Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 58 Entries. Saturday, January 7 View Page Good luck to all this year. This is 2 of my George Rogers cabbage I started on November 7, 2011. Have 14 plants going right now that are doing great. Saturday, February 4 View Page Cabbage is doing really well. 4 plants have been removed due to poor performance. 9 plants left. Saturday, February 4 View Page Another picture of the cabbage. There are some really strong plants, will be tough to decide down to 4. Saturday, February 4 View Page Another picture of the cabbage. There are some really strong plants, will be tough to decide down to 4. Wednesday, February 22 View Page Potted up cabbage again on 2-21-12. They are about 14 - 16 iinches leaf to leaf. Looking strong. Have to remember to pull on the roots next time to take the pot shape out of them. Saturday, April 7 View Page This is my 2012 Watermelon Line up. Started seeds today, will pot up till about May 1st, then into the cold frames for protection. Tuesday, April 10 View Page 291 Kent first one to germinate. 282 is on it's way, but not looking promising for the 255 Mitchell. Started a few back ups as well. The 219 Clementz already coming up as well. Monday, April 23 View Page Cold frames built. Automatic openers working great. Ready for the patch. Tuesday, April 24 View Page Cold frames in the patch and wind breaks up. Got them down just before dark. Wednesday, April 25 View Page 1303 Sweet, 1381 Checkon and 658 Henkin germinated. Thursday, April 26 View Page 1634 Werner and 1495 Stelts germinated today. Still waiting on the 1385 Jutras. No signs of activity, will be starting the backups today. Friday, April 27 View Page Still no germination on the 1385 Jutras. Back-up seeds started germination today. This is the madness part. Friday, April 27 View Page Tomatoes have germinated well, including my new seeds given to me by a generous person. 5.58 Timm genetics in the mix now. Thanks. Friday, April 27 View Page Started a 1207 Young today to replace the 1385 Jutras that did not germinate. I am really bummed because since I have been researching this hobby, it has been my dream to grow a 1385 Jutras. Everything else germinated fine, just got the one that would not go I guess. Saturday, April 28 View Page Started second round of plant today. Started 1 - 1210 Van Hook, 2 - 1592 Platte, and 1 - 932 Holub. Weather looks good for Tuesday - Wednesday to put plants in the patch. Tuesday, May 1 View Page Put the 1634, 1495, 1381, 1303 and 658 in the cold frames today. Did not have enough plants due to a few not germinating to fill the last spot. Back up plants started are the 1592 Platte, 1236 Harp, 1303 Sweet and 932 Holub. We will see which plants look like it needs the spot. Saturday, May 5 View Page Sneak preview of which plant demonstrated the best performance on won the last spot. It was put in today. The other plants will be potted up to a 2 gallon pot in case of failures on other plants. Monday, May 7 View Page The new plant that went in is growing rapidly just in 2 days. The 1381 and 1303 put in on the 1st are growing the best of all the plants. I have a feeling the others are doing more rooting to be in for the long haul. Tuesday, May 8 View Page 1303 #1 on 5/8 Tuesday, May 8 View Page 658 on 5/8. Back up plant for this one not looking too good. Tuesday, May 8 View Page 1303 #2 put in on 5/5, picture from 5/8. Growing quickly now. Tuesday, May 8 View Page 1381 on 5/8, looking very good. Tuesday, May 8 View Page 1495 on 5/8. Seems to be some what slow starting, but coming around now. Tuesday, May 8 View Page 1634 on 5/8. Another one with a slow start, but picking up the pace now. Thursday, May 17 View Page 1303 #2 coming along well. Sunday, May 20 View Page Direct seed planted the 91.5 Jacobus, 120.5 Menting, 162 B MacKinnon, and 91 Strombach field pumpkins today. Thank you to the growers of the field pumpkins who provided me the chance to grow their field pumpkin seeds. Also planted 2 spots for the Porcelain Doll Pink F1 Hybrid. These will be used to donate money to the foundation to cure cancer. Monday, May 21 View Page View of the 4 Cornish Giants. They are doing well. Monday, May 21 View Page I fabricated frames at 3 x 3 ft. sq. After I built them, I realized from asking Dave Thomas, that they were probably to large. So I tied posts to it so I can adjust them as needed as they grow. They are starting to grow rapidly now after weeks of rooting. Saturday, June 2 View Page Planted the competition tomoato plants today. The final plants to make it to the ground are 2 - 3.6 Johnson/Butlers, 1 - 4.91 Lyons, 2 - 4.46 Marleys, 1 - 4.2 Diaz, and 2 - 4.3 Shymanskis. Sunday, June 3 View Page 1381 Checkon in the lead, but 4 of the other 5 are growing quickly now. I am still ahead of last year, so very happy. Sunday, June 3 View Page Still moving along. Had to take it out of the house. really growing fast now. Hope to have fruit set by June 20th. Sunday, June 3 View Page Have germination of 162 B MacKinnon, 91.5 Jacobus, 91 Stromback and the 2 Porcelain Dolls. Going to replant the 120 Menting to see if I can get them to pop soon. Planted the 1236 Harp plant on the opposite end of the patch from the 1634 Werner. I had a house available from taking it off the 1381. The Werner better get going, or the Harp may win the spot still. Tuesday, June 5 View Page Found the 120 Menting germinated tonight. Now we are all in on the field pumpkins. Saturday, June 16 View Page 1st pollination of the year. Flower at 9.5 feet on main vine. Only one male available in whole patch. Saturday, June 23 View Page Pollinated a 1303#1 x 1381 on June 22. 4 pollinations today, June 23rd. This cross is my best 2 plants. Monday, June 25 View Page 3 lobe flower Monday, June 25 View Page 1303 #2 is growing quicly and looking promising. Monday, June 25 View Page 1634 first pollination. Monday, June 25 View Page Fixing Errors from entries; June 22 pollination: 1303#1x1381 (2 best plants), June 23 pollinations: 1634x1495, 1303#2x1381, 1495x1381, and 1381x1303#1 (2 best plants). All are in keeping range except 1634, it is at 9 feet. Friday, June 29 View Page 1381 X 1303#1 today. Friday, June 29 View Page 1495 x 1381 today. Friday, June 29 View Page 1634 x 1381 today. Friday, June 29 View Page Mother nature strikes tonight. Got 1.5 inches of rain in 25 minutes along with 60-90 mph wind gusts. Good thing for the silt fence and the cold frames acting as wind breaks. 4 of the cold frames became kites and blew into the ditch. The 1303#1 plant took a beating. The vines are blown over and all the dirt is rinsed off the vines. Will take some help to recover. Only other loss was this mornings 1634 pollination. Blossoms was torn off. Tuesday, July 3 View Page Lost the last pollintion to the storm. Hope this one goes since it now 93 days to weigh off. Wednesday, July 4 View Page Verified crosses today: 282 Dawson x 291 Kent, 291 Kent x 282 Dawson. Saturday, July 7 View Page Heat is hurting them some, but they are really getting big head fast now. Saturday, July 7 View Page The other nice cabbage I have. 4 total, but 2 are really doing well. Friday, July 13 View Page Had a good day 20 on my 1381. All I can say is, the picture shows where it all began. Now all we have to do is make it to the weigh off. Too early to tell. Friday, July 13 View Page Cabbage is getting big heads now, putting on weight quickly now. First weigh off is August 11. Hope they are big. Tuesday, July 17 View Page Bad day today. Found my 1381 and 1495 sets both aborted. They were both 23 days old. The 1381 was approaching 200 OTT, 1495 was 160 OTT. This loss really hurts. The heat is just taking it's toll in Iowa this year again. Sunday, July 22 View Page Found the rest of my pumpkins all abort. As the saying goes, "game over". Mother nature wins. This really hurts. I have 4 field pumpkins, 7 giants tomato plants, 4 giant cabbage and 2 giant watermelon plants left. Hope I can get something to the weigh off. Starting to look at line up for next year already. Sunday, July 22 View Page This is my 282 Dawson plant. It has 3 good sets, but too soon to decide which one. Sets are 7/4, 7/7, and 7/9. Will choose soon. Sunday, July 22 View Page Made my choice today on the 291 Kent plant. This is my patch helper with the culls. She wants to go everywhere I go. Sunday, July 22 View Page This is the chosen one on the 291 Kent plant. Pollinated it on 7/1. 21 day OTT is 118, estimating 50 pounds. I am about one month earlier this year than last year. Hopefully mother nature doesn't take this from me also this year. I get Iowa soil with Southern weather this year. Saturday, July 28 View Page After a month of struggling with heat and aborts, I decided that doing pumpkin chores were just not going to pay off. This is patch this morning when I got there. Saturday, July 28 View Page This is what it looked like 2 hours later. Thanks to the growers who provided seeds to me this year. Saturday, July 28 View Page When I was done, I was looking over the pile and thinking how great it was to have done so well for my second year. I got cold frames built, got plants in early, got sets as early as 6/23, and I was able to keep up with the plants. The bad part about Iowa is that you cannot predict the big swings in weather we have. Mother Nature was brutal this year, there was not much chance for these poor plants. Good luck to everyone. The saying "there is always next year" has been spoken in my patch many times today. Tuesday, July 31 View Page Day 30 today. 291 = 70.5 CC, 30 SS, 46EE, 146.5 OTT, estimated at 93 pounds. Did 6 pounds in 24 hours, 5 day average is 4.8 pounds.