Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 185 Entries. Sunday, March 16 View Page Let's see how the app works! Here is my cold frame ready to be put out last week.   Sunday, March 16 View Page Ok! That worked great. For now had to sign in under USA region.switched back to Can, still works!   Sunday, April 6 View Page Looks like the snow might actually melt. A little wet, though.   Sunday, April 6 View Page Inside the melon shack we are good to go. Time to set up the germ chamber.   Sunday, April 6 View Page Melon shack. This one is to check the twitter setting.   Saturday, April 12 View Page Both melons planted on April 8 are up! This is the 316 Edwards.   Saturday, April 12 View Page This is the 179.6 crews melon from last year. It's a second gen 285 self pollination.   Sunday, April 13 View Page Some of the peppers. All started within days. Wide range of germination dates!   Monday, April 14 View Page Back in 02, I had a single seed give me two plants. Yes, twins! The small one went to the weigh off.   Monday, April 21 View Page Well, that took longer than I liked but... #2009Wallace !   Monday, April 21 View Page Meanwhile, a day or two ago..#1081Crews x(2)   Monday, April 21 View Page Still waiting on one more. I plant the seeds on their sides, so it takes a little longer.   Tuesday, April 22 View Page And the #2032Mathison ! Big thanks to Eddy Z for this lineup! Traded my pumpkin for seeds and he delivered big time!   Thursday, April 24 View Page April 24 #1081Crews is in the ground. More rain and snow today too.   Thursday, April 24 View Page Oh, and Ken @bigpumpkins this BigPumpkins iPhone app is fantastic!   Saturday, April 26 View Page April 26 #316Edwards is in the ground.   Saturday, April 26 View Page April 26 the #2032Mathison gets transplanted into the south patch.   Saturday, April 26 View Page The #2009Wallace gets the big greenhouse. No furnace for a while.   Sunday, May 4 View Page May 4 #2032Mathison   Sunday, May 4 View Page May 4 #2009Wallace looking good too.   Sunday, May 4 View Page May 4 Yes it snowed last night.   Sunday, May 4 View Page May 4 #1081Crews Something nibbled the leaves. I did my best exterminator impression and found a big mouse in the trap. I win so far.   Sunday, May 4 View Page May 4 #316Edwards. I need to do some weeding.   Saturday, May 10 View Page May 10 #2032Mathison It's starting to lean over some.   Saturday, May 10 View Page May 10 #316Edwards There is a vine forming.   Saturday, May 10 View Page May 10 #1081Crews As usual, it's my best plant.   Saturday, May 10 View Page May 10 #2009Wallace This one looks healthier now.   Friday, May 16 View Page Hmmm. Seems a little early but this plant is moving fast. #1081Crews   Sunday, May 18 View Page North greenhouse with #1081Crews is built.   Sunday, May 18 View Page May 18 #1081Crews There might be 5'+ of vine.   Sunday, May 18 View Page May 18 #316Edwards I put some bio mulch down. Keeps heat in too.   Sunday, May 18 View Page May 18 #2009Wallace 3'-4' of vine. Winter dried out the soil. I don't water young plants, but I have to here.   Sunday, May 18 View Page May 18 #2032Mathison It's down and running. Next week it gets a mini g house.   Sunday, May 18 View Page May 18 #2032Mathison It's down and running. Next week it gets a mini g house.   Thursday, May 22 View Page Here's another way to germinate seeds. Peat pellets work well but you have to get the moisture content right. I usually wait until they are expanded half way and then take them out and wait for them to expand some more. Fluff them up a bit and plant the seed. 100% on the 12 or so pumpkin seeds I tried this way, this year.   Friday, May 23 View Page I have the field pumpkin lineup ready!   Saturday, May 24 View Page May 24 #1081Crews Needs some pruning of tertiary buds.   Saturday, May 24 View Page #316Edwards Had to turn the vine a bit. Should make it another week inside the cold frame.   Saturday, May 24 View Page May 24 #2009Wallace This plant is really doing well now.   Saturday, May 24 View Page May 24 #2032Mathison Needs the next greenhouse soon. Too windy today.   Saturday, May 24 View Page That pic of the 2032 must be the worst I've taken lol.Focus. The iPhone is usually better than my Nikon for one handed photos.   Saturday, May 24 View Page That pic of the 2032 must be the worst I've taken lol.Focus. The iPhone is usually better than my Nikon for one handed photos.   Saturday, May 24 View Page Another hour and the #2032Mathison has more room.   Saturday, May 24 View Page #2032Mathison Bigger house   Wednesday, May 28 View Page Look what we have on the #2009Wallace !   Wednesday, May 28 View Page Transplanted the #60.3Crews field pumpkin. I didn't get John's 181 a fair chance last year but it's offspring should do well. It's a WR x WR cross.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page My #137.4Crews gets another shot. It grew my 145. My FP patches aren't in the best shape.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page The #145Crews gets the back part. The kubota broke a $20 part last year when I was going to till the amendments in. Timing is everything. I did what I could but spring came late. We are just getting leaves on the trees now.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page And in a spare spot the 111crews. It's a 209 self. Was close to 20% over chart.   Saturday, May 31 View Page #1081Crews I've since moved the vine back to the other side of the post. I'll have to ignore the first female, it just won't have enough space to grow. That post determines how far out a fruit I get to pollinate.   Saturday, May 31 View Page #316Edwards The shack is full. This is going to be a full day of work   Saturday, May 31 View Page #2009Wallace Trucking along.   Saturday, May 31 View Page #2032Mathison It's a little thin looking because the vine rolled over the secondaries on the one side. So one side has only 2 secondaries.   Saturday, May 31 View Page #316Edwards Let's dig in some more heat cable.   Saturday, May 31 View Page #316Edwards Shack is up. Put down a micro pore cornstarch mulch down to keep soil warm and weeds down. Had some bad luck with it before, when water pooled and rotted off a vine with a big melon. I hope the new stuff with holes will stop that from happening this time.   Tuesday, June 3 View Page #2032Mathison Here's the first 2 females. Third one is the perfect spot though. I have the tip shaded. Burned a tip off once.   Saturday, June 7 View Page #2009Wallace The first female bloomed but I let it go unpollinated. There are a bunch more further down in better locations.   Saturday, June 7 View Page #2032Mathison There are a couple of females ready soon. A little close to the crown but I need to get a fruit that stays inside the greenhouse. The next one down is in the perfect spot.   Saturday, June 7 View Page #1081Crews The first female is yet to bloom but I will have to let it go because it's too close to the centre post. This is a nice plant, the hard part this year is deciding what pollinates what.   Saturday, June 7 View Page #316Edwards I pollinated a few on June 5 but it was late in the afternoon so I doubt they will take. It has worked for me before though. Crossed fingers.   Saturday, June 7 View Page #137.4Crews   Saturday, June 7 View Page #145Crews   Saturday, June 7 View Page #60.3Crews I have a couple of my 111s planted but they are not ready to photograph yet. lol.   Thursday, June 12 View Page #2032Mathison Here we go...   Thursday, June 12 View Page #2032Mathison The deed is done. 2032 x 2009   Thursday, June 12 View Page #2009Wallace Conveniently ready as well. 2009 x 2032   Friday, June 13 View Page #316Edwards Looks like late afternoon is fine for watermelon pollination.   Friday, June 13 View Page #2009Wallace Here's a look at the plant. First pollination is visible. I have the next one covered.   Saturday, June 14 View Page #1081Crews Hi sweety... I'll be seeing you tomorrow morning.   Saturday, June 14 View Page Now what to pollinate the 1081 with. Oh what shall I do? Maybe a tv special...   Sunday, June 15 View Page And how do I pick flowers a greenhouse? With the telescoping flower picker!   Sunday, June 15 View Page Now what to pollinate the 1081 with. Oh what shall I do? Maybe a tv special...   Sunday, June 15 View Page #60.3Crews field pumpkin almost ready to flop over.   Sunday, June 15 View Page #137.4Crews field pumpkin   Sunday, June 15 View Page #145Crews field pumpkin   Sunday, June 15 View Page #1081Crews Pollinated with the 2009 Wallace. Flower was open on one side only. Might give it some more pollen later, just in case.   Sunday, June 15 View Page #111.4Crews field pumpkin. That's the 209 self from last year.   Friday, June 20 View Page #316Edwards I have 3 pollinated. Of the 2 pollinated the same day, this one is on the largest vine, is growing the fastest and is the larger. The only problem is that it is shaped like a beach ball.   Friday, June 20 View Page #1081Crews I think I have one! Nice shape but a long way out.   Friday, June 20 View Page #2009Wallace This one should be the one. I wish we had some sun this month...   Friday, June 20 View Page #2032Mathison This is the largest one so far. This patch has produced its fair share of winners. Next photos will be on the 20 DAP for each fruit, should they make it that long.   Wednesday, June 25 View Page Happy 20 DAP! #316Edwards   Wednesday, June 25 View Page Happy 20 DAP! #316Edwards   Sunday, June 29 View Page #60.3Crews I was finally able to remove the shacks.   Sunday, June 29 View Page #137.4Crews Soil doesn't have best tilth here.   Sunday, June 29 View Page #145Crews t-storms forecast. I hope they make it their first day completely open.   Sunday, June 29 View Page #1081Crews plant. Fruit doing ok.   Monday, June 30 View Page #316Edwards 25 DAP 52" cir. Not bad. Wish it had more length but I'll take it.   Monday, June 30 View Page #316Edwards 25 DAP 52" cir. Not bad. Wish it had more length but I'll take it.   Wednesday, July 2 View Page #2009Wallace 20 DAP 66" cir.   Wednesday, July 2 View Page #2032Mathison 20 DAP 74"cir. now it's time to wash up and warm up supper.   Saturday, July 5 View Page #1081Crews 20 DAP 62" cir. Nice shape. Plant in excellent condition.   Saturday, July 5 View Page #1081Crews 20 DAP 62" cir. Nice shape. Plant in excellent condition.   Saturday, July 5 View Page #316Edwards 30 DAP 56" cir   Monday, July 7 View Page #2009Wallace 25 DAP 87" cir   Monday, July 7 View Page #2032Mathison 25 DAP 97" cir.   Thursday, July 10 View Page #316Edwards 35 DAP 60" cir   Thursday, July 10 View Page #316Edwards 35 DAP 60" cir   Thursday, July 10 View Page #2009Wallace 30 DAP 99.5" cir   Thursday, July 10 View Page #2009Wallace 30 DAP 99.5" cir   Thursday, July 10 View Page #2009Wallace 30 DAP 99.5" cir   Thursday, July 10 View Page #2032Mathison 30 DAP 109" cir   Thursday, July 10 View Page #2032Mathison 30 DAP 109" cir   Thursday, July 10 View Page Well, obviously messed those two up, it's only 28 DAP for the 2032 and 2009. On the bright side, those were good 30 DAP numbers for me.   Friday, July 11 View Page #1081Crews 26 DAP 85" cir Doing fine. #bighead   Tuesday, July 15 View Page #316Edwards 40 DAP 65" cir   Tuesday, July 15 View Page 316 Edwards. I finally got one with better length set. It's out a long ways and is growing fast. Not sure if I should have 2 growing on same plant. I might go all in on the first one.   Tuesday, July 15 View Page #1081Crews 30 DAP 94" cir #bighead   Thursday, July 17 View Page #2009Wallace 35 DAP 121" cir   Thursday, July 17 View Page #2032Mathison 35 DAP 126" cir Tipping over onto the blossom. Also outgrowing 4' plywood. Wide and low fruit.   Sunday, July 20 View Page #1081Crews 35 DAP 102" cir. All the smoke has cut growth like a cloudy sky would   Tuesday, July 22 View Page #2009Wallace 40 DAP 129" cir. That's off the pace by a fair bit...   Tuesday, July 22 View Page #2032Mathison 40 DAP 135" cir. Could be bigger than that, it's hard to measure now...   Friday, July 25 View Page The field pumpkins got a good dose of rain just after pollination. That's perfect for growth, but here comes those cracks...   Friday, July 25 View Page Here's a fruit on my 137.4. 6" long stems. The 137.4 seems special.   Friday, July 25 View Page #316Edwards 50 DAP 71"cir   Friday, July 25 View Page #316Edwards 50 DAP 71"cir   Friday, July 25 View Page #1081Crews 40 DAP 110" cir. #Bighead   Sunday, July 27 View Page #2032Mathison 45 DAP 146" cir It'll take a miracle to get this one to a weigh off, the blossom end is really scrunched over.   Sunday, July 27 View Page #2009Wallace 45 DAP 137" cir   Sunday, July 27 View Page I'm hoping these are the keepers. Haven't culled any yet. 60.3Crews x 137.4Crews   Sunday, July 27 View Page 145Crews x 60.3Crews the 60.3 is a 181 x 209 cross.   Sunday, July 27 View Page 111.4Crews x self. 111.4 was a 209 x self.   Sunday, July 27 View Page 137.4Crews x 60.3Crews. The 137.4 looks like a special plant...not sure about this particular set though.   Sunday, July 27 View Page 137.4Crews x 60.3Crews. The 137.4 looks like a special plant...not sure about this particular set though.   Wednesday, July 30 View Page #316Edwards 55 DAP 74" cir   Wednesday, July 30 View Page #1081Crews 45 DAP 114" cir. The plant is perfect. Thought it would be the best fruit but for some reason it's lagging.   Saturday, August 2 View Page #2032Mathison 51 DAP 157" ish   Saturday, August 2 View Page #2009Wallace 51 DAP 151" ish cir. I won't measure as often now.   Saturday, August 2 View Page How about a field pumpkin... This is off the 60.3 Crews. That's the 181 x 209 cross. I like the shape so far. 13 days.   Saturday, August 2 View Page How about a field pumpkin... This is off the 60.3 Crews. That's the 181 x 209 cross. I like the shape so far. 13 days.   Monday, August 4 View Page #316Edwards 60 DAP 75.5" cir This is close to a top down shot showing the shape.   Monday, August 4 View Page #316Edwards 60 DAP 75.5" cir This is close to a top down shot showing the shape.   Monday, August 4 View Page 1081Crews 50 DAP 121" cir #Bighead   Wednesday, August 6 View Page #2032Mathison Hmmm. This could be fun...#sarcasm   Saturday, August 9 View Page #1081Crews 55 DAP 125" cir. #bighead. This has historically been my worst patch. It has the most shade when the sun isn't so high in the sky.   Saturday, August 9 View Page #316Edwards 65 DAP 77" cir. Have a "mite" of a problem...   Saturday, August 9 View Page That explains why the #316Edwards plant looks like this. Fogged it with Neem oil. Like always, hope for the best.   Monday, August 11 View Page #2032Mathison It's been fairly cloudy but at the same time almost too warm. Not ideal in the greenhouses.   Monday, August 11 View Page #2009Wallace Growth is a little slow, about 10 a day. Supposed to be sunny for a while,that might help if it's not too hot. Nice pumpkin. Few green spots but mostly a nice light orange.   Monday, August 11 View Page This is what happens to field pumpkins when it's warm out. I can get 50 days+ growth when it's cool. That's not going to happen on this one...   Monday, August 11 View Page Here's a field pumpkin on my 137.4 long, it takes after the pollinating 81 wolf. Lots of different shapes from the 137.4 seeds. Already changing colour. That's not good.   Monday, August 11 View Page Have a good one on the 60.3, and I pollinated another one this weekend. I have 3 about this size on the plant.   Monday, August 11 View Page The 111 has a couple like these on it. It's all bumpy where the sun shines on it. I covered it now. I pollinated another one on it too. I ride a fine line between too early a set that matures too quick in the warmth and too late a set that won't mature at all. The ones I just set should grow for 45-50 days if we get that normal cool mid to late August. They will just keep growing until they freeze. If we get a warm August they'll be done in 30 days.   Thursday, August 14 View Page #1081Crews #bighead 60 DAP 130 cir. Just like the last times I have grown this seed, it is showing a flat growth curve. There is just no quit in this seed. I think I got the best of the 1161 Rodonis and 1725 Harp seeds crossed. If it was in the better patch it would be good contender. Still might be...   Tuesday, August 19 View Page #1081Crews 65 DAP 135.5"cir. #Bighead is still rolling. Glad I crossed it with a nice shaped 2009.   Wednesday, August 20 View Page There's that long fruit on the 137.4 Crews. The formerly narrow part at the stem is now the widest part of the fruit. The bricks look a little smaller now...   Tuesday, August 26 View Page Well, here is the 137.4 fruit. Can't say I'm surprised, it's the 2nd fruit on it to split underneath. Pretty much finishes the plant off.   Tuesday, August 26 View Page Here's a fruit on the 60.3 Crews. It's 2 days younger than the one I thought was going to be the big one. It's still green and growing at 30+ days, while the other one is well into getting orange. #Timing   Tuesday, August 26 View Page #2009Wallace 75 DAP It measures the same as it did last time... Not a good sign.   Tuesday, August 26 View Page #2032Mathison 75 DAP I think this one is still growing, but not very fast.   Sunday, August 31 View Page #2032Mathison 80DAP It's still growing decently, growing closer to a stick I placed as a marker. And now, girls on trampolines...   Sunday, August 31 View Page #2009Wallace 80 DAP it's still growing, but slow. I'm letting the jungle grow, seems to help some.   Thursday, September 4 View Page Yes. Frost damage. Just a touch to remind us we only have a week till our normal killing frost around Sept 1.   Thursday, September 4 View Page And of course I mess up the date. That killing frost comes around September 9. It's forecast to be cold for a while, so it'll happen.   Sunday, September 7 View Page Well, the weather forecast includes a week of overnight temps below -2 so it's harvest time. It's not going to take much to beat me this year.   Sunday, September 7 View Page Yikes, that's not good. That's on my 111.   Sunday, September 7 View Page Here is the biggest one on my 145. 145 Crews x 60.3 Crews. Both plants had nice shaped fruit.   Sunday, September 7 View Page Here are some pumpkins off the 60.3 Crews. The one on the right ends up being the heaviest in my patch. It was still growing but it wasn't going to beat any records so I'm pulling the plug. Probably had another 10lbs left. It felt like a rock, it's not the biggest one by measurement.   Sunday, September 7 View Page This is a very young one on my 137. It was not growing the shape of its mother, lol! This plant split everything ,but boy they would have been big!   Wednesday, September 10 View Page #2032Mathison has a soft spot. I scraped it out and bleached it but I'm not that hopeful. It's been a tough couple of weeks. Rain,snow, cloud, frost, too hot, you name it it's happened. My furnaces in the greenhouses flame out because of a lack of O2. Never had that happen before. Now I need to pressure wash the plastic because it's sooted up. I'm really ready to pull the plug on this season, but I won't, because I'm stupid.   Wednesday, September 10 View Page Might as well add a pic of the soft spot,   Thursday, September 11 View Page We had a -6 celcius night here. That pretty much makes anymore frost warnings pointless. Plants in the greenhouses were fine. This is the usual timing of our killing frost. Just about always get it between the 9th and 13th. Most of the time it gets nice for a couple of weeks after and if it isn't too hard of a frost you can protect plants and get that extra time. Most of the time...   Saturday, September 20 View Page #1081Crews # Bighead 97 DAP this is the last time we will see it in the greenhouse.   Saturday, September 20 View Page #1081Crews #bighead Perfect fruit. I don't get much time for patch prep in October so I have to start harvesting now. Many times there has been snow on the ground in the second week that stayed. 333" OTT. I weighed it on my own scale, it was a little over chart weight. Shiny and smooth. It's a great seed. Hopefully a good cross. 1081 x 2009.   Monday, September 22 View Page Vine cleanup for the #1081Crews patch. +25 C yesterday,wish we didn't have that snow and -6 week. +28 C today.   Monday, September 22 View Page #2032Mathison Soft spot looks better. Bleach, a fan and fingers crossed.   Sunday, September 28 View Page Last day in the patch for the #2009Wallace . Weighed and measured. I'll report stats when the weigh off is over and I know which fruit went. Still have the #2032Mathison in its patch.   Sunday, September 28 View Page Last day in the patch for the #2009Wallace . Weighed and measured. I'll report stats when the weigh off is over and I know which fruit went. Still have the #2032Mathison in its patch.   Monday, October 6 View Page #1081Crews #bighead harvest Sept. 20 97 DAP 143cir 97ss 93ee 333 OTT 823 lbs est. Weighed 878 lbs. on digital scale This one had the long peak growth that my other 1081's had but didn't get quite as good a patch. Really thought this one was just going to be a 600lber but It just kept growing. All my plants shut down for a while though. I think it was lack of light due to smoke from forest fires.   Monday, October 6 View Page #2009Wallace harvest Sept. 29 109 DAP 161.5 cir 100ee 101ss 362.5 OTT 1045 lbs est. Weighed 1071 lbs on digital scale. This one ground to halt at day 55. More smoke and I haven't fertilized in years, I might have starved the plant. It looked great early on. Perfect shape.   Monday, October 6 View Page #2032Mathison harvest Oct. 3 113 DAP 179.5 cir 97ee 102ss 378.5 OTT 1174 lbs est. Weighed at Smoky Lake weigh off 1210.5 lbs. Still growing at harvest.   Monday, October 6 View Page #316Edwards. Had a small hole underneath. Should have checked better. Dq at weigh off. Weighed 166 lbs 81cir 51 ee 45ss confused what made the hole, insects? Just a crack? Oh well.   Monday, October 6 View Page 316Edwards. Found this one under leaves. Would have won by 30lbs. 49.5lbs. Lol.   Monday, October 6 View Page 878Crews UOW '14 1081Crews x 2009Wallace   Monday, October 6 View Page 1070 Crews UOW '14 2009Wallace x 2032Mathison If had 1071 on the entry it was wrong. Its supposed to be 1070.   Monday, October 6 View Page 1070 Crews UOW '14 2009Wallace x 2032Mathison If had 1071 on the entry it was wrong. Its supposed to be 1070.   Monday, October 6 View Page 1210.5 Crews '14 2032Mathison x 2009Wallace Small vine, starved for nutrients, showed some severe deficiencies, still had a lot more in it than I got out of it.   Monday, October 6 View Page One more time for a rear pic of the 1070 Crews UOW '14. This time I'll get it right.   Monday, October 6 View Page One more time for a rear pic of the 1070 Crews UOW '14. This time I'll get it right.   Saturday, October 11 View Page Found the reason the 2009 slowed down. Crown rot. Nothing left.   Saturday, October 18 View Page It's been very nice, temps in the teens and little freezing at night. If it holds up I might get the patches done this time. Leaves on trees are long gone and you know what is almost here...   Saturday, October 25 View Page Expanded the patch by the shop. Snow is in the forecast so time is running out. 1 patch to do yet but 2 others still require modifications. Stay away winter...   Monday, October 27 View Page This is the last one. Added a lot of year old leaves. They were so rotten and wet it almost made the soil too wet to till. I'm not sure there's a point to soil testing until spring. Snow is on the way.   Sunday, November 16 View Page Yes, I'm just getting to seed retrieval now. This is the 1070 Crews '14 UOW. It's easy to see why it was heavy to chart. Perfect fruit, no cracks of any type. All my fruits had excellent seed counts this year, not sure why.