 Wursching... Sunday, May 31 View Page 1188 Paton..... Sunday, May 31 View Page 1457 Paton... Sunday, May 31 View Page 1233.5 Reiss 05 Sunday, May 31 View Page And the 1299.6 Reiss..... Friday, June 5 View Page Checked them all this morning all ok..no problems to report.. Id again like to thank Ian & Stuart Paton and Martin Reiss for the oppuntity to grow there seeds, infact everyone who donated seeds to the EGVGA..Big up to you all!! Thursday, June 11 View Page The 998 at my bro's house..seems a little small....we shall see.... Thursday, June 11 View Page 1188 Paton.. Thursday, June 11 View Page 998 Bowles.... Thursday, June 11 View Page 1233.5 Reiss... Thursday, June 11 View Page 1286 Wursching.. Thursday, June 11 View Page 1299.6 Reiss... Thursday, June 11 View Page 1341 Baggs... Thursday, June 11 View Page 1457 Paton.... Thursday, June 18 View Page 1188 Paton... Thursday, June 18 View Page 1233.5 Reiss... Thursday, June 18 View Page 1299.6 Reiss... Thursday, June 18 View Page 1341 Baggs... Thursday, June 18 View Page 1457 Paton... Monday, June 29 View Page Starting to really fly now, loving the warm weather.. Monday, June 29 View Page My Favourite, started slow now a front runner.... Monday, June 29 View Page 1286 Wursching,Going great considering it was a back up and a week behind the rest.. Monday, June 29 View Page 1299.6 Reiss by far out the best plant strong, healthy largely down to weather I think.. Monday, June 29 View Page 1341 Baggs..another strong plant.... Monday, June 29 View Page 1457 Paton Going great as well.. Monday, July 6 View Page 1188 Paton 07...really taking off... Monday, July 6 View Page 1233.5 Reiss..was the slowest starter now almost the leader of the pack... Monday, July 6 View Page 1286 Wursching..Is a back up plant, as you can see..has the length but not the width of the others..but still its comming on now. Monday, July 6 View Page 1299.6 Reiss..The other strong runner. this even has females on as well soon to be pollinated..all we need is a bit more sun to bring it on a bit!! Monday, July 6 View Page 1299.6 Reiss..The female to be pollinated soon... Monday, July 6 View Page 1341 Baggs..comming on good as well.... Monday, July 6 View Page 1457 Paton..was the 1st out of the blocks..now slow but steady growth...female on this now too... Tuesday, July 14 View Page 1188 Paton..has female comming... Tuesday, July 14 View Page 1233.5 Reiss 05..nice looking plant..low, smaller leaves on this plant..females on this too.... Tuesday, July 14 View Page 1286 Wursching 08..Still long and thin,strange but still keep stretching out..female on this too.... Tuesday, July 14 View Page 1299.6 Reiss 08...Best of my plants thus far... Tuesday, July 14 View Page 1341 Baggs 08..Another strong plant was a back up..now not far behind the 2 Reiss plants..female comming too.. Tuesday, July 14 View Page 1457 Paton 08..looking ok..no such a fast grower any more but keeps on growing slow and steady..females on main appeared..wont be long.. Tuesday, July 14 View Page 1st pollination 1299.6 Reiss 10ft out selfed.... Wednesday, July 15 View Page 1341 Baggs x 1233.5 Reiss, 5 lobes, 10 ft... Wednesday, July 22 View Page 1188 Paton..still growing fast... Wednesday, July 22 View Page 1233.5 Reiss like this plant nice low/small leafs good for our windy days... Wednesday, July 22 View Page 1286 Wursching..still growing fast...very long and thin this one.. Wednesday, July 22 View Page 1299.6 Reiss..my favourite like this plant very strong healty plant... Wednesday, July 22 View Page 1341 Baggs..Considering it was a back up so week behind..it was very fast out of the blocks nearly as big as the other 4 main plants... Wednesday, July 22 View Page 1457 Paton..the vines and main vine are so thick on this plant.. Wednesday, July 22 View Page I do like the flowers..the pick your own farm keep a few bee hives, they decided to grow alot of ornimental punkins and the honey is very yellow in color this year.. Wednesday, July 22 View Page A summer patch shot... Wednesday, July 22 View Page 1299.6 Reiss 10 Day old shot..not amazing but considering how cold and wet it is being outside im not surprised... Tuesday, July 28 View Page 1188 Paton.... Tuesday, July 28 View Page 1233.5 Reiss Tuesday, July 28 View Page 1286 Wursching.... Tuesday, July 28 View Page 1299.6 Reiss.... Tuesday, July 28 View Page As you can see the makeshift hoop house on the 1299.6 Reiss got pummled by a passing storm.... Tuesday, July 28 View Page 1341 Baggs... Tuesday, July 28 View Page 1457 Paton.... Tuesday, August 11 View Page 1188 Paton... this is filling out great... Tuesday, August 11 View Page 1233.5 Reiss... Tuesday, August 11 View Page 1286 Wursching... Tuesday, August 11 View Page 1299.6 Reiss... Tuesday, August 11 View Page 1341 Baggs... Tuesday, August 11 View Page 1457 Paton.... Friday, August 21 View Page 1233.5 x 1341... Friday, August 21 View Page 1299.6 Reiss Selfed.... Friday, August 21 View Page 1286 x 1457.. Friday, August 21 View Page 1341 x 1188.. Friday, August 21 View Page 1188 x 1299.6.. Friday, August 21 View Page 1188 x Open.... Friday, August 21 View Page 1457 x 1233.5... Friday, August 21 View Page He's my girl.. playing with a baby punkin.. Friday, August 21 View Page Im glad I have finally got a punkin set on each plant..they are all late..but could not get one to take in july it was always raining!!! Wednesday, August 26 View Page 1188 Paton Plant..like this plant.. Wednesday, August 26 View Page 1233.5 Reiss plant..lower smaller leafs..needed at mo as having remains of eastern seaboard hurricane Bill passing through today!!! Wednesday, August 26 View Page 1286 Wursching..had to cull the 1st punkin as stopped growing..but this one starting to swell now.. Wednesday, August 26 View Page 1299.6 Reiss...The punkin in the house is slowing up..dont know why..have another late one going though... Wednesday, August 26 View Page 1341 Baggs...going with this one now as 1st one developed a crack so binned that one. Wednesday, August 26 View Page 1457 Paton..the baby of the bunch..but starting to grow fast now..had a small split on stem..but she ok now.... Friday, September 11 View Page Been a while since last post..this is my 1188 Paton plant..210 OTT= 205lbs..this currently beats my 2008 PB so Im a happy fella..month today is a weigh off..still growing which is good considering the colder nights now...lets hope it holds together! Friday, September 11 View Page 1233.5 Reiss 203 OTT= 187lbs..passed 2008 PB with this too.. Again happy as Larry...still growing.. Friday, September 11 View Page 1286 Wursching 191 OTT= 157lbs equal to my PB from 2008..still growing also.. Friday, September 11 View Page 1341 Baggs 182OTT= 138lbs..still growing also... Friday, September 11 View Page This is a shot of me and a sidevine pumpkin picked from my 1188 Paton about 2 weeks ago..163 on the OTT chart put her at 102lbs..she weighed in at 108lbs!!! The people at Cobbs(where my patch is) want to keep it til Halloween.... Friday, September 11 View Page Next years supply gathering already stated..I have access to a fair few hundred meters of 16mm irrigation piping for next year ..also posts for 1.5 meter chicken wire fencing..even through the winter il have plenty to do..!! Friday, September 18 View Page 1233.5 Reiss x 1341 Baggs OTT=200LBS.. Friday, September 18 View Page 1299.6 REISS X SELF OTT 175 = 124 LBS Friday, September 18 View Page 1286 Wursching x 1457 Paton OTT 202 = 184 lbs..closing in on 200!! Friday, September 18 View Page 1341 Baggs x 1188 Paton OTT 191 = 157 lbs...my 4th Pumpkin to reach my 2008 157lbs PB..well happy with this year.. Friday, September 18 View Page 1457 Paton x Open OTT 143 = 72lbs...4th pollination..all previous 3 have split at the 70-110 lbs stage.. Friday, September 18 View Page This is what happening to them all on the 1457 Paton..This is a section..I cut a previous one open to see if anything was wrong but no..just split upwards about 2 inches out from stem..with multiple splits as well. Stem is fine..strange.. it wieghed in at 92 lbs.. Friday, September 18 View Page Here is the curent one at 72lbs est..and look again..another crack..il get a closer shot..il try and keep it til halloween but doubt it will make it... Friday, September 18 View Page 1188 Paton x 1299.6 Reiss..OTT 225 = 249lbs..this is still growing 3-5 inches each day and has done for the last 10 days straight..not getting hopes up but with the wiegh off not til 10th Oct I may crack 300 lbs which would fantastic!! but we will see... Monday, October 12 View Page Morning of the weigh off..all safely on the pallet!! with some help of my friends..tractor behind to load into truck..Kos could not help but get in the picture..she is very loyal.. Monday, October 12 View Page All safely loaded..no dramas..few..Gary on the left..great pose....thanks again guys and Jane for the precison Tractor driving! Monday, October 12 View Page Upon arrival I am confronted with this..simply awsome site!! 5 pumpkins over a 1000lbs..got to be conteders for grower of the year...way to go Ian and Stuart... Monday, October 12 View Page Theres my pumpkin..waiting....was a bit nervous at this point.. Monday, October 12 View Page Steady as she goes..off to be weighed..it tapes 248OTT= 328lbs... Monday, October 12 View Page WWWAAAHHHHOOOOOOOO!!!! 358lbs...! my 1st official pumpkin.. and 10% heavy so so happy..now the 358 Pocock 09 new PB... Monday, October 12 View Page David Thomas and his Cabbage..a new PB 107lbs well done David...Biggest cabbage I have ever seen..truly a start of the show!! And a top bloke to boot.. Monday, October 12 View Page The winner..Ian and Stuarts 1341... What a pumpkin..and what a day at my 1st wiegh off, met the other great growers as well..big thanks to the lifting crew as well..thanks for a great day!!! Thursday, October 15 View Page Heres my Pumpkin from the from the 1286 Wurshing 08..As you can see its part of the Halloween day at the PYO.. Guess the Weight Competition ..now I know what it taped..and have weighed it so I know how much it weighed..looking forward to the day as it will be good to see the kids with the big pumpkins..roll on the 31st Oct.. Tuesday, October 20 View Page Well here we are a bit late after weigh off..but this is my now 358 Pocock09..A new PB too boot...aaannndd scooped 4th place at XPG...What a day ,great meeting the other growers and thanks to Ian and Stuarts lifting team!!