Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 32 Entries. Friday, January 11 View Page Well, after browsing the dairies for a couple of years I have purchased a digital camera and decided to run a diary myself. Last years PB was 167 pounds, a whole 122 pounds bigger than 2006. So I must be doing something right! All the best for 2008. Tuesday, April 15 View Page Well I just broke my 3rd didgital camera so cannot take any pictures at the mo, but the plot for the pumpkin is nearing ready. Just wheel barrowing the last of the tonne of Dandy's soil manue mix into place and a few extra bags of farmer's manue for good measure : 0 ) Thanks to Ian Paton for the seeds this season, I am going for his 1124 & 1188 fingers crossed they germinate, should know in a few days. Friday, April 25 View Page Well we are away...out of the two seeds selected for this season (Paton 1188 & 1124) only the 1188 germinated and is now in the ground. luckily I have another paton seed 1002 that has germinated sucessfully as a backup.. Wednesday, April 30 View Page Well 5 days have gone by now and the 1188 is not moving much...I think I will need to bring in a heater to see how it reacts.. The backup up plant the Paton 1002 (still in pot) is a cracking plant totally unmarked with large leafs and is growing rapidly. It quite be possible to be my primary plant.... Wednesday, April 30 View Page Well 5 days have gone by now and the 1188 is not moving much...I think I will need to bring in a heater to see how it reacts.. The backup up plant the Paton 1002 (still in pot) is a cracking plant totally unmarked with large leafs and is growing rapidly. It is quite possible this might turn out to be my primary plant.... Thursday, May 1 View Page Well that's put paid to that!!! Got home and checked on how the 1188 was doing, to find the fleece poly tunnel was completley destroyed and the plant had been destroyed beyond recognition!! It turns out my black labrador had taken a fancy to it.. Well that's two decisions made 1) it's the paton 1002 as my plant this year 2) The dog's going to the the vet 'snip' snip' :0) Tuesday, May 6 View Page After the debacle of my dog destroying my 1188 and fleece tunnel a few days ago... The Backup, Paton 1002 seems to be thriving in the small plastic grrenhouse I bought from Homebase (dog proof) temps in the day are averaging around 80F and in the evening I have got a small parafin heater going.. Going to start adding a small amount of nitrogen weekly to encourage it along... Wednesday, May 7 View Page Got a new digi camera now after I broke my third! one. Picture is of last year's plot. Hard to think I grew 167lb pumpkin from what is really 10ft x 3ft. In the end I had it trailing back on itself before I grew my PB off a side vine. Decided never to trail it back on itself again too many splits in the main vine Wednesday, May 7 View Page This is this year's new Plot. It's a bit triangular shaped, about 3ft across at the apex and 5ft at the base. The whole length is about 16ft, so no trailing back this year! Wednesday, May 7 View Page And here is this year's pride and joy a very nice Paton 1002. I have high hopes of beating last year's PB..but time will only tell.. Hope the weather holds up this year.. Saturday, May 31 View Page Time for an update. After the disaster of the dog destroying my paton 1188 my backup 1002 was doing nicely and I had high hopes this was going to kick on and be a great plant.. Unfortunately I checked the plant one morning to see that the cots had turned a yellow whitish color as had two of the established leaves (only a few weeks old) I came to the conclusion that I either burnt the leaves with tomato rite or poisoned it with the parafin heater as it was enclosed with no ventilation : 0( I let it carry on for a liitle while longer to see if it would recover. The plant itself did not die but seemed to be stunted and never bloomed, so the decision was to cull it..... After sending an SOS for some more seeds which were orignally for my friend and a purchase on P&P we are back up and running (thanks to Tango(Phil) for the seeds The picture below is of 562 Christenson '06 which is a 1101 Northrop x 1233 Reiss. I am now a month behind where I wanted to be be this season but only 3 days from last year.. Friday, June 13 View Page Time for a quick update. well 13 days have past since the plant went into the ground,last week's temps have been good and summer is slowly coming. It still in it's house but I still feel it's not growing as fast as I would like..or am I being impatient. Is there a feed I could use to improve the growth ?? welcome any suggestions.. Wednesday, July 2 View Page Latest pics, running way behind this year. Still, growth is picking up just can see the vine poking it's head up at the top... Wednesday, July 2 View Page Another pic. Tuesday, July 15 View Page Trailing nicely now @6ft, no sign of any females yet but plenty of males. Friday, July 18 View Page Oh, where is the sunshine!!! Growing at a steady pace about 3-4 inches a day...Massive leaves on this plant and is looking nice and healthy.. Last year's PB of 167lb's was pollinated on the 25th July and was on a split side, so I am still hopeful. If I do go beyond that date this plant is by far superior in everyway than last year's...fingers crossed for a successful pollination and hopefully catch up... Friday, July 18 View Page Wrong picture above for the 18th. This is the latest pic. Tuesday, July 29 View Page After a disastrous start to the season I have got a decent looking plant, albeit not a pollinated one but we are getting close... Tuesday, July 29 View Page Here is the first one up for pollination..It's about 12ft out and will be a few more days away..Just hope there's a few males around to do the deed... If I miss my slot I have some potentials on the side coming as well further up the main.. This year ther is not a split in sight :0) But time is ticking!!!! Tuesday, July 29 View Page This is the one I grew last year....kindly helped by my daughter Isobel. Weighed in a few weeks after this picture at 167lb... Not gigantic by some but I was chuffed only the second year growing them on what was a 10ft x 3.5ft plot. It was split on nearly every vine as I tried to contain it until eventuallly I had to let a side vine run out onto the garden...This one was pollinated on the 25th July. Thursday, August 21 View Page Well, here we are 21st August! and not one pumpkin set... Got two pollinated a few days back one on the main and side but I do not think they will come to anything. The plant this year (at least 7 weeks late) was perfect,nice thick vine,huge lush green leafs really healthy. The plant is now about 22ft long and just waiting on another female that's about to flower in the next couple of days....so here's hoping. Just need one to set just to have one for Halloween or I will be dissapointing a little one, cannot have that can we..! Having had a disastrous start to the season, I have learnt plenty. Going to have a cover over it next year that's for sure, our weather is not worth diddly squat! Had one last year for a long period before letting it run over the garden and grew my 167..also going for a lot more organic matter....and finally let it establish itself a little longer indoors before acclimatizing it to it's final resting place.....Oh, just remembered start earlier and have a couple of backups! ready .... Hopefully I will be able to post more updates as the season comes to the end...fingers crossed eh! I have one eye on next season already..:0) Thursday, August 28 View Page Well, at last!!! I think I have got a keeper...Day 12 15" You can just see it and it's mini me in the foreground Thursday, August 28 View Page Here's a closer shot.... Sunday, August 31 View Page Well she still growing,considering the conditions. I am being a bit experimental considering how very,very late I am this year, I am putting just a small dusting of sulphate of Potash down around each anchor point every couple of days..... 24" @ day 16 Monday, September 8 View Page Pumpkin growing steady averaging between 1.5-2" a day not bad I considering the cold weather... Put a plastic tent over it to keep it dry...Had a bit of tem rot but I think I have cured it..nice shape.. Monday, September 8 View Page Another shot of it it just over 35" @ day 23 At least i will have a showing for halloween.. Tuesday, September 16 View Page Now a month since pollination, @50" Tuesday, September 16 View Page Another shot.... Wednesday, September 24 View Page Still growing!!! 1" a day now, but still going..... Wednesday, September 24 View Page 165 OTT = 105lb's Wednesday, September 24 View Page another shot, showing signs of ribs... Thursday, October 30 View Page well I left it to the last day before Halloween, and it weighed in at 125lb's not bad considering it was pollinated at the back end of August... At least me and the family can have fun carving.. Next season I am going to build a cover and go early with heaters.....I am determined to go to the XPG with a decent pumpkin..... All the best see you in the new year..