Home What's New Message Board
BigPumpkins.com
Select Destination Site Search
 
Pumpkineer - 2017 Grower Diary Point your RSS aggregator here to subscribe to this Grower Diary.

Show Entries in

Grower Diary Menu
  Back to Previous Page
List Other Grower's Diaries
Submit to Your Own Diary

 
Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 38 Entries.
Wednesday, July 19 View Page
Hello everyone. After a wet cool spring with slow growth things are finally looking up. This year I have three plants which is typical for my patch. I went with all local growers this year in my choice of seeds. Pictured here is the 1961 Sperry ( 1775 Sperry X 2009 Wallace). I have had problems with this plant getting a pumpkin set on the main. One pollinated on the 8th may have taken although growth is well below average for a Day 10 pumpkin.
 
Wednesday, July 19 View Page
The 1944 Connolly ( 2230 Wallace X 2145 McMullen ) has nearly filled its 900 sf area.
 
Wednesday, July 19 View Page
The 2307 DMG Wallace ( 2009 Wallace X 2230 Wallace ).
 
Thursday, July 20 View Page
Pumpkin on the 1961 Sperry. This is a three lobed flower pollinated with the 2307 Wallace on July 8. It is at about 15 feet out on the main. The main was terminated at the pumpkin, something not ordinarily done in my patch.
 
Thursday, July 20 View Page
Its been a while since I caught 14 lobsters in one dive
 
Thursday, July 20 View Page
I have this theory. In the past my patch has produced a surprising percentage of less than perfect to downright ugly female flowers.. I've passed up many a main vine pollination because of this. For the last two years, I have been focusing on correcting micro nutrient levels. Since then, most of the female flowers are nicely shaped. Like these.
 
Thursday, July 20 View Page
Day 30 1436 pumpkin. Looks as if a hint of orange is showing through. Too bad I scarred her at an early age. Might have been pretty.
 
Saturday, July 22 View Page
DAP 23 for the 1944 Connolly. Long and low.
 
Saturday, July 22 View Page
The 1944 plant has had all of it's vines terminated. All the energy will hopefully be directed towards the pumpkin now. Saw my first cucumber beetles today. I nuked them disease carrying little monsters with Bifen.
 
Saturday, July 22 View Page
The 2307 Wallace is at DAP 26. Looks a bit like her mama with that bulge on the left side.
 
Tuesday, July 25 View Page
I always like it when they start to rise above the canopy
 
Wednesday, July 26 View Page
Day 30 2307 Wallace 273 OTT
 
Wednesday, July 26 View Page
Side view
 
Saturday, July 29 View Page
Day 30 1944 Connolly at 248 OTT.
 
Saturday, July 29 View Page
Side View
 
Thursday, August 10 View Page
Its been a while since I've posted. Here is the mid season update of my three pumpkins. The good, the bad, and the ugly. First of all the bad. My 1944 Connolly pumpkin stopped growing around Day 30. There are no obvious reasons why. The plant is very healthy without any signs of disease. There are no cracks or splits visible on the pumpkin.
 
Thursday, August 10 View Page
The ugly. This is the pumpkin on the 1961 Sperry. It is on a secondary vine. It had a very late pollination on July 12. The pumpkin on the main aborted at about Day 20 so I decided to go with this one. Not enough time to be a contender, but it is growing at a fair rate right now.
 
Thursday, August 10 View Page
And the good. The 2307 Wallace X 1961 Sperry at Day 45. Its estimated weight is 905 pounds and is headed for a PB if it makes it to the end of the season. Fingers crossed!
 
Tuesday, August 22 View Page
I found this set of twins on the end of the vine. I might let them grow for a while to see what happens
 
Tuesday, August 22 View Page
Day 40 1961 Sperry x 2307 Wallace. 310 OTT. Not bad considering the late pollination date and it is on a secondary vine
 
Wednesday, August 23 View Page
Sometimes I name them and other years I don't. I have decided to call her " Darth Princess" I wonder where the inspiration for that name came from. 2307 pumpkin Day 56.
 
Tuesday, August 29 View Page
I really should cut these off. After all I am trying to get the primary pumpkin on this plant over 1000 pounds and don't need anything taking away from it. These are the pumpkins from the flowers pictured in entry # 17.
 
Tuesday, August 29 View Page
The 1961 Sperry pumpkin is growing fast for this late in the season. It is averaging thirty pounds per day over the last week.
 
Tuesday, September 5 View Page
The 1961 Sperry pumpkin has an estimated weight of 1040 pounds and still growing 24 pounds per day. Ribs are just starting to form and the skin is smooth. It looks like a young pumpkin. I'm hoping I can get another 200 pounds or so out of her before the weigh-off.
 
Tuesday, September 5 View Page
The 1961 plant is tall and very healthy.
 
Tuesday, September 5 View Page
The 2307 Wallace pumpkin is at 404 inches OTT. This is a new personal best for me. In inches anyway. My largest prior to this year was the 2014 1449 Pappas. It was 394 OTT.
 
Tuesday, September 5 View Page
Side view.
 
Saturday, September 16 View Page
1961 Sperry pumpkin closing in on 1300.
 
Saturday, September 23 View Page
The 1961 Sperry pumpkin is now the second largest ever grown in my patch at 398 OTT. This pumpkin is still putting on 12 pounds per day
 
Sunday, September 24 View Page
Five days to the weigh-off for the 2307 Wallace
 
Sunday, October 1 View Page
The 2307 pumpkin is strapped up and ready to go.
 
Sunday, October 1 View Page
It came in a bit lighter than I had hoped for. Would have won the Biggest Airbag ribbon if they had one. But at 1436.5 pounds it was good enough for fifth place. I've never placed that high at the Topsfield Fair before. I was happy with that!
 
Friday, October 6 View Page
All loaded up and ready to go. See you at Frerich's Farm.
 
Thursday, October 12 View Page
At the Frerich's Farm weigh-off The 1961 pumpkin came in fifth at 1438.5 pounds. Two pounds larger than my fifth place finish at Topsfield.
 
Thursday, October 12 View Page
The final standings
 
Thursday, October 12 View Page
wide load
 
Thursday, October 12 View Page
Some great trophies were awarded
 
Friday, October 13 View Page
The 1436 pumpkin on display at my restaurant
 

 

Top of Page

Questions or comments? Send mail to Ken AT bigpumpkins.com.
Copyright © 1999-2024 BigPumpkins.com. All rights reserved.