Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 28 Entries. Sunday, March 29 View Page I�m going to grow two bushel gourd plants this year. This will be my third year growing in the same place and I started to get disease problems last year. I had gummy stem blight very bad by the end of the season. I decided to solarize the soil this spring before planting in it. I did this at my old house about ten years ago and grew my largest AG ever following the solarization. � Friday, May 1 View Page I�m growing a 384 Terry and my 344 Price. I soak them in straight hydrogen peroxide for two days to reduce chance of seed borne disease. This will be the first time ever growing one of my own seeds. � Thursday, June 4 View Page Here�s the 344. This spot isn�t as good due to being closer to trees. Their roots come into this spot stealing water and nutrients and also shading it. � Friday, July 10 View Page 384 near and 344 far. The 384 is much bigger so far. I have 8 pollinations that took on it. All of them are on side vines at the first leaf junction. Still waiting for a pollination on the 344. � Friday, July 17 View Page Here is the keeper on the 384 on day 10. Pollinated on 7/7 and crossed it with my 344. It is the only 4 lober which is why I went with it. All 8 pollinations on this plant had this same terrible shape with a long neck which I�m not happy about. I don�t have high hopes for this one. � Tuesday, July 21 View Page Problems with the 384 stump. Treated with fungicide but keeps oozing. � Tuesday, July 21 View Page I finally got a set on the 344. It�s a 3 lober and crossed with the 384. � Tuesday, July 21 View Page Here�s any early leaf problem I had on the 344. I don�t know what it was. I sprayed fungicide and that seems to have stopped the spread. � Thursday, July 23 View Page Day 16 on the 384 � Thursday, July 23 View Page I decided to take a measurement. Day 16 on the 384 not including the neck of the gourd. 44 in circumference. � Thursday, July 23 View Page Day 8 (I think) for the set on the 344. This one has a good shape. � Monday, July 27 View Page Day 12 on the 344. Main vine was terminated a few days ago and only a few secondaries still growing. � Monday, July 27 View Page Day 20 on the 384. Measurements are 56+42+41= 139 OTT Estimated weight of 78 lbs It�s difficult to get a good measurement with the long snout. � Tuesday, July 28 View Page Current shot of the patch all filled in. � Tuesday, August 4 View Page Day 20 for the bushel gourd growing on the 344 plant. 63cc 44. 45= 152 OTT Something is wrong with the gourd on the 384. The growth has slowed to a crawl. � Friday, August 14 View Page Day 30 for the 344. 81 57 58=196ott � Friday, August 14 View Page Day 38 for the 344. 79 58 60=. 197ott This one has slowed way down. It has kept the same funny shape. I thought it might fill out the long neck section but hasn�t. � Monday, August 24 View Page Day 40 for the 344. 91 63 67= 221ott � Monday, August 24 View Page I think I found the issue. We were on vacation last week and I came home to a heavy gummy stem blight infestation. I have been spraying fungicide and used two different granular systemic fungicides throughout the season. I don�t know what else to do. � Monday, August 24 View Page Day 48 for the 384 86 61 64= 211 OTT � Monday, August 24 View Page Even new growth from sucker vines have gummy stem damage. � Thursday, September 3 View Page With the State Fair cancelled and no chance at a PB this year I gave up on the gummy stem blight fight and let them go for a few weeks. The GSB started to migrate to the gourd so I decided to have a weigh-off tonight. � Thursday, September 3 View Page Today was day 50. We�ll call it the 295 Price UOW. It is a 344 Price x 385 Terry. Final measurements were 97 68 71= 236 OTT. The estimated weight was 308 so it went a little light. � Thursday, September 3 View Page Not the year I had hoped for but since there was no local weigh-off this year, this was a good year to have a bad year. I�m disappointed that the solarization didn�t work better to control the gsb. I�ll be looking for better ways to control it next year. I will weigh the other gourd in the next few days and clean out the patch. � Saturday, September 5 View Page I weighed in the gourd on the 384 today. Today was day 30. There was no damageFrom gummy stand light on this fruit and it would�ve made it to the fair easily. � Saturday, September 5 View Page Correction to previous post. Today was day 60 for the gourd on the 384. � Saturday, September 5 View Page 266 Price UOW 384 Terry x 344 Price � Saturday, September 5 View Page The long neck never did get absorbed. When I cut it up, that part was solid and heavy. Seeds have been harvested from both gourds and I�ll begin patch prep for next year. �