Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 27 Entries. Saturday, January 1 View Page Happy new year everyone. Pic of a pumpkin to start off the year. Jutras. Taped 46" circ. 43" s/s. 38" e/e today. That's 8" increase in circumference in 2 days. Looking ok I think.   Saturday, January 1 View Page Connolly. A split has opened up longitudinally in the stem. Seems to have dried though. Taped 27" circ. 22" s/s 21" e/e today. Have another set just a bit further out. May need it. Day 8 from pollination.   Monday, January 3 View Page Did a site search for split stems and boy did I learn some, told you I was new to this!.......The split is still ok though......so far.   Tuesday, January 4 View Page Jutras taped 62-49-46 at day 16 today it has some oozing at the sutures near the stem, cut the water back a bit but in 100F+ heat is a balancing act. The Conolly taped 39-28-27 at day 10 seems in pretty good shape. This is where I was early this morning, beautiful beach, a couple of buddies and unfortunately not many fish but it was real nice out there.   Wednesday, January 5 View Page Cut back the water, did some pruning to try to slow this thing down a bit then we had our first rain in months, oh well, split happens.........a view over the Jutras.   Wednesday, January 5 View Page A view over the Connolly.   Wednesday, January 5 View Page The problem area for the Jutras. It does not look good does it?   Thursday, January 6 View Page Hope I have achieved something by cutting back the water. The Jutras taped 66-53-48 and the Connolly 49-38-35 today. The oozing on the Jutras eased but the damage may be done.   Friday, January 7 View Page Thanks all for the reassurance about my oozing Jutras. Gave it a clean up (carefully) and a spray of bravo. Ceasing all sprinkler irrigation tomorrow and sticking with the drippers, at least until we get some more 100+ weather. The Connolly is looking good, the second fruit a couple of feet further out didn't take, but it has set another on a secondary on the other side of the plant, it's about 8" diameter.   Saturday, January 8 View Page Had to prop the Jutras up today, it is not very long and looked like it wanted to roll onto it's end. Anyway it taped 69-55-51 @ day 20. The Connolly taped 56-44-41 @ day 14 and the second fruit is going ok. Won't be setting any more on that plant. Hoping that both fruit extend lengthwise as they grow, or I'll end up with some big donuts that no amount of sugar will sweeten up. It is fun watching it all happen though.   Saturday, January 8 View Page Started injecting high K polyfeed through the trickle today, still holding back on the water.   Sunday, January 9 View Page Forecast around 100 for the next few days, time to get some shade on the fruit. These frames are usually used for strawberries to hold plastic. 90% uv reduction shadecloth, hoping to stop burn but allow a bit of orange to happen if it is going to.   Tuesday, January 11 View Page Jutras taped 72-56-52 @ day 23, seems to be slowing, the Connolly 66-51-46 @ day 17. The other Connolly looks like it will abort, no growth last 3 days. Will fertigate again tomorrow. Thoughts are with anyone impacted by the floods in northern and eastern Australia.   Friday, January 14 View Page The Connolly overtook the Jutras today. The Jutras taped 75-58-54, the Connolly 77-59-55. The Connolly is on the right in the pic. It seems to handle the heat better, the vine is larger too.   Friday, January 14 View Page The second Connolly aborted, here's the chooks attempting to carve it into a jacko-lantern, I think they need a little practice.   Monday, January 17 View Page It's weird the way these things grow. 2" cc in two days then 3" in one. Anyway the Connolly taped 82-64-57 @ day 23. The Jutras has not grown since last reading 75-59-55 day 29. I think it is safe to say I have outdone my first years effort of 158lb. Have fingers (and everything else) crossed. This is the Connolly catching some rays.   Monday, January 17 View Page They don't make 'em like this anymore. Actually they never did, what with the new motor among other mods. Have new blades on order, they have so far taken 3 months to get here. Anyone know a blacksmith?   Monday, January 17 View Page This is right at the back of our house, well I guess it cuts down on the mowing.   Thursday, January 20 View Page Jutras taped 76-59-55 day 32 at least it is still growing...........slowly, the Connolly was 88-66-61 day 26, spent some time propping up stems etc. Fertigating twice a week. I'm in new territory here, a new lesson every day.   Tuesday, January 25 View Page Have had a bad few days, low temps, high humidity and rotting pumpkins. Lost the Jutras, had stopped growing for a while now, rotten at the blossom end. The Connolly had some rot starting around the old blossom, scraped out what I could and painted with Benomyl paste. Has been warmer and drier since but not sure if I have saved it yet, the shape of the fruit says thin walls at the blossom end to me. I'm not sure if it is nutrition or other factors, this game can bring you down a peg or two real quick. Another few days and I will know, (where there is life there is hope so they say). Wonder if it is too late to set another one.......   Wednesday, January 26 View Page Forgot to give the measurements so here are todays. The Connolly taped 93-70-65 for an est. 259 pounds @ day 32. The rot appears to go in to the cavity but have painted with fungicide and siliconed the crack, what is there to lose. The Jutras is about 65% eaten by the chooks, the seed were all too immature. There is another Jutras set on a tertiary, may get some seed out of it.   Saturday, January 29 View Page The Connolly is going down, have chucked out some fertilizer to hopefully set another. We will see what happens.   Monday, March 7 View Page It has been a while I know, after the disappointment of losing my kins I threw myself into something else, some remodeling in our house. Have just got my computer desk back. Have had time to think about what went wrong and I think my main mistakes were too much overhead irrigation and not enough calcium, I assumed the limestone sand they were in would do it. I am sure there were plenty of other stuff ups, maybe I can cut a few out next year. I wish all you northerners well for the coming season.   Saturday, March 26 View Page I have no viable seed from this years pumpkins, talk about having to eat humble (pumpkin) pie! If anyone reading this wants to try their seeds down south I am all ears. This sport is strange, after an abject failure I am planning to grow even more of these things next year, what the..........   Friday, June 24 View Page Hi All, mid winter here, no snow yet though! This pic is of my chrysanthemums, they were handed down to me from my dad, he passed away April 1 just before these bloomed. Have built a greenhouse and started some hydroponic experiments, beans, strawberries, peppers and cucumbers. I had to install an evaporative cooler to keep the temps low enough to grow stuff, ironic huh.   Sunday, September 25 View Page Congratulations to all for their pumpkin efforts this year, makes me orange with envy. This is a pic of my winter greenhouse, my first attempt at hydroponics.   Saturday, October 29 View Page Happy halloween. Hope I have not left my run too late but my seed went in this morning. It's take two for the seed I used last year, as well as some Aussie stuff this year too, thanks Kevin. This years goal, improve on last year. That should not be too hard should it?