Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 134 Entries. Saturday, January 1 View Page Is this 1984 or 2011...? I have been saving these bluegills for the patch 27 years so happy new year! Saturday, January 1 View Page First Smallie of 2011... had to start the year right! Monday, January 3 View Page Here's some amendments I will be adding soon. My soil analysis results were pretty poor, but hopefully this will help. Thanks again Tom P and Glen. After this is tilled in, I plan on adding some river bottom soil mixed with compost and aged manure. I was also going to see if I could get Brooks to stop by for 16 hours... Thursday, January 6 View Page Finished building a compost bin tonight at the request of my wife... but it will benefit me more in the long run. Tuesday, January 11 View Page Just calculated how much drip tape I would need for a 20' by 50' patch at 18" apart and I came up with 666.666 feet....great. Looks like I will make it 21 by 50. Friday, January 14 View Page With the ground solid as concrete and covered with white stuff, I saw what others have done to cope with the cabin fever like Dale M. I can't build benches that nice, but I have been making some redneck minnow traps out of an inverted 2 liter into another 2 liter or old plastic whiskey bottle. Friday, January 14 View Page And it works too... Thursday, January 20 View Page Here's the tip of the patch today after 7 inches of snow. I added a 50,000 pound ash tree as my first amendment... no tilling required. Friday, January 28 View Page For Glenn, Dale, Wayne and my other fellow fisherman on here. It's a pretty fun area this time of the year being spring fed so it never freezes. Hope everyone has a good weekend. Monday, February 7 View Page Spent some time on a ski trip in Colorado this past week, and the wife and myself too a side trip to look around in the "true" home of the Wiz. Tuesday, February 8 View Page Gonna need dates for local weigh offs in Missouri, Kentucky and Illinois as a minor conflict in schedule has come up. We have our first Smallmouth Jr due on September 26th. I hope to participate in the one furthest after the due date. Saturday, February 19 View Page My wife thinks I am a stooge for growing and terminating pumpkin plants all winter for practice. I just tell her to wait till October when we are cruising down Main Street of Kirkwood, Missouri with a 500 pounder in the back of the truck with women fainting and little kids asking for my autograph. Here's another 1161 Rodonis for practice. Saturday, February 26 View Page Spring is around the corner so let the redneck games begin... and pumpkins to follow. Thursday, March 10 View Page I decided on another of the 3 plants I'll be growing this year... 513.5 Vincent 2010 = 1059 Vincent\McGill X 1161 Rodonis Can't wait! Sunday, March 13 View Page Finally created my patch today. Tilled in some smashed dolomitic limestone, potash and phosphorous. Many more amendments to follow. Saturday, March 19 View Page Here is 2 of 10 yards I plan on adding over the next couple weeks (2 is enough for my back today). The place I bought this from gives guaranteed analysis on everything they sell. It costs a little more, but well worth it. Tuesday, March 22 View Page Got another 2 yards of compost and some amendments tilled in tonight including blood meal. I'm not sure how that stuff is derived, but it must include Limburger cheese. Saturday, March 26 View Page Meet my friend Otter. He makes the squirrels sleep with the fishes. Sunday, March 27 View Page Never have had snow like this in March. Wow... should be melted by Monday I hope. Saturday, April 2 View Page Weather is perfect here today.... till the last 3 yards of compost or go wading for Smallies all day?? Start date for growing is less then 2 weeks, but fish are really starting to move and feed at the shallows? Sleep in a bed after a full day of being productive or sleep with the sound of flowing water and Spring Peepers? River here I come! Sunday, April 3 View Page Got home from camping and the temps reached 90 degress today (it snowed last Saturday), so I added a couple more yards of compost\dirt and retilled the patch. I got all ~1200 square feet outlined in brick too. I think I am close to done in just 3 weeks. As you can see, I am planting close to trees so the hardest part was breaking through all the roots which had to be done by hand. Looks good, but not sure what's in it now. Soil test will be sent this week. Tuesday, April 5 View Page Took a half day at work to build my 3 cold frames. If anyone wants instructions on how to build these, just shoot me an email. Tuesday, April 5 View Page Took a half day at work to build my 3 cold frames. If anyone wants instructions on how to build these, just shoot me an email. Saturday, April 9 View Page I have gotten many emails about my cold structures and how I trained my pup to gaurd them. Here is Tito at 5 months old back in 2003 boot camp. Tuesday, April 12 View Page Built some disposable cold frames inbetween working on the nursery. North Shore, you scared yet? Friday, April 15 View Page After a thorough side by side analysis of the Shazzy Dome (on left developed by NASA) and the Smallmouth Dome (on right developed by 3 drunk chimpanzees), it was decided a few minor tweaks will be made before any plants see soil. Saturday, April 16 View Page 1548 Marsh, 1101 Marshall, and 1059 Vincent\McGill filed and in Smallmouth germination chamber. Thursday, April 21 View Page Here's my 1059 aka Franco Columbo plant looking all stocky 1 day after germination. Thursday, April 21 View Page Last patch shot, just wanted to show why I was so concerned about limited light... Sunday, April 24 View Page Plants are going in the garden a few days later. We had a couple tornados touch down 5 miles north of me leveling entire neighborhoods and closing down\damaging the StL airport. They are calling it a miracle nobody was killed. Not sure if the Smallmouth Dome would have held up to the golf ball size hail either. Check out this security video from in the airport: http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/vmix_c7002756-6e0b-11e0-8cd2-001a4bcf6878.html Wednesday, April 27 View Page 1059 on left, 1165 Marsh in middle (late start) and 1101 Marshall on right sitting under full spectrum Fluorescent lights. Friday, April 29 View Page Pulling double duty watching the 1165 while the 1059 and 1101 are planted and ready for takeoff in the background. Coldframes pulled and not needed unless a potential for hail. Monday, May 2 View Page Not sure what is going on here. Any ideas on the nubs and why so yellow? Wednesday, May 4 View Page Just found out this morning, Smallmouth Jr is officially a boy and healthy. Wednesday, May 4 View Page With the abnormally cold weather, the plants are stalling... at least in the leaves. This is my most stout plant and only 11 days old. It's the 1101 Marshall (1483 x 1544), and almost the width of a dime. Sunday, May 8 View Page Wayne is always asking if I caught any big fish recently, this hauss took me 45 minutes to reel in. Friday, May 13 View Page Here is an interesting read about the emergence of the 13 year Cicada in the coming weeks as opposed to the annual Cicada. Apparently these are much louder and worse for trees and plants... http://www.stltoday.com/news/science/article_2d734fd1-74b3-5b6e-a644-fc22d4f29d9c.html Tuesday, May 17 View Page See entry above about the 13 year Cicada. I found about 30 of these in my patch tonight after I tilled in some ammonium sulfate. Cool shot, but hope I they don't hurt my plants. Tuesday, May 17 View Page Here's my best plant in the 1101 or strongest. Look at that first true leaf, I treated her well... what a beaut! Saturday, May 21 View Page The Great Southern Brood has arrived, haven't seen you since '98. The 1059 did not seem to mind... Saturday, May 21 View Page More pics of some typical 13 year old punks. The bottom of my boots look like a Cicada smörgåsbord... see you again in 2024. Monday, May 23 View Page Had a terrible storm come through last, all is safe, but wish the best for the people in Southern Missouri. Already 89 people dead in Joplin and many still missing after a twister went through. Humbling events like this put perspective on what is and isn't truly important. Friday, May 27 View Page 1059 (The Looker) and the 1101 (The Beef) are down and running along. My 1165 is in the corner of the patch, and due to a late start got the shaft. Because of the great genes, it will be used for pollination purposes and growing multiple carving kins to give to family. On a positive note, after a depressing week here in Mo, headed to the Lake of the Ozarks for some boating and fishing. Stripers, Bucketmouths and Crappie beware... Monday, May 30 View Page My Alaskan state record plant chugging along at almost 4 feet. Monday, May 30 View Page Came across this at Lake of the Ozarks this weekend. Never have I seen a Mizzou, Iowa, US and Canadian flag on one boat. Must have been a BP booze cruise. Sunday, June 5 View Page Went wade fishing and caught this little guy. Many people mistake these as Largemouth, but it's really a Kentucky Spotted bass which is a big nuissance species in streams all throughout the Ozarks. They are small, but caught by the hundreds in just a mile. Fortunately for him, he did not become patch fertilizer. Sunday, June 5 View Page Patch shot, not doing so bad with roughly 6 hours of sunlight a day right now. I think the dense underbrush saved the plants a few times when the same storms moved through that tore up the SW part of the state. Sunday, June 5 View Page Patch shot, not doing so bad with roughly 6 hours of sunlight a day right now. I think the dense underbrush saved the plants a few times when the same storms moved through that tore up the SW part of the state. Sunday, June 5 View Page To clarify for the last post, the patch only receives 6 hours of direct light a day now. It does get a little filtered light after 2pm. Monday, June 6 View Page To go off West of the Blue Ridge's post a while back, I found this huge brown recluse in a small outbuilding in back (notice the fiddle on the back). I was going to trap him and get a pic wearing the RMGVG shirt on the left and then I thought of Bill Engvall's famous quote from Blue Collar Commedy... Here's your sign! Sorry Wiz, but no pic of the recluse posing in a RMGVG shirt. Tuesday, June 7 View Page Here is the Alaskan 1101 plant again 8 days later now over 10 feet and secondaries finally popping. It's been average 95 degrees for the last week and it seems to like the heat with the shade from the trees later in the day. The 1059 is having a harder time finding its niche, but I have a good feeling. Friday, June 10 View Page Caught my first vine borer or at least the trap did today... they are all over. Lets see if the Bayer tree and shrub works when the eggs hatch. Took a half day at work; going fishing and camping with cousin. Have to do it as much as possible before little Smallmouth arrives. Saturday, June 11 View Page Here's 2 of many leaf stalk breaks on the main. All look just like this with a crease\fold at the bottom and some tearing. I rigged them up with some bamboo and zip ties so at least they aren't laying on the ground. Sunday, June 12 View Page If you use the rim from your old ford pickup as a fire pit...... you might be a redneck. Friday, June 17 View Page I spoke to Tom P today via phone to discuss the no male flower dilemma along with some stunted 2ndaries. Tom's a pro, I thought I was being interviewed by the PBI (Pumpkin Bureau of Investigation). I then told him something I did in May and he about had a heart attack... turns out unles I am growing Octopus or Marlin, I most likely fried my patch with salt. I'm overnighting a soil test tomorrow to get results and amend what I can from there. I feel like a damn fool, and hope my season isn't over already. 06/17 patch shot Sunday, June 19 View Page Well this female at about 16 feet on the 1101 Marshall (1483x1544) is looking good now, and is the furthest any have developed without aborting. I really like the long stem, and I turned the vine 90 degrees with it on the outside bend or cutbank for you river rats. I had to do it anyway to keep it in my enclosure. The 1059 and 1165 have some new females as well. Tuesday, June 21 View Page I saw a an elusive Sabertooth Chipmunk in my patch earlier so I decided to fabricate a fort over my 1101 who's ready for lift off tomorrow morning. Wednesday, June 22 View Page Deformed at the end. Can I still grow this? Friday, June 24 View Page The 1101 looks to have taken. Have a 1059 going either Sunday or Monday. I haven't taken off work since January, so I called in and got the okay, packed up the truck, yak, redneck water shoes, and fished alone all day. Can't beat that for relaxation. Saturday, June 25 View Page The 1101 at 3 DAP. She's got a sister 2 feet down who will be showing up around Tuesday. Sunday, June 26 View Page Another bad storm last night... tore the crap out of my 1101 losing about 20 leaves, but the 1168 and 1059 are ok. We also had a 40 foot limb fall and completely take out our fence. Here's a little section of the 1101. Monday, June 27 View Page Pollinated my first 1059 x 1165 Marsh this morning, 4 lobe with one being deformed. Pollinated another 1101 x 1059 VMG, 4 lobe, symmetrical and very swollen lobes not like I have ever seen. It was still dark and raining, so no pics… deed is done which is all that matters. Weather looks like lots of sun the next 5 days after today. Tuesday, June 28 View Page Here’s the 3rd pollination on the 1101. Any advice would be appreciated on what to keep. Assuming they all grow at the same rate, what would you do with the below? 1st set on the main at 16 feet, 4 lobe, one deformed, good position. 2nd set on the main at 19 feet, 4 lobe, symmetrical, bad vine position. 3rd set on first secondary, 5 lobe, symmetrical, great position since I would terminate vine at fruit. Tuesday, June 28 View Page Any ideas? Tuesday, June 28 View Page Slugs? If so, I need a new brand of repellent. Wednesday, June 29 View Page Thanks to everyone for helpful emails. Here's the 1101 at 7 DAP. Her sister 2 feet down took and is 2 DAP along with one on the 1059 VMG. Thursday, June 30 View Page 8 days old, should I cut it or is this somewhat normal? Friday, July 1 View Page Day 9, almost 26 inches CC. Grew about 5 inches last night. Here's another shot of the splits. They got bigger last night. Saturday, July 2 View Page 1101, 10 DAP @29.5 CC Vine positioning is almost complete. Sunday, July 3 View Page July 3rd patch shot. Only 6 hours of light maximum, but it is doing very well. Some foxes had 4 pups in the back, and they are really controlling the rodents. Wednesday, July 6 View Page The 1101 day 14 at 46.5 inches... just a hint of the 1544 starting to show. Wednesday, July 6 View Page The 1059, day 9 at 29.5 inches. It grew 6.5" last night... no need for that this early. This is my only real shot on this plant. Thursday, July 7 View Page The 1059 went 6 inches again in the last 24 hours at just over 35 inches on day 10. We just had a huge fast storm move through dumping well over an inch of rain on already saturated grounds. I'm very nervous needless to say with the already very high levels of potassium. Leaving for Lake of the Ozarks in the morning and hoping I can get my first one set on the 1165 Marsh Saturday via bees. Sunday, July 10 View Page Got home from the Lake of the Ozarks today to find the 1059 at 49 inches on day 13... wow. The 1101 is at 62 CC on day 18. Here's a lttle beach bar and pool we stopped at, is it time to retire yet? Monday, July 11 View Page 1101 day 19 - 65 CC Monday, July 11 View Page 1059 day 14 - 54 CC. Going to have to terminate the main within a week due to positioning. Tuesday, July 12 View Page Anybody have any idea what this is? I noticed it on the 1101 yesterday and now the 1059 today. Could it be heat related? We had 2 days in a row at 110 heat indexes and I had a tarp resting over a white sheet which probably created a small oven. Tuesday, July 12 View Page And on the 1059, again only in one spot and developed since this morning. Please email me if you have had similar issues. Wednesday, July 13 View Page 1059 today, I might be down to one plant or what is left of it if this aborts. Skin is still hard and the pumpkin is still growing... Thursday, July 14 View Page The 1059 put on 4 more inches since yesterday after many said she would abort. Only time will tell, but she sure is good lookin at 67 inches CC on day 17. The skin tone is changing daily too. Saturday, July 16 View Page It looks like the 1059 will make it after its deep burn from 1 inch of tarp touching it and 110 heat index. Thanks to Anthony and Mrs. Glenna Rea for the help after going through a similiar situation. The scar will only get bigger, but its on her butt.... I'm a face guy. 72CC day 19. Tuesday, July 19 View Page Temps right around 100 with 70% humidity six days in a row means aborting pumpkins of other varieties. The AGs are holding on, but going very slow. The 1059 has really taken on an odd shape cause of the burn on its butt (can't grow there). Thursday, July 21 View Page See right there in the middle of the country where it says 102... thats me in ole Saint Louie... more aborts today with other varieties. All AGs at a crawl. Thursday, July 21 View Page Enough complaining about heat, this is what I got so far on the 1059 with the burnt and distorted butt (day 24). Friday, July 22 View Page And finally the 1165 Marsh has one set. It is out the patch and into the yard ~25 feet. Here it is day 13 at 40 inches. This plant has little room, but really does well in the heat compared to the others. It is from the 1544 Rev.x 1276 Marsh and I crossed this with my 1059 VMG female. I'm hoping a nice big and orange seed to grow next year from the product of the 1059. 1101 and 1059 continue to grow slow with temps at 10,000... not sure what Don Young does to keep em going. Sunday, July 24 View Page Yesterday on the river.. don't worry boys, we'll save a few burgers for you back at camp. Tuesday, July 26 View Page 1165 might be calling it quits with ever slowing growth. It's the 12th day in a row being in the upper 90's or 100's and only getting worse the next few days. The 1059 and 1101 continue to crawl with 3ott at most\day. Thursday, July 28 View Page 5th hottest July in Saint Louis history; up to 101 degrees today. Lowest temp in the last 10 days was 93, but pumpkins still growing. Now time for my yearly pic that describes my pumpkin growin skills… maybe next year I’ll move up to Moe. http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=139999 Thursday, July 28 View Page Wife is starting to get mad, I am growing every variety I can in every 10 feet available. I grew them on fences last year, and this year they grow along woodpiles and brick patios. Saturday, July 30 View Page 1059 x 1165 Marsh - close to 300 pounds. Hoping to break 500. Thursday, August 4 View Page Cold blast came through today, only got up to 91. Friday, August 5 View Page The 1165 Marsh with less than 200 square feet and growing out in the lawn. It is looking to go bright orange and is from the 1544 Rev and 1276 Marsh. This plant pollinated my 1059 VMG which I already plan to grow next year for Orange. Friday, August 5 View Page The 1165 Marsh with less than 200 square feet and growing out in the lawn. It is looking to go bright orange and is from the 1544 Rev and 1276 Marsh. This plant pollinated my 1059 VMG which I already plan to grow next year for Orange. Friday, August 5 View Page And it also has an inverted butt. Sunday, August 7 View Page Night time Smallmouth fishing down in the Ozarks on Saturday. We didn't catch much, but it was still fun being in thick fog casting into trees. Monday, August 8 View Page 1059 x 1165 Marsh. Advice needed, the area on the stem where I circled was getting mushy over the past 2 days. I carved out a 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch section of rotted tissue, sprayed with rubbing alcohol, and dusted with Captan. I had a fan on it but the outside outlet shorted out which I hope to fix tomorrow. Is this a normal area for rot and if you have any other advice please let me know. I really hope it isn't a vine borer entrance wound that went into the kin. That happened last year on a field pumkin and it bore through and came out the side wall of the fruit. Thanks http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=138443 Thursday, August 11 View Page Hey Dale, here is the 1101 Marshall. It was the strongest plant early on until 2 storms really took a toll on it. Thursday, August 11 View Page Here is my # 1 supporter, and the 1059 getting more arange. Thursday, August 11 View Page The 1165 Marsh eating dinner. He's the loose cannon of the patch. Wednesday, August 17 View Page Here is the 1059 that could have perfectly shaped, but was burnt early on with a tarp on a 103 degree day. She still has a pretty face though. Wednesday, August 17 View Page Hey Tammy, I grow squashkins too. Saturday, August 20 View Page No, you didn't open Dale Marshall's diary by accident although the silhouette of these monsters have a close resemblance to what he’s growing give or take 1500 pounds. The 1101 on far right, 1059 middle and the 1165 on left. The 1165 turned out to be the most heat tolerant from the 3 straight weeks of close to 100 as you can see by its leaves. Bores seem to be under control now in the home stretch, and never got powdery mildew or any other diseases. My biggest issue this year was the hundreds of sticks, twigs and occasional limbs damaging leaves… and will probably be my same issue next year. lol Tuesday, August 23 View Page Emily, my boy and the 1059. Leaves on the main looking beat up, waiting for terts to fill in until I remove. Tuesday, August 23 View Page The patch: up front the 1165 @300 pounds, then the 1059 @~450 pounds, and lastly the 1101 @~450 pounds. Thanks Dale, Kevin and John for letting me grow your seeds. It's been a great first year with actual seeds not from Lowes. I can't do anything about the limited light, but I've learned a ton and already am anticipating next year. Friday, August 26 View Page Took off work and went to an ozark stream to wade fish all day. It was very clear... too clear and the fish could see me from a mile away. Caught a few but not worth posting. This place is great in the winter cause it is spring fed and never freezes. Saturday, August 27 View Page And forgot to mention I got my first seed request which makes me feel like I am doing something right. Saturday, September 10 View Page Here is my 1165 Marsh. It got up to 4 hours of sunlight a day max, so looks pretty good. Saturday, September 10 View Page Here is my 1059 crossed with the 1165 Marsh. Pizza sauce for scale. Saturday, September 10 View Page Here is my 1059 crossed with the 1165 Marsh. Pizza sauce for scale. Saturday, September 10 View Page And finally the 1101 Marshall. This thing is like a piece of concrete. Chipmunks don't even think twice about looking at this guy. Saturday, September 10 View Page Still patiently awaiting arrival of the Jr. The wife is ready to pop. On a side note, I already know what 2 seeds I am growing next year. One will be from my own 1059 x 1165 for orange and the other is from a friend up in Alaska which will be for size. Thursday, September 15 View Page I must have thought I was cleaning a fish, but this is what real stem surgery looks like. Friday, September 16 View Page Everything is very tense around here and it looks like I won't be able to get my pumpkins weighed (officialy) this year. But, for all you 70's and early 80's kids like myself, watch this before the big show and you'll be fine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QivOSmES9-s&feature=related Saturday, September 17 View Page Above should be "officially". Here are some of miniature varieties and one ? of a squash in the back. The seed was from a Jarrahdale variety I got from the farmers market, but the plant gave me this green squash which never went grey like the mom. Sunday, September 25 View Page Baby is due tomorrow. Can't do much for fishing\camping now, but drive down to the river and watch people like this have all the fun. Wife has already given me the go ahead for camping in October... cannot wait! Monday, September 26 View Page Here is my final product on the 1059. Plant will be terminated tomorrow. Have some buddies coming over to help me move the pumpkins to a display. Had a good first year with non store bought seeds. Now lets just hope the Cards can get that wild card from the Braves. Monday, October 3 View Page So I decided to start early with my son, and get into the importance of soil structure in relation to pumkin growing. Halfway through my 3rd slide on cation exchange levels, I looked down to see this. How's he gonna break the state record counting sheep? Thursday, October 6 View Page Hey Wayne, look who showed back up... Otter. He went on the lam after getting caught soliciting straw bales down in southern Mo. a couple months back. Sunday, October 16 View Page A reporter from the Saint Louis Post Dispatch called and they want to come out and get a few pics of my pumpkins... pay off! Tuesday, October 18 View Page Hmmm, what's wrong with this pic? The people from the Saint Louis Post just left my house but didn't notice. I guess the rigging worked. Monday, October 24 View Page And as the season wraps up, time to begin for another. Monday, October 24 View Page Last year, we didn't even move into our current house till December. I didn't build the patch till March, and my soil I started with was pretty low in nutrients across the board. I'm happy to be way ahead of last years pace and added 2 yards of manure\compost and 6 inches of Maple and Sweetgum leaves to increase the organic matter. Wednesday, October 26 View Page And then there were 2. Dale, you never told me the 1101 Marshall had Retriever in it.... Saturday, October 29 View Page Welcome back to Missouri and the midwest! Friday, November 4 View Page Favorite joke I told by some of the neighborhood trick or treaters: Why did the Texas Rangers have constipation? Because they didn't have Pujols. Friday, November 4 View Page Cut into my 1059 VMG x 1165 Marsh today... Friday, November 4 View Page Lots of viable seeds. Hope to grow a big red one again next year. Sunday, November 6 View Page Next years patch buddy at 5 and 1/2 weeks old aka, The Dude. Thursday, November 10 View Page There's a line to get in the bin. Saturday, November 26 View Page I Catchezzz them little... Sunday, December 4 View Page Yearly December campout with a "30%" cance of rain. I think they meant 3% chance of not raining all night. One of my buddy's for got his rain gear. lol. Snow would have been better. Tuesday, December 13 View Page As the dark winter months set in, and tempers around BP begin to flare over matters like hail nets, CO2, and out of line postings, it is no different around our house. Last year at this time, the debate was over what size the future garden would be. This year, an epic battle has endured leading to a 3 day standoff on whether our 2 month old boy will say "fart" or "toot" when he comes of age. As my grandpa's grandson and my father's son, it would be blasphemy for someone of our bloodline to use the phrase "toot". Thanks for listening. Saturday, December 17 View Page The 1101 at 178 days after pollination. The freezing and thawing are taking a toll. Friday, December 23 View Page This concludes my diary, and merry Christmas!