Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 71 Entries. Saturday, January 16 View Page Lacey Jane and I are ready for another year. It's been a mild winter here in Virginia so far but I'm not complaining after the last couple we've had.   Saturday, January 16 View Page There are some advantages to growing in the south! like mocking up and testing new irrigation in mid-Jan. :) I did have a lot of hoses to drain before nightfall though but the test was good I think I can run 4 zones separately to cover the patch. I still have a lot to learn but I'm 80% there I guess lol   Saturday, January 16 View Page I will apply my fungicides with the sprinklers this year. I need any time saver I can get because I like to grow too many things. Now I can grow more! Powdery mildew is your #1 enemy in the south.   Saturday, January 16 View Page The melon spots got more tlc this fall than the pumpkin patch. It needed a lot of organic matter so I added leaves and a ton of Black Kow but otherwise should be very good. Swine injected Partlow sandy loam   Sunday, January 24 View Page Last Saturday I tested sprinklers in the patch and yesterday was pushing snow all afternoon. I need to get outside and make a diesel run then plow what fell last night and then help my neighbors out. One gave me fuel $ and another fed me dinner last night so I've been paid in advance! I really do have great neighbors. I want to finish up in time to come inside and watch the Broncos and Panthers win!   Saturday, February 20 View Page I have been working on some improvements to The Partlow Thunderdome for 2016 which include adding and raising the ridgepole to 11' and more rafters. I hope to improve the airflow and also to have more sprinkler headroom which hurt me last year.   Wednesday, March 9 View Page This is something I was lucky enough to get to build a few years ago. What do you think this it is the start of ?   Wednesday, March 9 View Page 6 days later... and 3 weeks before the deadline   Wednesday, March 9 View Page ...of the Christmas Parade. She won 1st place of course lol... and then   Wednesday, March 9 View Page 3 months later back in the bay torn down to be rebuilt   Wednesday, March 9 View Page about 2 months later   Wednesday, March 9 View Page Can you guess what it is now?   Wednesday, March 9 View Page There she is ...9600 lbs and thirty 55 gallon barrels easily keep her afloat. This picture is 4 years old. I have a serious love-hate relationship with her and there is always something to modify or adapt or fix or improve or....you get the idea, for the owner.   Thursday, March 10 View Page The first of March I took my soil test. I made some more gains in K and Mg and overall was pleased with it. My PH has gone up to 7.4 which at first confused me. I started with 5.5 But I have concluded that since I have added lime every year and it is slow to work, It must be still working.The report said my Lime was potential sealing 2.2. I don't know what that means but no Lime this year! On 3/5 I spread 160lb Mg, 2 B, 25 0-0-60, 120 Ironite, 10 Mn, 120 gypsum I will wait a couple of weeks and let it get rained on before I till the patch.   Friday, March 18 View Page This is how we roll this time of year.   Friday, March 18 View Page I spread 62 bags of the Florida Black Gold. It covered the top 4 spots of the patch with all the compost I need for spring.   Friday, March 18 View Page The wheat looks really good. Would you believe my N is 2ppm? The LG and Melon spots were also low in N after a winter with a lot of precipitation. I think that is a very good sign for the crop to still look this good. The deer have certainly enjoyed it all winter.   Saturday, March 19 View Page I love the smell of the soil. I actually love everything about dirt lol! My grandfather has a cool saying... "Son of the Soil" on his headstone. I would like to think I am a lot like he was. All I have left to add is maybe 75-100lbs of both Kelpmeal and Feathermeal and some more K. I will get that stuff here and in the patch soon and till again in a few weeks.   Saturday, March 26 View Page I worked on my melon irrigation this week. I haven't drilled the holes yet. I am thinking 1/8" and 6" apart? This year I will grow 2 Carolina Cross and a Jumbo Black Diamond. This patch was 1.3 OM in the fall so I tilled in compost and leaves but other than that it was pretty good.   Tuesday, March 29 View Page I turned my LG soil and replaced the long tubes of old tomato cages wire that I had made last year which didn't work well. Scrunched the leaves on the inside as they went up. I had some hog panels that fit just right. I just winged it last year and the soil test showed it. Way high on everything except Mg like everything else here so I put a bag of epsom salts ans also spread some feathermeal. I turn it over once in a while after it has rained.   Saturday, April 2 View Page The wheat bounced back good from my first till. I tilled earlier to get in the compost. Every year I learn and I did a low rpm till to not ruin the soil tilth. Maybe I just divided the worms and did not pulverise them lol   Thursday, April 7 View Page I'm excited to grow melons again this year! Jeremy Terry gave me some Jumbo Black Diamond seeds and 8-Time Wells some CCross. Thank ya'll I gathered some pine needles in preparation and have been working on shade tables for them and the kins. Does anyone else have a patch hog? Another patch improvement is Thelma now has there entire place and is patch security! Ground hogs holes are in both fencelines so the war is on AGAIN!   Thursday, April 21 View Page I gave the cat my old recliner last year and this may be the reason I have a mice problem in the patch.   Thursday, April 21 View Page We are dry,dry,dry here. I got my humic spread and waiting on some rain to wash it in a little. It has been 75 to mid 80's here and still a lot more wind here than normal after a wet late winter. Fire warnings for us are not normal but supposed to rain tomorow.   Thursday, April 21 View Page I seeded a wildlife plot of sorghum this week. These southern yellow pines were planted in March 2002 and were less than 6 inches tall. 18 acres of our place was clear cut and 8500 were planted. I will always remember because on 9-11 the loggers were here cutting and told me of the terrible attack when I got home. I heard something on the radio but had no idea how bad it was. I had no cell phone yet(I guess a lot of people still didn't at that time)   Thursday, April 21 View Page View from the other direction in the stand. My wife and I built this stand for her to shoot...pictures. She is an avid photographer.   Thursday, April 21 View Page The stand   Sunday, April 24 View Page Time to go. Soil temps in the patch were 62 at 8" depth. Way ahead of the last few years at this time. Too lazy to use heat cables so let God do the warming for me. The WhipOWhils have been in full song mode way earlier than I can remember and had recorded..and we also have had lightn'g bugs around 3 weeks prior to any year since 98. I put random stuff on my garage wall so I don't loose it and am a stat guy.   Thursday, April 28 View Page 15 of 16 are up in 72 hours...11 of which were mine. Proud Papa :) My Lineup for 4 spots: 1340 Houston... 1969 Haist X 1203 Houston 887 Houston... 2058 Hawkley X 1969 (What a beast) 1781 Haist...1725 Haist X 1969 (or 1969) 1750 Holland...2323 Meir X 2032 Mathison I will be switching to plastic next year because the peat pots dry out so badly, but I said that last year. I need to save some cottage cheese containers or something. I just have to watch the peat and also get them re-potted very quickly..get them off the heat. I start my seeds at 88 degrees.   Thursday, April 28 View Page I am thankful to God to have a great start again this year. But it has cooled down. It was 80+ for weeks when I started the seeds and now we are in an extended cold spell for the foreseeable future. Come-on Man! I guess you have to take the good with the bad.lol I re-potted 11 kins today. I use Fox Farms potting mix(great stuff) and added WOW mycos. This will keep the kins from getting rootbound for about a week in 1 gallon pots. It is important for me to not ever inhibit their root structure. I put some in 1.5 gallon to get a month or so out of them for backups.   Sunday, May 29 View Page I finally got my plants in the ground between raindrops and am glad to see some sun here lately after the 24 of 27 days of measureable rain. I tilled the patch wet and set the plants out and then we had 6 inches of rain in the next week.   Monday, June 6 View Page I planted my long gourds at the trellis this weekend. Two 94 Houston and two 125.5 Harnica.   Tuesday, June 7 View Page My melons have decided they like it here after a long weather delay. I have 2 CC and a Black Diamond going. Turned with the evening sun here the last days and ready to grow   Tuesday, June 7 View Page Had to re-group, take down some stuff, and re-till the patch Sunday after the ground crusted over something terrible. I am a happy man now the plants are coming around with some sun here lately. My 1725 Haist has holes like swiss cheese from PM and cucs but is now outgrowing anything nature has for it. Get em growing..bugs gotta eat too   Sunday, June 19 View Page We've been really busy theses last few weeks with a lot of late evenings. The plants are coming around and getting going now.   Sunday, June 19 View Page 1781 Haist   Sunday, June 19 View Page 1340 Houston   Sunday, June 19 View Page another 1340   Sunday, June 19 View Page 887 Houston   Sunday, June 19 View Page 1172 Haist*   Tuesday, June 21 View Page The melons are starting to run after some sun here recently. Front to back: 350 Kent, 258 Edwards, 95 Ciesielski JBDiamond. Thanks for the JBD seed Jeremy Terry and best of luck to everyone in the JBD challenge. Thanks also to Davis Wells for bailing me out(again) with his backup plants the 350 and 258.   Sunday, June 26 View Page Patch View. Pollinated my 1781 Haist's first female with my youngest 1340 two days ago. The catch is the main on her broke just past the baby but I have left it connected for now and see what happens. This spot in my patch is so jacked up third year in a row with this.   Sunday, June 26 View Page 1781 Haist. This is an April 25th plant that stayed potted for 25 days due to it raining the entire month of May   Sunday, June 26 View Page 1340. This is the other older plant I could not get into the patch. It is off to the races now. You can see the time where the plant stressed but the 3-5th secondaries are going now. All my plants did different things during that stress. I let them get dry for a couple of days I think is what caused it after being so wet. The 887 shot leaves out of 2 male flowers and the 1172 shot double tendrils and some had the dreaded clusters of flowers to stop the secondary.   Sunday, June 26 View Page 887 This is my go or blow plant. I just have this feeling there could be some heartbreak here..going to good. May 6th plant   Sunday, June 26 View Page 1172 Haist* The queen of the patch.   Sunday, June 26 View Page My funny little hunny hard at work in her garden..the real queen of the garden! I think she liked me taking her picture :)   Saturday, July 2 View Page Patch View. Lost the 1781 first try and the main is gone with a secondary now the main. The stump blew yesterday from all this rain but the other stumps held so far. Inches and inches of rain from T storms in the past two weeks has the plants growing straight up until i stake em down then repeat every evening. Tough year so far   Saturday, July 2 View Page 887 has a day 3 set so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.   Saturday, July 2 View Page Both 1340 plants have done very well despite the very wet conditions. The older plant has a 4 day set. I had to self it with 2 males. I only had three males in the entire patch. The 887 I again had only 3 males so it was pollinated with one of each 1781,887 and a very large 1725 Haist male. Two days later after some sun there were over 40 males open with of course no females to pollinate. I'm glad it only take one! The younger one is growing pretty fast to set fruit; but has the third female on the main to open soon.   Thursday, July 7 View Page My two 1340's. We got hammered with the 4th huge thunderstorm in a week prior to this picture with 3.5 inches of rain on the 5th. I thought these 2 were going to make it.   Wednesday, July 13 View Page But this happened 6 days later to the last one standing. Some plants blew at the knuckles, some would have one leaf rot, which in turn caused the entire 15' long secondary to go, which puts more pressure on the next, its like a domino affect.   Friday, July 15 View Page My melons faired better but setting fruit is not on their mind. 350Kent, 258 Edwards, 95 Cie. JBD is the far one. I am trying to get on that JBD chart guys.   Friday, July 15 View Page My two gourds have reached the top and has there first male blooms today. I guess there is something to look forward to and my 1172 squash plant is still alive and has a set. It sucks to work on a plant 2 hours and the next day it is gone. Then do it again 3 times in a week. Going fishing as soon as I find my pole   Monday, July 25 View Page JBD is done. too hot I guess   Monday, July 25 View Page I still have the 2 CC melons going but this was a nice plant and just was setting fruit good and is tough to loose.   Wednesday, August 10 View Page The 350 Kent is heading toward my pb of 109. Yeah! I dug around the JBD plant I had suddenly lost in my previous post. A gopher had dug tunnels in the area and cut the main root about 18" from the stump.   Wednesday, August 10 View Page Patch View. :( We had too many   Wednesday, August 10 View Page of these thunderstorms with multiple inches of rain.   Wednesday, August 10 View Page 125 Harnica 16 days old. I culled a 79"er that was at the ground and have 2 on my 94 Houston. I hope to get some more on soon. Its been near 100 and humid and the little ones haven't been taking.   Sunday, August 14 View Page Of course I saved the best for last! 1172 Haist* day 35   Thursday, September 1 View Page 1172 Haist is getting her beauty ribs. day 53   Thursday, September 1 View Page 2 plants...125.5 Harnica and 94 Houston. The Harnica plant is a good one with massive stems and vines. About three weeks ago I had only 3 gourds on. I have 8 tied now and probably too many on. I could not make myself cull too many after having none set during the summer. The pollinations started being sucessful after the temps dropped to the low 90's. Last year I had the same thing happen and the late gourds passed the early ones so go young-uns go!.   Friday, September 30 View Page This was another year of loading in the rain.   Friday, September 30 View Page We didn't make it very far :) Sharon pulled me out and we cleaned the truck for the drive to Altoona.   Saturday, October 1 View Page There were plenty of kins and we had a fun day up across the border   Saturday, October 1 View Page My squash, the 1172.5 Haist went heavy at 871 lbs and I got some gas money! And shes a looker too. All of that rain we got this year went to her gut I guess.lol I had a great time with everyone at Altoona as always and am preparing for next year already.   Sunday, November 27 View Page I under-estimated the amount of work this bed would be. lol I went with 11'x 11' and it ended up being 14" deep. For the sides I used scrap 6x6 post material I save from work. I will put a small layer of creek sand on the fabric before I fill it with my soil. Now I have a good spot to sit and rest in the garden pretending to be pulling weeds! I was going to build another bed this fall but it can wait awhile.   Sunday, November 27 View Page I drilled 1/8" holes near the top side of the pvc pipe for drainage and added gravel   Sunday, November 27 View Page I put 1/4" hardware cloth under the fabric to stop those darn gophers.   Sunday, November 27 View Page I brought the 871 queen back home today. She's still solid after 8 weeks on display. I don't think I'm going to fool with the seeds it was left open but I used a large 1172* male. This gets me to thinking of next year. I will plant 3 AG and 1 squash. So far I have decided on two of the spots. I will plant another Haist squash and one AG will be the 1639 Kruszyna16. Older and wiser or older and more tired but every year I grow fewer AGs.