Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 58 Entries. Friday, March 6 View Page Spring Training underway at my home gym. Seed Starters and Planters have reported and are now rounding into shape.   Wednesday, March 25 View Page Google earth view of patch from last summer.   Saturday, April 25 View Page Amendments added/tilled in. All plants up and ready to go in.   Saturday, April 25 View Page Heres my line up. 2036 Glasier, 1985 Miller, 1882 Gehweiler, 1873 Steil, 1756 Howel/Jolivette, 1662 Steil, 1625 Gantner, 1475 Gorichanaz, 1344 Gorichanaz   Monday, May 18 View Page 1625 Gantner   Monday, May 18 View Page 1882 Gehweiler   Monday, May 18 View Page 2036   Monday, May 18 View Page 1985   Monday, May 18 View Page 1344 Gorichanaz   Monday, May 18 View Page 1662 Steihl   Monday, May 18 View Page 1475 Gorichanaz   Tuesday, May 19 View Page Runt of the litter. 1756 Howell/Jollivete. Had a traumatic transplant and is not getting any heater cables.   Tuesday, May 19 View Page Paver stone project. Future patio with pumpkin patch view. For all the leisure hours I will have with only eight plants to tend to.   Thursday, May 21 View Page And the patio is now finished.   Thursday, May 21 View Page And the first BBQ first Beer on the new patio.   Friday, May 29 View Page 2036 Doing ok.   Friday, May 29 View Page 1625 free ranging   Friday, May 29 View Page 1475 wants to run   Wednesday, June 3 View Page All are out of the hoop houses except for the Howell/Jollivete.   Sunday, June 7 View Page 1625 with some damaged leafs. I believe they are sun burned as the sections of leaves shielded from the sun are not damaged and I had still not done any sprays when first noticed.   Sunday, June 7 View Page 1475 with no notable issues. All plants got systemic insecticide and fungicide on 6th.   Sunday, June 7 View Page 2036 is a stocky plant. Secondaries as thick as main vines. All plants got Mykos and Azos drench today.   Thursday, June 18 View Page Patch Looking West to East. Pollination on the 1625 by self at about 11 ft.   Thursday, June 18 View Page And East to West. Pollination on 2036 in AM. Wow female flowers are maturing fast. Yesterday I thought it would be three days till the gantner opened, and it openened this AM.   Sunday, June 21 View Page Pollinated the 1475 with the 2036 yesterday (6/20) at 12 ft out. Pollinated the 2036 at ten ft. x self on 6/19   Monday, June 22 View Page Storm blew through the area with some pretty strong gusts. Lost total of 5 leaves and had several vines rolled. Overall am happy to only have minimal damage. Anthesis applied to the 1475 this AM.   Tuesday, June 23 View Page Pollinated the 1882 Gehweiler at 12 ft. with the 2036 this morning. Two more pollinations tomorrow.   Wednesday, June 24 View Page Pollinated 1625 x self at 14 feet. 5 Lobe.   Thursday, June 25 View Page 2036 second pollination at 13 ft x 1625 five loge   Friday, June 26 View Page 1873 Steihl Pollinated by 1625 Gantner at 12 ft.   Sunday, June 28 View Page Pollinated the 1334 x the 1475 at 14 ft. Pollinated the 1985 x 2036. The Gehweiler and Steihl have both gotten the anthesis treatments. Now have 7 of 8 plants with pollinated females. One of my preseason goals was to have all eight plants pollinated before July 1st. Doubtful if the H/J plant will open one by than.   Thursday, July 2 View Page Last plant to be pollinated today. The 1756 x the 1662.   Sunday, July 5 View Page 2036 all gouged up from the coons. Been working on getting the house ready to sell and have been neglecting the patch. Lucky to spent 45 minutes a day on 8 plants.   Sunday, July 5 View Page The coons I assume with their claws put a deep gouge in the 1475 pictured here. I am worried its too deep and will split. That unfortunately is what happened to a nice set on the Gehweiler that I was forced to cull. Fortunately I had a back up a few feet down the main. If the 1475 goes down, I have no back ups cause I just culled the back up yesterday.   Tuesday, July 7 View Page Unless noted otherwise here is what I got. 1475 x 2036 on 6/20. 1625 x self on 6/24. 2036 x 1625 on 6/22. 1873 x 1625 on 6/26. 1882 x 1625 on 6/27. 1344 x 1475 on 6/28. 1985 x 2036 on 6/28. 1756 x 1873 on 7/2.   Tuesday, July 7 View Page Patch on 7/6.   Thursday, July 16 View Page Patch is looking a bit neglected. Plants are not as big as I would like. Have a few that are completely terminated except for the main. Kin growth is not what I was hoping for. Gave a little drench yesterday and a top dressing today followed by a foliar spray.   Wednesday, July 29 View Page Welcome to the most neglected patch in the world. Kins are battle scarred and ugly. In spite of my neglect all eight plants are relatively healthy and none of the kins have issues at this point. I was kind of hoping a few would go down to disease or even a BES. Sadly they are probably not growing fast enough to split. Best growers are just over 30 a day. Here is the 2036   Wednesday, July 29 View Page And this is my 1475. Oldest kin in the patch, will be dap 40 tomorrow.   Wednesday, July 29 View Page Here is my 1985 on day 31 it is 266 Ott   Wednesday, July 29 View Page And here is my 1344 on day 31. Only 255 OTT. At least she is pretty if you don't mind the lopsidedness.   Wednesday, July 29 View Page Took a drive over to a friends patch. This is his 1530 Gehweiler. Taped 350" this am. Whats amazing is the size of the plant. Can't be much more than 150 SF. Growing in the middle of his driveway LOL.   Wednesday, July 29 View Page Here is another nice one he has going. Last taped it 5 days ago and it was 360". This ones been doing 40 plus a day for a while. Does have a significant dill ring however. Hope it keeps going for him.   Wednesday, August 5 View Page Not a whole lot of difference in size between the top seven pumpkins. In order from largest to smallest 1. 1475 Gorichanaz 2. 2036 Glasier 3. 1985 Miller 4. 1662 Steil tied with 1344 Gorichanaz. 6. 1625 Gantner 7. 1882 Gehweiler 8. 1756 Howell/Jolivette. Miller is currently putting up best numbers along with the Steil.   Thursday, August 13 View Page Still plodding along with modest daily gains. Started with eight plants. All eight are healthy and disease free. All eight pumpkins are also quite healthy looking with no stem or blossom issues.   Thursday, August 13 View Page Ramping up the nutrients this week in effort to increase daily gains. Inconsistent watering also been a factor   Wednesday, August 19 View Page 1985 Miller getting tight against the main circ. 170".   Wednesday, August 19 View Page So I was a little nervous about moving the kin back with the tripod but it worked just fine. I should have good clearance for a while at least.   Wednesday, August 19 View Page My 1475 continues to be the patch leader. Now somewhere a little over 1,000 lbs. est. 1985 now 2nd best followed by the 2036. Than its the 1344 followed by the 1662. 1882 in 6th place, 1625 slowed way down and now in 7th. Dead last is the 1756.   Friday, August 21 View Page Lost the 1662 Steil to BES yesterday. 1882 is now the fastest grower in patch.   Sunday, August 30 View Page Lost the odd shaped and difficult 1756 to BES. Down to six now.   Wednesday, September 2 View Page Meat wagon making another run. Hoping the remaining five hold together for the duration. 1344 now the fastest grower in a slow growing patch.   Wednesday, September 2 View Page That's the 1625 that rotted and the 1756 that bes.   Wednesday, September 9 View Page 1985 did 27 lbs. a day for last three days. Now within 3 inches of patch lead. found 5 different kins growing on this plant this am. all hiding in various stages of growth. Not helping any but may of prevented a blowout? My 1344 which is the 1985 selfed and pollinated on same day has almost same numbers as the 1985 less 3 inches.   Saturday, September 12 View Page 1344 still growing during cool down. Now tied with 1985 for second biggest in patch   Saturday, September 12 View Page 1475 still clinging to patch lead by just 2 inches. Has the least healthy plant, doubt it will hold on to be the biggest.   Saturday, September 12 View Page 1882 Gehweiler.   Saturday, September 12 View Page 2036.