Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 168 Entries. Tuesday, May 18 View Page I thought it might be good to start this diary with a picture of my best effort from last year. This is me with my 207 that took fourth place at the Tennessee State Fair in Nashville.   Tuesday, May 18 View Page Couldn't find the picture I was looking for. This is me & my daughter with my 207 from last year.   Tuesday, May 18 View Page 131 Schnicker   Tuesday, May 18 View Page 176 Masterson   Tuesday, May 18 View Page 113 Kent   Tuesday, May 18 View Page 243 Kent   Tuesday, May 18 View Page 209 Kent   Tuesday, May 18 View Page 207 Masterson   Tuesday, May 18 View Page A view from above. Bottom right is 113 Kent, top right is 243 Kent, bottom middle is 176 Masterson, bottom left is 131 Schnicker & top left is 207 Masterson.   Tuesday, May 18 View Page And last but not least my 209 Kent on the top right.   Tuesday, May 18 View Page I get in too big a hurry sometimes. Perhaps I should quit this diary due to perpetual stupidity. The 209 Kent in the last picture is the top LEFT.   Thursday, May 20 View Page I found my first female blossom this evening. It was on the 243 Kent about 3&1/2' out on the main. Also, I ran into an infestation of aphids on the 113 Kent & sprayed with malathion. Overall, I am a couple of weeks ahead of last year and I am trying a few new things so I am full of good anticipation. Competition is keener every year & I really feel there will be a new world record set for heaviest watermelon this year. And at this point I think my chances are about as good as anyone else. Things can change as fast as the weather though. At the least it's going to be very interesting.   Thursday, May 20 View Page Well, here is the picture I was trying to post at the beginning of this 2010 diary and mistakenly selected the one of me with Chris Kent's 1st place 239. At least I have found the right one and got it posted.   Monday, May 24 View Page My 6 little Carolina Cross plants all seem to be doing well.Night time temps have been in the low 60's & daytime has been getting to the mid to high 80's with lots of sun. This is excellent growing weather.   Monday, May 24 View Page This is my 207 Masterson. It seems to be outpacing the other plants by a little bit.   Tuesday, May 25 View Page Does anyone have a larger copy of this picture of Henry Pleasant with his 267 from last year. If so could you forward me a copy in an email attachment to coolvol@comcast.net. Thanks   Thursday, May 27 View Page 209 Kent   Thursday, May 27 View Page 207 Masterson   Thursday, May 27 View Page 243 Kent   Thursday, May 27 View Page 113 Kent   Thursday, May 27 View Page 176 Masterson   Thursday, May 27 View Page 113 Schnicker   Thursday, May 27 View Page 207 Masterson   Thursday, May 27 View Page 207 Masterson   Thursday, May 27 View Page Another view of the 207.   Thursday, May 27 View Page This is the main on the 207. I have already picked one female blossom off of it. I am not sure how long to wait to set a melon. I want the plant bigger and the weather hotter when I pollinate.I am hoping for a melon that is both long and fat.   Saturday, May 29 View Page A view of the patch.   Saturday, May 29 View Page Another view of the patch.   Saturday, May 29 View Page 207 Masterson. This plant is exciting. If I can keep it healthy & it sets a good melon I may eliminate some of the other plants to give it more room. After all, it's not how many big melons you grow but how big you can grow one melon.   Monday, May 31 View Page A patch view.   Monday, May 31 View Page The other side of the patch.   Monday, May 31 View Page 243 Kent   Monday, May 31 View Page 209 Kent   Monday, May 31 View Page 131 Schnicker   Monday, May 31 View Page 176 Masterson   Monday, May 31 View Page 113 Kent starting to look nice   Monday, May 31 View Page 207 Masterson   Monday, May 31 View Page 207 is getting so well branched I am starting to pinch a few of them off because they will never get enough sunlight to amount to much   Monday, May 31 View Page Another view of this aggressive plant.   Monday, May 31 View Page 207 closeup of the center   Monday, May 31 View Page Holding the camera over my head.   Monday, May 31 View Page Another view.   Wednesday, June 2 View Page Right side of patch.   Wednesday, June 2 View Page Left side of patch.   Wednesday, June 2 View Page 207 Masterson   Thursday, June 3 View Page Right side of patch   Thursday, June 3 View Page Left side of patch   Thursday, June 3 View Page 207 Masterson. I pollinated a female on a side branch about 4' out this morning my first pollination of the season. This is probably not the one I will keep tough as I noticed a small female bud on the main about 9' out. It'll be exciting to finally have some actual melons growing for the season.   Friday, June 4 View Page 243 Kent is growing well.   Friday, June 4 View Page 207 Masterson has slowed a bit due to too many chemicals & fertilize I think.   Friday, June 4 View Page 209 Kent growing well and starting to put on a few more female buds.   Friday, June 4 View Page 131 Schnicker is growing slowly, it is in a very shady spot and also the hill probably has a few too many coffee grounds in it as this one is often a little wilted during the heat of the day.   Friday, June 4 View Page 176 Masterson is a big question mark. It is starting to pick up it's growth some though.   Friday, June 4 View Page 113 Kent is doing fairly well. I just don't think any of the 3 plants on the bottom row will do as well as they could have in a sunnier location with a little more room to spread out.   Friday, June 4 View Page This is the female on the 207 I pollinated yesterday. It seems to have a good shape, has laid down already and seems to be growing. However, I think it is a bit too early and will probably choose a later melon hopefully off the main vine. Then again I might just let this one grow if it gets off to a spectacular start.   Saturday, June 5 View Page 243 Kent   Saturday, June 5 View Page 207 Masterson   Saturday, June 5 View Page 209 Kent   Sunday, June 6 View Page 243 Kent, this is the healthiest plant I have right now.   Sunday, June 6 View Page 207 Masterson, This one will be a monster of a plant if I'll learn to quit pushing it so much, you can notice dead leaves around the trunk where I overdid something or another. I have done so many things to this plant I'm just not sure what the problem is but I've lightened up on things and it seems to be growing OK.   Sunday, June 6 View Page 209 Kent This is going to be a nice plant. It is growing well and has great lineage.   Sunday, June 6 View Page Out of focus picture of melon I set 2 days ago on my 207. Notice the extra long stem just like the ones Chris had on some of his last year and the 207 itself had a long stem on it.I suspect the 207 came from seed that Chris sent me though I will never know for sure.   Sunday, June 6 View Page Side view of the 207 plant.   Sunday, June 6 View Page Here's one I pollinated x self this morning on my 207. It is on the main about 9 feet out and if it starts well this one will probably my "keeper". It's a little early but the vine is big, the days are long and I don't think waiting longer will help any to grow a bigger melon.   Thursday, June 10 View Page Day 6 on my set on the 207 Masterson.   Thursday, June 10 View Page Another set I am looking at on the 207. I pulled the one off the main due to a poor shape.   Thursday, June 10 View Page A set on the Kent.   Thursday, June 10 View Page 243 Kent growing strong.   Thursday, June 10 View Page Looking across from the 207 Masterson to the 243 Kent.   Thursday, June 10 View Page 207 Masterson from the lower part of the patch. The 3 plants at the lower part of the garden are doing poorly as I believe I put too many coffee grounds in the hills and they are too rich in organic matter. And the sad part is all 6 of my plants may suffer the same fate. Maybe I have a big lesson to learn this year.   Thursday, June 10 View Page I had number lock on - the set on the Kent is on the 209 plant.   Friday, June 11 View Page My 207 on day 8. It's growing a little slow compared to melons of Chris & Todd. Circumference is 20" and length is 8".It's early though.   Saturday, June 12 View Page 207 Masterson day 9. Circumference is now 24" and length is 9". Seems kind of puny compared to Iceman's but it seems to be making steady progress.   Monday, June 14 View Page 207 Masterson from my window.   Monday, June 14 View Page 243 Kent doing OK.   Monday, June 14 View Page 209 Kent, this one was least wilted from the heat today.   Monday, June 14 View Page I am using bricks to train my vines to go exactly where I need them to before they attach their tendrils to the bird netting I have provided.   Monday, June 14 View Page Where the 131 Schnicker used to be.   Monday, June 14 View Page 176 Masterson hanging in there.   Monday, June 14 View Page 113 Kent about gone. I noticed today it is draining poorly as I poured in a bucket of water and it sat there a few minutes before it went completely into the ground.This one has NO chance, the fat lady is singing.   Monday, June 14 View Page Don't these leaves look like a picture of health? When I got home a little before 5 they were badly wilted.I have put in a little Olivia's Cloning Solution into my water the past couple of days and I'm hoping this will help to keep the roots a little healthier in the face of copious amounts of organic matter.   Monday, June 14 View Page Day 11 on my 207. Despite my misgivings this melon is growing OK. It is 13" long, 22" girth & 33" circumference.I am truly confused about my situation but I will keep trying to keep my 4 surviving plants growing.   Wednesday, June 16 View Page 243 Kent doing OK.   Wednesday, June 16 View Page 209 Kent looking a little pale but not wilting as badly as the others.   Wednesday, June 16 View Page 207 Masterson plodding along.   Wednesday, June 16 View Page Puny 176 Masterson will probably be the next one to fall.   Wednesday, June 16 View Page 113 Kent completely gone now. This will be it's last picture. I had high hopes for this one.   Wednesday, June 16 View Page Melon set on main on 209 Kent. Notice how curly the leaves are.   Wednesday, June 16 View Page 207 Masterson should make OTT chart soon if I can keep it growing.   Wednesday, June 16 View Page This melon is now 15" long and 25" in girth.This is a gain of 2" in length & 3" in girth in the last 2 days.This is day 13.   Wednesday, June 16 View Page A view from the end.   Wednesday, June 16 View Page From the other side of the plant.   Thursday, June 17 View Page 207 Masterson mid day and it was a little cooler & less humid today than it has been.   Monday, September 13 View Page The melon off my 207 Masterson. It went around 100 pounds. Not too bad since I nearly killed the vine.   Monday, September 13 View Page Brother Dave's 153. It took second place to Chris Kent at the Tennessee Valley fair.   Monday, September 13 View Page Chris & Janet Kent with the 236 pound melon that took first place at the Tennessee Valley fair.   Monday, September 13 View Page A proud winner.   Monday, September 13 View Page Another picture of Chris Kent's winning 236 at the Tennessee Valley Fair.   Thursday, September 23 View Page Chris Kent & his 4 picked melons.   Thursday, September 23 View Page Chris & Janet sitting on their melons.   Thursday, September 23 View Page Chris with his possible world record.   Thursday, September 23 View Page Will this be the new world record? I would put money on it! :)   Thursday, September 23 View Page This melon is about 40" in straight length & it is fat too!   Thursday, September 23 View Page Me with the big one.   Thursday, September 23 View Page Another view.   Thursday, September 23 View Page Three melon growers posing.   Thursday, September 23 View Page Janet could hardly believe that Chris' melon beat her's by 4 pounds.   Thursday, September 23 View Page Chris' 264 new state record in Nashville.   Thursday, September 23 View Page No words needed.   Thursday, September 23 View Page Proud winners.   Thursday, September 23 View Page Chris' 264 in Nashville.A fairly long but very fat melon.   Thursday, September 23 View Page Janet's 260. This is a very impressive melon.   Thursday, September 23 View Page The watermelon King & Queen with probable world record melon.   Tuesday, September 28 View Page A very proud Chris Kent holding a sign declaring he has grown the heaviest watermelon ever.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Chris Kent with his big pumpkin. I think it was 1067 pounds. That was good enough for second place at Allardt.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Another view.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Janet Kent with Chris' big pumpkin.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Checking out the competition.   Saturday, October 2 View Page A view of all the pumpkins entered today.   Saturday, October 2 View Page A little closer view.   Saturday, October 2 View Page And a view from straight on.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Chris posing with his pumpkin.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Closer up.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Chris posing with his 229.2.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Janet Kent with her 230.1 pounds melon.   Saturday, October 2 View Page A closer up view.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Doing OTT's before the pumpkin weigh off.   Saturday, October 2 View Page This one won the prettiest pumpkin contest.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Some of the children were having great fun.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Lots of pictures were being taken.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Most people thought this would be the second place pumpkin. It ended up in third place.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Now I have confused myself. This may have been the second place pumpkin. I wrote nothing down & my memory is not so good. Anyway, they were all pretty amazing.   Saturday, October 2 View Page There's Freddie Burcham pointing at one of his melons. He brought a very nice one to Allardt today.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Big pumpkin growers talking it up.   Saturday, October 2 View Page A view of all the watermelon entries.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Me with the winning watermelon - 230.1 pounds.   Saturday, October 2 View Page The pumpkin on the right was actually the winning pumpkin at 1331.3 pounds.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Janet Kent was very pleased after her watermelon beat Chris' by .9 pound.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Here is the MC talking to Chris about his world record 291 pound watermelon from the Elkins weigh off.   Saturday, October 2 View Page I think he's having too much fun. :)   Saturday, October 2 View Page Chris was really a good sport when Janet's melon beat his.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Win, place and show ribbon winners for the watermelon contest.   Saturday, October 2 View Page A very proud Janet Kent.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Another shot of a very proud Janet Kent.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Janet posing with her winning melon.   Saturday, October 2 View Page A closer view.   Saturday, October 2 View Page It was another great day for the Kents.   Saturday, October 2 View Page These giant pumpkins are just a lot of fun for everyone.   Saturday, October 2 View Page It was such a beautiful day. The weather was awesome.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Some of the other vegetable entries.   Saturday, October 2 View Page This was a really pretty pumpkin.   Saturday, October 2 View Page There was a really nice crowd; probably several thousand all together.   Saturday, October 2 View Page A view from in back of the record keepers table.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Another view of part of the crowd.   Saturday, October 2 View Page The weight on Chris' 2nd place pumpkin. I am uncertain if this is a new Tennessee state record.   Saturday, October 2 View Page It was a funny shaped pumpkin and the MC even called it ugly. But it sure was solid!   Saturday, October 2 View Page Here comes the winner.   Saturday, October 2 View Page What a monster sized pumpkin it was!   Saturday, October 2 View Page Another shot of the winning pumpkin.   Saturday, October 2 View Page A very proud winner of the largest pumpkin contest. John seems to win about as often as Chris does.   Saturday, October 2 View Page The forklift was laboring when it lifted this one.   Saturday, October 2 View Page They sure didn't want to drop this one.   Saturday, October 2 View Page The big pumpkin winners posing.   Saturday, October 2 View Page Another shot.   Saturday, October 2 View Page A young watermelon fan. Future grower?   Saturday, October 2 View Page This singer was part of the live entertainment today. He was very good.   Saturday, October 2 View Page There were lots of unusual cars.   Monday, October 18 View Page OOPS !!! BIG mistake here. I was looking at the small thumbnails and accidentally posted the picture of me posing with Chris Kent's winning 239 pounder at the Tennessee State fair. Guess I need my glasses changed.