Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 102 Entries. Tuesday, April 4 View Page A new giant pumpkin season..., yeah! It's been a couple of years since I gave it a try. This year the city of Normandy Park has been helpful in providing a large plot next to their pea patch to grow pumpkins for their annual Zombie Festival that is held in September. This year two fellow growers from this site Dustin and Mikkal have "lent" me a few seeds. A big thanks to them. Enclosed are a few pictures of the Normandy Park Pumpkin Patch... Note the big rock that came out the pumpkin patch. I named if after my son Christopher. Christopher's rock.,   Sunday, April 9 View Page Spent Saturday morning with a drive out to Baxter Farms in Fall City. Great place to get a load of manure. Spent the rest of the day unloading. 3.5 yards of the good stuff. If the weather stays dry, this will all be tilled in on Monday or Tuesday.   Sunday, April 9 View Page Here's the pumpkin patch at the Marvista Park.   Tuesday, April 11 View Page Started my seedlings this afternoon. These are Houden and Bix Max with a few other things. The soil temp is ~70 degrees. This is a mud mixing tub with an old plate warmer in the bottom. This year the lighting is LED. We'll see if it makes much of a difference from the fluorescent tubes. It takes about seven days before they start to pop out of the ground.   Saturday, April 15 View Page The NP Pumpkin Patch is ready for the pumpkins. Nice clear warm day for one last tilling before we get the starts in the ground. This picture is looking at the pumpkin patch from South to North. Those dark spots are the piles of composted manure. Tillers and manure.... Well you get the picture. That's done. The seedlings are just starting to poke through the dirt. Planted on the 11th, germinated and growing in 4 days. If the weather holds we should have these howden in that patch later this week. We'll start germinating the AG's once these other pumpkins are out of the way...   Tuesday, April 18 View Page One last picture this evening. Made some progress on my "green house" this evening. This is for the hanging baskets and tomatoes. I need to figure out a way to close off the ends. Most likely will use 6m black plastic for that.   Wednesday, April 19 View Page Here is the 2017 AG's. They were planted tonight in the "Warming Chamber" We'll see how quickly they pop this year. Thundershowers today with off and on heavy rain.   Wednesday, April 19 View Page Look at these! These pumpkins and other things were planted one week ago. Had to get them out of the "warming chamber" to make room for the AG's that went in tonight.   Wednesday, April 19 View Page Here are the 2017 NP Pumpkin Patch AG's. Planted on 18 April. We'll see what they do in the next week or so.   Wednesday, April 19 View Page Here's the picture...   Wednesday, April 26 View Page Looks like we are going to have a season after all. These AG seeds sat there for seven days and nothing. I put a temperature probe down in the dirt to check the temp... a cool 67 degrees. Raised the temp to low 70's and what do you know? They started to grow!   Sunday, April 30 View Page Saturday was a busy day in the Normandy Park Pumpkin Patch. Planted 64 pumpkin plants (Big Max, Howden, and Jack-be-little). The picture is looking to the South. There is a 45X45 spot a the SE corner where the soil is richer and deeper where the AG's will go. Six of the Eight seeds have sprouted and are thriving. They are now in the green house hardening off. They will go into the patch on Wednesday or Thursday. Weather looks to be warm and favorable for the next week....   Saturday, May 6 View Page The Hodge and Trychta AG's have been planted in the Normandy Park Pumpkin Patch.... Of the 8 seeds planted, only two were no-shows. Here are a few pictures. The first is the patch. The plants are covered to protect them from the wind. the clear plastic provides some heating during the day.   Saturday, May 6 View Page 671 Trychta   Saturday, May 6 View Page 982 Trychta   Saturday, May 6 View Page Hodge 1418.5   Saturday, May 6 View Page Hodge 1336   Saturday, May 6 View Page Hodge 1418.5 (2) this is the second plant.   Saturday, May 6 View Page Hodge 1418.5 (2) this is the second plant.   Thursday, May 11 View Page Here is an update on the Normandy Park Pumpkin Patch. This week has been cold with some damage to the plants from the thunderstorm this past week. The sunny weather has been helpful to warming up the soil. The AG's have faired much better under their plastic coverings...   Thursday, May 11 View Page Hodge 1336 Growing nicely...   Thursday, May 11 View Page Hodge 1418. Growing well with a bit of wilting... it got a good watering on Wednesday.   Thursday, May 11 View Page Trychtra 671. Doing well. it's twin that's not covered is about 20% behind. These plants like the heat....   Sunday, May 21 View Page Here's a picture of the AG's growing at the Normandy Park Pumpkin Patch. They seem to be doing fine, a bit upright because of the enclosures. The extra warmth and protection from the wind makes a difference. I'll post individual pictures later today....   Monday, May 22 View Page Here is the Hodge 1481 from Saturday   Monday, May 22 View Page Here is the Hodge 1336   Monday, May 22 View Page Here is the Trychta 631   Monday, May 22 View Page Here is the Trychta 982   Monday, May 22 View Page And the Trychta 671   Monday, May 22 View Page This time with the picture.... Trychta 671   Tuesday, May 30 View Page Here's an update on the Pumpkin Patch. As you can see the 80+ weather we had over the long weekend really has kicked these plants into gear. I've been moving the plastic covered cages around onto the weaker of the plants. That 3-4 days of extra warmth really kicks them into gear. More detailed pictures this coming weekend..   Sunday, June 4 View Page Normandy Park Pumpkin Patch Saturday 03 June   Sunday, June 4 View Page Hodge 1481   Sunday, June 4 View Page Hodge 1336   Sunday, June 4 View Page Trychta 631   Sunday, June 4 View Page Trychta 982   Sunday, June 4 View Page Trychta 631 with the picture   Saturday, June 10 View Page Three hours in the pumpkin patch today. Lots of work.... But those AG's are starting to take off. There is a picture of the Trychta 621 leaves. These are close to 18 inches wide!   Sunday, June 11 View Page Normandy Park Pumpkin Patch 10 June...   Sunday, June 11 View Page Hodge 1336   Sunday, June 11 View Page Hodge 1418   Sunday, June 11 View Page Trychta 982   Sunday, June 11 View Page Trychta 671   Sunday, June 11 View Page Normandy Park Pumpkin Patch with the picture...   Sunday, June 18 View Page The Seattle area received close to an inch of rain this past week. Good for the pumpkins and weeds. Crab season opened on Friday here. Weeds or crabs, weeds or crabs... I need to get up to the pumpkin patch to bury vines and take on the weeds. Pictures later this week.   Wednesday, June 21 View Page Normandy Park Pumpkin Patch.... And I thought I had plenty of room. The AG's are in the lower right corner. I suspect after this weekend 80+ degree weather that I won't be able to get the tiller in to fight the weeds. It will be hand to hand combat from here until the end of the season. The AG's are coming along fine. Female blossoms are beginning to form at ~ 8ft. I'll post individual pictures later.   Sunday, July 2 View Page Normandy Park Pumpkin Patch as of Saturday evening. The plants are beginning to set pumpkins. The AG's are taking over the south end of the patch. Starting to cross pollinate....   Sunday, July 2 View Page First pollination: Hodge 1418.5 with a Trychta 671   Sunday, July 2 View Page Here is the reverse a Trychta 672 X Hodge 1418. Now for the growing part...   Wednesday, July 5 View Page Here is the Normandy Park Pumpkin Patch on July 5th. As you can see the AG's have taken over 1/4 of the Pumpkin Patch, and it's only early July. This is AG mayhem....   Wednesday, July 5 View Page Here is a closer look at the AG's   Wednesday, July 5 View Page Here is the Trychta 671. There is a pollinated AG somewhere in there...   Wednesday, July 5 View Page This is the Hodge 1841. One big plant that has spread twenty feet wide at the base. The tip of the lead vine is 15+' from the trunk. Waiting for an ideal place for an AG to pollinate. There is a nice female on a secondary near the fence....   Wednesday, July 5 View Page With the picture... of the Normandy Park AG's   Sunday, July 9 View Page Here is a picture of the NP Pumpkin Patch from this morning. Not much open space. A few weeds in there. I'll get to those later this week.   Sunday, July 9 View Page Hodge 1814 X Trychta 627   Sunday, July 9 View Page Side view Hodge 1814 X Trychta 627 There are few more that have been pollinated. I have to find them though.....   Sunday, July 9 View Page NP PP with the picture...   Thursday, July 13 View Page I'm not sure what was in that manure from back in March. But, these AG's are growing line teenagers in an all you can eat buffet... Spent three hours searching for the pollinated AG's from a week ago. The following pictures are what I found. There's one more that I didn't get to, she was hiding and I found her just as I was leaving the patch this morning. You can look at the file name to see the seed name. Only one AG is growing on a side vine. On one of the AG's I had to terminate the vine. Too close to the pumpkin. We'll see how that works out.   Thursday, July 13 View Page Trychta 842 on a side vine.   Thursday, July 13 View Page Trychta 852 on main vine   Thursday, July 13 View Page Hodge 1814 Main   Thursday, July 13 View Page Trychta 672 on main vine   Thursday, July 13 View Page This is a second Hodge 1814.5 that was planted. AG is on the main vine.   Thursday, July 13 View Page Hodge 1336 on Main vine   Sunday, July 16 View Page Out watering the AG's this morning and found a pair of twins growing off of the Hodge 1814 main vine. they look healthy and reasonably positioned. Not sure how to get in there and make room for them to grow. Sometime next week we'll get them set up. I'll call them the twins.   Tuesday, July 18 View Page The Twins. These are on the Hodge 1336 Mainline. Pollinated by Hodge 1815. Not sure they will break any record, other than being the largest twin AG's grown...   Thursday, July 20 View Page Scarface... This AG was nicked early on after it was pollinated. What do you all think? Will it heal over or should I cull it?   Tuesday, July 25 View Page Hodge 1814. slightly larger than a basketball.   Tuesday, July 25 View Page The twins. slow growing but making solid progress.   Tuesday, July 25 View Page The Trychta 842 Main is the surprise for the day. I had lost track of it and sow it poking around in the underbrush. This one is almost double the size of a basketball. Well shaded and within 8 feet of the trunk.   Wednesday, July 26 View Page Neem oil for controlling aphids. One of my Big Max plants has nearly succumbed to aphids. It is simply amazing how fast they can multiply. Fortunately, they are nowhere near the AG's Hopefully the Neem oil will slow down their progress. I had a picture of scar face but seemed to have misplaced it. The scar has pretty much healed over. the growth, however, is now lopsided. The other AG's are growing nicely most are now larger than basketballs.   Saturday, July 29 View Page Scarface seems to have overcome the scrape. It's been growing fine the last few days.   Saturday, July 29 View Page Is this mold growing on the AG? The stem looks a bit off color as well... suggestions?   Saturday, July 29 View Page Hodge 1814 - 2 This is a fine looking AG growing on a second plant from the first Hodge 1814.   Friday, August 4 View Page Scarface. Of all the AG's growing scarface is doing the best....   Friday, August 4 View Page This is off the Hodge 1814. The mold seems to have abated. We're having 90+ weather this week. The discolorization is from shading.   Friday, August 4 View Page NPPP update... the AG's are moving along at a nice pace. The twins are moving towards each other. Not sure if they are going to go simease on me.... there is still a phantom AD in the patch that I can't get to. Large as scar face, all white. I'll see if I can get in there on Saturday for a look. Maybe a droan would work better....   Monday, August 7 View Page Out in the patch earlier this evening. These warm summer days are keeping the patch going strong. Here is a picture of the Normandy Park Pumpkin patch from the North.   Monday, August 7 View Page Scarface update. He's showing that nasty scar quite well. Putting on weight each day as well. You can see my foot in the lower left corner to indicate some size comparison.   Monday, August 7 View Page Here are the Twins.... the one on the left is slightly larger...   Monday, August 7 View Page Look what I found lurking the pumpkin patch. I knew this Trychta 982 had done something but I hadn't made it back that far into the patch for a week or so... This big ghost looking AG was trying to hide... Now I need to find a sheet or something to cover him up!   Wednesday, August 9 View Page Here's the Hodge 1814 with the fungus issue. The color seems to be darkening... probably not good. However, the pumpkin is growing! I'll keep watching it. The dry weather here in Seattle continues...   Sunday, August 13 View Page Ok, I finally found a soda pop can lying around the pea patch. Someone else's litter.... just saying... Here is scar face with a soda pop can. He's actually doing quite well considering the challenges of a few weeks ago.   Sunday, August 13 View Page here are the twins with the soda can...   Sunday, August 13 View Page I've named this one the peanut. Not sure how it got this shape. Kind of weird looking...   Sunday, August 13 View Page Here is the Hodge 1814 that is having the fungus issues. Growth has slowed a bit... That soda can sure looks oversized....   Sunday, August 13 View Page Saved the best for last. Here's the ghost. Almost albino looking.... Getting along in size.   Sunday, August 13 View Page Here is the Ghost again... just in case the other file was too large...   Tuesday, August 15 View Page This AG started looking a bit odd a few days ago. Today I found out why. Off down to the compost pile... This one is just getting there sooner than the rest...   Tuesday, August 15 View Page Scarface update. Picking up some nice color and more size. Not anywhere close to competition size...   Tuesday, August 15 View Page Twins update. They seem to be slowing down. The supporting vines were limply this evening when I got to the patch. Gave them all a good deep watering this evening.   Tuesday, August 15 View Page Here's the ghost. Still growing and as white as ever. Getting late in the year for not having any color. There is another one that I found in the patch today, a bit smaller. Yea, still finding giant pumpkins in the patch. go figure. I'll post a picture later in the week.   Tuesday, August 15 View Page Normandy Park Pumpkin Patch this evening. Seems to be slowing down a bit. I do have a rather substantial aphid infestation. I'll be out with the neem oil on Saturday...   Monday, August 21 View Page The season is beginning to wind down. these AG plants have done a superb job at keeping the weeds out of the patch. Hard to tell if they are getting any larger. Here are a few pictures from this afternoon. I was hoping the twins would grow together...   Monday, August 21 View Page Scarface is holding his own...   Monday, August 21 View Page And lastly a slowdown in growth the direct result of lower thermal energy. What an amazing sight....   Wednesday, August 23 View Page Late start - 3 days on. Should I let it grow or.....   Thursday, September 7 View Page Scarface going for a ride. Took scarface down to the Normandy Park Market. The city is using it to advertize Zombie fest (afternoon of September 16th) Normandy Park Town Center (1st Ave SW and 200th ST. SW)   Thursday, September 7 View Page Ok, so there not the biggest AG's... Think of them as small giants... Still, getting these two into the back of the truck was a struggle. Not sure what to do with the other large ones...   Saturday, October 7 View Page Weigh-off at Central Market this morning. The two on the end are my entries. My son tagged along as an entry. These both were off of the Hodge 1815 seed. What a great season! Thanks to the City of Normandy Park for letting us use the PeaPatch to grow these AG's. Ther larger of the two came in at 435lbs and the smaller 385.   Saturday, October 14 View Page Ready for a new season. Finished tilling the Normandy Park Pumpkin Patch. We'll be spreading straw (that's what's under the tarp) later next week. Have a great fall an winter!