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Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 168 Entries.
Saturday, June 12 View Page
My plants , greenhouse and irrigation system... temp=10 till 17 C , sun, showers , wind and hail
 
Sunday, June 13 View Page
my greenhouse with 3 AG plants... cool and gray wheather today... yesterday we had more than 15liters of rain...
 
Monday, June 14 View Page
weather looking better today :) 22 C and sunny... as you can see i'm a semi-professionel pumpkingrower... i own a fruit and vegetable shop and i grow pumpkins for sellling them or to make soup... i 've something between 400 an 500 plants this year... big yellow.. red ones and jack'o lantern.... and a few AG's and sqaush :)
 
Monday, June 14 View Page
oops... wrong picture... this is the right one...
 
Tuesday, June 15 View Page
nice weather today... 23 C and sunny... cleaned up the patch today. picture shows a part of my watering system.. i have 8 tanks to contain 8500 liters in total... i use them to add fertilizer too.
 
Wednesday, June 16 View Page
one of the plants in my greenhouse.... direct seeded (seed out of a 650 pounds pumpkin of jos verstappen (keerbergen,belgium)
 
Thursday, June 17 View Page
collecting the seeds of 600+lbs giant in november 2003. These are the seeds i used now.
 
Friday, June 18 View Page
The plant in the back of my greenhouse is doing very well... sprayed the patch today with baythroid (insecticide),bayfidan(fungicide) and bayfolan (foliar feed). weather : no sun... a bit of wind ,low temp 18 C and a few showers.
 
Saturday, June 19 View Page
watered greenhouse today +- 1000 liters.cold weather... a shower before noon ... afternoon sunny
 
Saturday, June 19 View Page
ashot of my patch.... 3 AG in greenhouse,and 12 AG and squash outside
 
Sunday, June 20 View Page
Cool and wet weather again... glad i planted 3 AG in greenhouse this year.... picture shows my display of pumpkins for selling.
 
Monday, June 21 View Page
Begiining of summer today... But clouds,rain and only 18 C . plants under greenhouse are a lot bigger than the others.
 
Tuesday, June 22 View Page
Picture of my greenhouse today. Cloudy,no wind en 19 C . added 20-20-20 fertilizer today (1000 liters).Also cultivated the patch, especially around the plants.
 
Wednesday, June 23 View Page
plant nr1 11 ft. long. Storm today during all day. I had to keep the greenhouse closed and temperature went up to 36°C
 
Thursday, June 24 View Page
after the storm ... yesterday and last night we had a storm ssw winds up to 70 miles/hour
 
Thursday, June 24 View Page
Another one... all AG's and squash outside are damnaged.
 
Thursday, June 24 View Page
Glad that the greenhouse survived the storm. Still got 3 plants in greenhouse and two plants in mini-greenhouses that are undamnaged. I think next year gonna build me a great windbreak wall.
 
Friday, June 25 View Page
patch today ... me and albert weeding am
 
Saturday, June 26 View Page
First femanle flower (plant 3) at about 12 ft. 1000 liters water and 500 liters of 20-20-20 solutions. Entire field weeded today and yesterday.
 
Monday, June 28 View Page
That's me and my nr3 plant. plant 1 and 3 are 15ft long no and about 9 ft wide. Cold start today , 10°C afternoon better 22 °C. Wind from nnw though..
 
Tuesday, June 29 View Page
picture shows watering system running... 1500 liters... no fertz today. temp 10°C morning... 22°C afternoon.
 
Wednesday, June 30 View Page
Nice wheather today... no wind an 25°C. Entire field weeded. Plants outside got a 20-20-20 solution
 
Thursday, July 1 View Page
windy day again. temps +- 20°C. Sprayed with isecticide,fungicide and foliar feed. picture shows construction i made to walk trhough greenhouse without getting the soil to hard. Also watered greenhouse today + 13-40-13 solution.
 
Friday, July 2 View Page
Plant 3 . Pollinated first female flower today.Probably i want keep the fruit , but just in case... weather today : 18-20°C, showers (10liters /m) and wind again.
 
Friday, July 2 View Page
oops... wrong pîcture again . this is the right one...
 
Saturday, July 3 View Page
Plant nr. 1 (verstappen 620)
 
Saturday, July 3 View Page
plant 2 (2003 bex460)
 
Saturday, July 3 View Page
plant 3 (2003verstappen 620)
 
Saturday, July 3 View Page
plant 4 outside , first 3 are in greenhouse 2003bex460
 
Saturday, July 3 View Page
plant 5 2003bex? should give a more orange colored pumpkin. So these are my 5 main AG plants. Very windy today with sun and showers +-20°C
 
Monday, July 5 View Page
pruned 3 plants in greenhouse.pollinated sec.flower on plant 3 at 13ft.from stump. gave 500 liters of water than 1000 liters of 13-40-13 solution.sprayed field with insecticide,fungicide and foliar feed. had 2liters of rain tonight. today +-19°C .no wind
 
Wednesday, July 7 View Page
Yesterday sunny and 22°C. Today warm and sunny before noon, afternoon 10 liters/m of rain.Went to Oostende (beach) with wife and kids for two days.
 
Thursday, July 8 View Page
plant nr 1. Sunny and windy day . Gave 2000 liters of water. At 9.30p.m. starting heavy rainfall. I left one tank (1000 liters ) open.. so by tomorrow morning greenhouse will have had 3 or 4000 liters. Think it's good to drench the soil very well now and then.
 
Friday, July 9 View Page
Rain all afternoon and no more than 17°C. All my watering tanks are filled. 30 liters/m in 3 days. Pruned plants in greenhouse.
 
Saturday, July 10 View Page
3 female flowers opened today.temperature not higher today than 17°C. A little bit of rain around noon.Sprayed foliar feed.
 
Saturday, July 10 View Page
Harvesting zucchini.
 
Sunday, July 11 View Page
Had to keep the greenhouse closed another day.Wind,rain and 14-15°C.
 
Monday, July 12 View Page
Today i placed this under the main vine and two promissing little pumpkins of plant nr.3. I don't know how they call it in english.Over here we call it anti -root .It lets the water pass trough,but it prevents the plant to put anchor roots ,and i think that's a good thing around the fruit.Tomorrow I'l put some sand on it under the pumpkins as i saw in 'Southerns' diary.Another cold day 17°C and no sun at all :(
 
Tuesday, July 13 View Page
The plants inside the greenhouse are about 9meter = 27ft.long.Those outside are about 4meter = 13ft.long.No wonder with the weather we get this summer.(today cloudy and +- 18°C). Luc Bex came to visit my patch . Four of my plants are a gift from him. Thanks luc :), and even more for all the good advise !
 
Tuesday, July 13 View Page
A baby squash on a bed of white sand.
 
Wednesday, July 14 View Page
Warmer today:22°C .sunny till 4p.m. Than at 5p.m. 5liters /m of rain.Picture shows watering tank put in the sun to warm up.Gave 1000 liters with 13-40-13 solution in greenhouse. Plants outside got 20-20-20 solution.
 
Thursday, July 15 View Page
Warmer but still no sun at all (+-22°C day and 16°C at night).
 
Thursday, July 15 View Page
3 fruits on main vine of plant nr.3.
 
Friday, July 16 View Page
Warm wheather at last ... 28°C in the afternoon .Plants outside grow fast now. Picture shows my dog 'vinnie', a leonberger.
 
Saturday, July 17 View Page
5 minutes after i took this picture we were hit by a storm.Thunder, wind and 15 L/M of rain.Before that tems went up till 30°C.Sunny till 5.30 pm.
 
Saturday, July 17 View Page
One of my AG plants after the storm.
 
Saturday, July 17 View Page
The damnage was not too bad after all.
 
Sunday, July 18 View Page
The main vine of plant nr3 again.
 
Monday, July 19 View Page
Nice and sunny day and 24°C. Plants are growing very fast now. Picture shows a part of the pumkinfield.
 
Wednesday, July 21 View Page
Rain from 6am till 1pm.10l/M in total. afternoon grey,evening sunny.Did some pruning in greenhouse.
 
Wednesday, July 21 View Page
21 juli, a holiday over here. Sun all day and temps up to 25°C.AGplants outside have finally started to grow fast now.
 
Thursday, July 22 View Page
The second fruit on plant 1 is growing much faster than the first and is even bigger now. Very warm day here (30°C).1700liters of 13-40-13 solution in greenhouse.
 
Saturday, July 24 View Page
Did some culling today. Very warm and sunny day. 1000 liters of water for greenhouse.
 
Monday, July 26 View Page
Fruit on plant1
 
Monday, July 26 View Page
fruit on plant 2
 
Monday, July 26 View Page
fruit on a plant outside. First 2 are in greenhouse.
 
Monday, July 26 View Page
Did some pruning and culling today. Also had to remove the plant in the middle of the greenhouse. Two left now. There was no space enough for three. Also sprayed AGplants with confidor,bayfolan and foliar feed. 1000 liters of water in GH. Plants for consumption are not sprayed.Today and yesterday were not to warm 20°C and a few drips of rain.
 
Tuesday, July 27 View Page
Very bright and sunshiny day.. cold start though(9°C at 7.30 a.m). Added 13-13-35 fertilizer 500 liters to AG outside and 500 in greenhouse.
 
Wednesday, July 28 View Page
very sunny day again... 25°C but cold nights (9°C).
 
Wednesday, July 28 View Page
here's number 2
 
Wednesday, July 28 View Page
And nr 3. Did some pruning on Ag plants outside today,and some shade protection
 
Wednesday, July 28 View Page
And nr 4 , on the 2003Bex492.
 
Thursday, July 29 View Page
Sun from 6am till 9pm today and 25°C.Circumfirence of fruit nr1 (picture) is 154 cm.Fruit nr. 3 145cm.Added 1000 liters of water with 13-13-35 solution to greenhouse
 
Friday, July 30 View Page
Sunny day again and 27° C. fruit nr1 166cm .fruit nr2 134cm fruit nr. 3 141 cm. Nr 1 gained 12cm from yesterday 7 pm untill today 7pm.
 
Sunday, August 1 View Page
fruit nr3 at night. Saturday and sunday both very warm and sunny : 25°C day , 16°C night. nr1 184 cm nr2 162 cm nr3 154cm.
 
Monday, August 2 View Page
Another very warm and sunny day 25+°C.Cold start though 11°C this morning.Fruit 1 (picture):193cm 2 :163cm 3 :169cm. Over top nr 1 : 127 cm nr2 :114 cm nr3 :117 cm.Nr 3 passed over nr. 2 . Nr.3is on a greenhouse plant.Plants are looking very good.
 
Tuesday, August 3 View Page
Picture shows fruit nr. 1 . Very hot and sunny day 28° C and still 23°C at 11 pm. Did some weeding and pruning this morning. In the evening sprayed AG plants with bayfidan,baytroid and foliar feed. 1000 liters of water >greenhouse.
 
Wednesday, August 4 View Page
Clouds and a few drips of rain before noon,but very warm.Sun and 28°C afternoon.Warm nights: 18°C. Fruit nr1 :214cm circ. and 144 over top.Fruit nr 2(picture) :194 cm circ and 138 over top.
 
Thursday, August 5 View Page
Picture shows stem of fruit nr.3.Stem is +- same size as cola-can.Is the angle right?.Fruit nr.3 went from 194cm circ yesterday to 214cm today ,while fruit nr1 went from 214cm to 219cm.Very hot weather here about 30°C days and 20°C nights.Added 700 liters of 13-13-35 solution to greenhouse.Estimated weight of both fruits 1 and 3 is at about 200lbs
 
Friday, August 6 View Page
Two future pumpkingrowers in front of fruit nr.1.Another hot day.Added 300 liters of water to plants outside. Fruit 1:225 cm,fruit 2: 189cm ,fruit 3: 218cm.
 
Saturday, August 7 View Page
First pumpkinsoup of the season will be made today.Those two will be good for about 100 liters .We had more than 40 liters/M rain last night. Afernoon 26°C than at 8 pm rain and thunder again.
 
Saturday, August 7 View Page
Ready! 15min of mixing and than cooling down and ready to sell.Tasted excellent.
 
Sunday, August 8 View Page
Very hot and sunny all day. 30°C.Fruit 1 239cm circ. and 160cm over top.fruit 2 : 189cm circ. fruit 3 Exactly the same as fruit 1: 239 and 160.Tomorrow fruit 3 will probably the biggest.
 
Wednesday, August 11 View Page
Fruit 1 : 265cm circ.and 170 cm over top.Estimated weight: 300lbs.11,12 an13 august warm 25-30°C.
 
Wednesday, August 11 View Page
fruit 3 : 266cm circ.and 171cm over top.Estimated weight:300lbs.fruit 2 : (no picture)210cm circ. Weight: +- 200 lbs
 
Thursday, August 12 View Page
First load of 'Jaunes de Paris ',ready for display.The first ones already solt today.Dry but cooler (20°C)this morning. Afternoon: rain.Pruned plants in greenhouse and sprayed them with bayfidan+,confidor and foliar-feed. Added 500 liters of water at noon. In the evening added 1000 liters of water with 13-13-35 solution.Since we are already harvesting pumpkins only the 2 AG-plants in the greenhouse are sprayed.
 
Friday, August 13 View Page
Wind and lots of rain today. Kept the greenhouse closed all day. Fruit 1 :276cm circ.and 176cm+ 182cm ott:634cm or 250 inches.Estimated weight:326lbs. Fruit 2(outside): 221cm+150cm+157cm=528cm or 208 inches.Est.:193lbs. Fruit 3:278cm+182cm+194cm=654cm or 257inches.Est.:353lbs.
 
Sunday, August 15 View Page
Sunny day today, warm afternoon (25°C).fruit 1: ott 259.est:361lbs.fruit 2: ott 214.est:209lbs.fruit 3:ott 269.est:403lbs.
 
Monday, August 16 View Page
Stem-view of fruit nr.3
 
Tuesday, August 17 View Page
Not to sunny,but not too bad either today and 23°C.1000liters of water for greenhouse.
 
Tuesday, August 17 View Page
Plant nr1 at 264" est.: 382lbs.
 
Wednesday, August 18 View Page
Very warm day 25°C and a strong wind (sw) al day .At 7 pm Thunderstorm and more than 20 liters/sqmeter of rain. Warm nights too.My biggest fruit is 305cm +195cm+190cm =690cm =272''=409 lbs est.I hope to have 10 or 12 200lbs pumpkins and two 400 lbs.plus pumpkins .Would be nice for my 'display'.
 
Thursday, August 19 View Page
Very windy today,but sun all day and temps were ok (23°C).1000 liters of water with 13-13-35 solution for greenhouse. Yesterday AG plants outside had 13-13-35.Picture shows fruit nr.1 and nr3 under sun protection.
 
Friday, August 20 View Page
This is fruit nr 5 at 133lbs est.fruit 1 is at 400lbs est.at day 45 and fruit 3 is at 429lbs est.at day 37.So i decided to grow a backup fruit on the back main of plant 2.So there are 3 fruits in greenhouse now.nr1 nr 3 and nr5.Nr 1 and nr 5 are both on plant 2. Fruit nr 3 is my most promissing pumpkin and the only fruit on plant 1.Only 20°C today and much wind and a few drip of rain.
 
Saturday, August 21 View Page
My brother Mark with fruit nr3 , the best at the moment.Circ. 322cm ott 322cm +200cm +197cm=719cm=287"=468lbs.Cooler wheater today +-18°C and some showers. Cold night 10°C is predicted.Closed greenhouse at 6.30p.m. Sprayed against mildew +foliar feed.
 
Sunday, August 22 View Page
The greenhouse 'by night'.A nice sunny day,but not so warm 21°C.Gave 1000 liters of water greenhouse plants.
 
Monday, August 23 View Page
Warmer today :) 24°C.Fruit1: circ.:121" ott:282" Estimated weight:430lbs or 195kg.Fruit2: circ.:98" ott:227" est.:247lbs or 111kg.Fruit3:circ.:129" ott:289" est.:498lbs or 224kg .
 
Monday, August 23 View Page
Greenhouse closed for the night...hope fruit 3 brakes 500lbs.# today.
 
Thursday, August 26 View Page
Fruit nr.5: 205''ott est.185lbs.or 83kg.
 
Thursday, August 26 View Page
Fruit3:ott.300 circ 134.est.556lbs.or 250kg.
 
Thursday, August 26 View Page
1000 liters water with 10-10-35 solution(picture)for plant1 and 2(greenhouse).Other measurments: fruit 2:586ott.260lbs or 117kg est.fruit 1 :740ott.474lbs or 213kg est. squash1:419ott.101lbs or 45kg est.Very much wind and showers today , same for yesterday an day before .Cold too!!! 20°C day, 12°C night.
 
Saturday, August 28 View Page
Harvest time.... 'rouges vif d'etampes' and 'jack o'lanterns'. Rain all day yesterday 18°C day, 15°C night.Better today :) 21°c and sunny since noon.
 
Saturday, August 28 View Page
We put them in the sun a few days to get more color.(hope there will be sun ...)We expect to harvest 700 or 800 of these...
 
Sunday, August 29 View Page
DO NOT ENTER!!! Some sun today, windy though and not to warm 21°C.Luc Bex came visit my patch.We measured fruit nr.3 together.Ott:305'' estimated weight:572lbs or 260kg. Other measurements: Fruit 1 :ott:292,5'' est:506lbs or 229kg. fruit 2 : ott :236'' est : 273lbs or 124kg fruit 6 : ott: 210,5'' est : 197lbs or 89,5 kg.
 
Tuesday, August 31 View Page
That's me with fruit nr1. at day 49.Circ.:138,5''Ott.:309''Estimated weight :600lbs or 270kg.Hope I can keep it growing for another 30 days. Also measured fruit nr5 . Circ:97'' Ott:222''est.:238lbs.or 105kg.Wind,sun,clouds and a shower... 19°C day 10°C night.Forecast for the next days is better... sunny and a little warmer, and no wind!
 
Wednesday, September 1 View Page
Sunny day and 20+°C after a cold start(10°C). 1000 liters of water with 13-13-35 solution for greenhouse.
 
Thursday, September 2 View Page
Very nice and warm day today.Sun all day long ,and no wind.25°Cday,12°C night.
 
Friday, September 3 View Page
Fruit1.No measurings for the last 3 days,but i can see it grow and i hope it will reach the 700lbs mark in a few days.Sprayed this morning with bayfidan(PM)and confidor.14°C at 7am up to 28°C in the afternoon.Sun all day!
 
Saturday, September 4 View Page
Sun all day and 27°C day and 15°C night!!!.Added 2000 liters of water to greenhouse plants.
 
Sunday, September 5 View Page
Another warm and sunny day 27°C.Fruit 3 : 143" circ and 320"ott.Est.weight :672lbs or 302!! kg. Fruit 1 :132"circ and 296"ott.est:534lbs or 240kg.Keeping fingers crossed for next 4 weeks.
 
Wednesday, September 8 View Page
My pumpkin lifting tarp ! It was made for me by the firm 'Libbotte' in Oreye (Belgium). Would you think it'll be big enough? :) Sun all day again and 25°C. Added 1000 liters of water with 13-13-35 solution to GH.
 
Thursday, September 9 View Page
Pumpkin trying to escape from the patch !Nice and sunny weather all day and 25°C.
 
Friday, September 10 View Page
Another load !
 
Friday, September 10 View Page
Making the display.
 
Friday, September 10 View Page
Also harvested this one today.Estimated weight:282lbs or 127kg.
 
Friday, September 10 View Page
Another picture...
 
Friday, September 10 View Page
And this nice squash : Estimated 192lbs or 86,5kg.Tomorrow we will weigh it ,as my scale reaches to 105kg this one can be weighed.Warm and sunny today again, but windy .26°C and very slow cooling down in evening.(still 21°C at 10pm).
 
Monday, September 13 View Page
Fruit 1 at 836cm ott = 329'' estimated weight:730lbs or 328kg.Circ. =382cm or 150''.Very windy today and rather fresh.Afternoon up to 20°C.A little bit of rain in the evening.
 
Tuesday, September 14 View Page
Picture shows third load of today,all 'rouge vifs' and 'jack'o lanterns'. Wind , sun and about 19°C.
 
Wednesday, September 15 View Page
Nice squash,170lbs or 76,5kg est.Saturday we will probably harvest and weigh it,and same for pumpkin nr2.(330lbs or 148kg est.). Also measured fruit 1 today : 700lbs or 270 kg est.348cm = 137" circ.Gave 1000liters of water with 13-13-35 to greenhouse plants.Cold day today(16°C) and some rain in the afternoon.Cold night predicted : 8°C.
 
Friday, September 17 View Page
Harvesting time today!Ther goes fruit nr.2.
 
Friday, September 17 View Page
And the nice squash....Helpers are Marcin,Mark And Peter.
 
Friday, September 17 View Page
Estimated weight 170 lbs or 76.5kg.Real weight: 204lbs or 92kg.Fruit was 20%heavy.
 
Friday, September 17 View Page
Fruit nr 2 is etimated 350lbs or 157,5kg.This one we can't weigh here as our balance reache to 105kg only.We also harvested almost all the 'rouges' and 'jack'o lanterns'today and yesterday.
 
Friday, September 17 View Page
Our display.Still got 3 pumpkins(750,600and 400lbs.est.) in greenhouse,and 7 or 8 in the patch.
 
Monday, September 20 View Page
Fruit nr.3çmy biggest). It stopped growing at 382cm or 150"circ. Ott:845cm or 332,5".Est.weight:753lbs or 339kg.I hope it holds till weigh-off 12 days from now. Fruit nr 2 (est.600lbs , 270kg) will be harvested this week.
 
Wednesday, September 22 View Page
The greenhouse today with fruit 3 at 750lbs est. fruit 1 at 600lbs est. and fruit 5 at 410lbs est. and still growing. fruit 1 and 3 don't seem to grow anymore .The plants are still in good condition though. Saturday we will try to get fruit 2 out of greenhouse.Cool weather today(15°C),strong wind (nw) and rain.
 
Saturday, September 25 View Page
Harvesting day today for fruit nr. 1 ,my second best at 270lbs est.
 
Saturday, September 25 View Page
Out of the greenhouse and put on a palet.
 
Saturday, September 25 View Page
What willl it weigh?
 
Saturday, September 25 View Page
Many helping hands and the right equipment...
 
Saturday, September 25 View Page
Going very smoothly...
 
Saturday, September 25 View Page
That's me being glad we got it.
 
Saturday, September 25 View Page
Drove it to ALVA, they got a balance to weigh pallets. Empty pallet was 19kg.
 
Saturday, September 25 View Page
325kg -19kg for the pallet = 306kg or 680lbs WOW!!!.Very happy with a +300kg fruit in my first AG growing year.And the biggest is for next week .Hope it holds together and maybe it will hit 800lbs....Keeping my fingers crossed.
 
Sunday, September 26 View Page
That's my brother 'mark'with our 680lbs pumpkin at an exhibition in Sprimont,Belgium.The beauty in the backgound is sophie's pumpkin.(sophie = théa).
 
Monday, September 27 View Page
Got visitors today... last years 'kindergarten' from ST.Lugardis school in Tongeren. This morning went to Sprimont to get my pumpkin back,and i met the folks (father and husband) of Sopie(Théa).Very nice people .Thanks for the help with the loading. And i had Sophie on the phone for a very pleasant talk and 'felicitations exchange'.
 
Tuesday, September 28 View Page
From 13sept. till 20 sept. my fruit nr3 seemed to have stopped growing at a circ.of 382cm or 150".Didn't measure it again till today because i thought it had grown a bit. And indeed: 389cm or 153".OTT:856cm or 337" for an est.weight of 784lbs or 353kg. 3 days to go .... will it hit 800lbs?
 
Friday, October 1 View Page
Big day today ... My biggest fruit was harvested at 11 a.m. We lifted it with 6 strong men. OTT 340" .... What will it weigh?
 
Friday, October 1 View Page
Local TV was there to film the harvesting... See the size of the pumpkin and their car... :)
 
Friday, October 1 View Page
Comparing the size to the 306kg fruit.... maybe we could hit 400 kg.
 
Saturday, October 2 View Page
That's me at duisburg... Belgian and european champion 2004 is marked on the cup.
 
Saturday, October 2 View Page
The results...
 
Saturday, October 2 View Page
I want to thank everyone on bigpumpkins.com.I never asked anything to anybody in vain... and as a new grower i had many questions... Thanks all!!!
 
Saturday, October 2 View Page
My pumpkin at the Duisburg weigh-off
 
Saturday, October 2 View Page
Stem side...
 
Saturday, October 2 View Page
interview for Radio2
 
Saturday, October 2 View Page
Me and my fellow-pumpkin man and the best pumpkin lifter there is... 100kg ... he takes it alone... Marcin Sliwinski.
 
Saturday, October 2 View Page
And here me with the man i got my seeds from... Fons Verstappen from Keerbergen, Belgium... The seeds from his plant were Canadian, but he doesn't know the name of the grower. Thanks Fons!
 
Saturday, October 2 View Page
And the last one... me with a very friendly bunch of pumpkin-lovers from Austria(Europe)
 
Sunday, October 3 View Page
There's an empty space in my patch... allready missing it...lol. Can't wait till may 2005.
 
Monday, October 4 View Page
We made the national (VTM) and local (TVL) evening news.Also 3 Radio-programs and a guy from a newspaper came to take some pictures of the pumpkin with the kids.Good publicity for my bussines... lol.
 
Tuesday, October 5 View Page
Good thing we has Mr.Fagard with his lifter to get it out of the patch.
 
Tuesday, October 5 View Page
Phonecall at 7.40a.m. A radioprogram from the netherlands interview...8.30. new fotosession with pumpkin ,wife and kids for local newspaper. I sold my 306kg pumpkin to a restaurant in Liège...We took it there at 11.30 .a.m. They already ordered another one for next year...Picture shows my winner pumkin in front of my store.
 
Thursday, October 7 View Page
My fruit number 5 havested today .It was on the back main of my plant 1. Plant1 produced well with a 306kg (680lbs) and a 200kg (445lbs).Results for greenhouse : fruit 3 :917lbs fruit 1 : 680 lbs . fruit 5 :445 lbs. Outside the greenhouse nothing above 350lbs.
 
Friday, October 8 View Page
My 917pumpkin is at a real castle for the weekend.Castle is called 'Alden Biesen' and there's a fruit happening this weekend.
 
Saturday, October 9 View Page
Greenhouse removed today.Notice the diffrence between greenhouse-plants and those outside.
 
Monday, October 11 View Page
Another picture at 'Alden Biesen'.I took my pumpkin back home today, next weekend it will be here again.
 
Tuesday, October 12 View Page
Bet they sell pumpkins here!!! lol.
 
Wednesday, October 13 View Page
Got a phone call from VRT (national belgian TV) If they could come over for a few shots and an interview. Made the late evening news in an item with also the weigh-off in Half Moon Bay.They showed Joel Holland's pumpkin on the scales and his 6000$ cheque.Than they showed me as the winner of Belgian and European championship at Duisburg and asked me about my cheque :) Told them that i got some gardening equipment for about 60 euro, but that i was still verry happy.Did it for the fun of growing a big pumpkin !
 
Friday, October 15 View Page
Ready for second weekend at 'Alden Biesen'.I will leave it on the trailer this time.
 
Monday, October 18 View Page
Getting my pumpkin back home.I can display it now in front of my store till the last weekend of oktober.
 
Saturday, October 23 View Page
Marcin with the stump of my nr.1 plant
 
Friday, October 29 View Page
Marcin inside a 350lbs pumpkin :)
 
Friday, October 29 View Page
Carving ...
 
Friday, October 29 View Page
The kids loved it !
 
Friday, October 29 View Page
A 350lbs jack'o lantern.
 
Monday, November 1 View Page
Weigh-off in Kasterlee yesterday , on halloween..When i arrived in Kasterlee(10.30am) i could hardly believe my eyes:Cars were stationned till miles away from the village.I was guided to a place kept especially for me to unload my pumpkin.Thousands and thousands of people were there... 15000? 20000?...It's a pumpkinfest and a weigh-off.There were many attractions, Music,singers ,even 'Alphorns'.Local TV was there too. National TV would arrive in the afternoon.I was very welcome there and everyone of the organisation wanted a word with me and i was also able to meet most of the winners from the previous years.As the winner of Duisburg (10/02/04)I also had to say a word to the public (picture). Wow ... What an overwhelming experience!. As they took my pumpkin of the pallet i saw it was leaking a little.Could i win here? The second of Duisburg (Jantje)was here and also a very big pumpkin that wasn't in Duisburg but stayed on the plant till today.It was Leo Cuypers'pumpkin.To me it seemed bigger than mine.
 
Monday, November 1 View Page
Jantje's, Leo's and mine .
 
Monday, November 1 View Page
Drinking 'pumpkin-beer' with the Kasterlee growers club.We talked, sung!! laughed as if i was one of them. Very nice people.On the left: two time european champion Paul Boonen.If i wouldn't have had to drive home in the evening i would have been drinking beer with them all afternoon!!
 
Monday, November 1 View Page
After a few beers,we did the 'pumpkinsong' (Het pompoenenlied)especially composed for their club!.I felt like in college-time again for a while...
 
Monday, November 1 View Page
Picture pumpkinsong...http://users.belgacom.net/pompoenen/hoofditems/Lied%20pompoenen%20genootschap.htm You can listen to it following this link.
 
Monday, November 1 View Page
wow ... only a few kilo's... my pumpkin lost a lot more weight than Jantje's. 416 to 398kg!!! Guess i travelled to much with it... Many times loaded and unloaded.
 
Monday, November 1 View Page
Took the first place .Got a wide screen TV and 250Euro.I'm very pleased with it.
 
Monday, November 1 View Page
Interviewed by National TV (VRT).The man right next to the Tv-girl is Jos Verachtert.Last year European champion and record holder with 447kg. We were on 6'o clock, 7'o clock and late evening news . Great!
 
Monday, November 1 View Page
End of a fantastic day! (As a married man i have to say the NEXT best day of my life ...lol).Thanks to all the very fine people in Kasterlee. I'll be back next year!
 
Friday, November 19 View Page
How about this 'wallthickness'
 
Friday, November 19 View Page
Seeds are drying
 

 

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