Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 61 Entries. Sunday, February 1 View Page Heres the end of 2008 - a picture of me with my PB/2008 the 1066 Chenier (1093 Hunt x 1502 Wallace) first time over 1000lbs - it was a good outcome considering the amount of rain fall we had.   Sunday, February 1 View Page The patch sits under several feet of snow, hopefully the worms are working away making the soil into super charged pumpkin growing soil   Sunday, February 1 View Page Here are my seed choices for 2009. I will grow my 1066 seed as at least one person has to grow it but the potential is there with the 1502 being the pollinator. The 1156 Hunt will go in as the future super cross and a chance at the $800 the GVGO is putting up for the largest 3 fruit grown off this seed in 2009. The 993.2 Vincent/McGill will fill the 3rd and final spot as it has great eye appeal and with the 998 Pukos as the daddy how can you go wrong. I will grow back ups but mostly my 1066 and my 628 from last year. Good growing in 2009 to everyone. Kirk - Go GVGO   Saturday, April 18 View Page I'm Installing my heating cables in this shot, I tilled the planting area and then peeled back the top layer of soil and then put the cables in using bamboo sticks to hold them until the soil was placed back on. I then put leaf compost with 1/3 of a bag of Perlite mixed in on top of the area and drenched with Molasses and put my old myco in as well.   Saturday, April 18 View Page I then put my greenhouses on top of this raised mound and have the plug inside of the greenhouse. Some of you have seen these before. They have automatic openers that open when the temp rises too high inside. They are a great timesaver. I need to build a third one which will go to the left of the leaf compost in the next picture as I grow three plants in this patch.   Saturday, April 18 View Page This is a typical shot of my patch that I will take during the year. I will build the third greenhouse shortly. My soil test came back and with John Vincents help have a plan laid out. My soil did not have any major deficiencies but I have to work on getting my OM up as its only at 4.6 but this patch is only in its second year so not to worried. Will set up my extension cords in a day or two and plug the first two soil warming cables in.   Saturday, May 2 View Page Just a quick update on my seed popping. I have my 1066 up and going along with a very strong 1170 Vincent/McGill - this was going to be a back up but man what a strong little plant but it is early, I have a 993 Vincent/McGill going and it was a weird little one at I have roots growing off the end of one cot and it eventually broke itself off but is doing ok as I type. Others are on the way and my 156 Hunt is being a little stubborn but I have hopes for this one so I will be patient. Good growing everyone, Kirk   Saturday, May 9 View Page It's been the toughest year for getting seeds to germinate properly, I have used three different techniques. I will no longer use the baby wipe warmer as its to tough to control the temp on mine. My 1156 Hunt seed is poking through finally but I'm not holding my breath on it. i have put the 1170 Vincent/McGill and the 1066 Chenier out in the mini greenhouses on thursday night. The ground temp was good and they seem to be doing well. Making a batch of tea this morning and doing some other back ups just in case. The 1170 is still very vigorous so lets hope it keeps up like that to get as much growth before fruit set. Kirk   Monday, May 11 View Page A shot of the seasons first batch of compost tea. Put it on saturday morning and its frothing up nicely, will put it on Monday evening on garden and lawn. I brew it 5 gallons at a time which seems to work fine with me. We had frost last night so I have checked on the pumpkins and they are fine but some of our flowers did not fair so well. Life in Ontario joy oh bliss! Kirk   Thursday, May 14 View Page This is the latest weapon in my drive to grow the monster. 2lbs of worms should chew through our compost waste quite well. Maybe next year I can sell worm compost instead of buying 25 lbs of it.   Saturday, May 16 View Page Finally got my third greenhouse done and installed. I have dusted with Diamatacious Earth using my newly found spritzer compliments of Bio-Ag here in Ontario. I'm going to give this stuff and the Bio-Repel from Joel Holland a true test this year and see if I can do it without chemicals as they are now banned for use in the garden here in Ontario. Plants are doing well with the 1066 Chenier and 1170 Vincent/McGill Neck and Neck Kirk   Monday, May 18 View Page I think the tea is ready to be put on the planting areas and the rest on my wifes veggy garden. Shes actually letting me put stuff on her garden that I put in my patch which is a first - that she knows of anyway! LOL   Monday, May 18 View Page A shot of the patch in the early morning as the sun rises over it. Had to put out the calf heating bulbs last night as we got frost.   Monday, May 18 View Page Here we have the 1170 Vincent/McGill and the 1378 Pitura in the top greenhouse. 1170 is the plant of choice and how can you go wrong with a backup like the 1378. I have applied compost tea today so with the sun later this week they should start to really grow.   Monday, May 18 View Page This greenhouse is home to the 1066 Chenier super plant and the 993 Vincent/McGill. I was going to go with the 993 but the 1170 plant was so aggressive it took center stage early on. The 1066 is the plant of choice in this greenhouse and I have high hope for it. My third green house has a 1156 Hunt which is kinda homely but Phil says to stick with it and another 993 Vincent/McGill. The battle will rage on over the next week and we will see who wins!   Tuesday, May 26 View Page Pictured here are the 1066 Chenier on the right and the 993 Vincent/McGill. It will be time to cut off the 993 soon. The 1066 is on the ground and will start to run now.   Tuesday, May 26 View Page Sorry last post was suppose to be this picture.   Tuesday, May 26 View Page OK - here we have another 993 Vincent/McGill and the 1156 Hunt, these plants are behind the other by about a week, I think the 993 is going to win out here. All plants were given more compost/protozoa tea this morning also.   Tuesday, May 26 View Page This is the 1170 Vincent/McGill and the 1378 Pitura. The 1170 is a very good strong plant and in all fairness the 1378 was started a week later. I will soon take out the 1378 when all chance of frost is gone and I know others are not in need of back up plants.   Sunday, May 31 View Page The entire patch got a good weeding today from my loop hoe. Dust the greenhouses with Diamatacious earth and gave the patch a spray of Actinovate AG as we have set a record for rainfall in May. Plants are doing well and heat cables turned on as it is only 7 Celcius outside. Time to sit back and enjoy a fire.   Sunday, June 14 View Page OK I have had to suck it up and take some pictures even though I am behind last year as a result of very cool night up to a week ago. This is the 1170 Vincent/McGill and is actually out about 5 feet. It's healthy which is great and with the heat we are going to get over the next while should take off.   Sunday, June 14 View Page Have my watering system hooked up now and no visible tanks can be seen from the road which is making my wife very happy and I must say it looks alot better. Its now all behind the house which gets sun in the afternoon to warm the water in the tanks and barrels. A total of 3 sprinlers for the patch   Sunday, June 14 View Page 1066 Chenier is growing well now and healthy. its about 4 1/2 feet on the main vine. I'm not taking any more pictures of my third plant the 993 Vincent/McGill for the diary as there has to be some mystery during the year.   Sunday, June 14 View Page The patch needs a weeding but we had a terrential downpour last night so I will have to wait till it dries up a bit. It was raining so hard it filled a 45 gallon drum in one minute. The plants were unscathed.   Sunday, June 14 View Page It always blows my mind that we can get a terrential downpour like last night and something so beautiful like this Lily can be undamaged and look so nice the morning after. The place we buy these lilys is coming out with one that is called "Pumpkin" Check their site out gardensplus.ca you can probaly guess what colour it will be.   Friday, June 19 View Page Featured here is the 1170 Vincent/McGill. Starting to ramp up growth. Took off from work early to tend to the patch as weeding and roto tilling needed to be done. Finished off the sprinkler system also.   Friday, June 19 View Page Patch best plant - the 1066 Chenier. Doing well and it has one big honkin main vine. Today along with patch weeding and tilling I did my myco sprinkles and added some seaweed powder and bio activator as its going to rain tonight. I have high hopes for this plant.   Wednesday, July 1 View Page A Complete shot of the patch, the 1170 Vincent/McGill and 1066 Chenier continue their battle for patch King. I will be doing some pollinations over the next few days. The fight with the cuc beetles has been interesting to say the least as I'm attemping to do it naturally. Good growing everyone - Kirk   Sunday, July 5 View Page This is a side shot of the 1170. Its wider than the 1066 but about 2 feet shorter. It has one pollination on it (1170x1066) long shaped female so we will see. I'm a little later than some with my pollinations but we can't control mother nature now can we.   Sunday, July 5 View Page My usual shot from the top of the patch. 1170 at the top, 993 in the middle and the 1066 anchoring the patch down by the shed which is getting an overhaul. Just put a new roof and shingles on it friday.   Sunday, July 5 View Page First pollination on the 1066 on July 2nd at about 10-11 feet out. If this one takes I will cut the main off and do a spider pattern and go for the gusto with it. Same shape as the 1066 in its early days.   Sunday, July 19 View Page Well, here is my first eaten fruit from a racoon, I was one day late getting my wire cover on it as I ran out of time the night before so I will go with the first pollination on the 1066 which is a much earlier one but not growing as well due to our brutal early spring like temps so far.   Sunday, July 19 View Page A shot of the patch from my favorite spot. Growing in nicely but no pumpkins peeking out yet. Warm weather in the future finaly.   Sunday, July 19 View Page My wife and I are big fans of daylilies and here is a pic of one that bloomed yesterday. The company has one out that is named "pumpkin festival" if anyone is interested in ordering it. the address is gardensplus.ca   Thursday, July 23 View Page The 1066 is now picking up but still behind, its at day 17 numbers from last year on day 20 this year, its the only pumpkin pollinated at an early date. Pictured here are some of the great people that come out for the Wellington Pumpkinfest parade, hope we can bring em some biguns again this year. Kirk   Friday, July 24 View Page This pumpkin sits at 129" OTT now, in the last 3 days it has gained 27" in OTT measurements but we have had alot of rain and now I'm worried about it spliting but thats the ride of growing one right. I'm not going to give the day its one for now as it had very slow growth in the first 10 days due to very cold weather and will see on August first if I'm on last years numbers or not.   Sunday, July 26 View Page The 1066 continues to grow along well another 24" of OTT growth in two days and starting to take on a great shape I think. I still have 6 vines growing on this plant due to all the rain we are having and the worry of splitting fruit with warm weather on the way. I will terminate them closer to the start of august when the weather gets more normal if it ever happens.   Wednesday, July 29 View Page Another shot from my favorite spot above the patch, it's filled in quite nicely with 2 of the 3 plants around 650 square feet. The 1066 fruit is on the bottom peeking out of the plastic cover.   Friday, July 31 View Page Heres a shot of my fruit on the 1066 Chenier plant, I had a few requests to post a photo with my usual scale prop. Its doing well but we need some heat.   Friday, August 7 View Page The 1066 is now at 242 OTT which is ahead of last year by a few days. With the hot weather coming in Ontario on Sunday we expect much better growth in the near future.   Friday, August 7 View Page This is the fruit on the 1170, it sits around 160 OTT seeing as its on a side vine. Its one weird shape thats for sure but I wish I could have a better one to do this seed pround.   Saturday, August 15 View Page Shot of the 1066 on saturday morning sitting around 290 OTT and gaining consistently. We are watering here in Ontario with all the humid weather we are having.   Saturday, August 15 View Page Front/Side view of the "Wideone"   Saturday, August 15 View Page My postcard shot from my favorite spot at the top of the patch. Shed has seen an overhaul lately.   Thursday, August 27 View Page A shot of the business end of the 1066, still gaining on average 4 inches of OTT each day which I can't complain about as the cool weather moves in, hopefully I'll hit a new PB with this fruit   Thursday, August 27 View Page A front shot of the 1066, starting to fill out well and 4 1/2 weeks till the weigh off.   Sunday, August 30 View Page My wife got a few pictures of my mister set up I rigged up this past winter, it a venturi set up that goes on your leaf blower with a small back pack. Cost me about $70 and I had the blower but never use it. Alot cheaper than $650 for the stihl backpack sprayer and probably about 90 as affective.   Sunday, August 30 View Page Another shot of the misting operation, was spraying neel oil this time and have sprayed teas, seaweed, molasses, Lithovit etc.   Tuesday, September 1 View Page This is the 993 that went down on me this week and as it turns out was rotting from the bottom, was trying to get one for decoration as it does not do this seed justice, better luck next year John and Brian, hope to do you proud   Tuesday, September 1 View Page This is the latest shot of the 1170 on a sidevine, plugging away at around 500 lbs and will make for an entry at either Wellington or Keene   Tuesday, September 1 View Page Latest shot of the 1066 which is developing a sag line which has me a bit worried, still gaing ok due to colder weather but nice warm days for September.   Wednesday, September 16 View Page Here are a few shots of the shed at 99% completion, before pics can be seen in the april 18th entry further up my diary.   Wednesday, September 16 View Page Another shot from the other side.   Friday, September 18 View Page OK, its not pretty but it should work not too bad as we are going down to near freezing and I don't want to take any chances at this stage. Fruit is tucked away in its little tent to keep it toasty.   Sunday, October 18 View Page New to the patch this year is the super duper tripod loader. This was easy to assemble thanks to Barts info on his site and my new chain hoist from santa worked like a charm   Sunday, October 18 View Page If you use a mid size truck your midsized pumpkin looks larger - LOL This was on a sidevine but we always go to the Wellington weigh off as the parade is a blast and its very well attended   Sunday, October 18 View Page These Wellintonites are in the spirit just like the other 2000 or so people that came out this year for the parade   Sunday, October 18 View Page Here I am pictured with the 737.8 Chenier/09 but more importantly the newest addition to our family - Jacob - He is a bubbly youngster who we are blessed to have in our family after waiting 5 long years to be matched and it was well worth the wait. So now the GVGO has another growing team in the making.   Wednesday, December 23 View Page Seeds are starting to pile up here at seed sorting headquarters. Won't be long and we will package them up for all our members. Should be another outstanding seed giveaway. Kirk   Wednesday, December 23 View Page GVGO Executive on their way for the winter meeting! Happy Holidays to all from the GVGO!   Wednesday, December 23 View Page This is one of the things I make in my other hobby - butcher block cutting boards. This one is spalted maple and cherry