Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 46 Entries. Monday, April 6 View Page Getting started   Monday, April 6 View Page Getting the house ready   Tuesday, April 7 View Page Nice progress 9 days from planting   Saturday, April 11 View Page 13 days from planting and they want out of these pots! Still freezing at night though. Waiting for the wind to let up so I can put the covers on the hoop houses, after that they can go out   Wednesday, April 22 View Page Plants are a bit leggy, but they are growing fast. 1 of the broke a stem, but the others are doing well. Time to get them in the high tunnel this weekend. Temps are still getting into the high 20 s at night but will be OK in the tunnels.   Sunday, April 26 View Page The huts are up. They are not pretty, but they will work! We had a little rain today a tenth or two.   Tuesday, May 26 View Page 25 days from planting. This Is the replacement for the one that froze . Plant looks good . We have had a week of rain and cool Temps in the 50 s for highs, just above freezing at night   Monday, June 1 View Page 31 days from planting. Stem is getting thicker, the leaves look really good so far . Some noticeable growth is starting to happen. We are way behind last year, at this time we were 36 inches out. Let's hope for some HEAT!   Friday, June 5 View Page Picture 1 is Gourdon, 2 is Max. 5 days 12 hours from last pictures. 2 good shots of juice and 1 gallon each water daily. Gourdon shows poss heat stress on a couple leaves, I was away during the day for a while and Temps reached 130 in the tunnel. Wow heat, what's that? Good growth, might have a dual vine developing on Max. There was a guest in the tunnel this am, a big ol bull snake hanging out.   Sunday, June 7 View Page 7 days from last picture, 38 days from seed start. Vine starting to establish, good growth this week. Temps have been in the 70 range, nights low 50 to high 40s. There is a little burn on a couple fringes, maybe over fert, or one day we had about 130 in the tunnel for a while.   Saturday, June 13 View Page 44 days from planting seed. The vine is taking off and is about to lay down. Seeing really good growth, several inches per day.temps have been 80 to 90. Had an oops, got it nearly 140 in the tunnel . I am cautious about taking down the plastic as the weather has been really rainy, 1.7 inches and heavy winds 50 mph plus. Maybe this week I can take it off.   Monday, June 15 View Page Main vine is down today. 36 inches from stem, growing really well as I seem to have the Temps regulated . The early leaves are 18 inches. Now we're looking like a pumpkin plant !   Thursday, June 18 View Page I removed the cover from the hoop house today, might have been a bit warm in there as I noticed the growth slowing. 49 days from seed start   Sunday, June 21 View Page This mess is Max. The vine is a ribbon, can not even count what's on the end, maybe 4 . Cleaned up what I could might just lop it off at a good secondary the plant looks good other than that. #wyogiants   Wednesday, July 1 View Page Just a note. Shade cloth over Gourdon, vine length is 117 inches actual measurements right at 6 inches per day. Maximus is at 80 inches And still in the tunnel! The vine looks quite normal after the surgery.   Friday, July 3 View Page 14 DAP, looking pretty good so far. 29 inches circumference, 20 and 20 inches for a total of 69 ott. Let's go!   Friday, July 3 View Page 14 DAP. The Brat is growing nicely. 29 inch circumference, 69 ott. Everything is going well so far.   Thursday, July 16 View Page Testing   Friday, July 17 View Page Pollinated on the 13th of july   Thursday, July 23 View Page Testing again   Thursday, July 23 View Page Test 123   Saturday, July 25 View Page Little progress   Saturday, July 25 View Page Little progress   Saturday, July 25 View Page Little progress   Sunday, July 26 View Page Measured the kids 1st time today. 1348 Max is at 54 in 7 days. 1450 Gourdon is at 57 in 12 days. No records here!   Friday, July 31 View Page 17 dap. Slow, steady messes 81 ott   Friday, July 31 View Page 11 dap I think. Measures 81 ott Maximus 1383 holland   Tuesday, August 4 View Page 20 dap Gourdon 1450 holland measures 104 ott looks like a big lemon   Friday, August 7 View Page Gourdon is 25 dap. Check out my giant lemon!   Thursday, August 13 View Page 30 dap today, Gourdon. Disappointed with this one so far, ott about 150. Still hope, not much, but we will keep going till the end. Ramped up calcium and 52-34 big time. Looks like if nothing else, it will be my favorite color!   Thursday, August 13 View Page 26 dap Maximus, doing ok, nothing great here either. Ott about 170. Steady, slow, but looks heavy. Ramped up calcium and 52-34 on this one too. Already thinking about next year! I'm missing something!   Thursday, August 13 View Page This is Gourdon, it seems to be stuck in a vegetative state for some reason. Last nitrogen was on July 10. Beautiful plant   Wednesday, August 19 View Page 1383 holland aka Maximus sitting at 218 ott   Wednesday, August 19 View Page Gourdon at 189 ott. 39 degrees here this morning   Tuesday, August 25 View Page Maximus checking on at 242 ott. 320 lbs ish. Trimming back the vines and ramping up fertilizers has seemed to wake it up a bit. Also more water. I had a c old blast in the 20 s Saturday night. Able to keep them wet and got hoops back up. They are ok. Measures 70 lb in the last 3 days. Feeling a little better about t he old ribbon vine plant.   Tuesday, August 25 View Page Gourdon here. 214ott. Slow steady growth, same food and water as Maximus. Avg 15 lb per day. Cool shape, nice color, just not a giant yet. Maybe it will take off. Trimming the vines way back maybe helped a little.   Sunday, August 30 View Page Max is now at 260 ott. 395 on the chart. Steady, slow 15 lb days.seems to be a bit better since the big hair cut.   Sunday, August 30 View Page Gourdon now at 236 ott. 295 lbs ish... fertilize Monday . The skin seems to be finishing   Saturday, September 12 View Page Max is now at 283 ott = 509 lb. She is running out of gas. Very little growth this week as Temps are in the high 30 s at night. 78 daytime avg. One good last blast of fert. Hoop House covers have been on a week.   Saturday, September 12 View Page Gourdon is now at 273 ott = 458 lb. Growth is 12 lb a day. Every day She hits 9 - 14 lb.slow but steady. She looks heavy, we will see in a couple weeks. Hoop House covers have been on a week. 30 s at night, 78 in the day.   Monday, September 21 View Page Picture of maximus 294 ott, seems to have run out of gas. Temps have been in the 30s every night. Approximately 65 days after pollination.   Monday, September 21 View Page Gourdon here, 67 days after pollination, at 294 ott and gaining about 10 lb per day. Looking good, the leaves outside the hoop house are toast from frost. It just keeps getting fatter. 6 days till weigh off, let's all bring what you grew and weigh them up!   Tuesday, September 29 View Page Well that's it! Maximus weighed in at 490 lb, 294 ott, that was w a y light. Found that the vine had shattered and was in terrible shape. Note to self, ribbon vines are not good! Gourdon weighed in at 596lb and was still going good, 296 ott, right on the chart. It was a fun year and looking forward to next year!   Monday, October 12 View Page This is the reason why we bury the vines. These roots are under each leaf axial. Big roots = big pumpkin!   Saturday, October 17 View Page Nice roots from Gourdon   Sunday, November 1 View Page The end of the line on the 2015 season. I sure learned a lot and enjoyed the whole experience!