Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 14 Entries. Sunday, April 9 View Page Started the Giants today: top to bottom: 2063 Willemijns is an absolute beast of a seed, never seen one like it--reverse cross of the new world record; 2261 Wallace, new North American record; 2075 Connolly, new Maine state record; 1685 Scherber, new Colorado record; and three 350 Est. Hanauer's--never developed a hard seed coat, but the 12 I've tested all germinated and are growing strong. Filed the edges and soaked for 7 hours in warm water and a little humic acid before planting in the warm starter mix in the cooler with the heat mat. The 2017 giant pumpkin season is officially under way.   Sunday, April 23 View Page 2063 Willemijns had a slow start and didn't want the shake it's enormous seed coat. When it finally did its cots were a little mangled and the 2075 Connolly, 2261 Wallace and 1685 Scherber were all a few days ahead of it. I gave it its own dedicated light at about 4" above and it caught up. The plants are all about equal now with regard to the size of the first true leaves and working on second leaves. The 2063 though is growing two equally sized 2nd and 3rd leaves at once. I've probably started 40 AG seeds over the last three years I've grown them and I've never seed a plant leaf that way.   Sunday, April 30 View Page 2063 Willemijns is an intriguing plant to watch. Its first three leaves are parallel to each other and apart from the sprouting main vine. Gave the plants some Root today. Yesterday was supposed to be transplant day, but with snow and low of 26F, I'm pushing until May 5. The plants are in 5 gallon buckets and so have plenty of room. And, that will give me a few days to harden them off this week.   Wednesday, May 17 View Page Preparing for some below freezing nights and 5-11" of snow forecast for Friday. Fortified each hoop with some wire cattle fence in case the hoops collapse under the snow. Set the heat lamps up and soil cables are cooking. Pictured is the 2063 which has begun side-vining better than any I've yet grown. It does seem a special plant and has forgiven the few mistakes I've made with it, the rough transplant, the leaves that were too close to the cfl bulbs. It has slowly adjusted to life outside and is making up for set backs. I gave it and the 2075 a little of the Loveland Products: magnesium and zinc acetate and some biologicals. Let's hope they make it through this snow storm.   Wednesday, May 17 View Page 2063 all tucked in and ready for bed.   Wednesday, May 17 View Page 2075 asleep in its tent.   Sunday, May 28 View Page Added the amendments to the patches based on my soil test and my goal to increase organics to provide longer term soil food: to 1250sf: 25lb cottonseed meal, 20lb kelp meal, 25lb alfalfa meal, 2lb ams, 1lb map, 3lb blood meal, 3lb crab shell, 5lb potassium sulfate, 8lb kmag, manganese and zinc sulfate, iron chelate, 6 bales of peat, 3.5 yards of homemade leaf/manure/vegetable compost, and humic/fulvic.   Sunday, May 28 View Page Mowed and tilled the cover crop of winter rye, hairy vetch, diakon radish and crimson clover.   Sunday, May 28 View Page The compost pile.   Thursday, June 1 View Page June 1 is a benchmark day for my pumpkins. The 2075 is 77". The 2063 is 92", doing 5" per day and 20" ahead of the 2020 Werner I grew last year. It's taking off.   Friday, June 2 View Page Both plants have females in the vine tips: the 2063 has a nice round one about 9 days out and the 2075 is maybe 10 days out. And I will be in Kauai. That would probably be in the 13' range and maybe the plant will be too small still. The question is to let it grow or take it off now. I won't be here to close pollinate and probably the plants will be too small. The 2063 could have longest sides of 10' which is better than I've ever done, and a pollination date of June 12 which is crazy early. Still, an even larger plant and controlled pollination is very important to me. So I think the best thing to do is take those females off and tell the plants to try again when I'm here to control the cross.   Wednesday, June 21 View Page Have been away the last two weeks and returned home the day before this five lobe female opened on the 2063 in the 15' range. My cousin buried vines for me so I didn't lose too much potential. The 2063 has grown like made and far out-paced the 2075. It was 97 when I made the pollination so fingers crossed. I shaded it and had a styrofoam tent over it with ice inside to cool the air temp. If this doesn't take there will be another in about a week. I pulled females off of both plants before I left for Kauai. I was hoping to cross the 2063 with a 2624 but she opened before I could ask Joe S. So I selfed her with two males I picked the night before. The plant is the most virile I've grown so the self cross seemed the best option.   Friday, June 30 View Page 2075 x 2063 pollinated on 6/30 in the 17' range; the female is scraped on the side that would be the bottom and unfortunately the next female is two weeks out.   Saturday, July 8 View Page Final pollination of the season and a four lobe back up for the 2063. Applied anthesis today after the 48hr wait period. The plant has filled the 610sf. Nipped most of the side vines today. The plant is still growing like mad with roots like I've never seen. We'll see if it turns out any pumpkins.