Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 36 Entries. Friday, January 3 View Page Keeping it orange since 2005.   Sunday, April 13 View Page A sight for sore eyes. Patch is tilled for the first time!   Saturday, April 19 View Page Happy Easter!   Tuesday, April 22 View Page Normally I would start seeds today, being both Earth Day and my birthday it was always rather symbolic. But this year I am going on a trip to Cali and won't be able to monitor seeds. So they will have to wait until I return either April 30 or May 1. Here is my soil test. I ain't doing a damn thing besides maybe adding some granular kelp and/ or Humic acid. I am no longer afraid of growing at 7.5 pH.   Friday, May 2 View Page The following seeds were filed yesterday and placed on the heat mat: 811 Gerhardt (2), 777 Young (1), 840 Young (1), 1233* Hunt (1), 905* Vincent (1), 1744.5 Fulk (2), 746 Snyder (2). Temp was 86.0°F last night and 83.3°F this morning. I did not adjust as I expect the temp to warm up from ambient heat. I'll check on them after work and see if I was correct.   Sunday, May 4 View Page 1233* hunt, 905* Vincent, both 811 gerhardts, both 1744.5 fulks, both 746 snyders, and the 809 young germinated. Still waiting on the 777 young.   Sunday, May 11 View Page Scrabble, booze and pumpkin plants. Happy Mother's Day all!   Wednesday, May 21 View Page Non-pumpkin plants were started on 5/19. Tomatoes: 4.91 Lyons, 5.22 Hunt, 5.33 Martin, 5.32 Lyons, 4.87 Timm. Long Gourds: 137.5 Ansems, 129.13 Young. Field pumpkins: 81 Wolf, 97 Hunt. Watermelons: 297.5 Kent, 236 Edwards, 316 Edwards. Sunflowers: 22ft 2.5 inch Mitchell. All chess pieces are now on the board for master gardener 2014. Don't know where the LGs are going yet but they are going somewhere!   Wednesday, May 21 View Page Late start due to vacation at end of April. All pumpkin plants were transplanted today. 150sq ft spot: 746 Snyder/ 746 Snyder. Spot 1: 1744.5 Fulk/ 1744.5 Fulk. Spot 2: 811 Gerhardt/ 811 Gerhardt. Spot 3: 809 Young/ no backup. Spot 4: 1233 Hunt/ 905 Vincent (pictured here in bad photo).   Friday, May 30 View Page 1233 hunt and 905 Vincent 1 week after transplant. Gave 10-8-8 organic drench to each site at 2 oz per gallon. Image is representative of all plants. Sigh   Thursday, June 12 View Page 1233 Hunt on 6/11.   Thursday, June 12 View Page 1744.5 Fulk on 6/11.   Thursday, June 12 View Page 811 Gerhardt on 6/11.   Wednesday, June 18 View Page 1744.5 fulk. Broadcasted and watered in 16 oz of subdue granules around each plant about 500 sq feet total.   Thursday, June 19 View Page 81 wolf/ 97 hunt   Thursday, June 19 View Page 97 hunt/ 97 hunt   Thursday, June 19 View Page 811 Gerhardt. First male opened today.   Thursday, June 19 View Page 1233* hunt. First female now visible.   Thursday, June 19 View Page 236 Edwards/ 297 kent   Thursday, June 19 View Page 316 Edwards/ 316 Edwards   Thursday, June 19 View Page 316 Edwards/ 316 Edwards   Thursday, July 3 View Page First pollination of the season today- 811 Gerhardt x 746 Snyder.   Saturday, July 5 View Page Pollinated the 1744.5 fulk with the 811 Gerhardt yesterday July 4th.   Monday, July 7 View Page Sprayed the patch with 1 oz bifen, 1 oz daconil, 1 oz aliette, 2 oz kelp and 1 teaspoon merit 75 in 1 gallon of water, still have about 1/2 gallon of mix left will use in about 5 days. Weeded and trained the 811 and 1744.5, lots of work left to do. Hope to spray ferts tomorrow. Pollinations still look to have taken so far. Patch is a disaster of weeds, maybe I will be able to hit the open areas with roundup tomorrow as well. Vacations = fun but crappy patch and extra work!   Tuesday, July 8 View Page Second pollination on the 811 Gerhardt plant on July 8. Crossed with 746 Snyder.   Thursday, July 10 View Page 2nd pollination on the 1744.5 Fulk today, crossed with 811 Gerhardt. 1st pollination on the 1233* Hunt today, Self pollinated, because I was stupid and pulled the backup plant before I remembered that I wanted to keep it around as a pollinator.   Monday, July 14 View Page Day 10 for the 1744.5 fulk, 33 inches circumference. Time to get some mill fabric under this one.   Thursday, July 17 View Page Second pollination on the 1233 hunt today, selfed. First on the 746 Snyder, crossed with 811 Gerhardt. Hope this is it for pollinating.   Monday, July 28 View Page Came home from 8 days vacation and found that yvd has taken my 1744 fulk. Had to pull the plant.   Monday, July 28 View Page On the brighter side the 1233 hunt squash is 67.5 circ on day 18.   Wednesday, July 30 View Page 1233 hunt squash is 75.5 inches circ day 20.   Tuesday, August 5 View Page The 1233* Hunt on day 25 was 90" Circ. It is very pale but it is green for now. 811 gerhardt is struggling at 73" Circ. on day 27, but there are 3 nice looking pumpkins on this plant. 746 Snyder is 56.5" Circ. on day 18 and I have another fat one on this plant as well. But if the main is still growing well after day 20 I will cut the secondary at some point. On Sunday I made my first controlled FP pollination. If it takes I will thin down to this one pumpkin, if not I have several others OP. Cross was 81 Wolf x 97 Hunt.   Wednesday, August 6 View Page 746 Snyder is 64.5 circ day 20. Great shape!   Sunday, August 10 View Page 81 wolf!!!   Monday, September 1 View Page Just shy of 3 lbs. on one of my Tonys favorite heirloom plants.   Tuesday, September 2 View Page My squash is still chugging along.