Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 78 Entries. Saturday, March 15 View Page 30 x 50 clear tarp down. Let the drying begin.   Saturday, March 15 View Page Da Germinator is ready. Let's make some Giant Pumpkins!!!   Wednesday, April 9 View Page Soil Sample for 1843.5 Geddes patch.   Wednesday, April 9 View Page Soil Sample for 2009 Wallace patch.   Saturday, April 19 View Page Soil Prep: Peat and broad fork.   Saturday, April 19 View Page Adding some amendments.   Saturday, April 19 View Page ...and some pea gravel for drainage and minerals.   Saturday, April 19 View Page Soil is ready....for now.   Wednesday, April 23 View Page Ingredients for soak. Seeds are chosen and edges are sanded. In 24 hours they'll see dirt, well, actually Pro-mix with Mycos.   Thursday, April 24 View Page Ready or not...   Sunday, April 27 View Page All popped but Wallace.   Thursday, May 1 View Page Good morning sunshine.   Thursday, May 1 View Page Others are growing.   Monday, May 5 View Page Growing more. Here's my two picks for the patch.   Monday, May 5 View Page New cold frames. Last years were made from oversized boards from old pallets and didn't survive.   Tuesday, May 6 View Page Transplanted into inverted buckets with top (bottom of bucket) cut out. Want to make sure they don't get root bound in coir pots. Bottom (lid for bucket) pops loose. Bucket goes into hole. Lid is gently slid from under pot. Then just lift the bucket and back fill.   Sunday, May 11 View Page Final tilling. Not going that deep to keep soil life intact.   Sunday, May 11 View Page Ready.   Sunday, May 18 View Page A few things to add to the transplant hole.   Sunday, May 18 View Page 1843.5 Geddes into the soil.   Sunday, May 18 View Page 2009 Wallace into the soil   Monday, June 9 View Page 2.5 bags of Chickity Doo Doo added to garden to bring N P K levels up to par.   Saturday, June 14 View Page 1843.5 in cold frame. Looks like it wants more room.   Saturday, June 14 View Page 2009 in cold frame. Leaves look nice.   Saturday, June 14 View Page Trying out a container garden.   Wednesday, June 18 View Page Cold frames off.   Saturday, June 21 View Page 5 minute hail storm. Read study about tests done to replicate hail storm on plants without fruit and those plants actually grew better fruit than plants without hail storm test. Don't think I'll put that to the test next year though.   Saturday, June 28 View Page Cables and shade/hail tarps up. Got these shade tarps at Menards. 8 x 10 feet each. Secured loosely to cable with wire ties to allow them to slide.   Sunday, June 29 View Page Helllooo baby!!! 1843.5   Sunday, June 29 View Page 2009 Wallace baby.   Sunday, June 29 View Page Shade-drip tape-garden surrounds all in-weeds all gone, for now. 2009   Tuesday, July 1 View Page More shade tarps hung.   Thursday, July 3 View Page Prep for pollination. Made chastity covers with fabric with lots of holes to breath. Used iron and heat glue tape to make socks. Two sides of fabric have built in wire for easy bottom sealing. Just in case the bees are up before me. Wanted to try this instead of zip ties like last year. Sorry bees, but no pollen here.   Friday, July 4 View Page Pollination day 1843.5 Geddes. Happy Independence Day and Happy Anniversary to my wife of 22 years.   Saturday, July 5 View Page Dang. 2009 Wallace aborted at 14 feet out on main vine.   Wednesday, July 9 View Page 2009 Wallace pollination x 1843.5 Geddes.   Wednesday, July 9 View Page 1843.5 Geddes x 2009 Wallace. DAP 5.   Saturday, July 12 View Page Mixing up a little tea.   Tuesday, July 15 View Page 1843.5 Geddes DAP 11.   Tuesday, July 15 View Page 2009 Wallace DAP 6.   Monday, July 21 View Page Dang dang dang. 2009 Wallace aborts again. This patch does not support abortions. Its a Pro-Life Patch.   Monday, July 21 View Page 1843.5 Geddes DAP 17.   Tuesday, July 22 View Page Container garden in full swing. Tomatoes potatoes peppers carrots lettuce and some free spruce trees.   Thursday, July 24 View Page 2009 Wallace Pollination. Three times a charm. Unusual lobes on this plant. 30 feet out on main.   Thursday, July 31 View Page A little snack for the kins.   Thursday, July 31 View Page 2009 Wallace. DAP 7. Lucky number 7. This one is going to make it.   Thursday, July 31 View Page 1843.5 Geddes. Taking on new shape. DAP 27.   Saturday, August 2 View Page A little treat for the bugs and fungus. Keep Out.   Sunday, August 3 View Page St. Isidore joins the garden, He is the Patron Saint of farmers and gardeners. Please St. Isidore watch over all that till the land and may their harvests always be bountiful.   Sunday, August 3 View Page 2009 Wallace DAP 10.   Sunday, August 3 View Page 1843.5 Geddes DAP 30. Wow, blossom end is not growing.   Sunday, August 3 View Page Here's pic DAP 30 1843.5 Geddes.   Wednesday, August 6 View Page 1843.5 Geddes. DAP 33. Top is growing blossom not so much. Darn.   Wednesday, August 6 View Page 2009 Wallace. Dap 13. Growing nicely. Wish I had an early pollination. Oh Well, It's growing and I will hopefully have lots of seeds.   Thursday, August 14 View Page 1843.5 Geddes. It's taking the shape of a skull, hence the name "Skully".   Thursday, August 14 View Page 2009 Wallace. DAP 21. Still growing nicely. Happy grower.   Thursday, August 14 View Page 2009 Wallace DAP 23.   Saturday, August 16 View Page OOPS. 8/16/14 is DAP 23 2009 Wallace.   Saturday, August 16 View Page 1843.5 Geddes DAP 43.   Sunday, August 24 View Page 1843.5 Geddes DAP 51.   Sunday, August 24 View Page Found little gouge. Animals perhaps. Solid inside.   Sunday, August 24 View Page Peroxide drench and sulfur powder dusting.   Saturday, August 30 View Page 2009 Wallace DAP 37.   Saturday, September 6 View Page 2009 DAP 44. At first I was going to name this kin "Pisa", after the leaning tower, since it is growing on an angle. But I think "Tweety" is more appropriate.   Saturday, September 6 View Page 1843.5 Geddes DAP 64.   Saturday, September 6 View Page Wallace 2009 x Open. This guy was a little surprise. Oh well, more seeds, hahaha.   Monday, September 8 View Page 2009 Wallace x open. Culled this sneaky guy. Felt like at least 50#. It took some growth from Tweety, but it will pay for that with its life and seeds. Sorry, no mercy. LOL   Saturday, September 13 View Page Foliar drench for PM. Read article that potassium bicarbonate will get rid of the PM, We'll see if that works. Neem is so it sticks and gives additional PM fighting power and a little bug protection and the potassium is just for good measure. http://www.growingagreenerworld.com/controlling-or-eliminating-powdery-mildew/   Saturday, September 13 View Page 2009 Wallace DAP 51.   Saturday, September 13 View Page 1843.5 Geddes DAP 71. Most leaves are gone, except for the weeds.   Saturday, September 13 View Page Potassium Bicarbonite and Neem oil really helped. PM still present but not as bad as it was. Leaves still holding on with Wallace 2009.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page Last boost for the injector. Hope it helps.   Tuesday, September 23 View Page 1843.5 Geddes DAP 81. Just 5 days to the Bengstons WO. Monsters of the Midway.   Tuesday, September 23 View Page 2009 Wallace DAP 61. Wish this one was pollinated earlier. Oh well, there's always next year.   Sunday, September 28 View Page Bengtston's weigh off. Nice, beat my PB of 482# and passed the 1/4 ton mark. WooHoo. I'm happy with year 2. 1843.5 Geddes x 2009 Wallace.   Sunday, September 28 View Page 26% heavy. I'm a happy pumpkin grower.   Saturday, October 4 View Page 2009 Wallace x 1843.5 Geddes. 514# loaded 10/3/14 DAP 72 WO at Gary's Greenhouse 10/4/14 Way to grow "Tweety". This was third pollination 30 feet out on main vine.   Saturday, October 4 View Page Gary's Greenhouse stats. Yeaaaa!!! 17th Place but more importantly, 10% heavy. Meees likes em heavy.