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Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 61 Entries.
Thursday, January 30 View Page
2014 has begun in my patches. First I want to thank the growers that gave me advice from their experience last year. Lessoned learned in 2013 from me to all wanting to finally reach 1000 lbs, grab a mentor and listen to them, did I say listen to them!!! Second note, do not send bubbles to everyone promising that you want their seed without thinking about how many plants you can grow. Third, remember, that the effort you put in before the growing season will pay off during the growing season. I have only asked 3 growers for seed, and made a final decision to ask only one of them for his seeds as I considered how many I can grow this year, thanks Pap for believing in me. Here is a pic of my start. Growing giant pumpkins is a sport as well as a hobby, this is 2 tons of compost and 1 shovel, I have 3 piles like this.
 
Sunday, March 9 View Page
20 C or 68 F today. Time to do some garden work!
 
Sunday, March 30 View Page
Yesterday I spread out 6 tons of compost on 3 patches. Today I started some AGs, squash, long gourds and african kettle gourds. This is my germination chamber.
 
Monday, March 31 View Page
My annual picture of patches getting ready. Two will get greenhouse covers, one will not. My PB in GH is 1061, w/o 900. The difference this year is that starting tomorrow I am a (say it with a southern slang) RETIREE!
 
Wednesday, April 2 View Page
The hardest day of the giant pumpkin season when by yourself, but the plastic is up, woohoo!
 
Saturday, April 5 View Page
Phytosanitary Certificate
 
Saturday, April 5 View Page
"Aufsichts- und Dienstleistungsdirektion"
 
Wednesday, April 16 View Page
Team Pumpkin April Cover.
 
Thursday, April 17 View Page
Planting day. This year I am growing Wallace. 1623.5, 1596, 1789.
 
Thursday, April 17 View Page
Tomatoes and cucumbers got planted as well.
 
Saturday, April 19 View Page
Last night the temperature got down to 36 degrees. The seedlings appear to have handled it well. The next 2 weeks is predicted to be around 40 degrees at night and up to 70 during the day, appears to be a good start to the season.
 
Saturday, May 3 View Page
Frost alert for the next 2 days.
 
Sunday, May 4 View Page
28F and a hard frost but with the help of 3 candles per plant they survivied. The next round with mother nature will be again tonight.
 
Sunday, May 4 View Page
Put the candles out again last night. Woke up to 35F, hopefully this cold front is behind us, taing a toll on my nerves.
 
Monday, May 5 View Page
1623.5 Wallace
 
Monday, May 5 View Page
1596 Wallace
 
Tuesday, May 20 View Page
First pumpkin of the year on the 1623.5 Wallace. A very healthy plant.
 
Wednesday, May 21 View Page
1596 Wallace
 
Wednesday, May 21 View Page
1623.5 Wallace
 
Wednesday, May 21 View Page
1789 Wallace
 
Sunday, May 25 View Page
1623.5 main vine is about 8 feet long. 1596 is about 5 feet long. 1789 is about 2 feet, the main vine broke itself overnight, will need to use a secondary vine. Slow growing plant. I bought a time lapse camera to video one of the pumpkins. I am practicing till the end of the month pointing it at the 1623.5, have it set to take 10 frames per second every 30 minutes. Never did this before if anyone has done it I would like to know if every 30 minutes is ok, or should I be doing it every 10 minutes.
 
Monday, May 26 View Page
Memorial day is not meant to be a day of celebration. It is a day of rememberance of those that have given the ultimate sacrifice. May no service members soul cry out I was forgotten. God Bless Our Service Members.
 
Friday, May 30 View Page
The 1623.5 Wallace from 23 May - 30 May 2014. Time lapse set to every 30 minutes. My first attempt at time lapse, obviously need to get a light for the night hours. http://youtu.be/4Sb-G_p9e_4
 
Monday, June 9 View Page
54 degrees c or 129 degrees f in the greenhouses
 
Monday, June 9 View Page
1789 Wallace is showing signs of the heat stress, but is doing ok.
 
Thursday, June 12 View Page
1623.5 Wallace started out to be a classic xmas tree pattern but then some fat idiot broke off the tip of the main vine now it is turning into a box pattern. It has 2 nice looking pumpkins on the 8th and 9th side vines so the idiot with the fat fingers might get lucky after all. Here is a link to a time lapse from 1-12 June: http://youtu.be/ex0QTmnJosY
 
Sunday, June 22 View Page
1623.5 Wallace, now covering about 645 sq. ft., I have 4 pumpkins that will be ready in 1-2 days
 
Sunday, June 22 View Page
1789 Wallace, covering about 250 sq. ft., not sure why it is so much slower than the 1623.5
 
Sunday, June 22 View Page
If all of the world leaders were required to grow some plant every year and blog about how it was going I am sure that they would realize just how much their decisions effect all of us. This is my first and last entry about the world as it is, the news makes me ill.
 
Monday, June 23 View Page
Pollinated 3 pumpkins 1623.5 x self today, in a week I'll pick the keeper. All are perfect 5 lobers.
 
Tuesday, June 24 View Page
Today I positioned the vines so that I have a perfect landing position for the one I want as keeper, now I just need to lay down the paper mill fabric.
 
Wednesday, June 25 View Page
Paper mill fabric is in place, everything is looking good, wish me luck.
 
Wednesday, June 25 View Page
Paper mill fabric is in place, everything is looking good, wish me luck.
 
Monday, June 30 View Page
1623.5 Wallace - Plan A is 7 days old now and doing okay.
 
Monday, June 30 View Page
1623.5 Wallace - Plan B is a 6 lobe 1623.5 x self pollinated today.
 
Tuesday, July 1 View Page
Plan A is looking good. Day 8 and the circumference is already at last years day 10.
 
Thursday, July 3 View Page
Crossed the 1789 Wallace with the 1623.5 Wallace today, a 5 lobe pumpkin. Day 10 circumference of the 1623.5 is 22", not the greatest, but last year my 1061 lb was only at 17.5" on day 10 so everything is okay.
 
Saturday, July 5 View Page
1623.5 Wallace, really like the shape, starting to pick up the growth pace.
 
Tuesday, July 8 View Page
Day 15 and the daily circumference increase is at 5 inches, hoping to get 6-7 inches per day soon.
 
Sunday, July 13 View Page
1623.5 Wallace, I need to get a smaller hat :)
 
Sunday, July 13 View Page
Pain is only temporary but victory is forever. Go Germany! Bring the cup back to the land of beer and bratwurst!
 
Friday, July 18 View Page
1623.5 Wallace Day 25. Never got the 6” gains I expected, but it is steady.
 
Friday, July 18 View Page
1789 Wallace Day 15. Slow start, I actually thought it had aborted on day 10.
 
Saturday, July 19 View Page
So, we are going through a heat wave hear. 96 degrees F outside, inside the greenhouses about 120. Lost lots of leaves, even a retiree can't water enough. I need for all of Team-Pumpkin to wish me the best, sorta like the train that could.
 
Wednesday, July 23 View Page
1623.5 Wallace Day 30 Team-Pumpkin enhanced estimate 195-232 lbs
 
Wednesday, July 23 View Page
1789 Wallace Day 20, slow but steady
 
Saturday, July 26 View Page
1623 with a soft blossom always a losing battle but I will not give up. Greenhouse heater and Martina's hair dryer :)
 
Sunday, July 27 View Page
1623.5 Wallace Game Over! Blossom end is in the final stages of rotting.
 
Sunday, July 27 View Page
Here is a time lapse of 34 days of growth for the 1623.5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFcOqYdnIzE
 
Wednesday, July 30 View Page
Take care of your knees, you will miss them when they are gone.
 
Friday, August 15 View Page
1789 Wallace x 1623.5 Wallace is the cross I wanted this year and I have it. Due to my own fault it is not a big AG, I broke the main vine and had to grow on a secondary. I will grow this cross next year. This is my last post till I have a GPC event weight for it.
 
Wednesday, September 3 View Page
Since I won't have the heaviest pumpkin at the weighoff I am going for the best dressed one. Norm says I am special....hmmmm
 
Thursday, September 4 View Page
This will be my Team-Pumpkin Challenge 150 sq ft patch for 2015. I have staked off the area inside the fence with rope. I have grown here before using the complete area which is probably only just over 200 sq ft.
 
Thursday, September 11 View Page
My best this year.
 
Monday, September 22 View Page
This is how my friend Michael transported his pumpkin and squash to the Kaiserslautern Gartenschau Weighoff. His squash took first place in category. I followed him in my RAM 1500 pickup, 25 km and hour.....20 minute drive took 90 minutes.
 
Monday, September 22 View Page
Here is the squash 619.5 Schneider 14 (401 Karkos 13 x open)
 
Monday, September 22 View Page
Here is the second place pumpkin 1427.3 Hubertus 14 (2032 Mathison x 1375 Willemijns)
 
Monday, September 22 View Page
And the winner 1446.2 Ghaye 14 (1544 Revier x 2009 Wallace)
 
Monday, September 22 View Page
Here is the bottom of Jos's pumpkin
 
Monday, September 22 View Page
Here is a picture of Jos and son with some of the Crazy-Growers from Germany
 
Monday, September 22 View Page
My pumpkin this year is the 632.3 olsen 14 (1789 Wallace x 1623.5 Wallace) Lousy weight, great cross, if someone wants seeds join the EGVGA, I will be sending to them for their membership packages.
 

 

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