Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 73 Entries. Tuesday, April 10 View Page Thought for the 2012 season....."A goal without a plan is just a wish!" I have definitely been working at making a plan!   Tuesday, April 10 View Page To you pumpkin growers out there, who will be growing my 2011 seeds....Thank you so much! I'm thrilled! Wishing you the best. Grow 'em BIG!   Tuesday, April 10 View Page Here is what's growing in this year's garden. In the same order....Vincent/McGill....Werner....REA....REA   Tuesday, May 8 View Page 1634 Werner - What's a diary without baby pictures! Plants went in the ground on Saturday 5/5. The photos were taken a few days before.   Tuesday, May 8 View Page A sure way to get orange in your patch - 1059 Vincent/McGill. I have a goal in mind for this one!   Tuesday, May 8 View Page Thanks again to all the growers who are sending me photos of their 1244.5 REA's!   Tuesday, May 8 View Page 1213.5 REA - Two plants in the pot....one got snipped. I started 5 of these seeds....all were beauties!   Sunday, May 20 View Page Here's a few photos for a REA patch tour. The favorite thing my husband ever bought for me....my spiffy garden cart! I load up whatever products I need for the day and head down the hill to the patch. I spray off the back of the cart with a 25 gal tank with a 25' hose and nice sprayer.   Sunday, May 20 View Page My prep table. No bending down and up and down and up to measure and mix and get a grandma dizzy!   Sunday, May 20 View Page Part of my drip system and hoses. Farther down, I have another water spigot with 2 more hoses. Each goes to 1/4 of the patch,so I'm not spending time and effort dragging one hose around.   Sunday, May 20 View Page The patch is 75' x 150'. The packed down area, up the middle, is the path for the cart, so I can spray from the outside edge or from the middle....works out great. 4 AG's will grow in the area to the right and my party pumpkins will grow to the left.   Sunday, May 20 View Page The patch from the top of the hill.   Sunday, May 20 View Page Each 30' x 35' plant site had a 9' x 12' sheet of plastic to help warm the soil and a cold frame, that sometimes I drape a piece of sheer fabric over.   Sunday, May 20 View Page This is Lizzy. Cute as she is....she can't compare to what Upper-Pinerunner found in his patch!!!   Friday, May 25 View Page Its a beautiful day in Ohio. But we have several HOT days ahead of us.   Friday, May 25 View Page The plants are getting ready to beat the heat....plastic off....and now under cover for a little protection from the hot sun, but still getting some nice air flow.   Friday, May 25 View Page Say "hi" to Elmer....he will watch over the patch this year. He was purchased in Kentucky when Heather and I went to the seminar. It was great to meet the Kentucky gang, and my growing buddy, "Croley Bend". Plus I picked up some Kentucky growing tips....and my husband loves his Kentucky Pumpkin Mafia hat!   Saturday, May 26 View Page 1634 Werner....holding up pretty well in the heat. Fabric folded back just for the photo.   Saturday, May 26 View Page 1213 REA   Thursday, June 28 View Page The 1244 Rea has 2 pollinations that are growing. But I'm concerned because, as some of you know, the male flowers weren't maturing. After a couple doses of TKO and a seaweed drench, 2 male flowers finally did open. Here's hoping the pumpkins hang in there!   Thursday, June 28 View Page 1634 Werner....I used this fabric to protect the main vine leaves from the direct sun when we had a few 90 degree days. It really did the job. The fabric is so light weight, that I can lay it right on the leaves without smashing them. Several leaves at the ends of secondaries did get burned.   Thursday, June 28 View Page Today was the start of a seven day stretch of temps above 90. I'm ready, with ends of secondaries covered, as well as the main, and misters installed.   Saturday, June 30 View Page I'm happy to be growing the 1059 Vincent/McGill. Day 10...27"...pollinated with 1634 Werner.   Tuesday, July 10 View Page Have hoe, will travel! Part of the gang, getting ready to work at "Gourd Hill."   Tuesday, July 10 View Page 1059 Vincent/McGill....Looking nice at day 20 and 84" circumference.   Sunday, July 15 View Page 1634 Werner - day 25 - 245 OTT. Riddle for the day: What do Barbra Streisand and a pumpkin have in common?   Sunday, July 15 View Page Oops!! They both have a best side to get photographed from! 1634 Werner did not fill out at the shoulders.   Tuesday, July 24 View Page The girls (granddaughters & great nieces) decided to name the pumpkins after characters from the movie "Tangled". The 1634 Werner reminded them of the strong, fearless, brave, and funny horse. You are hereby named...."Maximus"!   Tuesday, July 24 View Page And this beauty, 1059 Vincent/McGill, shall be the lovely maiden with golden flowing locks....."Rapunzel"!   Monday, July 30 View Page Sunday was Ohio Valley's patch tour. Patches visited were Dave Stelts, Glenn Orr, Quinn Werner, and Jerry Snyder. Jerry has his own concept of how to grow a pumpkin patch.....and he gave me the OK to show you a few photos.   Monday, July 30 View Page Each pumpkin plant is incorporated into the home landscaping. Unfortunately, he lost the plant from this area.   Monday, July 30 View Page Here is his 1476 Wolf plant. In the foreground, you can see the stump protection.   Monday, July 30 View Page The Petunia Tree   Monday, July 30 View Page Another beautiful planting area   Monday, July 30 View Page The backyard is a hill, which Jerry has terraced to hold a couple of plants. Notice the long gourd trellis at the bottom.   Monday, July 30 View Page Close up of the long gourd trellis   Monday, July 30 View Page Planting areas are mulched with shredded leaves.   Monday, July 30 View Page Very nice!   Monday, July 30 View Page Giant sun flower seeds provided by Dave Rumancik (Venari). He's got more folks!   Monday, July 30 View Page Thank you, Jerry, for sharing your beautiful gardens with us!   Tuesday, July 31 View Page Here she is....the lovely Rapunzel, estimating today at 800 lbs. I thought I'd give you a chance to admire her today, since you won't be seeing her at the weighoff. That's right! Today I spotted a very tiny hole...and it goes right into the cavity.   Tuesday, August 7 View Page At 50 days, Maximus is bold and dares to be unique!   Tuesday, August 7 View Page Determined to live up to his name, he has left 1000 in his dust!   Friday, August 10 View Page Maximus: "Rapunzel, my sweet Rapunzel....I can not go on without you. Shall I take poison? Jump a bridge? Hold my breath? Maybe I should just split myself open." So he did! And that's the end of this fairy tale!   Friday, August 17 View Page Here's the bottom line of my 2012 four plant season: 1213 Rea....several small aborted pumpkins. 1244 Rea....several small aborted pumpkins. 1059 Vincent/McGill....pin hole at 48 days and est. 800 lbs. 1634 Werner....5" split in a deep rib at 50 days and est. 1240 lbs. But I still have plenty of work in the patch....30 field pumpkin plants for our annual fall party.   Friday, August 17 View Page So here's a peek in the patch. This is a Phat Jack. They make great jack-o-lanterns.   Friday, August 17 View Page 150 REA's....Prizewinner/AG cross. They usually get to be 200 to 300 lbs.   Friday, August 17 View Page Tandy....a new white one with nice green stems.   Friday, August 17 View Page Red Warty Things, which haven't turned red yet....making friends with a One Too Many.   Friday, August 17 View Page Hmmmm !!   Friday, August 17 View Page Sorcerer...smaller size, but quite a few on each plant.   Friday, August 17 View Page This is Porcelain Doll....new for 2012. Don't know if this is the final color....not exactly pink!   Friday, August 17 View Page I had a backup 1059 plant, so I planted it in the party pumpkin patch. Several pumpkins are growing on it....this is the biggest. I haven't measured it. So that's what is growing here. I should have a nice variety for the kids at our "Punkin Pickin' Party".   Friday, August 31 View Page Just like ducks in a row....the 150 Rea's are still growing. The grandkids haven't put their names on them yet. They might carve them into jack-o-lanterns instead.   Tuesday, September 25 View Page Here I am, with my grandkids, nieces and nephews. They've sure grown since we started this 7 years ago. They wanted to pre-select their favorites.....before the crowd arrives for the pumpkin pickin' party in two weeks.   Tuesday, September 25 View Page Kasey and Megan found some beauties!   Tuesday, September 25 View Page Spencer and Charlie (goldendoodle) with a nice pick.   Tuesday, September 25 View Page Morgan and Brad, having fun!   Tuesday, September 25 View Page " 1 - 2 - 3....smile"   Tuesday, September 25 View Page "1 - 2 - 3....funny face". Lots of fun, followed by pizza, wings and ho-ho-cake. This is what soothes my soul, since I don't have a pumpkin for the weighoff!   Thursday, October 4 View Page The girls painted pumpkins tonight. These are spinoffs that grew on the 1634 after my pumpkin split.   Tuesday, October 9 View Page Some of the kids at our annual punkin pickin' party....about 70 people total. We got lucky with the weather. It was cool & breezy, but sunny and NO rain!   Tuesday, October 9 View Page My son, Jeff, and grandsons Sean and Spencer.   Tuesday, October 9 View Page Pumpkin washing station   Tuesday, October 9 View Page New for this year....a pumpkin painting table. We used these TAN pumpkins! They were supposed to be white! Two plants grew about 50 of these things! But they were a nice size for the kids to paint.   Tuesday, October 9 View Page More painters   Tuesday, October 9 View Page We couldn't get the big hay wagon, so we did "mini-hayrides" this year!   Tuesday, October 9 View Page The "One Too Many's" turned out prettier than ever.   Saturday, October 13 View Page A great day at the OVGPG weighoff. Here are a few of the approx 40 pumpkins that were weighed.   Saturday, October 13 View Page 18 watermelons were weighed. Congratulations to Tim Neptune & Bill Bucky for their 1st place, with a 270.5 lb. melon.   Saturday, October 13 View Page There were 30 field pumpkins. Quinn's winner is not in this photo. But just look at all the BIG pumpkins!   Saturday, October 13 View Page Here they are....Congratulations to world record grower Quinn with his 209 lb. world record field pumpkin! And even more congratulations on his 1st place at the weighoff with 1730.5 lbs. Amazing pumpkins! Amazing guy!!   Saturday, October 13 View Page Thank you to everyone who had a part in bringing us this fabulous weighoff. It was apparent to everyone there, just how many people were busy making it run so smoothly. Your time and efforts are much appreciated.