Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 85 Entries. Sunday, January 30 View Page The growing Season officially started today! Seeded 4 kinds/strains of cabbage; -OS Cross (from Reimers) -Filderkraut (large pointed type from Exhibition Seeds in UK) -Peter Prosser Strain (from Petey) -George Rogers Strain (from the Giant Cabbage Fairy) In cell packs on the heating mat and under the lights keeps them around 20 to 24 C.   Tuesday, February 8 View Page Cabbages are up in the grow-op. I keep them cool (14C) but lots of light (12 hours /day, and inch from the plants)to keep them short and stocky.   Tuesday, February 8 View Page Lithovit arrived today....I hope its enough ;)   Monday, February 28 View Page Seeded a second batch of cabbage and potted up the first batch (not looking good, most got damping off in the first batch). -OS Cross (from Reimers) -Filderkraut (large pointed type from Exhibition Seeds in UK) -Peter Prosser Strain (from Petey) -George Rogers Strain (from the Giant Cabbage Fairy)   Wednesday, March 9 View Page Seeded Tomatoes and Peppers for eating. LunchBox (gets tons of supersweet large egg sized fruit), Sub Arctic Maxi (the earliest 2oz tomato), and Oxheart Tomatoes(an old heirloom 10-12oz). California Wonder (green bell), Dulce(sweet jalapano, almost no heat), and Red Peter (Hot, interesting shape) peppers. Most of my first planting of cabbage got damping-off. The second seeding of cabbage are doing good (mainly because I did a preventative spray for damping-off....lesson learned).   Wednesday, April 13 View Page Applied to the patch today; 3 OZ of Product EX 4 OZ of Soil Life with Yucca 4 OZ of Seaweed   Monday, April 25 View Page Thanks to some amazing generosity my "carved in stone" line-up has recently changed. This year I will be growing the following; 1663 Zoellner (1421 Stelts x sib) 1161 Rodonis (1231.3 Pukos x 1450 Wallace) (Thanks to BOTH of you....you know who you are) 724.4 Nieuwenhoff (901 Hunt x 1375 Liggett)also growing several of these for back-ups. Can't go wrong with any crosses I could make between those three. I'm also starting plants for my brother who is now growing 3 so he is going to get.... 1678 Hunt (901 x 1156) I was going to grow it but i also wanted to grow my own and it would really limit my crosses. 1636 Liggett (1375.5 Liggett x 1459 Sundstrom) 1197.6 Matessa (1161 Rodonis x self) I'm also growing some other stuff.... 5 - 240" Hain Sunflower 5 - 196" Nieuwenhoff Sunflower 5 - J+B Tall Corn 2010 2 - 7.33 Hunt Tomato 1 - 119 Starr Field Pumpkin 1 - 99.2 Lyons Field Pumpkin 1 - 108.75 Eaton 10 (125.75 Urena 07 x 129 Harnica 09) LG 1 - 118.5 Eaton 06 (109 Eaton 05 x self) LG 4 - Giant Cabbage from Petey, George Rogers, OS Cross, + Filderkraut (all ready to go in garden as soon as it stops raining) and maybe a Giant Bushel Gourd stuck in somewhere.   Tuesday, April 26 View Page Getting a few things marked off the ToDo list.....almost done building the Ark. Next up, plant the cabbages in the garden, build the Long Gourd trellis, start the AG seeds....   Tuesday, April 26 View Page Finally managed to get the cabbages planted. Shouldn't have been in the garden at all because its too wet but they had to go in. Watered in with Moon Dust and Companion. One plant each of George Rogers strain, Peter Prosser strain, OS Cross, and FilderKraut. Pumpkin seeds will be planted in a couple days.   Friday, April 29 View Page Seed starting day today. I'm growing 3 plants and I'm starting 3 for my brother. Starting 1161 Rodonis, 1663 Zoellner, 724 Nieuwenhoff for myself and 1678 Hunt, 1197 Matessa and 1636 Liggett for my brother as well as a few extra 724's for back-ups.   Saturday, April 30 View Page Cabbages in the ground for a few days and seem to be adjusting well.   Monday, May 2 View Page Got the long gourd trellis up today. Just need to put something on the outside for the plant to climb up....likely chicken wire. The plan is to put a piece of pipe insulation on the wire wherever a gourd grows so the wire on top doesn't cut into the stem. The trellis is 135.5 inches from top to bottom in the middle....just in case ;)   Monday, May 2 View Page Applied to the patch this evening, 3 oz Product EX, and 18 oz of Re-Store Plus.   Wednesday, May 4 View Page Almost all my seeds were up in 3.5 to 4 days from planting to germination and emergence. Only one not up was the 1636 Liggett, dug it up and it has a club root and is stalled. Replanted it and we'll see what happens. Got Reemay on the hoop houses and they are now in place. This evening seeded a couple of my 724.4's and a 1424.5 Werner since my 1636 Liggett is likely toast. Also seeded 2-118.5 Eaton LG's and 2-108.75 Eaton LG's as well as 2-7.33 Hunt tomatoes and 4-4.25 Lyons tomatoes.   Tuesday, May 17 View Page Finally got my plants in today. Added about 5 cups Myke to the planting area, and watered in with Companion and Re-Store. Here is the 1161 Rodonis.   Tuesday, May 17 View Page The 1663 Zoellner.   Tuesday, May 17 View Page My own 724.4   Tuesday, May 17 View Page Here is the top of the hill shot with all 3 plants snuggled in to their Reemay covered hoop houses. Spring amendments so far are Humic Acid (Black Earth), Gypsum, Aluminum Sulphate, Jersey Greensand, plus a couple applications of Eximo, Re-Store, and Soil Life with Yucca.   Thursday, May 26 View Page Last night applied 4 oz of Eximo, 18 oz of ReStore and also applied a good helping Sul-Po-Mag, and Aluminum Sulphate as indicated from my soil test.   Saturday, June 4 View Page Finally have everything planted thats going to be planted. Here's the update; 1161 Rodonis about 3 feet 1663 Zoellner about 2 feet 724 Nieuwenhoff about 2 feet All look great and should really take off now. I still have the hoop houses on and covered with Reemay. The Reemay allows some of the wind to get through so I weathered the wind storms great with no damage to the houses or plants. All four cabbages are about 3 feet across (George Rogers strain, Petey strain, OS Cross, and Filderkraut). Recently planted out are 2-4.25 Timm, 2-7.33 Hunt tomatoes, a 99.2 Lyons and a 119.5 Starr Field Pumpkin, a 94 Eaton '10 and a 118.5 Eaton '06 Long Gourd....all are looking good. On the back hill (wild area, not looked after) I've stuck a half dead Bushel Gourd, a sickly looking 105 Eaton Long Gourd and a freak, double-leafed 724 Nieuwenhoff AG....all looking badly as expected.   Friday, June 10 View Page Things are going pretty slow, but not too far behind last year when I look at the pictures. Applied Eximo, Re-Store, and SVB Prevention today. In this "top o the hill" shot the pumpkins are; far left 1161 Rodonis, near left 1663 Zoellner, middle right 724 Nieuwenhoff. Cabbages are in the middle. The few vines that were ready got buried and treated with my "Psycho-Myko Blend". Also broadcast and lightly raked in lots more Psycho-Myko all around the plant.   Friday, June 10 View Page 1161 Rodonis   Friday, June 10 View Page 1663 Zoellner   Friday, June 10 View Page 724 Nieuwenhoff   Friday, June 10 View Page Cabbages starting at the top and going clockwise; Filderkraut, Petey Strain, OS Cross, George Rogers Strain.   Friday, June 10 View Page Long Gourd just starting to reach for the netting. This is the 94 Eaton.   Thursday, June 16 View Page My 99.2 Lyons Field Pumpkin bit the dust. Something chewed it off at ground level (or possibly rotted off) Direct seeded another 99.2 Lyons in the garden tonight. Vine burying with Psycho-Myko and foliar applications well underway. Alternating applications of Companion, TKO, SilGuard, Seaweed, Humic and Fulvic acid products and a few others from time to time.   Saturday, June 25 View Page Pollinated a 5 lobe on the 1663 Zoellner this morning. Very little, if any pollen on the only male available for picking last night. Cross is 1663 X 1161 Rodonis if it takes. Next out on the 1663 is about 10 days away so still not too bad. Next one up for pollinating is the 1161 in a couple days.   Monday, June 27 View Page Pollinated a nice 5 lobe on the 1161 this morning. Unfortunately the only one with a male ready was the 1161 so its a self if it takes (again, there was very little pollen).   Wednesday, June 29 View Page Pollinated a long-stemmed, 5 lobe on my 724.4. Crossed with a single 1663 Zoellner male. Hope it takes as the next one out on this plant is microscopic at best. Next up should be the second pollination on the 1161 then the 1663 shortly after.   Thursday, June 30 View Page First split of the season on a 3 day old one off the 1161 Rodonis. I didn't know it was possible :(   Friday, July 1 View Page Pollinated a nice 5 lobe on the 1161 Rodonis. Crossed with the 1663 Zoellner (2 males). This is the second pollination on this plant, the first one split at day 3 so hopfully this is going to take. The temp and humidity is supposed to be very high next few days. We better not have a repeat of last year. Happy Canada Day!   Saturday, July 2 View Page Pollinated a 6 lobe on the 1663 Zoellner this morning. Crossed with 2 males from the 1161 Rodonis. This is the second one on this plant, first one doesn't appear to have taken so hope this one does. Weather today expected to be 40 C with the humidex.   Tuesday, July 5 View Page I'll start my update with the "Top O The Hill" shot. The 1161 is far left, 1663 near left, my 724 middle right, 119 Starr field pumpkin far right.   Tuesday, July 5 View Page Very pleased with my plants so far. This is part of the 1161 Rodonis.   Tuesday, July 5 View Page They are repairing the bridge in our backyard (for the next 2 months) and every day the pumpkin leaves are covered in concrete dust (free Lithovit), can't be good, but doesn't seem to be causing any harm yet.   Tuesday, July 5 View Page Finally have my water system hooked up to draw water from the river. Works great!   Tuesday, July 5 View Page 1161 Rodonis X 1663 Zoellner   Tuesday, July 5 View Page 1663 Zoellner X 1161 Rodonis   Tuesday, July 5 View Page 724.4 Nieuwenhoff X 1663 Zoellner   Tuesday, July 5 View Page 119.5 Starr Field Pumpkin   Tuesday, July 5 View Page One of my cabbages   Tuesday, July 5 View Page Long Gourd just at the top of the trellis.   Friday, July 15 View Page The "Top O The Hill" shot for July 15.   Friday, July 15 View Page This is the keeper on my 1161 Rodonis. Not the greatest placement, but I can work on that. First one actually split on Day 3 or 4 so I wasn't planning on going with this one. Day 9, 22 inches cc, 1161 Rodonis x 1663 Zoellner.   Friday, July 15 View Page The keeper on the 1663 Zoellner. Day 13, 30 inches cc, 1663 Zoellner x 1161 Rodonis.   Friday, July 15 View Page The keeper on my own 724.4 Nieuwenhoff (901 Hunt x 1375 Liggett). Day 16, 44 inches cc, 724.4 Nieuwenhoff x 1663 Zoellner.   Friday, July 15 View Page All the keepers are set and ready for the ride. I'm either gonna blow 'em or grow 'em and show 'em. See you in October! Good Luck Everyone!   Thursday, July 28 View Page Two for one special in the coon trap today. They just can't resist a helping of cheap, disgusting, wet cat food. For the first time ever I had coon damage on 2 of my 3 pumpkins. Minor damage compared to what I have seen from others. Pumpkins are kickin into gear with the 1161 Rodonis and the 1663 Zoellner both doing over 30 pounds a day. My 724 that had the worst coon damage dropped off to 20 pounds a day and I just noticed that Mr. Foamy showed up for a visit....another first for me.   Wednesday, August 10 View Page My lovely wife and my 1161 Rodonis day 36 crossed with the 1663 Zoellner which is about the same size and a couple days older. If my season ended now this would likely be a personal best, but if it doesn't get to a scale it doesn't really matter. A long way until October. :)   Sunday, August 14 View Page The Long Gourd trellis   Sunday, August 14 View Page ...and inside the long gourd trellis.   Sunday, August 14 View Page My 724.4 Nieuwenhoff today (901 Hunt x 1375.5 Liggett)   Sunday, August 14 View Page The 1161 Rodonis today crossed with the 1663 Zoellner.   Sunday, August 14 View Page The 1663 Zoellner today crossed with the 1161 Rodonis. :)   Wednesday, August 17 View Page Got the timing wrong on the field pumpkins. I will have 5 or 6 of them this size (50 pounds and up) ready for Labour Day and can't seem to get any more to set in the last couple weeks. This is off the 119.5 Starr X self.   Saturday, August 27 View Page Well...our smallest pumpkin split yesterday. A rib split at, from the outside, what appeared to be a very slight dill ring. This was on my own 724 crossed with the 1663 Zoellner.   Saturday, August 27 View Page We cut it up and weighed it on the bathroom scale today for a semi-accurate weight.   Saturday, August 27 View Page Cross-section showing the dill ring on the inside. This crack went all the way around and was likely doomed from the beginning. This one taped 749 pounds and the actual semi-accurate (maybe) weight was 763 pounds. Of my two remaining pumpkins, one has a large sag line and the other one has very deep ribs. Both have me worried that I may not have anything come October. Since I have yet to grow a 1000 pounder I've decided to try and coast to the finish line from here.   Saturday, August 27 View Page I thought this was a good picture to show how the stem is attatched to the pumpkin. It explains why you can cut the stem open along its length when you have a stem split before it tears into the pumpkin flesh. There's a lot of pumpkin meat under the stem so if you get to a stem split in time you can prevent damage to the pumpkin.   Saturday, August 27 View Page Hopefully the two remaining pumpkins keep plugging along. I had to upgrade the shade structures....they weren't fitting under the sheets anymore ;)   Saturday, September 3 View Page I grew a variety of hot pepper this year called Peter Pepper......and I'll leave it at that.   Monday, September 5 View Page Off the 1161 Rodonis crossed with the 1663 Zoellner - day 60. Hope to get a few more pounds out of it. It has hardly had a stump left since day 30 and now about half the plant has rotted away. This one and the 1663 Zoellner tape the same so whichever one is growing the least will go to Port Elgin and the other to Erin Fall Fair.   Tuesday, September 6 View Page Harvested some long gourds tonight....now I just need to straighten them out before the weigh-off.   Sunday, September 11 View Page 15 pounds a day last 5 days!   Thursday, September 22 View Page Made the front page of our local paper! There isnt a link to read it online but the article turned out pretty good with a good mention of the GVGO and the Erin Fall Fair weigh-off.   Friday, September 30 View Page Loaded and can't wait to head out in the morning to Port Elgin.   Sunday, October 2 View Page What an amazing day at Port Elgin on Saturday. To see Joel Jarvis "squash" the World Record and to have a new PB for myself to top it off. I got 14th place with my 1161 Rodonis...now the 1088.8 Nieuwenhoff and won the Howard Dill award for it as well. I also got 1st place for the heaviest other catagory with a 155.5 pound Bushel Gourd. My brother also got a new PB of 968 pounds with a 16% heavy 1678 Hunt seed, grown in 300 sqft. His previous PB was 580, so he had a stellar day as well.   Sunday, October 2 View Page Made our display out front of our house today. My Results from Port Elgin on Saturday. 1088.8 Nieuwenhoff (1161 Rodonis x 1663 Zoellner) 7% light Placed 14th and got the Howard Dill Award! (my first 1000 pounder) 102.25" Long Gourd off the 94 Eaton x Self Placed 7th out of 12 155.5 pound Bushel Gourd placed 1st in "Heaviest Other" catagory 41.2 pound cabbage placed 8th out of 9 (not pictured)   Sunday, October 2 View Page Presenting the 1088.8 Nieuwenhoff   Sunday, October 2 View Page The 155.5 pound Bushel Gourd. I think I can crack 200 pounds with this seed no problem. I will give them a serious try next year if I have the room.   Sunday, October 2 View Page Here is a picture of the cabbage I grew. I removed the big leaves for the picture to show all the little cabbages that grew around the base and up the stem. This is a "pointed cabbage" variety that I think with some extra care and keeping the water off the plant I can easily break the 60 pound mark. Most of the big leaves rotted off this plant and I was only left with the head that weighed 41.2 pounds.   Sunday, October 2 View Page Very proud of my brother who had a PB last year in his 1st serious year of 580. This year he had a 600 sqft patch and grew 2 plants in it (he was going to make another 600sf patch but ran out of time). This is what he ended up with...a 968.2 on the 1678 Hunt x self and was 16% heavy (pictured on the truck) and a 975 on the 1197 Matessa x 1678 Hunt and was 15% heavy, weighed on a certified platform scale at a local orchard. It developed a pin hole on the blossom end about a week ago. Ipicked the seeds out for him.....I think he's on his own next year:)   Sunday, October 2 View Page I'm going GREEN next year! I've reached my goal of 1000 pound pumpkin, now my next goal is 1000 pound squash. I've made the garden bigger and will have 3 squash and 2 pumpkins next year. My wife has said she will help with all the vine burying. I just have to do up the contract now and get her to sign the papers.   Friday, October 7 View Page The 1663 Zoellner loaded and ready for the Erin Fall Fair. The truck is sitting a lot lower than last week when the pumpkin weighed 1088.8.......fingers crossed. But then again, maybe the old 1999 Dodge is just a little worn out from last week.   Tuesday, October 11 View Page A new personal best! The 1266 Nieuwenhoff (1663 Zoellner x 1161 Rodonis (grew my 1088.8)). The most disease free plant I have ever grown. I had some over-watering issues early on and the top half of the vine rotted away one foot in front of the pumpkin by day 30....I wonder what could have been... Second place at Erin Fall Fair Weigh-off.   Tuesday, October 11 View Page Side view of the now 1266 Nieuwenhoff.   Wednesday, October 19 View Page Group shot of the GVGO members with the NEW WORLD RECORD 1818.5 Bryson.   Wednesday, October 19 View Page Me with the 1818.5 Bryson. What a day, what a year. Saw the World Record smashed in Port Elgin by Joel Jarvis and his Squash, then see the World Record pumpkin weighed at Wellington. Great memories of a great year.   Tuesday, October 25 View Page Another front page of another local paper.   Saturday, November 5 View Page After seeing how Ray Villafane carved the World Record pumpkin I came up with my version for the much less skilled person.   Saturday, November 5 View Page The 1266 carved up for Halloween.   Saturday, November 5 View Page I have a limited supply of seeds to give away this year. Here is what I have available; 1088.8 Nieuwenhoff (1161 Rodonis x 1663 Zoellner) Won the Howard Dill Award at Port Elgin and my first 1000 pounder. 1266 Nieuwenhoff (1663 Zoellner x 1161 Rodonis) New Personal Best. 155.5 Nieuwenhoff Bushel Gourd (Quarry Farm Gourds 100+ x self) 64 Nieuwenhoff Field Pumpkin (119.5 Starr x self) Since I have limited numbers of seeds to share I can't send them out to "collectors". If you plan on growing any of these next year please send me a letter stating which ones will see dirt in 2012 along with a stamped, addressed bubble. For outside of Canada growers please include a couple dollars and I will get the postage. Send to; John Nieuwenhoff 37 Stewarttown Road Georgetown, Ontario, CANADA L7G 4S5   Wednesday, November 16 View Page Finally done packaging all my seeds for this year. Packaged 1948 seeds in 1055 packages for the GVGO membership pack. An all time record for me. PLEASE NOTE - I have had a lot of requests for seeds this year and will fill any bubbles I get that are post marked November 17th or earlier but after that I can't garantee what I will have left. The first batch of bubbles will go in the mail this Friday if you were one of the first ones to send one out. Thanks to everyone for their interest in my seeds and good luck in 2012.   Thursday, December 29 View Page Lots of tough decisions to be made between now and spring. I was going to grow green in 2012 but I have received some great pumpkin seeds that need to see dirt. Maybe in 2013 I can get excited about squash but right now it's just not happening. I need to reduce this selection to 4 plants. I am also planning on growing Watermelon (224 Westfall), Long Gourds, Cabbage, Bushel Gourds, Tomatoes and maybe tall sunflower.