Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 103 Entries. Thursday, April 11 View Page a test run for my first diary entry. hopefully this works. Picture is of the school greenhouse I manage (and get to use for my pumpking germination and early growth. Plants are usually sold about the time i need to get the pumpkins started so it works out well. I am hoping for a great rookie season.   Saturday, April 13 View Page Raided the neighbors horse manure compost pile today. Put 12 loader fulls in my main patch.   Thursday, April 18 View Page There is an acre+ patch under all that water that is supposed to be my commercial field pumpkin plot this year. 5 inches overnight after 5 inches the past few days. unfortunately had fertilizer and lime already spread so good buy to that couple hundred dollars. Good thing is giant patches are higher and dryer. only second time in 9 years that creek has flooded and then it was just barely out- not a couple hundred yards out.   Thursday, April 18 View Page fields may be flooded so a good time to get seeds into the germinating chamber. A little better growing environment than the several feet of water over the field.   Friday, April 26 View Page The pumpkin seedlings hanging out with the petunias in the greenhouse. First year growing but have the following going. Big oranges - 810 Westcott, 568 Kaczenski (Both look great) 100 Brovillard and a Don Langevin Orange Gene seed which are up but not doing as well (planted another seed of each). Field Pumpkins -- 150.5 Razo, 104.5 PSweet, 91 Stromback, and 96 Menting ( All which look great) Giants -- 1630 Checkon, 1640 Wolf ( Alive but not nearly as healthy as the big oranges and field pumpkin seedlings)Will give them a couple more days and if i don't see a big improvement will go to backup seed. Specialty -- 407 Est Luna -- one of two seedlings doing well. Cinderella -- Looks good   Saturday, April 27 View Page The 150.5 Razo, 91 Stromback, 96 Menting, and 104.5 PSweet. My best looking seedlings.   Saturday, April 27 View Page The 810 Westcott and 568 kaczenski. My hopes for a big orange.   Saturday, April 27 View Page opps - noticed the time stamp is way off (about 3 years). Better set the time on the camera before i take any more pictures.   Monday, May 6 View Page My poor kins need to be in the ground. They can't stay in the five gallon buckets much longer. I see why so many people have greenhouses. If it isn't wet soil its cold temperatures. May have to start my own contest of who can grow the biggest pumpkin in a five gallon bucket. lol   Wednesday, May 15 View Page Quest for a big orange has begone. the 810 Westcott plant   Wednesday, May 15 View Page and the 568 Kaczenski. My two best plants. Also have a good 100 Brovillard and 1610 Leiber trying to catch up with the first two   Saturday, May 18 View Page Is this enough space for three kins? Actually two 407 Luna's and a Cinderalla that would not fit in the giant and orange kin plots so I put them on the end of my commercial field pumpkin field. 80 degree temps and a little rain each day has all the kins growing like weeds. 6 inches of rain forecast during the next 15 days has me a little concerned but usually the forecasts are never right.   Friday, May 24 View Page giants and oranges are in the ground. Now time to work on the field pumpkins. Seeded the 100 day varieties yesterday. 125, 120,115 are ready to plant. 110 and 105 are starting to germinate. Seeing the start of female flowers on the 150.5 Razo and the Cinderella plants. they will all be aborted because they are only 4 to 7 foot out. The 150.5 Razo,91 Stromback, 96 Menting, and 104.5 PSweet are all doing excellent and actually growing faster than my giants. the 810 Westcott is the best looking of my big oranges with about 7 foot of vine and a couple of two foot side runners. 1630 Checkon is my best giant.   Thursday, May 30 View Page 810 Westcott   Thursday, May 30 View Page 510 Kazenski   Thursday, May 30 View Page 1610 Lieber which got planted late   Thursday, May 30 View Page 1630 Checkon is really starting to take off.   Thursday, May 30 View Page 407 Luna. One of three that is doing well.   Thursday, May 30 View Page the Cinderella. Already starting to put on blooms   Thursday, May 30 View Page the field pumpkins. Had open male blossoms this a.m.   Thursday, May 30 View Page One of the two 96 Mentings   Thursday, May 30 View Page One of the 104.5 PSweets   Thursday, May 30 View Page One of the 91 Strombacks   Thursday, May 30 View Page One of the 150.5 Razos. Field pumpkins are growing great and am happy with the Big Oranges and Giants also for my first year. Of course with the big storms forecast everything could be different tomorrow!!!   Sunday, June 2 View Page First field pumpkin cross pollination today. 104.5 PSweet female with 150.5 Razo male. Female about 8 foot out on vine. A little early but more of a test pollination than anything else. Have a nice female forming on the 810 Westcott at 10 foot that I am going to keep an eye on. will probably be my first big orange pollination.   Monday, June 3 View Page Trained, buried, and staked vines. pollinated 810 Westcott by self Pollinated field pumpkin 96 Menting female by 150.5 Razo male. Pollinated Cinderella by self Sprayed all pumpkins with Sevin for cuke beetles Transplanted 90 pots of commercial field pumpkins to commercial field.   Wednesday, June 5 View Page Big rookie mistake yesterday. Broke the end of the main vine on the 1630 Checkon trying to make it lay down. It was my best looking giant.   Wednesday, June 5 View Page Transplanted over 200 hills of field pumpkins and gourds to the main pumpkin patch. Room for about 100 more.   Wednesday, June 5 View Page Time to get the greenhouse off the 1610 Lieber.   Wednesday, June 5 View Page Applied fungicide to all pumpkins today. Tanos/Champ/Echo   Monday, June 10 View Page The 810 Westcott by self at 11 inch circumference.   Monday, June 10 View Page The Cinderella. Now at 10 inch circumference.   Monday, June 10 View Page The 150.5 Razo by self. The field pumpkins are outgrowing my giants right now.   Thursday, June 13 View Page The 810 Westcott by self at day 10. 18" circumference.   Thursday, June 13 View Page 104.5 PSweet x 150.5 Razo day 10. 8 inch long by 15.5 inch circumference.   Thursday, June 13 View Page 150.5 Razo x 96 Menting day 8 8 inch long by 18 inch circumference   Thursday, June 13 View Page 96 Menting x 150.5 Razo day 10. 7.5 inch long 17 inch circumference   Thursday, June 13 View Page and the current winner is -- 91 Strombeck x 104.5 PSweet 8day 8 inch long and 19 inch circumference.   Thursday, June 13 View Page The first commercial pumpkin patch is full. Had to kill some grass up on the hill to make room for more.   Thursday, June 13 View Page Almost have first red tomatoes. They are cherries but should be ready by 15th.   Friday, June 14 View Page Cinderella x AG female by self male. this plant and pumpkin are outgrowing my big AGs. told the little girl that if she grows fast and gets big she can have the miller lite.   Monday, June 17 View Page Sprayed with Sevin today. Noticed a lot of squash bugs when I was pollinating this morning. Pollinated 407 Luna x self, Langevin Orange Gene x 810 Westcott, and Cinderella x self. Both AG and fields are growing fast now.   Wednesday, June 19 View Page Sprayed all AG's, fields, and commercial fields with fungicide yesterday. Ranman plus Champ and Bravo. One of my fields hit 90 OTT on day 13. The 810 Westcott should hit 90 OTT today.   Sunday, June 23 View Page The 810 Westcott x self at 44 lb.   Sunday, June 23 View Page The Cinderella AG cross x self pollinated same day as the 810 and at 43.5 lbs. These two have been growing neck and neck.   Sunday, June 23 View Page The 96 Menting x 150.5 Razo field at 51 lbs on day 20 post pollination. This pumpkin has been outgrowing my giants. Way early for a field this size but if nothing else I will get some good seed for my commercial operation from it I hope.   Sunday, June 23 View Page The 150.5 Razo x 96 Menting at 46 lbs. This pumpkin is two days younger than the 96 Menting.   Sunday, June 23 View Page The 91 Strombeck x 104.5 PSweet at 32 lbs. This was my best five days ago but the 96 Menting gained almost 20 lbs the last two days.   Sunday, June 23 View Page The commercial field pumpkins have been growing like crazy in this mid 80 degree heat.   Monday, June 24 View Page This is my commercial pumpkin field after 7 inches of rain in 3 hours last night. Somewhere under all that water are(where) 450 pumpkin plants. Changed batteries and forgot to put new date in so ignore the time stamp.   Monday, June 24 View Page Thought it was a good idea to use the area under the power line tower for a giant pumpkin. The 100 Brovillard looked good yesterday. Hope it has gills today.   Thursday, June 27 View Page The 96 Menting x 150.5 Razo at 80 lbs. Has had a couple days of 10 lb gains. Will it be as big as its Mom? Has a nice shape and stem. Figure it is going to be ripe about end of July. Will plant the fields much later next year. Figured they would be about 120 day pumpkins like some of my bigger commercial fields but now looks like they are closer to a 90 day pumpkin. Hoping for some good seed from this one for the commercial operation.   Thursday, June 27 View Page The 91 Stromback has produced some nice stems. This one is 10 inches long.   Thursday, June 27 View Page The Cinderella AG is about to outgrow its 2 foot by 2 foot shade. Time to get a bigger one over it.   Wednesday, July 3 View Page 586 Kazenski x 810 Westcott at day 18 121OTT 46.6 lb est   Wednesday, July 3 View Page baby 407 Luna   Wednesday, July 3 View Page Cinderella AG x self at 161 OTT 99lb est.   Wednesday, July 3 View Page 96 Menting x 91 Stomback OTT 157 80lb est. 23 days after pollination.   Wednesday, July 3 View Page 96 Menting x 150.5 Razo. 168 OTT 98lbs est. Will it make it to 100?   Wednesday, July 3 View Page jack-o-lanterns in July? This 91 Stromback is turning at day 75. I thought they would be a little longer day like the big commercial fields such as Phat Jack, Super Herc, or Connestoga Giant. They are all 110-120 day. I will know better for next year.   Saturday, July 6 View Page One of the grandchildren sitting on the 96 Menting x 150.5 Razo. Sitting at 107lb (est) but starting to turn so not expecting much more weight. Can't wait to put the seeds from this one in my commercial field next year. Have a 96 x 91 Stromback that I think is going to top this one. It was 10 lbs ahead of the razo at the same age.   Monday, July 8 View Page The Cinderella AG. Sitting at 125 lbs with a great Cinderella shape. 568 Kazenski is sitting at 170.5 OTT (115lb) and gaining 15 lbs a day at day 23. Bad news was my 96 Menting x 150.5 Razo which was at 108 lbs split on the blossom end yesterday. Hope to at least get some nice seeds from it.   Saturday, July 13 View Page 1640 Wolf at 10DAP 28" C.   Saturday, July 13 View Page 568 Kazenskii x 810 Westcott at 206 OTT.   Monday, July 15 View Page The 568 Kazenski x 810 Westcott at 215 OTT.   Monday, July 15 View Page The 1630 Checkon at 174 OTT. Ugly shape but a fast grower.   Monday, July 15 View Page New grower mistake. Planted the fields too early. Plan to harvest the 96 Menting by 150.5 Razo tomorrow for seed. Made it to 110 lb (est) before it split on the blossom end. At least I will have some good genetics for my commercial field pumpkin operation.   Monday, July 15 View Page The tomato and pepper section of the garden. Something to do when I am not busy with the giants or the commercial pumpkin operation ( which actually takes all my time.)   Wednesday, July 17 View Page As a first year grower I now have my own field pumpkin. The 108 House Dmg (96 Menting x 150.5 Razo) has been harvested. Planted too early, cracked on the blossom end, but grew to a good size and has beautiful shape.   Wednesday, July 17 View Page Sitting on the scale at the local fertilizer plant. The scale is certified but only weighs to the nearest pound.   Wednesday, July 17 View Page And finally the weight (108 lbs) It taped at 174 inches which was a 108.8 est so it was really close   Wednesday, July 17 View Page Sitting on the table where I will harvest its seeds in the next couple days. Seeds will hopefully give me a good foundation for a lot of big field pumpkins for my commercial pumpkin operation   Thursday, July 18 View Page harvested more early fields today. The first on the left is the 108 House dmg ( 96 Menting x 150.5 Razo I harvested yesterday. Today I picked the 91 House est (150.5 Razo x 96 Menting. OTT measurement was 164 inches.   Thursday, July 18 View Page Also harvested the 58 House est (91 Stromback x 150.5 Razo) and the 57 House est (91 Stromback x 104.5 PSweet). These two grew within three feet of each other on the main. Love the handles on the Strombacks.   Sunday, July 21 View Page The 1640 Wolf plant. Growing under an electrical tower. maybe it will charge up its growth.!!! Kin is sitting at OTT165 (105 lb est) 20 DAP. If it grows a big one I may not be able to get it out.   Tuesday, July 23 View Page Sprayed with fungicides Cabrio,Bravo, and Champ on 7/21. Sprayed 1640 with systemic insecticide today.   Tuesday, July 23 View Page Harvested more early fields for seed today. Left is the 51 est House 2013 ( 104.5 PSweet x 150.5 Razo). really like the upright shape of the 104.5. The right is the 63est House 2013 ( 91 Stromback x Open). The biggest of my fields is still in the patch (the 96 menting x 91 Stromback) and is taping right around 120 lbs. Have several new field kins on the outer ends of the plants.   Tuesday, August 6 View Page Been a while since I updated my dairy. the 568 Kazenski at 354 lbs est. Very pretty pumpkin.   Tuesday, August 6 View Page My biggest right now. The 1640 Wolf x 1630 Checkon sitting at 375 lbs and gaining every day.   Tuesday, August 6 View Page one of the 407 Luna kins at 186 lbs est. this plan has four pumpkins on it. the 186 lber, a 161 lber, a 129 lber, and a 118 lber. Wonder if I would have culled pumpkins on it if I would have had a 500 lber.   Tuesday, August 6 View Page The Cinderella AG cross is at 160 lb est and is done growing and starting to turn red. Has a great Cinderella shape.   Tuesday, August 6 View Page My biggest field kin. The 96 Menting x 91 Stromback is at 118 lbs est. Wish it had a nicer bottom but still looking forward to planting this seed next year.   Tuesday, August 6 View Page Field kins that were planted too early. Have a lot of crosses in these and looking forward to next year to see how they do. Have about 14 different crosses from the 150.5 Razo, 104.5 PSweet, 96 Menting, and 91 Strombach plants. The 96 Menting has produced the biggest kins from this group with one at 108 lbs and another at 118 lbs.   Tuesday, August 6 View Page the bottom and hillside commercial field pumpkin fields. a couple more weeks and it will be time to start harvesting.   Tuesday, August 6 View Page One of the Indian corn and popcorn fields. Already starting to harvest some of the earlier varieties of Indian corn.   Tuesday, August 6 View Page Harvested seed from the 84.5 est House 2013 field pumpkin today. OTT at 159 and weighed 84.5 lbs on my Toledo beam scale which is just about exact on with the tape est weight. Not the biggest pumpkin but its 150.5 Razo x 96 Menting parentage has promise. I really liked the shape and color of this pumpkin and will plant a few seeds next year in my commercial pumpkin fields.   Thursday, August 8 View Page 1640 Wolf gained 31 lbs since yesterday. That is my best one day gain on a pumpkin in my first year of growing. Yesterday was 29 lbs. What will tomorrow bring?   Saturday, August 24 View Page The work has started. First day of picking pumpkins so I can be stocked when my pumpkin stand opens next Saturday.   Saturday, August 24 View Page The 1640 Wolf at 319 OTT approx. 710 lbs.   Saturday, August 24 View Page The 326 lb est pumpkin from a 568 Kazenski that I plan to use as a picture backdrop at the pumpkin stand.   Saturday, August 24 View Page A 220 lb pumpkin from the 409 Luna and a 142 lb Cinderella pumpkin from the Cinderella x AG cross that will also become part of my picture area background at the pumpkin stand. When the 1640 Wolf stops growing it will be part of the picture area also.   Sunday, September 8 View Page The 114.5 House 2013 field pumpkin (96 Menting x 91 Strombach)   Sunday, September 8 View Page the picture spot with some of the giants that just didn't grow to be giants.   Sunday, September 8 View Page The ornamental pumpkin shed.   Sunday, September 8 View Page Lots of white pumpkins which has become a customer favorite.   Sunday, September 8 View Page The small jack-o-lantern area.   Sunday, September 8 View Page Gourds and Indian corn in the main shed. Now if it would just start acting like fall instead of the these middle of summer temperatures the customers might get in a better buying mood.   Thursday, September 19 View Page The 752 House dmg 2013 ( 1640 Wolf x 1630 Checkon) on display at my pumpkin business. Rotten spot on vine end is going to be the end of her in just a few days. Has been a real hit with the customers up till now   Tuesday, October 29 View Page Harvested the last big field pumpkin on Saturday. Several days of frost and freezing temps took the vine down before it could reach maturity.   Tuesday, October 29 View Page Took it to the local fertilizer plant to be weighed on their certified digital scale.   Tuesday, October 29 View Page now the 100 House 2013. The cross was the 108 House 2013 dmg that was planted too early and matured mid July. Planted a seed from it in August and got the 100. The 108 was a 96 Menting x 150.5 Razo. Wonder what it would have done if it could have made it to maturity under better growing conditions   Saturday, November 2 View Page Cleaning up for the year. The 146 Cinderella AG going to the pumpkin graveyard.   Saturday, November 2 View Page The 187 House (407 Luna x open) going to the graveyard. The 407 Luna plant gave me 5 pumpkins from 100 to 250 lbs. It was a nice addition to the display at the pumpkin place.