Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 84 Entries. Sunday, March 22 View Page Big thanks to nutrient giant CANNA BV for sponsorship for this growing season! CANNA are generously supplying me with some great products and technical advice. An exciting project is planned to investigate the of coco (alternative to soil) for giant pumpkin growing. For more information on coco: http://www.canna-uk.com/coco_professional_plus   Sunday, March 22 View Page To recap on past years.... 2013 was a good one! Just 22 lbs shy of hitting the 1000 lb mark, some great looking pumpkins and a 1st place at York.   Sunday, March 22 View Page 2014 was not such a great year but I feel that I was to blame by over watering and not going the extra mile with things like keeping the pumpkin warm etc etc. Remarkably (by default) we still managed a 1st place in London albeit a hollow win. The one pumpkin that was not watered very much was the 150 sq ft patch plant. That pumpkin went 19% heavy and set a new 150 patch pb of 496 lbs (427 lbs in 2013). Some lessons learned from 2014.   Sunday, March 22 View Page So... Project 1: Growing the good old fashioned way(and not overwatering)but using CANNA nutrients and a little CANNA 'know how' (eg. measuring pH, EC, nutrient compatibilty). For an interesting article on EC see the following article by Pieter Klaassen at CANNA: http://www.canna-uk.com/electrical-conductivity Pieter is the researcher working with me on this project. Project 2a: As above but for the first time in my patch I'll have a plant growing undercover. To make the most of the improved conditions of growing in a tunnel and the rate at which the plants are likely to fill the tunnel, we have decided to allow them to expand out to the surrounding area (total patch size for 2a and 2b are 368 sq ft each) Project 2b: A very new and exciting approach, creating a new bed and bringing in 5000L of CANNA Coco Professional Plus.   Sunday, March 22 View Page Here are the nutrients being used on patches 1 and 2a. The CANNA Terra range is compatible with soil. For more information: http://www.canna-uk.com/terra A product not shown in the picture but being used is pH minus (my pH is 7.8, too high).   Sunday, March 22 View Page and for Project 2b (coco)..... no Terra Vega/Flores but Coco A/B, a two part nutrient specific for growing in Coco. But before we can grow we need to bring in the Coco.....5000L of it!   Sunday, March 22 View Page The polytunnel (where project 2 will be happening) is virtually finished and the cover has been purchased. Once the beds for 2a and 2b are finished the the cover will go on and the doors will follow. It's not obvious at first but this photo was taken from the lower end of the patch. The tunnel has a significant gradient which needs to be levelled out.   Sunday, March 22 View Page Having spent a few back breaking hours levelling the patch and building a raised bed for Project 2b, you can see the signicant gradient. The raised bed is level.   Sunday, March 22 View Page The bed for 2b is 13'w x 11.5'l. It most likely that for both 2a and 2b that the pumpkins will be positioned outside of the tunnel.   Sunday, March 22 View Page The soil has been levelled, the next steps are: 1. Follow with a layer of sand to get it really level. 2. Paint the top 10cm white (clean and reflective) 2. Close the bed with a single sheet of black plastic 3. Fill the bed with Coco subtrate to a minimum depth of 0.3m leaving a 0.1m white boarder. While I was prepping this bed earlier I had a thought..... "no weeds!....there will be no weeds". Also, not that I have had soil borne diseases in the patch before but with Coco, there will be no diseases lurking, waiting to infect the pumpkin plants.   Monday, March 23 View Page Something new for this year. First time using Mycorrhizae. Just a small 113g pot to get me started with seed starting and transplanting. I like the fact that is is water soluble.   Thursday, April 9 View Page With the great weather we are having and after a productive day in the patch I decided to start the seeds this evening. Started: 6 x 1626 D.Gantner (1320 Faskell x 351 Gantner). 1 x 1738 Barron (1730 Werner x 2009 Wallace). 1 x 1916 Barron (2009 Wallace x 1730 Werner). In honouring oblgations the line up needs to change slightly. Therefore projects 2a and 2b = 1626 D.Gantner and project 1a = 1738/1916 Barron. Each seed was gentle filed on the sides and will be soaked for 8 hours at 28oC whereupon they will be chitted (at 28oC) in between damp cotton wool pads in a ziplock bag. Should be germinated 24 hours later (Sat morning - 11/4).   Thursday, April 9 View Page Project 2a - Ammendments were added and tilled in: 7 lbs - Sulfate of potash (0-0-50) 7 lbs - Fish, blood & bone (7-7-7) 7 lbs - Bonemeal (3-15-0) Still to go on: 3 lbs - Epsom salts 0.9 lbs (40g) - Boric acid   Thursday, April 9 View Page Project 2a - Here's where the soil is at. Acting on good advice I have raised both K and B to desired levels and have not added S to change the pH. Mg is lower than I would like but that will need to be built up gradually and supplented with MgO as a foliar addition.   Monday, April 13 View Page Delivery arrived today (feels like Christmas, thanks CANNA!) Coco Professional Plus - 100 x 50L bags CANNA Coco A/B - 30L of A/30L of B CANNA Terra Vega - 25L CANNA Terra Flores - 75L CANNA RHIZOTONIC - 20L CANNABOOST - 35L CANNA PK13/14 - 15L K2O (20%) - 15L CaO (15%) - 5L MgO (7%) - 5L pH minus (bloom) - 5L CANNA FLUSH - 10L   Monday, April 13 View Page Cheap and cheerful is what it's going to take to get started. EC and pH meters arrived today too.   Tuesday, April 14 View Page We were busy starting the tunnel when the phone call came to say that the delivery arrived and the driver needed help! This pallet was certainly over 1000 kgs. So now we know how much a WR record pumpkin will feel on a pallet :)   Wednesday, April 15 View Page Nb. Plants were all watered with Rhizotonic (4 ml/L)   Thursday, April 16 View Page Seedlings are doing very well and are on track for being transplanted on the 19th. The heatmat was turned off on the 15th following each seedling emerging from the potting mix   Friday, April 17 View Page Two doors frames were made and fitted and the roll-up curtain has been fitted to one complete side (not shown this early photo). The side in view was compelted in the dark with the help of a little light on the drill   Friday, April 17 View Page 4900 L of Coco Professional Plus were added to the grow bed for Project 2b. The coco is incredibly light and airy. I will need to get the Northen side curtain and the Eastern door end completed tomorrow and just hope that the neighboured cats do not use the coco as a giant litter tray   Friday, April 17 View Page 9.45 pm and clearing up by candle light, and of course.....tea!   Sunday, April 19 View Page It's been a very tiring week juggling parenting with getting the patch ready so it's an understatement when I say I'm happy it's all done. In the tunnel are 4 x 1626 D.Gantners (2 each for Project 2a and 2b). Soil temperature in the tunnel is 15oC and is much lower then I would like but it will warm up soon! Veyr happy with the 1626's so far. In the hoop house are the 1738 & 1938 Barron plants (Left/right). Still need to add some ammendments to Patch 1 but not an issue if I'm quick.   Sunday, April 19 View Page It's warming up quickly in there and it's only been closed a few hours. The coco is extremely light and airy, so much so that if you drop something in it (which I have done) then there's a chance you will not find it again. The next hurdle to overcome is access to the coco bed. The beam over the bed is one leg of my tripod and I figure at least two legs together may support my weight. We will see..... but treading on the coco I can not!   Friday, April 24 View Page Projects 1 and 2a are currently being watered with the same solution containing CANNA Vega (3 ml/L) and Rhizotonic (4 ml/L) giving me an EC reading between 0.7 and 0.9.   Saturday, April 25 View Page Nb. 0.7-0.9 EC range as above refers to an increase in EC (EC+) as a result of nutrients and additives added to water. Therefore using water with an EC of 0.5, final EC will be 1.2-1.4.   Saturday, April 25 View Page Project 2b is being watered with CANNA Coco A/B (2.3 ml/L each of A and B) and Rhizotonic (4 ml/L) giving me an EC+ of around 1.1 after lowering the pH to within a range of 5.5-6.2. It's very easy to overshoot the pH and go too acidic! As for the coco subtrate, it's incredibly light and airy so I'm expecting the roots to love it too. The onus is on me to perfect the watering. Let's see how the season progresses afterwhich I'll be more than happy to share with growers what I put on the patch, how much and when.   Saturday, April 25 View Page NB. CORRECTION IN CAPITALS: Project 2b is being watered with CANNA Coco A/B (2.3 ml/L each of A and B) and Rhizotonic (4 ml/L) giving me an EC+ of around 1.1 BEFORE lowering the pH to within a range of 5.5-6.2. THE PRODUCT USED FOR LOWERING THE PH ALSO INCREASES EC TOO.   Wednesday, May 6 View Page Project 1 had a 1:1 mix of rye/vetch sown and has germinated. Today it was innoculated with soluble myccorhizae. The polytunnel also has en establishing cover crop around the sides but there is no plan to treat it with mycorrhizae.   Wednesday, May 6 View Page I have no complaints with any of the plants so far.   Wednesday, May 6 View Page Project 2b (coco)   Wednesday, May 6 View Page Project 2a (soil)   Tuesday, May 26 View Page All plants are doing just fine at the moment despite the extremes in temperature (i.e -2.5 to 41'C). 2a and 2b plants = 1626 D.Gantner. 1 (left) = 1738 Barron. 1 (right) = 1916 Barron.   Sunday, May 31 View Page The root spread on the 1626 D. Gantner in the coco bed has been nothing short of amazing and as such I am having to fertilise over a larger area (than for soil based plants). As the plant is quickly getting into gear it was neccesary to get the irrigation hoses down. Approximately 50m of hose was used in this 150 sq ft bed.   Sunday, May 31 View Page Whilst the 1626. D Gantner in the soil patch (project 2a) is not as advanced as project 2b (coco) with respect to root spread, it is however in terms of vegetative growth and leads the way in the patch at just over 4'. I continue to feed 2a with every watering with an EC of 1.6 (4.58 mL/L CANNA Terra Vega and 2 mL/L RHIZOTONIC).   Sunday, May 31 View Page Summary of spray programme.   Sunday, May 31 View Page Project 1 (offical 150 patch competition plant) outgrew its hoop house on the 27th and is now an outdoor grown plant. The soil temperature over the last few days has been 15'C compared to 18/18.5'C in the tunnel for 2a and 2b. As a result, growth has been slower for this plant and with continuous rain over the last few days I am already noticing a drawback in that I am not able to control moisture in the root zone.   Tuesday, June 2 View Page The two 1626 D Gantner's of project 2 are vining and it will not be long before each has filled its half of the tunnel (14' x 12' each). Project 2a: 4'11 (1.51 m) Project 2b: 4' (1.22 m) As a result of Project 1 (1738 Barron - 150 sq ft patch plant) being outside as of the 27/5 it is only at 3'1 (0.95 m) albeit well ahead of the its counterpart in 2013 and 2014.   Tuesday, June 9 View Page The 1626 in the soil bed is doing great so there's a bit of a rush on to get the cover crop on the sides turned in and to have the soaker hose laid down too. This plant sat at 6'11" Sunday evening and will soon be out of the tunnel.   Tuesday, June 9 View Page Only a small strip of cover crop to dig in around the polytunnel. Not something I can complain about doing compared to the mighty patch beside it which will have to come down soon so that it does not block out any sun and to prevent the wind dispersing seed on the polytunnel patches   Tuesday, June 9 View Page The 1626 in the Coco bed is doing just fine and I have to resist the urge to explore for roots as of course once you find them, you have probably broken them. I guess I can only assume they have reached each end of the bed by now. As I do not have a direct EC probe (yet!) I am not able to monitor what is happening in the substrate. Therefore as I am fertilising the entire patch I run the risk of concentrating nutrients in areas where roots are not. This could lead to root burn once they hit the area of concentration. However, nothing so far suggests the plant is in any kind of stress situation.   Tuesday, June 9 View Page Thanks to Baitman for a great tip!....... "apply Roundup via a paint roller to be able to get weeds close to the plant without the danger of spray hitting it". Cheers Henry!   Tuesday, June 9 View Page For more detail on the Projects please follow the link: http://www.canna-uk.com/   Saturday, June 13 View Page It's official, project 2b (coco plant) now belongs to Zachary who seems to be motivated by any cash prizes that his pumpkin may win (I told him he could keep it all). Today Zachary helped me in the tunnel burying vines whilst it rained heavily outside (a big selling point for growing in a tunnel).   Saturday, June 13 View Page So, while it rained, we buried vines. But then I looked at the main vine which is approaching the end of the bed. The substrate is lower that the bed edges so the vine needs to be raised which means no more rooting for the last 3-4 nodes. Unless....... I use another bag or two of coco to make a ramp which the vine can travel up and more rooting can happen.   Saturday, June 13 View Page Project 2a is a day or two away from exiting the tunnel. The soaker hoses are being put in place and are split with a set each side of the main. Many of the hoses are damaged beyound repair so it's now a race to get the final quater laid. The hose will be covering 280 sq ft.   Saturday, June 13 View Page Project 1 plant is showing a few badly damaged and oversized leaves, one of which was removed today to make room for the younger leaves below. Better use of energy to grow the young ones out than have them in the shade.   Saturday, June 13 View Page Project 1 plant has not quite kicked into gear yet which is gives me time to bury the vines of project 2a and 2b. This one will be a slow burner I think but one which will smash my 150 patch pb ;)   Thursday, June 18 View Page Project 2a plant is bewteen 10'6 to 11' and filling out well.   Thursday, June 18 View Page Project 2b plant is also out of the tunnel and the walk boards were removed. Watering as of this weekend will have to be via IBC/soaker hoses as had been by hand to date. Currently feeding with CANNA Coco A/B and Rhizotonic and ammending pH to 5.8 giving a final EC of 2.6 (compared to 1.8 of soil based 2a). Today when attemptig to insert a very thin cane in the coco (2' behind the stump) I was unable to do so due to the prescence of roots which had created a mat under the surface. At the end of the season I am looking forward to pulling away the boards of the bed to expose a cross section of the roots.   Monday, June 22 View Page Project 2a side of the tunnel should be full soon which will mean a shift to soaker hoses   Monday, June 22 View Page A likely keeper is in the tip at 12'   Monday, June 22 View Page ... and small windows have been made in the sides for the secondary's to exit the tunnel. I have started pinching off the excess male flowers since there's only so many a plant needs.   Monday, June 22 View Page Other than a few leaves with these yellow spots, the plant looks great. I can't assign it to any particular nutrient deficiency. These spots also occurred on my 1770 plant in 2013 and other growers growing the same seed that year also experienced it. So.... I am not worried at all.   Monday, June 22 View Page Project 1 (official 150 patch) plant is being manipulated to make sure that there is room to fit the pumpkin within the boundaries. As always with such a small area I will have to take the first viable female that comes along providing it is at least 9' down the main vine.   Monday, June 22 View Page Project 2b (coco) is now being watered via the soaker hoses and I have detected a dry spot. A flaw with these type of hoses is uneven watering. An upgrade will be due in 2016.   Monday, June 22 View Page As with project 2a, I am working ahead to make sure there is a root for the secondary vines to extend out of the bed and tunnel.   Saturday, June 27 View Page Through a combination of improved conditions (i.e. in a tunnel) and regular feeding with CANNA Terra Vega and Rhizotonic, growth and appearance of this plant has far exceeded any plants grown to date. Feeding continues at EC 1.8, pH 5.8. The female flower originally selected for pollination was removed in favour of amassing a larger plant. There is a v.small flower in the tip so I am hoping for a pollination in the 16' region by the 10th July. Since my 978 lb pb was pollinated on the 10th July in 2013, I am not over concerned about a few days here or there. For me it's about having a plant able to support a pumpkin that races out of the blocks and then supporting it with a good feeding schedule.   Monday, June 29 View Page A side curtain was removed on the northern wall of the tunnel to improve circulation and reduce humidity. Having made exit paths for the secondary vines of the coco bed, I accidentally terminated the middle secondary in the picture through careless pruning. Fortunately this has been the only casualty so far through being clumsy. The coco bed was overwatered last week and the resulting high root pressure was evident through guttation which appears as exudation of xylem sap on the edges of the leaves in the morning or in the afternoon by a white residue on the leaf edges. To combat this, the humidity is being reduced, the bed was allowed to dry and the EC of the nutrient solution was increased from 2.6-3.6.   Monday, June 29 View Page The primary vine of coco based Project 2b is set up and protected with some sponge over the bed edging. There is a female (13-14') just outside the tunnel that should be the first project pollination. The only problem is creating a big enough space outside the tunnel. Pollinating further down the vine would ultimately lead to a very late pollination.   Monday, June 29 View Page Project 1 is starting to resemble a healthy pumpkin patch now that the plant has found its gear. On comparison with last years 150' patch plant, this one is in great shape. Last years was pollinated at 15' and just the same might be doable this year given that the main vine is being snaked around the patch. I just need to get creative with secondary vines and there is still the soaker hoses to install.   Wednesday, July 1 View Page Project 2a plant is not happy either. There is however only slight wilting on the coco based 2b plant.   Wednesday, July 1 View Page Just a little wilting on 2b, which is most likely to be the first pollenated. 2b is now being fed at EC 4.0 with CANNA Coco A/B at 8 mL/L. Now you   Wednesday, July 1 View Page Plant 2a (pictured) and plant 1 recovered within a few minutes of being misted. The only trouble is that I can only do this once a day at lunch time and so only keep the plant going within a small window. The rest of the time is suffers. However, after todays unusually high 33'C, temperatures will be dropping to between 22-25'C for the remainder of the week.   Saturday, July 4 View Page It's pretty much been full on and two hours a evening in the patch just isn't enough to get on top of everything. A good two hours can be spent just pruning, staking and burying nodes. Then there's the nutrient solution prep and hand watering all plants, needless to say it's very difficult to get in the tunnel. However, pictures like this just make me happy.... a sea of green. The tunnel is pretty much full, about 1-2 square meters left to fill on both sides. Soon I hope to see an orange pumpkin rising in the background.   Saturday, July 4 View Page 1626 D.Ganter (project 2b, coco) will be opening tomorrow. Three males from the 1626 in 2a have been tied up for a sibb cross in the morning. It's at approximately 13' and just outside the tunnel so if it were too get up to 1000 lbs, there could be an issue. Everyday I eye up the tunnel end wondering what I could safely cut out should I need to.   Thursday, July 23 View Page Project 1 - After a great start I snapped a female clean off the vine when moving a board underneath it. About two weeks later and I finally have a pumpkin pollinated this morning (1738 Barron x self). It's the only female on the plant (its on the main) and all vines have been terminated except for the one to the left. It's the latest I have pollinated to date but with good weather, it shouldn't be too much of a problem for this 150 patch competition plant. If it grows, it will as usual be the last one to be weighed (25th Oct, York Maze)out of all the competitors.   Thursday, July 23 View Page Project 1 - The patch is full except for space for a pumpkin in the top left hand corner.   Thursday, July 23 View Page Project 2a - 1626 D.Gantner x 1738 Barron (10 DAP 18.5"). The plant is great but the pumpkin is not breaking any records so far. Still early but sunshine is needed. There is one more female down the main vine (open pollinated on the 19th) and an unopened female at the end where the main vine has been terminated.   Thursday, July 23 View Page Project 2a - My favourite time of year is when the patch looks like a jungle (project 1) and a pumpkin (project 2a) can be seen rising above the canopy.   Thursday, July 23 View Page Project 2a - Fairly average growth so far but I have a hunch it's starting to gear up. I think this one promises to be very orange. This one has a two-three stem splits on the underside which for the moment, seem to have stopped just at the pumpkin/stem boundary.   Thursday, July 30 View Page With 28'C heat today and 33' C forecasted tomorrow, the plants are not happy   Thursday, August 27 View Page Well, the weather this year in my region of the UK has been terrible. Even with the polytunnel up there simply hasn't been enough sun. First casualty was around day 30 on Project 2b (1626 D. Gantner). Growth never quite got over 5 lbs per day, a dark patch was forming to the side of the blossum and the skin was producing those tell tales signs of a pumpkin aborting. It was cut open and I could observe the darkened flesh, so definately the correct decision.   Thursday, August 27 View Page On the same day as 2b was culled, another was pollinated but at around day 10 it was evident that it did not take.   Thursday, August 27 View Page So, as last chance on project 2b is this 15 day 1626 x self. But with a 21" cc on day 15, it just doesn't seem like it's going to happen this year. It's years like this where you wish you grew in a different part of the country. I wouldn't mind being able to grow completely indoors so to be able to control day and night temperatures. That would go a long way to shifting the plants along whatever the weather.   Thursday, August 27 View Page Non project pumpkin (1873 Steil). This one all aborted around day 30 and also never grew more than 5 lbs a day. This was very much the control plant grown in my usual way. When it happens throughout the patch you look for a common factor. Look up at the clouds and there's your answer.   Thursday, August 27 View Page Project 1 - It's very hard not to notice the size of the leaves at the ends of all the terminated vines on this plant. All the inner leaves are an ideal size but the otter ones measure 70" across.   Thursday, August 27 View Page Project 1 - ...is also growing terribly slowly. Due to the poor weather (no sun, lots of cloud and a good amount of rain) it just doesn't need watering often. Most water has been rain water.   Thursday, August 27 View Page Project 2b - It's good to be wrong sometimes as I was sure for a long time that this one was also aborting. It was also doing around 5 lbs a day until I went on holiday for 7 days during which it was not watered. I returned to find 100 lbs of growth with daily averages at 11 lbs. Nothing to get too excited about but relative to everything else in the patch it's something to be pleased about as ultimately it means an opportunity to attend a weigh off with a pumpkin (even if it's a very small one). The plants are in superb condition so it's a real shame that CANNA invested in me during a bad weather year. Really can't fault the nutrients at all! With the best nutrients available the limiting factor is always going to be the grow conditions and on this occassion they are beyond my control. However, I have learned a huge amount this year so combine that with a good year of weather and joining the 1000 lb plus club and deli is easily doable in 2016.   Monday, September 14 View Page This photo of project 1 (1738 x self) was taken over a week ago but being just 25lbs up for the week there is barely much difference. I think I know the answer for the slow growth and very big leaves (70" wide). Apart from the lack of sun and poor growth in general on all the plants, this one has received a lot of rain, resulting in high root pressure and a lot more water being pressed into the plant. This lowers the internal EC in the plant which triggers vegetative growth hormones, hence the oversized leaves.   Monday, September 14 View Page Project 2b is slowly rolling over its blossom as it grows. The trouble is that the base is not flat and it might just drop over soon. I already hoisted the pumpkin and board back 3" and 30degrees to the main vine to release the tension from the pumpkin pulling the vine. I was a little careless in the positioning of this pumpkin as there is no s-curve in the main. The pumpkin taped 447 lbs on day 63. I just hope to reach 500 lbs for a little self respect at a weigh off.   Monday, September 14 View Page Project 2a on the coco bed was terminated a while back following a small hole on the side of the pumpkin. On inspecting the root zone I was taken back by the extensive root network of which I have never seen anything like it before. I also noted that the coco was far too dry. The photo shows a section of the main vine. Although each tap root shows an enormous amount of rooting, a lot was left behind in the coco due to difficulty unthreading it. So while CANNA's Coco Professional Plus does indeed provide excellent root zone conditions, roots will grow according to need and it is likely that the exceptional display of roots observed were produced in response to under watering (grower error). From relatively early on guttation was observed with project 2b and I took this as a sign of over watering (high root pressure). However, consider the scenario that the plant was already under watered. Imagine that it then doubles its root mass in response. It is then watered but now the water uptake of the plant is doubled. This will result in the observed guttation. But, not due to overwatering but the opposite, under watering! So, the onus certainly was on me to perfect my growing in Coco and that is a journey to be continued next year.   Friday, October 30 View Page A good result in a bad year 682 Geyelin (1626 D.Gantner x 1738 Barrron) 2015 - 16% Heavy Managed first place at York Maze (http://www.yorkmaze.com) due to such poor growing conditions this year that there were only 2 entrants (and I was one!) Photograph from Jonathan (http://jonathanpow.com)   Friday, October 30 View Page Photograph from Jonathan (http://jonathanpow.com)