Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 24 Entries. Tuesday, April 22 View Page I started a 695 Handy on Sunday, 4/20. I will start the rest of my seeds within the next two weeks. The final line-up is: 695 Handy 1100 Hester 1445 Marsh (1407x695) 1556 Werner Each plant will have 500 Square feet. Monday, May 5 View Page I transplanted the 695 Handy yesterday, the fourth. The 1445 Marsh and 1556 Werner which were started on the twenty-seventh are both pushing up some soil. The 1100 Hester was started on Friday, the first. Watch out. Friday, July 4 View Page For the first time ever, I have pollinated a female on every plant by July 3rd. 9 on the 695 Handy, 2 on the 1100 Hester, 1 on the 1556 Werner and 1 on the 1445 Marsh. The main and most secondaries have been terminated on the 695. Most were pollinated with the 695 with the exception of a few secondary vine pumpkins on the 695 which I crossed with the 1445 Marsh. Monday, July 21 View Page I witnessed a 30lb gain for the first time ever. My 695 Handy is now taping 230 on day 24. Saturday, July 26 View Page Tomorrow is day 30 for the 695 and day 18 for the 1556. . Here's the 695 on day 20. Saturday, July 26 View Page Sorry, here's the photo... Saturday, July 26 View Page Stem end of the 695 Handy on day 20 Sunday, July 27 View Page 695 Handy 30 days old Sunday, July 27 View Page 1556 Werner 19 Days old and growing nicely Tuesday, July 29 View Page 1556 x 695 day 20 Tuesday, July 29 View Page 695 x self Day 32 Monday, August 4 View Page still growing Wednesday, August 6 View Page 695 Handy x self 40 days old, 141.5" circumference This one had a three poor days recently, averaging about 15 pounds per day. However, after pruning some open pollinations and fertilizing, it is back up to 30 a day. Slow and steady. Wednesday, August 6 View Page This is a 20-day-old fruit on my 1100 Hester plant. It's quite small, with a 51" circumference. The plant needs some iron though. Once the leaves are in better health, i expect this one to increase its pace. It should also be nice and thick. The 1556 Werner is the father of this cross, making a nice combination of inches and pounds over the chart. Saturday, August 16 View Page 695 Handy x Self 50 days old, 155 inch circumference Saturday, August 16 View Page 1556 Werner x 695 Handy 38 Days old This one would be a lot bigger if I had done a better job with this plant. I hope it has some good seeds, because I really want to plant one next year. Monday, September 22 View Page The 695 and 1556 are still growing, but only a few pounds per day. The 695 is now taping over 1000lbs by circumference. Saturday, September 27 View Page This is my brother, Charlie with the 695 Handy Saturday, September 27 View Page 695 Handy blossom end Saturday, September 27 View Page Here's the 1556 Werner x 695 Handy Almost everything that could happen to this plant has happened, yet it broke my personal best with this pumpkin. It's estimated between 300 and 400 pounds. I hope it weighs heavy and has a good seed count because the cross looks really good on paper. Monday, October 6 View Page Here's the 1556 Werner x 695 Handy that I weighed in Altoona... Monday, October 6 View Page The 1556 Werner x 695 Handy weighed heavier than expected, setting a new personal record of 478.5 lbs. This is a blossom end view of it Monday, October 6 View Page Here's the 695 Handy x self. This is my Longwood Gardens pumpkin. 168.5" Circumference 101" Stem-to-Blossom 97" Side-to-Side 366.5" Total (1031 LBS) Saturday, November 29 View Page Seeds from my 695 Handy x self are ready. The final weight was 881 Lbs (est. 1031). I suspect that it quit growing in early/mid September. It was weighed on October 11th and placed 5th at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA. I'm still waiting on seeds from my 478.5 (1556 Werner x 695 Handy), which was sold to a farmers' market in Virginia. They're known to be reliable when it comes to returning seeds, so I should get some back soon if the pumpkin had any. This seed has a lot of potential. I really wish that I had better luck with my 1556 plant, 478.5 was nowhere near its full potential. I've settled on my line-up for 2009. Starters: 1354 Checkon, 1407.3 Wolf, 1408.5 Daletas, 478.5 Morgan (if I get seeds back) Back ups: 1469 Checkon, 1445 Marsh (1407x695), 720 Rose, 1139 Sherwood I aim to attend contests at the P.G.P.G.A. site in Altoona, PA, Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA, and Pumpinfest in Goffstown, NH