Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 66 Entries. Saturday, April 20 View Page Don't know if I should launch the boat or consider hydroponics. Hopefully things will dry out soon. Saturday, April 20 View Page Heres this years line up. 1. 2009 Wallace 2. 1623.5 Wallace 3. 1756 Lancaster 4.1267 Sikorski Wednesday, May 15 View Page Been a tumultuous start to the season. Started with germinating issues. Using paper towel/baggy method the 1756 Lancaster failed to germ. The 2009 Wallace took almost 14 days to germinate. I had all but given up. Big thank you goes out to Gary Gantner who was generous enough to donate his 1756 Lancaster and a 1789 Wallace. With freezing overnight lows 5/10-12 I opted to leave plants in the house in 5 gallon buckets. Planted on 5/13. Place bucket in trench, slipped out the bottom lid, than filled in around the bucket before pulling it straight up. Minimal disruption to plant. Wednesday, May 15 View Page Looking southwesterly it is the 1267 Sikorski in the foreground. Than moving clockwise it is the 1756 Lancaster, than the 2009 Wallace. Than we have the 1789 Wallace, and finally the 1623 Wallace. Wednesday, May 15 View Page Freak storm came through late last evening. Narrow band carrying winds up to 70 MPH. Came home to find the cold frame for the Sikorski torn apart with pieces scattered about the yard. The rebar that was supposed to hold it in place was bent and twisted. One is still MIA. Plastic covering the 1623 Wallace was completely ripped off. Stakes for the silt fencing were busted like twigs. Both plants being left open to the brunt of the storm. Imagine my surprise when I found both plants no worse for the wear. I am declaring it a miracle Wednesday, May 15 View Page After three hours I have the patch back together. Heres the Sikorski in the reassembled and reinforced cold frame. Friday, June 7 View Page Cut down another willow. Up to an extra hour of sunlight to most plants. Friday, June 7 View Page Been extremely slow growing thus far. Pictured is the 1756 Lancaster. Brewing my first tea brew. Will drench later today.Using extreme tea brews as that's what came in the kit. Saturday, June 22 View Page Continue to lag far behind. This is the 1756 Lancaster now at about 10 feet. First female at 8.5 Saturday, June 22 View Page 1789 Wallace at about seven feet. Rest of plants at about 5-6 feet. Painfully slow going, though they all look pretty healthy. Two inches plus of rainfall overnight and now high temps will hopefully kick all into high gear. Sprayed for the first time this year. Eagle 20 and Sevin. Monday, June 24 View Page Just noticed these ridges on several leaf stems on just one plant. Some leafs have none and others have less developed ridges. More developed leaves have the most pronounced ridges. Monday, June 24 View Page Another view of stem with ridges. Tuesday, July 2 View Page First pollination this am on 1789. 1756 Lancaster is best plant but looks like more issues probably due to high nitrogen. First female on main withered. Wednesday, July 3 View Page Interesting to note that I have no bees coming around. Also have zero cuke beetles or svb. Friday, July 5 View Page Pollinated 1756 Lancaster x 1789 Wallace at 13ft. Monday, July 8 View Page Pollinated 1623 Wallace x 2009 Wallace at 10'. Also 1789 Wallace x 2009 Wallace at 12'. Tuesday, July 9 View Page Pollinated the 1267 Sikorski at 10' and the 1756 Lancaster at 15' plus a side vine. Also the 2009 Wallace at 10'. Used the 2009 Wallace as pollinator on all of them. Foilar sprayed with eagle 20 and sevin. Compost tea drench thrown in also. Thursday, July 11 View Page 1789 Wallace Pollinated at 14 feet by 1756 Lancaster Saturday, July 13 View Page 1267 sikorski at 13 feet x 2009 wallace Sunday, July 14 View Page Pollinated this funny looking female on the 2009 Wallace at 13 feet. No real yellow flower when it opened. Is it viable? Monday, July 15 View Page Pollinated 1789 at 17'. Insurance, have two others on main that are ok so far. Tuesday, July 16 View Page Main vine split a foot past the stump. Powdered with Captan and put a fan over it. Anything else I can do for it? Wednesday, July 17 View Page Pollinate the 1267 at 15 feet. 1756 Lancaster with more issues. It now has a clear gelatinous gel showing up from stump to just past the splits. Scraped and powdered. What to do? Thursday, July 18 View Page pollinated 2009 at 16 feet x 1756 Lancaster Monday, July 22 View Page 1756 Lancaster DAP 17 = 48" circ. Cut the stump off along with first two rows of secondary's on the 20th. 1623 14 DAP = 47.5 " Monday, July 29 View Page This is the kin on the 2009 Wallace. Pollinated on the 18th, it's just getting going. But with a healthy plant and long stem I am hoping this one will be a " Late Bloomer" Monday, August 5 View Page Kins on All five plants are doing slow to steady growth. Friday, August 9 View Page 1267 Sikorski doing well. Sunday, August 11 View Page 1789 put on 39#. PB for one day gain Saturday, August 17 View Page 1789 Wallace second heaviest Saturday, August 17 View Page Ok, this is the 1789 Wallace. Above is the 1267 Sikorski which is currently the heaviest. Not shown and coming on at a furious pace is the 2009 Wallace. Sunday, August 18 View Page I am going to use this for a lifting ring. Sunday, August 18 View Page 2009 Wallace making up ground fast. One day gain 53 lbs. New personal best. Thursday, August 22 View Page Sikorski going strong, DAP 40 taping 311". Still the largest in the patch but perhaps not for long. 2009 Wallace maintaining furious bid to overtake the pole at just 35 DAP. Meanwhile 1789 plodding along at 300". 1623 falling off the pace at 290". Bringing up the rear is the 1756 sans stump. Thursday, August 22 View Page First attempt at watermelon DAP about 35-37 is 145". Is that ok? Thursday, August 22 View Page Sikorski earlier this week. Still have some secondaries growing on him and the others. Maybe I should terminate them now? Friday, August 23 View Page 1789 now making a charge. 2009 Wallace....plant looking very robust for end of august. Sikorski plant looking good as well. Saturday, August 24 View Page Plus 152 lb.s in 4 days not to shabby eh? Monday, August 26 View Page Three way race for the patch lead with Sikorski still in the lead. 1789 Wallace has narrowed the lead. The 2009 Wallace however continues its meteoric rise to the top, gaining 120 lb.s on the Pole in just the last nine days. I am now projecting the 2009 to take the patch lead before Sept. 2nd. Tuesday, August 27 View Page 1789 Wallace. Lots of lumps and bumps Tuesday, August 27 View Page 2009 Wallace day 40, likes the heat. 97 lbs in last two days. Tuesday, August 27 View Page Sikorsi answering the Wallaces with a charge of her own. Wednesday, August 28 View Page 2009 Wallace not slowing down, should pass the 1789 by Friday. Digging a hole under the 1267 Sikorski. Thursday, August 29 View Page Beast from the east on fire. Has now overtaken the 1789 for second place in the patch. Meanwhile 1267 Sikorski doing 30 plus a day but losing ground to the 2009 Friday, August 30 View Page Son of Champ continuing at full throttle. Allotted space filled in, with main still allowed to go. Stump solid, leaves looking young and vibrant. No stem issues at present, but with average daily cc gains of 4" I am trying to keep up with the slack. The stumpless Lancaster had a soft spot on top of stem this am. Scraped and Captanized. 1623 been the big disappointment so far. Still plodding along with modest gains. 1267 Sikorski, still has a few secondaries going. Undecided over just letting them continue. Sunday, September 1 View Page After two days away, I was anxious to check the patch for progress/damage. Relieve to find all is well. In fact it is now a three way race for the patch lead. The Beast from the east however, continues to surge to the top. Now only one inch behind the pole leading 1267 Sikorski. 1789 Wallace staying close. Sunday, September 1 View Page Like Christmas in Sept. First I finally "catch up" with an old pal, than comes the rain. Monday, September 2 View Page Last ten days of August saw the 2009 put on 410 lbs. She has now pulled into a tie with the 1267 Sikorski for the patch lead. Tuesday, September 3 View Page And the 1267 Sikorski retakes the lead back from the 2009 Wallace. Both making excellent daily gains for any month. Thursday, September 5 View Page Stump of the 2009. Average daily gains for first five days of sept in the thirties. Thursday, September 5 View Page Secondary of the beast. She's demanding more food....I gotta gooooooooo Saturday, September 7 View Page 1789 Wallace. Certainly not the prettiest. Apparently the sun has been able to get thru the sheet covering it, as I have not left the sheet off more than a few minutes a day. Saturday, September 7 View Page Low and wide, but looks like she is starting to rise up Saturday, September 7 View Page 1267 Sikorski Tuesday, September 10 View Page And as they make the far turn...... it's the Beast from the East in the patch lead by two lengths and starting to pull away from the pack. Beast up 325# first ten days of September. Thursday, September 12 View Page I think we are gonna need a bigger trailer. Friday, September 20 View Page Two for Cedarburg. Friday, September 20 View Page Two for Cedarburg. Don't know why it came thru upside down? Friday, September 20 View Page Loading day Saturday, September 28 View Page Loading the 1789. It's wider than I thought. Had to enlarge pallet and raise it above sides of trailer. Saturday, September 28 View Page Well Ok I think I figured out the problem with the pics. All the sideways and upside down pics were taken with my phone. When I download them they appear upright on pc and on other sites I post on. But for some reason on this site they get posted probably the way I held the phone. Saturday, September 28 View Page [URL=http://s22.photobucket.com/user/dabowhunter/media/1789loading_zps0f4fecb5.jpg.html][IMG]http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b304/dabowhunter/1789loading_zps0f4fecb5.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Saturday, September 28 View Page Not being one to give up Sunday, September 29 View Page Got my first 1000 lber today. 1789 Wallace is now the 1077 Gorichanaz. Oh, and also won for the "Ugliest Pumpkin". In other news...my watermelon still growing strong. Up 49 lbs. for the month of September. Thursday, October 31 View Page 2013 Summary. 1756 Lancaster = 669 Gorichanaz 1267 Sikorski = 990 Gorichanaz 1789 Wallace = 1077 Gorichanaz 2009 Wallace = 1127 Gorichanaz 1623 Wallace = 853est Gorichanaz The 853est was not damaged. I just was not able to get her to a weigh off. Pic is of the 1127 that came in light. Relatively thin walls and concave bottom will do that I recon. Thursday, October 31 View Page 853 Gorichanaz (1623Wallace x 2009Wallace)