Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 86 Entries. Friday, January 8 View Page Due to health reasons I have had to cut back my garden considerably. This year I have about 4500 sq ft instead of the 7500 sq ft last year. This year I will have one double allotment (clay) and one single allotment (sandy). The double allotment has a 1000 sq ft greenhouse for AGs, a smaller greenhouse for a watermelon, a tomato and melon greenhouse and a silo greenhouse for the corn, sunflowers and long gourds. The single allotment has a little greenhouse for the giant carrots, beets, parsnips and cucumbers and a bit of room left for some sweet peppers. Behind my house I have a tiny wall greenhouse for tomatoes and seed starting. Because of the "limited" space I have divided the gardens into smaller, efficient plots and hope to grow, besides a wide range of normal fruit and veg, the following giant veg categories. I will start more of each kind and see how many do well. Amaranth - Brian Moore (A. australis) Beet (long) - Medwyn Own Long Black Beet Beet (heavy) - Mammoth Carrot (heavy) - English cross Corn (tall) - my own Hala crosses originally from Craven and Moore Cucumber (heavy) - Glazebrook's Alf Cobb WR line Cucumber (long) - Glazebrook's Alf Cobb WR line Long Gourd - 122 Eaton, 117.63 Lyons, 107 Lyons, 110 Butler Marrow - 206.5 Wursten, 118.8 Glazebrook and 73.6 Wursten Parsnip (heavy) - F1 Picador Parnsip (long) - Exhibition Long Potato - probably Anais - can't get anything else Runner bean (long) - via David Thomas Squash - 1234 Wursten* and 947 Cuypers* = gotta get WR back... Sunflower (tall and head) - Craven and Hope Swede - 34.2 Glazebrook Tomato - 4.59 Lyons, 4.29 Timm, 4.04 Jager, 2.15 Wursten, etc Watermelon - 197 Leonard (239 Leonard backup) No room for pumpkins.   Tuesday, February 23 View Page Now I need my squash WR back! Heavy parnsips and heavy carrots are doing well.   Friday, March 26 View Page Growing plan for this year's giant vegetables. Regular vegetables and fruit have been left out as has the amaranth as I could only get 1 to germinate. Just 18 giant veg categories this year. From 5 allotment patches down to 3 this year. The squares on the plan denote polytunnels/greenhouses. Long parnsips didn't germinate either and have been replaced with long carrots. Currently up and running are the heavy parnsips and carrots, long beetroots and watermelons. Heavy peppers and long carrots have been sown.   Friday, March 26 View Page These are some of the polytunnels, etc on the double allotment. The large one is for two squash, a long carrot and a heavy parsnip. The tall one at the front is for the long gourds, corn, sunflowers and long beetroot. The low one behind that is for the watermelon. Behind that is for the heavy tomatoes and a swede.   Friday, March 26 View Page I wrapped the corn and sunflower cage along with the LG trellis in polytunnel plastic this year. With the skurupborren (soil drill) from Börje Gustavsson, I drilled holes for each of the corn plants (about 80 cm deep) and filled with compost and dried cow manure pellets. This drill is a great invention. I have used in on the swedes, squash, marrow, sunflowers and corn patches till now and have drilled for water at a neighbouring allotment (2 metres deep). It breaks up the lower clay level without disturbing the soil balance like digging the whole thing up would. And an easy way to get rid of all your kitchen and garden waste (and compost if you still have any).   Friday, March 26 View Page This is the right side of my little greenhouse on allotment number 3. As small as it is, this one houses the heavy and long cucumbers, the heavy carrots, parsnips, beetroots and bell peppers. Everything is grown in slightly raised beds, each bed having a totally different type of soil as needed for each crop. Inside is a 100 litre water barrel (to warm water up) and outside is a 1000 litre tank which I can connect to the barrel in the greenhouse. The tank gets filled off of a neighbouring greenhouse (friend of mine) and we also have a pump which can fill the tank up with ground water in less than 1/2 hour if necessary.   Wednesday, April 14 View Page The SQUASH season for me has started. Two 1234 Wursten 07* seeds (1055 Pitura* x self) and two 947 Cuypers 09* seeds (1310 Pitura x self) have been started in the cooler with hot water bottles every 8 hours. In a few days I will start a third seed of each. I have 10 heavy PARSNIPS growing in two of my greenhouses, planted in pairs. Will thin out to five in due time. Heavy BEETROOTS planted in the greenhouse with 10 to a hill. Most have germinated. Will keep the best of each of the three hills. In two weeks I will plant the outside beetroots. The long BEETROOTS are waiting for nicer weather to be fitted into the outdoor pipe. Will thin out to one. The heavy CARROTS are in their place in the greenhouse. Six pairs of two. Will remove the smallest of each pair when necessary. The long CARROTS are in their pipe in the big greenhouse. Will thin out to one in due time. The tall CORN is in its own greenhouse in the corn cage. About 6 inches tall. Three giant PEPPERS are up. I will grow two. Six heavy SWEDES/RUTABAGAS are up. I will grow three. Two WATERMELONS have been up for some time. I will grow one (the 239 Leonard is leading by far). Twelve giant TOMATOES have just been planted: 5.00 Clerinx (x2), 4.29 Timm (x2), 4.83 Perry (x1), 4.59 Lyons (x2) and 4.04 Jager (x3). Will keep the best seven. Still have to start heavy KOHLRABI, MARROWS, SUNFLOWERS (head and tall), outside BEETROOTS and LONG GOURDS. I have filed the 134.25 Johnston Butler (x1), 122 Eaton (x2), 110 Butler (x1) and 117.63 Lyons (x1). I hope to grow the 134.25 and the 122. Also still have to start the RUNNERBEANS. I have settled for "Spunta" giant POTATOES. I am waiting for them to chit a bit more before planting them out. I am not sure how many I will grow yet. I have just planted the long and heavy CUCUMBERS and am 'patiently' waiting for them to germinate.   Saturday, April 24 View Page Excellent germination rates on pretty much everything besides the 1234 Wursten 07*. Started 8 and only have one measly plant going and one seed still in the dirt. The rest rotted. So I started two 1236 Vincent-McGill 09* seeds today in my newly built germination box. Also started 4 LG seeds. Hot weather (for Dutch standards) forecasted for the new week. Until now, mostly frost at nights. 947 Cuypers 09* went into the greenhouse today. Agressive little plant. Backup 947* is a bit younger and will go out next week. Dutch weigh-off is scheduled for the first Saturday in October, a week later than last year, which is good as I am a week behind on the 1236.   Friday, April 30 View Page All giant veg has been started here except for SUNFLOWER (head and tall) and RUNNER BEANS. Sunflowers go in tomorrow and runner beans around May 10-15. LONG GOURDS - germinated are 110 Butler (up and running) and 122 Eaton (not above soil yet). Waiting for 134.5 and 122 backup to germinate. SQUASH - 947 Cuypers* in the greenhouse - tomorrow the backup 947 and the main 1236 Vincent* (yikes, she's aggressive!) go into the greenhouse too. Second 1236 (a wimp in comparison) to go in later and I still have a 1234 Wursten* as backup. WATERMELON - 239 Leonard is in its greenhouse CUCUMBERS - repotted them all (heavy and long) PARSNIPS - doing very well, almost time to get rid of backup plants BEETROOT - heavy ones in greenhouse doing well and down to 2-3 per hill, outside they have just popped up. MARROWS - planted 118.8 Glazebrook today (had already sprouted quite some time ago in its seed bag so I don't know if it will germ). Also planted 3x 73.6 Wursten and 5x 206.5 Wursten today. TALL CORN - doing well in its greenhouse - about 6-8 inches tall TOMATOES - repotted today SWEET PEPPERS - put into greenhouse this week SWEDE and KOHLRABI - repotted, will put out in the next week or so POTATOES - potted them up a day or two ago. Will put out around May 15. CARROTS - heavy ones are doing ok CARROT and BEETROOT long - don't think it will amount to much. Not my thing (ie. I'm no good at them...). I am clearly behind Peter G - aka "giantveg" - with most things, but his fair is at the beginning of September and mine in October... that's what I tell myself...lol   Tuesday, May 18 View Page SQUASH - 947 Cuypers* starting to vine. Still cold and dark over here but getting better. 1236 Vincent* working on 4th leaf. LGs - 110 Butler and 122 Eaton waiting for better weather in their pots. TALL CORN - still yellow TALL SUNFLOWERS - first ones are popping up - hope to grow 11, planted about 30. WATERMELON - no growth - will probably pull it and replace it with a field pumpkin RUNNER BEANS - seeds sown - waiting for them to pop up TOMATOES - 6 of the 7 planted out today POTATOES - planted out 10 last week including one in a barrel. Doing well. KOHLRABI - planted out 4 today SWEDES - all three are doing ok - the one inside is the biggest MARROWS - lost my 118.8 Glazebrook plant - have planted out 2x 206.5 Wursten plants and will soon plant out 1x 73.6 Wursten. Going to have to do some sibbing this year. CARROTS - heavy carrots finally starting to pick up CUCUMBERS - heavy and long ones planted out in the greenhouse today PEPPERS - very slow - need more heat BEETROOT - ones outside slow, ones inside are doing very well. Down to one per hill now PARSNIP - down to one per hill now - a few nice ones going LONG CARROT and BEETROOT - haven't killed them yet... Started 3x giant FIELD PUMPKINS and 3x heavy CANTALOUPE. The cantaloupe haven't germinated. I guess melons are not my thing. So, I think I remembered them all...   Saturday, May 22 View Page 947 Cuypers* (1310 Pitura x self) - starting to vine   Saturday, May 22 View Page My main two giant vegetable competitors in the EGVGA are "Cornish Giant" and "giantveg". In most giant veg categories they are miles ahead, including heavy beetroots, but I am hoping my four additional growing weeks (later weigh-off) will let me catch up. I plod my own race, regardless of what others do...   Saturday, May 22 View Page A few of the heavy parsnips with a few of the heavy carrots and heavy and long cucumbers behind them. Also miles behind with these.   Saturday, May 22 View Page Tall corn. Mostly my own Hala seeds from last year with two Olontillo plants in between. Miles behind my Finnish competitors but far from being beaten... The corn can stay in its own plastic enclosure till 6 feet tall and if necessary till 9 feet if I raise the roof.   Saturday, May 22 View Page My largest parsnip (with yellow/white edges on the leaves!). Beside the parsnip is a flowering giant beetroot from last year (purple, round type).   Saturday, May 22 View Page Giant tomatoes. In front 2x 4.04 Jager, then 2x 4.59 Lyons, then 2x 5.0 Clerinx. Behind them my largest swede/rutabaga. All still very small, but 4.5 months to go.   Tuesday, June 1 View Page Just a note to those that are growing my 206.5 marrow. It was open pollinated and having heard from one grower already, not all of the plants will be producing marrows. Till now 2 of the 3 plants with fruit starting are very likely not marrows or some new shape... They are roundish. I'm afraid that is the risk of open pollinated fruit. I had previously pollinated a few fruit on the original 118.8 Glazebrook plant, but the slugs destroyed them. I had missed one (but the bees didn't) and that one grew to be the new WR. If you can still make a choice, the 73.6 would be the right choice, unless you want to take a risk. The 206.5 plants I have in the garden are twice the size of my 73.6 plant. I hope to grow 2x 206.5 and 1x 73.6. No risk, no gain, I guess. Sorry about this.   Wednesday, June 2 View Page I must admit the Finnish growers are going to give me a hard time this year and at the moment they are easily winning the race as the collage shows. From left to right, my tall corn, heavy parsnip, pumpkin and beetroot. I'll do my best to catch up Miika, Kaarina and Tuija, but at the moment it looks like I'm no competition. Hoping experience will win the race in the long run... All pictures with standard 1 litre milk carton.   Wednesday, June 2 View Page In the previous picture the order was parsnip, corn, pumpkin and beetroot... just trying to confuse the Finnish. For non-Finnish growers, here are some more pictures of my better (perhaps largest, perhaps not) giant veg. Night temperatures are still at 5-6°C, about 5 degrees colder than average. Daytime temps are slowly picking up. All in all it has been the 9th coldest spring since 1901, so everything is about 2 weeks behind now.   Saturday, June 12 View Page Mini virtual patch tour. Weather is now equal to 10-year average: 20°C days and 10°C nights. Patches 1 and 2 with at the front sweet corn (7 or 8 varieties) with in between ornamental pumpkins.   Saturday, June 12 View Page 947 Cuypers 09* About 2 weeks behind normal due to a cold spring. 1236 Vincent at the back. Double everything, and main vine is growing back on itself. First side vines and the secondaries on the right side of the plant are not developing, others seem normal. I don't expect much from this plant.   Saturday, June 12 View Page The largest 206.5 Wursten marrow with a backup 206.5 across from it. Beside it, in the hoop, is a 73.6 Wursten marrow. Miles behind. Unlike some 206.5s, the big one here has elongated fruit, so likely a true marrow.   Saturday, June 12 View Page Sunflowers and tall corn. Corn is about 150 cm tall now. The sunflowers are in "anti-slug pails" without a bottom. The corn has a temporary roof, the sunflowers don't.   Saturday, June 12 View Page Largest potato plant - in half a barrel, which seems to work better than in the ground. This potato plant has been limited to two stems.   Saturday, June 12 View Page 6 other giant potatoes with 4 giant kohlrabi behind it in the compost pile. These potato plants have either one stem or two.   Saturday, June 12 View Page 6 of my 7 giant tomato plants. At the back my biggest swede. Very happy with them all at the moment.   Saturday, June 12 View Page Overview patch 3. At the front my smallest 206.5 Wursten marrow. The backup (which is bigger) is not pictured. In the black barrel my smallest swede. The other barrels have my smallest parsnips and beetroots. They act as backups for the ones in the greenhouse in case they go to seed or something like that. Many of the categories I grow inside are also grown outside to spread the risks. The rest of this patch has normal vegetables, all kinds of berries, potatoes and at the back 3 giant potato plants.   Saturday, June 12 View Page The right side of the mini polytunnel in patch 3. At the front are 4 parnsips, behind that a number of giant carrots. At the back long and heavy cucumbers and a normal zucchini. A bit cramped for space, but the best I could do with the limited room. Each category is divided with boards so each can have their own type of soil. The white barrels keep the leaves of the carrots upright.   Saturday, June 12 View Page Giant beetroots. At some point one of these beetroots is going to have to be sacrificed as there is only space for two. The middle one is the largest. Miles ahead of last year when I came just shy of the WR, but inside these things can run to seed early and be disqualified. Still got two good contenders outside.   Saturday, June 12 View Page Giant sweet bell peppers. Not a Guinness category, but just for fun. The flower pots in the ground are filled with dry cow manure pellets. I water in the pots, so each time a bit washes down into the soil. The pots allow deeper watering which is important in a polytunnel where the high temperatures cause a lot of evaporation of surface moisture. I do the same for my tomato plants. Excluded in the mini-patch tour where the giant field pumpkins, long gourds, long carrot, long beetroot and a few other plants here and there.   Wednesday, June 23 View Page Just a quick tour of some plants that are still contenders for the fall weigh-off. Been away on holidays for a week, so still trying to catch up on maintenance. Weather is normal for this time of year, but dry. 947 Cuypers 09* - took off first (perfect 4-lobe) female at about 10 feet. Next one is at about 13-14 ft. Hope it takes as there aren't many more in the tip of the plant. Cut winter rye this morning, dug it in and watered. 1236 Vincent* is out of the race. Flat ribbon vine, 50% no show on secondaries and double flowers, leaves and tendrils on the main. Will continue surgery but not much hope.   Wednesday, June 23 View Page Two 206.5 Wursten 09 marrows. Same age, but what a difference. The little guy was a backup but pretty much the same size as the other two 206.5 marrows I had going. This is my only chance at a new world record as the other marrows are having problems producing side vines, a common problem with marrows. The marrows in the tip of this one are looking to be short and fat.   Wednesday, June 23 View Page The middle beetroot is my best chance at breaking the WR as long as it doesn't bolt. I have to prune leaves off the other two beetroots to make room for it.   Wednesday, June 23 View Page Tall corn is doing well. The tallest ones are over 2 meters. Sunflowers in front are coming along as well. Hopefully personal bests for both this year.   Wednesday, June 23 View Page Parsnips, carrots and long and heavy cucumbers. Pleased with all of them.   Wednesday, June 23 View Page Not a giant vegetable, but I grow giant rhubarb as well. A few of the giant stalks along with some regular size ones.   Monday, July 5 View Page 947 Cuypers* - day 9 Should come close to the 1200 lb benchmarks on day 10.   Monday, July 5 View Page 206.5 Wursten marrow - picture taken from the side. Hoping to pollinate at 17 ft like last year.   Monday, July 5 View Page 1236 Vincent-McGill* in front with amputated flat-vined main. 947 Cuypers* at back.   Monday, July 5 View Page Beetroots.   Monday, July 5 View Page Tall corn and sunflowers. Tallest corn stalk is about 10-11 feet tall.   Monday, July 5 View Page Some of the outside giant veg in patch 3. Beetroot, parsnips, swede and marrow.   Monday, July 5 View Page Inside giant veg. Parsnips, carrots and cucumbers. Getting a bit too full.   Monday, July 5 View Page 6 of the 10 giant potato plants.   Saturday, July 17 View Page Half way through the season now, so time to assess. SQUASH 947 Cuypers* - got pulled today. Squash stopped growing at 120 lbs. No idea why. 1236 Vincent* - tomorrow the last pollination attempt, on a side vine of this mutilated plant. BEETROOT (long) - dead BEETROOT (heavy) - 3 inside (1 very big), 2 outside - all doing well CARROT (long) - pulled today - dead CARROT (heavy) - seem ok, getting too crowded by cukes though CORN - all bolted (again) - too dry I guess - tallest over 4 metres (13ft) CUCUMBER (heavy) - got several going CUCUMBER (long) - see picture - found it lying on the ground some time ago - still growing 2cm per day (now at 56cm) - got several others also going KOHLRABI - down to the biggest two - just for fun - not big (yet) LONG GOURD - 122 Eaton and 110 Butler - biggest LG plants I have ever had - waiting to pollinate MARROW 206.5 Wursten #1 - pollinated two weird looking fruit - are they marrows? 206.5 Wursten #2 - powerful plant with huge fruit - waiting till August 1 to pollinate keeper 73.6 Wursten - weird yellowish mini-fruit - have not pollinated yet PARSNIP (heavy) - looking very good POTATO - down to 1 or 2 potatoes per plant (I hope) - plants very healthy RUNNERBEAN - don't know what I am doing - but looking ok SUNFLOWER - all over 2 metres SWEDE - mediocre TOMATOES - best looking plants I have ever had - just started pollinating FIELD PUMPKIN - producing no females - will pull I think PEPPERS (heavy) - started pollinating - nice plants   Saturday, July 17 View Page My current best attempt at a long cucumber. It is a few days old now and about 32 cm long. Not entirely straight. Will start one or two more. Due to health reasons I will have to take it even easier next year. Next year down to 1 AG plant (901 Hunt or 904 Stelts) and only 2 marrows. Free space in the greenhouse for other, less intensive, giant veg. Will get rid of some categories and add a few others. For sure no long beets or carrots, but I would like to try giant cabbage and long melon (Armenian Yard Long "Cucumber"). So the rest of the summer I'll have time to add raised giant veg beds where once the 947 Cuypers stood.   Monday, July 26 View Page 1236 Vincent-McGill 09* - day 8 (open pollinated and hoping it has taken) On a secondary. The main is only 10 feet long and ribbon vined. About 5 of the secondaries were used as substitute mains to fill in the rest of the growing space as fast as possible. Plant is only 400 sq ft. The stem is 27cm long! The squash is right in front of the door of the greenhouse.   Monday, July 26 View Page Some of the cucumbers. Left a long one now about 58 cm and still growing. To the right a few young heavy ones. The longest cuke (not pictured) is about 64 cm long. I have a few other heavy ones also going. In front the parsnips and behind that the heavy carrots.   Monday, July 26 View Page The only 206.5 Wursten marrow plant that produced true marrows. These ones are growing on a plant that is almost identical to the one that grew the 206.5 and on exactly the same spot. Day 2.   Monday, July 26 View Page Tried some runnerbeans for fun. Longest is now about 44cm and still growing. Hala tall corn has all got a tassle. Tallest is about 450cm (14 ft 10 in). Olontillo corn is still growing, the tallest is around 400 cm (13 ft). Sunflowers all around 3 metres and growing. Long gourds to be pollinated this week.   Tuesday, July 27 View Page Picked a heavy cucumber today. Should have kept in on a bit longer I think as I missed out on a new EGVGA record by a few grams. Normal cucumbers in the grocery store weigh about 400 grams. This one weighed 4898 grams (10.80 lbs)and measured 61.5 cm (24.2"), which is a new EGVGA record. I have at least one longer one on another plant.   Tuesday, July 27 View Page 10.80 Wursten 2010 cucumber. My first attempt at giant cukes.   Monday, August 2 View Page 1236 Vincent* - day 15. Heaviest day 15 ever for me on a squash, inspite of cool, damp weather. Stem is 30 cm long (12").   Monday, August 2 View Page Long cucumber - 68cm (26.8") - for the time being a new EGVGA record and a new PB. I only have 1 more long cucumber going but have just started a new one. This one weighed about 3900 grams (8.6 lbs) but I won't enter it in the heavy class. I still have about 3 or 4 heavy ones growing.   Monday, August 2 View Page My "silo". Have a number of long gourds set. Sunflowers doing ok for the time of year. The Hala corn has produced a new PB for me (if the wind doesn't destroy it before harvest time). About 470-500 cm (~16ft). The Olontillo is still growing (~14ft).   Monday, August 2 View Page The battle of the marrows. Both day 9. On the left: 73.6 Wursten On the right: 206.5 Wursten   Tuesday, August 3 View Page Visited my pumpkin growing buddy in the next village, Bartjan van Raalte. Helped measure his 1188 Paton. It is a difficult wheel (laying down) to measure and we could be way off either way. Day 42 - OTT 352" = 915 lbs (415 kg) Day 40 is often the 1/2 end weight on Dutch pumpkins.   Tuesday, August 3 View Page Another view of Bartjan's 1188 Paton. It is laying over (not on) its stem. Will keep a close eye on it.   Tuesday, August 10 View Page 1236 Vincent* - day 23 A square wheel making the OTT charts very unreliable. At the moment struggling to keep up with what my 1234* did in 2007, but still a bit ahead.   Tuesday, August 10 View Page Tall corn, sunflowers and long gourds. Tallest corn passed 520 cm (European record is 551cm) but the tassle bent. Olontillo corn is still growing and should pass 500 cm soon. About 3 long gourds going. Weather is cool, dark and damp.   Tuesday, August 10 View Page Battle of the marrows - part 2. The first 206.5 Wursten exploded after growing 18cm longer in one night. I found an open pollinated one on a side vine which has now taken over. Left: 73.6 Wursten - day 17 Right: 206.5 Wursten - day 14?   Tuesday, August 10 View Page Bartjan Van Raalte's 1188 Paton - day 49 OTT charts don't work for wheels and measuring this thing on your own isn't ideal either. Est. weight: 1019 lbs (±20% either way I'd say)   Tuesday, August 10 View Page 1188 Paton - be surprised if this thing doesn't go real heavy. Looks a lot heavier than the estimate given by the charts. Plant is in good shape although only about 400 sq ft. Pumpkin is 10 ft from the crown.   Wednesday, August 11 View Page Bartjan's 1188 Paton - day 50 I re-measured this pumpkin today using the same method as the first time we measured it, namely, as if it was standing up. Est. weight: 1112 lbs - up 197 lbs in the last 8 days 50 days down, 52 to go.   Wednesday, August 11 View Page Harvested my first corn stalk. This one had a crack in the tassle and I didn't want it to snap off. 513 cm (16 ft 10in) - new Dutch record and PB.   Wednesday, August 18 View Page Bartjan and his 1188 Paton. Day 57 - est. 1184 - up about 80 lbs last 7 days (last week's estimate should have been 1104 lbs). The small size of the plant is going to be a negative factor for the last stage. Weather has been cold, wet and dark. In the NOT-DOING-GOOD-AT-ALL class are my squash, the long gourds (too cold), potatoes and carrots. In the DOING-WELL class are the marrows, parsnips, tomatoes and peppers. Perhaps the beetroots and one of the cornstalks and one of the sunflowers too. In the WHO-CARES? class are the runnerbeans, swedes, kohlrabi and cucumbers as these are all (pretty) new categories for me.   Friday, August 20 View Page Battle of the marrows - Part the Third Left: 73.6 Wursten 09 - day 27 @ ~62 lbs Right: 206.5 Wursten 09 - day 24 (or younger) @ (a lot?) more than that The 73.6 might eventually make it to 100 lbs or more. The 206.5 should too... ... next week (if all goes well).   Monday, August 23 View Page My last long cucumber which beat my other one by an inch. 27.8 inches (70.5 cm) One or two heavy cucumbers to go. Also harvested one of my longest runner beans and a crooked one that was too crooked to be any good. 24.6 inches (62.5 cm) Both were first attempts. Not world class, but it'll do.   Wednesday, August 25 View Page Bartjan's 1188 Paton went up 94 lbs this week to end at an estimated 1278 lbs on day 64. If correct it passes my standing Dutch record of 1256 lbs. 38 days to go. Plant and pumpkin still healthy.   Wednesday, September 1 View Page Bartjan's 1188 Paton - day 71 Up 79 lbs this week for an estimated 1357 lbs. 101 lbs above standing Dutch record.   Wednesday, September 1 View Page Battle of the marrows has stopped. The 73.6 Wursten has given up at around 70-80 lbs. Not a wonder as it is on a side vine. The last week has been rough weather wise. The second wettest August since 1906. Also one of the coldest and with the least sun hours. Pictured is the 206.5. Also on a side vine but still growing. Developing a Dill ring. Now taping well over 100 lbs, but probably weighing 7-10 lbs less than the estimate.   Wednesday, September 1 View Page With the poor growing weather in August, nothing exciting in my patch this year except a few personal bests, such as for tallest sunflower, tallest corn and likely heaviest tomato if this one holds out. 5.0 Clerinx 09 - taping about 55cm CC (21.7").   Wednesday, September 8 View Page Cold, wet and dark week again. Bartjan's 1188 Paton is really slowing down and weeds are taking over the stump area. Day 78 and estimating somewhere between 1398 and 1455 lbs, depending on how you measure the width on this weird shaped pumpkin. 3 1/2 weeks to go.   Wednesday, September 15 View Page Bartjan's 1188 Paton - day 85 Up about 45 lbs this week. Estimating between 1441 and 1504 lbs. Going to be an interesting race in Europe this year. 2.5 weeks to go.   Wednesday, September 15 View Page Dinner is ready. Two pieces of fruit a day, the doctor said. Not easily satisfied, but do like this tomato. 4.63 Wursten 10 (2101 grams) off the 5.0 Clerinx 09. A few more younger giant tomatoes still growing but it was another very cold, wet and gloomy week.   Wednesday, September 15 View Page Roughly measured my tallest corn stalk which has now started to tassle. Est. 5.35m (17.5 ft) and only 26cm short of the European record. Still growing. Taped and weighed my heaviest marrow (still on the vine) and growth has picked up a bit. Tape and scale both estimate about 150 lbs. I know there is one about 5-6 lbs heavier still in England that has stopped growing and will be weighed in the next few days, and a huge one in Germany that will be weighed soon, but of which I have no estimate. Going to be close.   Tuesday, September 21 View Page 1236 Vincent-McGill 09* - now taping a modest 600 lbs. Should break my record for smallest AG ever grown inside.   Tuesday, September 21 View Page I dug up my smallest carrots and smallest parsnip (I hope...). Parsnip just short of 4 lbs and the carrot we won't mention. Pepper weighed 1.03 lbs (468g). Tomato was 4.63 lbs. Didn't weigh the pen. Lost my only kohlrabi to rot today.   Tuesday, September 21 View Page Battle of the marrows: Part the End. In the front 77.6 Wursten 10 (73.6 Wursten x 206.5 Wursten). The 73.6 Wursten was 118 Glazebrook x sib. Behind, the 156.6 Wursten 10 (206.5 Wursten x open). The 206.5 was 118 Glazebrook x open. I will not be handing out seeds anymore from open pollinated marrows. There are too many other cucurbit pepo plants in the area for cross pollination. The 206.5 produced several marrows in the 110-206.5 lb range this year, but also orange marrows, striped mini marrows and striped big marrows.   Tuesday, September 21 View Page The 156.6 was grown on a secondary vine after the main marrow exploded after growing 18cm longer in one night. Previous post should have read, the 206.5 produced several marrows in the 110-156.6 lb range.   Wednesday, September 22 View Page Bartjan's 1188 Paton - day 92 Measures somewhere between 1487 and 1564 lbs. Or if measurements are off 10%, somewhere between 1340 and 1720 lbs. This was the last measurement before the weigh-off on October 2.   Friday, October 1 View Page Bartjan with his 1188 Paton just before lift off.   Friday, October 1 View Page Bartjan guiding his pumpkin to the trailer. It didn't fit in the width (1.65m), so we had to turn it around sideways. The pumpkin had sunk quite far into the soil by its own weight so we measured it on the pallet and got significant increases compared to last week. The smallest possible estimate is 1496 lbs, the largest (measuring as if the pumpkin is not leaning over) is 1702 lbs. We don't think it will go heavy, but hopefully over 1400 lbs. Tomorrow we will know.   Saturday, October 2 View Page First of all congratulations to Bartjan van Raalte for breaking my Dutch pumpkin record of 1256 lbs dating back to 2007. The pumpkin went double digits light unfortunately, but a great accomplishment for a young grower.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Some of the giant veg on display at the Dutch Giant Vegetable Weigh-off today. My year has drawn to a close and in general it wasn't too great. A beautiful spring and early summer and one of the coldest and wettest August and September months. SQUASH - 622 lb - very disappointing - ribbon vine BEETROOT - 24.4 lb - less than 1/2 of last year CARROT - 2.49 lb - much less than 1/2 of last year CORN - 18 ft 2 in - 2nd tallest in Europe ever CUCUMBER - 27.8" - 1st time growing CUCUMBER - 10.8 lb - 1st time growing KOHLRABI - 7.7 lb - 1st time growing LONG GOURD - 61.4" - worst ever - plants drowned MARROW - 156.6 lb - 3rd biggest in world ever PARNSIP - 5.9 lb - pathetic but PB PEPPER - 1.03 lb - better than last year RUNNER BEAN - 24.6" - 1st time growing SUNFLOWER - 16 ft 2 - PB SUNFLOWER (HEAD) - 22.2" - about same as last year TOMATO - 4.63 lb - Dutch record   Monday, December 20 View Page Wishing all a healthy new year. I have decided to post my seed list for 2011 (planting starts in February) before I get my seed packages from the GVGO and EGVGA so I won't be tempted to grow more than I should. And the competition will know what they are up against...lol PUMPKIN 1421 Stelts 09 (1385 Jutras x 904 Stelts) - start 2, grow 1 in the greenhouse 850 Slusarek 07 (998 Pukos x 1068 Wallace) - backup SQUASH 1055 Pitura 06* (848 MacKenzie x self) - start 3, grow 1 outside for the fun LONG GOURD 121.25 Lyons 10 (88.5 Eaton x 135.25 Johnson/Butler) - start multiples, grow 1 inside the greenhouse 112.9 Offermann 09 (98 Gipe x 92.13 Offermann) - start multiples, grow 1 outside in enclosed shelter BEETROOT Beta vulgaris "Mammoth" - start 20, grow 2 outside Beta vulgaris rubra - start 30, grow 3 outside CARROT Three types (Flakkee pill, Flakkee and unknown English type) - start many and grow about 25 inside 2 different greenhouses, in an open hoophouse and outside (EGVGA giant veg of the year 2011) CORN Olotillo, Olotillo blanco, Tehua, Montana, Uchima Grande, Puya Grande - start multiples of each, grow about 3 of each, some enclosed, some in the open, two different patches (EGVGA non-veg of the year 2011) CUCUMBER (heavy) Glazebrook/Cobb line - start multiples, grow 2 in big greenhouse CUCUMBER (long) Glazebrook/Cobb line - start multiples, grow 2 in big greenhouse FIELD PUMPKIN 89 Starr 09 - outside for the fun MARROW 206.5 Wursten 09 - start 8, grow two outside MELON (long) Armenian Yard Long - 2 in big greenhouse SWEET PEPPER F1 Colossal - start multiples, grow 3 POTATO Kondor - grow about 10 RUNNER BEAN grow about 4-6 SUNFLOWER Richard Hope strain - tall Iwan Horde strain - head TOMATO Total of 5 plants 4.59 Lyons 5.00 Clerinx 5.35 Lyons 5.18 Lyons 4.29 Timm