Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 19 Entries. Sunday, May 1 View Page I'm using the pill box method for seed starting. So far I am 100%. This round in the orange box I have started some backups, two more 434 Gerhardts and a 2036 glasier. Also, two 141 Kline and a 137.5 ansems long gourds. In the white box I have started my melons, two 296 barbers,two 291 Kents, two 316 Edwards and a 272 K Neptune. Filed all of these and put them in the boxes on Saturday April 30. Temp is 80F.   Sunday, May 1 View Page Saturday April 23 I filed and started my main lineup in the orange pill box. They are the 2109 LL, 1998 jutras, 1744 fulk, three 504 house and a 434 Gerhardt. The 434 was started on Sunday April 24. My new 75w LED grow light is awesome.   Sunday, May 1 View Page I have three of the four hoop frames up. The weather is not cooperating this weekend and the plants are about ready for transplant but my garden is behind! We were in Florida for a week and I'm playing catchup. I've mowed the rye but I'm leaving it un tilled for now.   Thursday, May 12 View Page I got the plants in the ground finally yesterday. Terrible weather this spring in eastern PA. Hoop 1 has two 434 Gerhardt 06 in them. Hoop 2 has a 1998 jutras and a 2036 glasier. Hope 3 has a 2109 LL and a 1744 fulk. Hoop 4 has two 504 House 15's. 3 melons are up- 316 Edwards,291 Kent and 296.5 Barber. I hope I don't need backups cause I ain't got em at the moment! Also got two 8.41 maccoy and a 4.62 fulk tomato up. And struck out so far on long gourd germination.   Monday, June 27 View Page Dispite my best efforts I did not successfully kill all of my plants inside the hoops this year. Competition pumpkins = 1998 jutras, 2109 zywiac, 504 house, and 434 Gerhardt (the small one). I did kill both of these inside the hoop so this one is just about 3 ft out and the backup just got pulled. 434 will be grown 100% on weed fabric.   Monday, June 27 View Page Vine burying mix this year is 1/3 promix 1/3 patch soil 1/3 mushroom soil with four handfuls of pumpkin pro myco and 4 tbs azos per wheelbarrow. Melons= 291 Kent and 272.5 k Neptune. FP= two 162 maccoy. LG= two 139.25 ansems. Tomato= two 4.62 fulk and two 8.41 maccoy. Master grower is still game on.   Monday, July 4 View Page 504 house x 1998 jutras   Monday, July 4 View Page Here comes the long gourds. Both are 139.25 ansems.   Tuesday, July 5 View Page 2109 zywiac x 1998 jutras.   Thursday, July 7 View Page In all my years growing I've never seen a pumpkin of this size only 2 days after pollination. Barrel shaped too which is just fine with me since the 2109 is for size only. I applied Anthesis to this pumpkin today and I applied it yesterday to the pumpkin on the 504 that I pollinated on July 04.   Monday, July 11 View Page It sure would be nice if I could get a pumpkin set on this 1998 jutras plant!   Thursday, July 14 View Page 504 House day 10 = 30 inches circ. A real shame about the critter damage.   Thursday, July 14 View Page This is the 504 House, I am very happy with this plant. It is so large I can't get it all in the picture. It has a ton of secondaries behind the pumpkin, 6 of which on each side are already fully terminated which might be a first for me. The back two secondaries also have 14 tertiary vines spidered out about 6ft long each which is delivering an additional 150 square feet behind the pumpkin. On another note I finally pollinated one on the 1998 Jutras today, using the 504 House for the male. It is on a secondary vine about 20 feet from the stump. There is a mainvine flower ready to open tomorrow and it is way out there, like 26 feet maybe. That will be the one if it takes. The 1998 plant is pretty much the same size and is grown in the same style as the 504 House.   Friday, July 15 View Page 2109 Zywiec day 10 = 34 inches circumference. Yikes! I finally got a mainvine pollination on the 1998 Jutras today, used the 504 House again for the males. I should note that we are in the middle of a heat wave here, 90's every day which is tough on these pumpkins being so young/ far behind schedule. They are surrounded by frozen water bottles and covered with white sheets daily.   Friday, July 15 View Page The 139.25s race to the sky!Thunder is on the left and lightning is on the right. Named for the duel track wooden coaster at Hershey Park. I am pretty sure these are ahead of last year.   Tuesday, July 19 View Page Just some record keeping. On Saturday I pollinated the 504 House genetics plant with the 434 Gerhardt. On Sunday I pollinated the 434 Gerhardt with the 504 House main plant. On Monday I applied Anthesis to the main vine pollination on the 2109. On Monday I also sprayed with the Stihl for the first time as I had observed a major influx of cucumber beetles. I also had Eagle 20 and Cal Max in the tank, as I believe I have a Magnesium deficienty in the 504 House. I will pick up some Epsom salts today for more folliar spraying. Here is a pic of the 504 issue, yellowing followed by necrosis of the leaves closest to the stump. The yellowing is not on a single vine as I have observed with YVD in the past, so I am fairly to mostly confident with my assessment.   Thursday, August 4 View Page Finally day 30 for the 2109 LL. 120 inches circ. Emma, the chief rodent killer looks on.   Thursday, September 1 View Page 1998 jutras killing it in the looks dept. weight wise not gonna get to 1000 tho. I hope the blossom end holds up!   Saturday, September 10 View Page September 10th. It's 10:10 pm and 82 degrees F in eastern PA. WTF.