Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 128 Entries. Friday, January 1 View Page Testing, testing...Team Pumpkin, SW Division checking in....testing a new sprout method, 8 hour soak, into pillbox sitting on damp paper towel, into incubator, success. Don't have to keep opening the baggy and peaking under the paper towel   Saturday, January 2 View Page 12/24 Soaked 3 of Matt's 1030's, 2 of Mark's 1734's, 2 of my own 361's from last year....into the pillbox   Saturday, January 2 View Page 12/24....outside   Saturday, January 2 View Page 12/24 into the foam box, with heat mat and digital themostat   Saturday, January 2 View Page 30 hours later, success!   Saturday, January 2 View Page ***Reminder...too hot here in Phoenix to grow in summer, so last year we started our own spring contest...Jan-May***   Saturday, January 2 View Page 12/25...I'm a simple guy, 2x3's, a headlamp, and a Home Depot giftcard make a successful Christmas....   Saturday, January 2 View Page 12/25....oh ya, don't forget the weed burner...I was jealous of DeanAZ's, had to have my own....lol   Saturday, January 2 View Page Broke ground, under the lights with small fan to keep them cool from the lights...forgot to do that last year, had some funky looking cots   Saturday, January 2 View Page Here I'm starting to burn through the HD gift card and 2x3's. Making a support spine down the middle of the tunnels this year and making them bigger. Used leftover spray paint to coat the 12" that will be temporarily buried in the ground.   Saturday, January 2 View Page Jan 1 7:30 am...What better way to see the first sunrise of the new year...distributed the compost pile to keep warm...about 30f   Saturday, January 2 View Page Here's what I'm doing, posts made of 2x3's with a 2x3 spacer at each end. The top rails are 2x3's screwed together to form a "T" rail. Install the all the posts 1 foot in the ground, then slide the rail in the post's slot.   Saturday, January 2 View Page Rails have a 4" over hang so next 8 foot rail section can rest in the slot on one post and this overhang at the other end.   Saturday, January 2 View Page One end resting on tongue of other installed beam.   Saturday, January 2 View Page Slide beams together, screw a small bracket to both to hold them together. 3 middle posts (and one on each end) to support 28ft of top beam   Saturday, January 2 View Page Here's the overview...using left-over 1/2" pvc conduit from both of last years smaller tunnels on one of this years bigger tunnels. Upgraded the other tunnel to new 3/4 PVC conduit   Saturday, January 2 View Page 7 hours at the garden plot today...time to go home and relax, right?....ah, no, now I gotta repot the seedlings. I'm taking a page from Mark/Bubba, and repotting to 2 gallon plastic grow bags. This will give me more time to cover the tunnels and till. Have held off tilling as I knew I was just going to stomp all over, building the tunnels.   Saturday, January 2 View Page Putting grow bags in these cheap buckets so I can transport them and keep them from leaking. Under flourescents at night, starting to give them some sunlight during the day. 50's to 60's during the day right now....30's to 40's at night   Saturday, January 2 View Page Here's one of Mark's 1734's ready for transplant...when I popped them out of the large cups, the roots had just started to find the bottom...glad I repotted today.   Saturday, January 2 View Page Sprinkle in a little magic mycorr dust   Saturday, January 2 View Page Complete, just have to top off with more soil..."grow dammit"   Saturday, January 2 View Page Out for a bit of afternoon sun...only six plants now, sacraficed one of my 361's to see how deep the roots were in seedling cups.   Saturday, January 2 View Page "Thanks Mark for sending early seeds" (1734.5 Clementz)   Saturday, January 2 View Page "Thanks Matt for sending me seeds, early!"   Wednesday, January 13 View Page Two weeks later, Jan 13. Had to rig up a stand for my lights to accomodate taller plants...running 6 x 40 watt tubes, 20 hours/day   Wednesday, January 13 View Page Bought an emergency blanket from the camping area at Wallwart, instant mylar reflecting cover.....all I need is "Hemp" seeds...lol   Sunday, January 17 View Page Here are the happy fellows out for an hour of sun...left them out too long a week ago and fried a couple leaves...   Monday, January 18 View Page Here's the new and improved tunnel in plot #3, complete with new-fangled center support....look familiar Bubba? I didn't build knee walls this year, just made the side pins longer so the pvc started to bend later....worked pretty good and I don't have to store knee walls...   Wednesday, January 20 View Page Here's one of the 1734 Clementz plants, standing at attention...frantically built planting mounds afterwork and will be planting by flashlight tonight...highs about 68f lows abour 45f this week.   Wednesday, January 20 View Page Here's one of the three DeBacco 1030's...Team Pumpkin Howard Dill Award potential   Wednesday, January 20 View Page ..."What's that guy doing in the community garden with a flashlight?"....shhhhh Planting after sunset, 18 days in a 2 gallon grow bag, like Mark did last year...perfect timing   Thursday, January 21 View Page Sorry, picture looked ok when I previewed it...you get the idea...   Thursday, January 21 View Page (2) 1734 Clementz plants in the famous "Arizona Mausoleum"...just like last year....candles for 5F increase, and CO2 to boot...this is in plot #3   Thursday, January 21 View Page Tunnel #3 at sunset, candles lit, lids on...gnite...   Thursday, January 21 View Page DeBacco 1030's in tunnel #2...I planted a strong and a weak (sunburn) in this end, and a strong plant in the other end...   Thursday, January 21 View Page Tunnel #2, Team Pumpkin, SW Division, National Preseason Testing Plot, time to put the lids on and call it a day. These tunnels were 13x15 last year...expanded to 20x27 this year...2 feet left at end of the plot to open the door and walk...   Friday, January 22 View Page 1734's this morning, they look perkier 36 hours after planting...   Thursday, January 28 View Page 1030 east end #3 this morning... It's been low 40s at night, 68f during day this week. I've tried to vent the tunnels so they hit about 85f during the day to try and warm the soil a bit. A bit of vine tip growth but not much. I did drench with some diluted ferts 3 days ago.   Thursday, January 28 View Page 1030 west end #1 plant   Thursday, January 28 View Page 1734 #1 plant   Thursday, January 28 View Page 1734 #2 plant   Sunday, January 31 View Page Happy Sunday. Here's the Clementz 1734 #1 plant...looking good top view   Sunday, January 31 View Page #1 side   Sunday, January 31 View Page 1744.5 Clementz #2 top   Sunday, January 31 View Page #2 side   Sunday, January 31 View Page DeBacco 1030.5 East plant top view   Sunday, January 31 View Page 1030.5 east plant side view   Sunday, January 31 View Page 1030 west side #1 top view   Sunday, January 31 View Page #1 side view   Sunday, January 31 View Page #1 surprise   Sunday, January 31 View Page 1030.5 west #2 top view   Sunday, January 31 View Page #2 side view   Sunday, January 31 View Page 75f today, but cold front coming in. Need to batten down the hatches, winds kicking up to 20-25mph+ tomorrow for next few days. Hope the tunnels hold up, I criss-crossed the film with rope and cinder blocks to keep billowing in check. Night time lows will be dipping into the high 20's/low 30's for three nights so the foam vaults and candles will be cranking at night.   Sunday, January 31 View Page Ya, I'll try the Sunday "Now for something completely different" deal again....   Tuesday, March 1 View Page Weeell a month later and slow progress,,,mid 80s this week so hope things pick up. Here's DeBacco #1...main tip stunted but growing a lot of secondaries   Tuesday, March 1 View Page DeBacco #2 at other end...a little slower than #1   Tuesday, March 1 View Page Clementz, pulled the other Clements. This plot quite high in salinity...hope all the mains start up again...more secondary activity than main activity on all three plants.   Tuesday, March 1 View Page Yah, I did it...off came the film, on with the new fruitshield screen...looking forward to less spraying!   Friday, March 11 View Page Having some growth progress, here's #1 DeBacco...found an open female on Monday...not a problem in the screened kin cave! Pollinated another on same plant this am...female infants on most tips. The main vine tip got damaged few weeks ago, steered the secondary into the lead and it has thickened up and "taken the lead"....phew!   Friday, March 11 View Page Here's #2 DeBacco... A bit smaller, but main has thickened up and has a female forming in tip about 9ft out   Friday, March 11 View Page Here's the Clementz, a bit smaller, leaves very dense. Sprayed with mag sulfate this week. This patch is saltier than the other, which is also too salty. I've been drenching the patches once a week to drive some of the salt down. Tip vine is looking better, is thickening, female starting on tip and secondary. Mid 70's to 80's, evenings still dipping into mid 40's.   Sunday, March 13 View Page DeBacco #1 side vine   Sunday, March 13 View Page DeBacco #1 main vine about 9ft, a secondary recruited as a main   Sunday, March 13 View Page DeBacco #1 in the back meeting DeBacco #2 in front   Sunday, March 13 View Page Clementz side vine this am, selfed   Sunday, March 13 View Page Clementz main vine about 7ft looking good about 5 dap...a little early in plant growth to be setting but I only have a little over 2 months before spring weigh off, end of May   Sunday, March 13 View Page This eve, orange sunset over "Orange only" 'kin cave 1 and 2, about 75f   Thursday, March 17 View Page Bloom on main of #1 DeBacco selfed ystdy   Thursday, March 17 View Page Closeup   Thursday, March 17 View Page Team Pumpkin SW Division mascot, working the mulch pile. High 80's for next couple days and 15% humidity. Have a couple mini sprayers above each plant firing off every 1/2 hour .   Saturday, March 26 View Page DeBacco #2 east end   Saturday, March 26 View Page DeBacco #1 west end. Different exposure makes leaves look darker...This is biggest plant... First couple secondaries terminated.   Saturday, March 26 View Page #1 on side vine about 7ft out, 17 dap. I set this because we hit 100f in about a month...and I needed insurance.   Saturday, March 26 View Page #2 on same plant. On side vine converted to main about 11 dap...about 9 ft   Saturday, March 26 View Page Third one a foot down the vine.....   Saturday, March 26 View Page #5. On DeBacco #2. About 8 feet on main...prob 11dap. A couple more were pollinated this week....   Saturday, March 26 View Page Clementz in other 'kin cave... About a week behind others...but main is working on 18ft. This plant in its own tunnel.   Saturday, March 26 View Page 11 dap about 12 feet...prior female looks like it's bad...looking dull   Saturday, March 26 View Page #3 on side about 8 ft....another side for insurance in the salty patch   Saturday, March 26 View Page About 12 ft on main pollinated this week....running out of time. Spring weigh off in 60 days. Nice day temps and cool spring night temps make this a challenge here...do the best we can, with what we have.   Monday, April 4 View Page #1 1030 DeBacco sitting on freshly laid beach, starting to crank up...27 dap....   Monday, April 4 View Page #2 DeBacco on same plant on main....starting to kick in....this is on secondary recruited as main...#1 is farther along....this may be culled soon...short season no time to waste.   Monday, April 4 View Page #1 DeBacco in its element...picture taken before I moved the elevated walking board and set it on ply/sand.   Monday, April 4 View Page #2 plant in this screenhouse has some sets...about 1-2 weeks behind   Monday, April 4 View Page 1734 Clementz in the salt mine. This is on the main and another about the same size is on a side vine...low 90's this week....   Saturday, April 9 View Page DeBacco #1, about 60lb. Started to Cull the other one on same plant. It's about 30lb, was growing unevenly, so I made first cut in the stem to cull it...ouch that hurt   Sunday, April 10 View Page Here's the Clements on main vine I'm going with   Sunday, April 10 View Page Here's the Clementz on the side vine I started to cull...great shape but had to choose the other about 12 ft on main...so the painful choices have been made....full steam ahead! Supposed to be cool tomorrow and a chance of rain...prob last rain we'll see until August   Wednesday, April 13 View Page #1 DeBacco...this particular plant is trending orange watermelons....The #2 DeBacco is less advanced but building rounder fruit. I'm gonna use the GPC chart cause it makes this 100lb tonight. I finished cutting off the second fruit...go man go   Wednesday, April 13 View Page Clementz cull on left DeBacco cull on right....   Thursday, April 14 View Page #1 1030 DeBacco about 166 ott tonight   Thursday, April 14 View Page #2 DeBacco plant about 118 ott   Thursday, April 14 View Page 1734 Clementz in other cave about 115 ott   Saturday, April 30 View Page About 176 lbs this am....1734 Clementz... We have our spring weigh off in 28 days   Saturday, April 30 View Page DeBacco #1 this am. About 215lb. Only 5 lb per day past week.... Upping the water   Saturday, April 30 View Page DeBacco #2. About 173 lb...pear shaped   Saturday, April 30 View Page #2 the pear... Adjusted OTT for shape   Monday, May 9 View Page 1734 Clementz. Only about 275lb and 20 days from spring weigh off...70-80 spring desert temps are nice. But I think mid 40 nights are another hurdle in the remote location.   Monday, May 9 View Page 1734 back end   Monday, May 9 View Page The 1030.5 DeBacco patch. #1 on left about 285 lb. #2 on right about 242 lb   Monday, May 9 View Page #1   Monday, May 9 View Page #2   Sunday, May 22 View Page DeBacco #1 about 377lb   Sunday, May 22 View Page DeBacco #2 about 240lb   Sunday, May 22 View Page Clementz about 387 lbs..."hey buddy, can you spare 100lbs". I gotta weigh in seven days   Thursday, May 26 View Page Well, soaked seeds December 24th and here we are. Weigh off this Saturday, could be a nice public turnout at Harper's Nursery and a news camera is going to show. We struggled with mid 40 evenings this year...I may be at 420 lb, will measure before we lift on Saturday. Rest of the US and Canada is just starting to run, and we are coasting to the end. Been fun, but am and pm visits to the remote garden every day this season has been tedious. Wish we could wander in our back yards and work in the patch, maybe plug in a heater like most. I guess that proves we are even crazier than you guys! Cheers to all you growers, have a great season...and "don't grow no ugly pumpkins!" Team Pumpkin, SW Division   Friday, May 27 View Page Picking day, good afternoon Mr Clementz 1734.5! How was your day?   Friday, May 27 View Page Opening the side of cave #3, aka the Clementz suite.   Friday, May 27 View Page Opening cave #2...'afternoon DeBacco 1030.5 sisters, ready for a little trip?   Friday, May 27 View Page Now you see 'Em...   Friday, May 27 View Page Now you don't! Oops. Wrong cave   Friday, May 27 View Page Debacco's ready to roll behind my brand new 14 year old F150!   Friday, May 27 View Page "Don't even THINK about it!" Clem's business end.   Friday, May 27 View Page Now you see 'Clem....   Friday, May 27 View Page Nowwww you don't...   Friday, May 27 View Page Clementz loaded up   Friday, May 27 View Page Arriving at Harper's nursery, sight of tomorrow's weigh off.   Friday, May 27 View Page Lined up at the nursery this evening....Clementz on left..big DeBacco #1 next, smaller "the pear" DeBacco #2 next...Dean' and Ron's (we bring all ours to display)   Saturday, May 28 View Page Pumpkins draw attention even in May!   Saturday, May 28 View Page Ron on left Dean on right, my orange entry and my two exhibitions in front   Saturday, May 28 View Page Line em up   Saturday, May 28 View Page My Clementz on left, and my exhibition DeBacco sisters on right, who were actually the second and third heaviest at the spring weigh off.   Saturday, May 28 View Page 410lbs...lighter than I thought   Saturday, May 28 View Page Winner heaviest, and winner best looking....ya the pumpkin won for best looking too! Lol   Saturday, May 28 View Page "No See Lee" attended and donated this awesome lifting ring for first place! Thanks Lee! The guys don't want to use tarps next year...lifting tripod in my future!   Saturday, May 28 View Page Thanks Dean Baker, on right, for putting on a great second annual spring weigh off! You rock!....now go buy another truckload of peat bales!   Saturday, May 28 View Page Thanks again Lee for donating our first place prize!   Saturday, May 28 View Page NBC channel 12 interviewing me....Dean worked the radio interview earlier and the channel 5 tv interview earlier.