Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 49 Entries. Tuesday, May 6 View Page The next state champ as a young fella two weeks ago.lol Friday, May 9 View Page 519.5 Veader on May 8th, two nights of low thirties to sweat out the week. Friday, May 9 View Page Our crazy rhubarb plant, already huge. soil must be ok. Sunday, May 11 View Page Forcast last night was for mid twenties, so I put a sixty watt light under container. I woke up and checked my 519 Veader not knowing if I burned it or if it didn't warm it enough. To the contrary it had its best growing spurt since I put it in the ground. Sunday, May 18 View Page I had five interesting things happen today, first I found my rain guage fairy drinkin on the job again. Sunday, May 18 View Page I found this magnificant flower behind the neighbors place. Sunday, May 18 View Page I decided to measure a rhubarb leaf, ok everyone excited yet! Sunday, May 18 View Page I dug this hole for no particuler reason Sunday, May 18 View Page Then I thought I would end this eventful day by breaking in my new drill press. Thursday, May 22 View Page eighteen days in the ground and the 519.5 Veader liking it here in Colorado. Friday, May 23 View Page love evening shots Friday, May 23 View Page The other thing I like to do. Monday, May 26 View Page Been one day since first tea bath, I think the cool weather is slowing it down, but the main is coming in for a landing. Wednesday, May 28 View Page The very beginings of my prototype tea brewer. The HPB 3000. Wednesday, May 28 View Page Hope the captions match the photo's, screwing around I sprayed the rhubarb with compost tea. It should be featured in a horror film. Wednesday, May 28 View Page The main is trying to find ground,but pesky leaf stem in the way. Wednesday, May 28 View Page Sample door for my next cabinet job, Shaker style, mahogony and aspen Saturday, May 31 View Page Spot the vine and the rain gauge fairy, five more hours to foliar spray. Tuesday, June 3 View Page I thought it was time to photograph my huge patch, It will be bigger after I go postal on our backyard habitat. Getting Rose prepared one step at a time. he Friday, June 6 View Page I guess all us new comers get fired up about the first flower, but I had to add it to my diary anyway. Friday, June 6 View Page I Might as well give kudo's to the whole plant as it is one month earthbound in two days. Monday, June 9 View Page I lost my glasses just before I took this shot Tuesday, June 10 View Page The Veader enjoying the cool night air after a toasty day.Some 5-10-5 plus fish and seaweed tomorrow. Friday, June 13 View Page Now that the mining is done for the day, back to pumpkins. Friday, June 13 View Page My secondaries are there but have yet to emerge for photo. This pic is for my benefit as I find its a good way to keep a journal. Some granular 5-10-5 organic plus foliar and drench with Humic,Kelp,fish emultion,vermacompost,molassis and apple juice this morning. need five more feet on main in twenty days. lack of morning sun has me a foot short of where I should be, Note to self. Raze neighbors garage tomorrow. Sunday, June 15 View Page some kind of lilly,we have been here three years and these have never bloomed. The plant looks the same as our Iris's Wednesday, June 18 View Page plant is slow to throw secondaries, I just needed to add pic for reference, main just 5-1/2 ft, need to get er done Wednesday, June 18 View Page Rose bush Wednesday, June 25 View Page This flower out another four feet would be a winner, I need a five lober in my small patch. I'm hoping for another. Wednesday, June 25 View Page just to show the 519.5 Veader has some place to go. Wednesday, June 25 View Page Ok I know I'm falling behind the big dogs but I still want the visual record for referance. Surpassed 100 inches overall and main sits at 7'4, I checked the Beauchimin video and I'm just a foot or so behind at june 25 from his 1314 so not too concerned. Tuesday, July 1 View Page I was hoping for more the first day of pollination month. I still need the pic for reference. I sure hope my secondaries get some footing before the pumpkin takes all the energy from the plant. Saturday, July 12 View Page Last pollination for me, 519.5 Veader x 695 Handy at ten feet. too late to hope to be farther out, so we'll see. Friday, July 18 View Page Ok, so where to start, the selfed fruit on the 519.5 Veader thats out 8 Ft will be over 16 circ when I wake up day 11. However it looks like it was machined just as round as could be. The 695 Handy cross at 10 ft is looking like a dud and that was going to be my keeper. Another female opens tomorrow and will be selfed at 12 ft just to see how it does. The one at 8 ft could win the Howard Dill award if it gets good color and keeps it shape. I won't win anything for size this year but I'm having fun. Friday, July 18 View Page What was that cross again Chuck? Actually its my prototype secondary destroyer, SD 3000 complete with camoflauge I'm about done with the testing. I'll be heading up to Littleton tomorrow. Friday, July 18 View Page Like me its not large but perfectly formed. Friday, July 25 View Page I'll try to remember without my log. 7/5 selfed at 8 ft, result 20" circ and abort. 7/12 cross with 695 Handy at 10 ft result tennis ball and abort. 7/18 selfed at 12 ft tennis ball, not sure,but not optimistic, 7/22 selfed at 13'6, I think this one took and will be fine. every female has been a five lober. Sunday, July 27 View Page I have this secondary plugged into the fruit stem,I don't know if it will act like fuel injection or a hole in the gas line. Anyone have this before? Sunday, July 27 View Page I'll try this again, It's been several hours since I posted this photo and it hasn't shown up yet. excuse me if this ends up here twice. It shows a secondary growing out the fruit stem. Will this feed energy to pumpkin or take from it? Thanks for any response. Monday, July 28 View Page ok I tried twice to submit to diary with photo. just checking if photo was the problem Monday, July 28 View Page ok, that answers that. Just a pumpkin photo I don't know why it would be over twelve hours and not be approved. Monday, July 28 View Page third attempt, secondary growing out of fruit stem. Tuesday, July 29 View Page I will try this again, Photo shows secondary growing out of fruit stem. Any thoughts on this feeding or draining energy to the pumpkin Friday, August 1 View Page August 1st and way behind most growers which is to be expected as a rookie. My only fruit turned ten days old and is 19 1/4" will be over 20" by the end of the day. Main terminated at 20 ft. secondaries need another week before termination. trying to keep fruit cool temps in the mid 90's and an abort ends my season. Tuesday, August 5 View Page Ok so its day 13 and the 519.5 Veader, AKA Missy Dew is at 28" circumference. Living on the edge, she aborts and its all over but the cryin. Monday, August 11 View Page Day 20 for the 519.5 Veader and its just on the chart. 37-29.5-28.5, 95 ott 25 lbs. The plant is small, due to lack of sun where it is located I believe. after doing the math I still have hopes of getting to over 300. I just hope they don't put mine next to the Madmans pumpkins,lol Friday, August 22 View Page Ok, I can forget about benchmarks at this point. End of day 30. 52cc,41ss,40-1/2sb. Just like its mom, almost a perfect orb, not a contender for weight however. I'm happy with the seed regardless Chuck. 60 lbs with five weeks left. All growth issues are self imposed. If sept is warm and it weighs heavy I hope to get 200+. I'll be ok with that as a first year guy. Monday, August 25 View Page 519.5 Veader, 58-45-44 ott of 147 or 77-1/2lbs with 39 days left.I hope it averages at least the 5 pounds a day it has been growing for a couple more weeks before the shorter days start to slow it down. 200+ still in reach I believe. Saturday, August 30 View Page Reached my revised goal of hitting 100lbs before september. 65circ-48-1/2ss-48sb or 161-1/2 ott. quite round.