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Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 157 Entries.
Sunday, February 11 View Page
Well it’s time to get the patch ready.
 
Sunday, February 11 View Page
Couldn’t get in without shoveling. Took a picture through the window. Hopefully the plastic will keep moisture in the soil.
 
Saturday, February 17 View Page
Warmed up to -16°C days are longer, sun feels warmer. Going to only put in 2 Ags this year and this patch needs to undergo weed sterilization. I think I can do it and still grow in it. I have a plan.
 
Saturday, February 17 View Page
This is the melon patch. Will grow a non grafted plant this time.
 
Wednesday, March 7 View Page
Started the veggies. It’s cold, there’s lots of snow and it’s not looking great outside.
 
Saturday, March 10 View Page
Have some germination.
 
Saturday, March 17 View Page
Whoo hoo. Big winner today!
 
Saturday, March 17 View Page
Cabbages and rutabagas are up. I’ll thin them down a bit.
 
Saturday, March 17 View Page
Peppers are slowly popping up. Strangely the dark ones are up in good numbers. The black Nagas are from my own seed so I will find out if they breed true. Could have some big red ones.
 
Saturday, March 17 View Page
Snowing again outside. No pictures required.
 
Wednesday, March 21 View Page
20 Crews watermelon. 156 Thrower x self. It was really round and did well on the small plant. Not sure what I’m actually planting in the patch yet. More to come...
 
Wednesday, March 21 View Page
There’s the melon patch. Seems to be buried.
 
Wednesday, March 21 View Page
Dug out the melon shack. Nice! This is better than last year. I learned my lesson last year. Shovel out the snow before you put the shack up. Luckily there wasn’t much snow then.
 
Wednesday, March 21 View Page
It was sunny today but only +1. Snow was melting and hope was high. Then I looked at the forecast. Yes. This year may be tough going.
 
Thursday, March 22 View Page
Can’t put the heat cables in when it’s only melted down a little. 0°C today but the forecast is still for 15-20 cm of snow.
 
Thursday, March 29 View Page
First of all, this is the high temp of the day.
 
Thursday, March 29 View Page
The last Friday’s snow storm blew the drifts even higher. It’s tough going to get in the patch. Probably should fire up the skid steer and dig out...again.
 
Thursday, March 29 View Page
The watermelon patch looking south. It’s been a tough March.
 
Thursday, March 29 View Page
But... there is good news. Opened the lid and was greeted by steaming soil even though it was -16C. Melted down 6-8”, that’s enough to get my cable in. I’ll get that done this weekend. My big greenhouse is nice and warm too. I’ll put a shack in it and get it ready. The north patch I’m going to dig out before I try to get into it. I’m definitely going to wait to the last moment to plant. There is still no warm weather in the forecast.
 
Saturday, March 31 View Page
Well Not getting heat cables in. Soil frozen solid. Hope running low. Obviously going to be a late start this year. I’ll just use my own seeds because I’ll stagger germination so that.... grrr
 
Saturday, March 31 View Page
Put heaters in shacks. Worth a shot. Stuck a heater in the shack in the greenhouse. That’s worked before.
 
Sunday, April 1 View Page
Happy Easter! The snow can stay for a while now. Expanded the seed starting stand. I’m going to change some lights around and add a shelf. Added some tinfoil after we got a view from outside. Otherwise I may have received some visitors wondering if I jumped the gun on the weed law. I’m sure Amazon thinks that’s what I’m growing considering the recommendations they give me on their page lol
 
Wednesday, April 4 View Page
Why not? Lol. I haven’t got any heat cables in but it’s got to get warmer soon...
 
Wednesday, April 4 View Page
Spent some time with the calculator. Planned on amending before June but I’ll have to do it in stages. Did one for all the patches.
 
Saturday, April 7 View Page
Still -20 overnight.
 
Saturday, April 7 View Page
But I did get heat cables in the melon patch and the greenhouse.
 
Saturday, April 7 View Page
And there’s a good sign. I can start in the greenhouse. Not sure about the melon shack. If it outgrows the shack before I can get the hoop house up it’s game over. Have a melon almost ready. Thinking...
 
Saturday, April 7 View Page
This shack has a heater in it to warm up the soil enough to install a heat cable. There are weeds sprouting. Sunshine is warming the soil now but the air is still cold. Just need a week of melting temps.
 
Saturday, April 14 View Page
So my watermelons where ready a week or so ago. The Carolina cross 20 Crews that was intended to go in here got a little root bound and the tip may have touched the light. It’s not in good shape. 205 Kent was about right so I put them both in. I’ll cut off the loser of this race. I’m putting money on the 205 winning. Not that it matters if the snow doesn’t melt.
 
Saturday, April 14 View Page
Planted a 1684 Crews in the greenhouse. In a cold-frame. I’m pushing this year I hard as I can. Unfortunately Mother Nature is kicking my
 
Saturday, April 14 View Page
The shop patch has a little less snow. This one gets a 1684 Crews as well. I’m not planting hot seeds this year. Once again I’m messed up if the snow doesn’t melt. The way this year is going this snow might be here in June.
 
Saturday, April 21 View Page
Watermelons are taking their time.
 
Saturday, April 21 View Page
Watermelon shack is being exposed slowly.
 
Saturday, April 21 View Page
1684 Crews in the shop patch is in a battle to the death with an ant colony. Using every weapon.
 
Saturday, April 21 View Page
1684 Crews in the greenhouse is doing well.
 
Sunday, April 22 View Page
I’m going to have to hold a few plants for awhile. Bought some $6 storage tubs and cut the bottom off.
 
Sunday, April 22 View Page
Transplanted some peppers. I’ll stick them in the cold frame for a few weeks.
 
Sunday, April 29 View Page
Some of the soil is already dry!
 
Sunday, April 29 View Page
Watermelons. Day of decision looming.
 
Sunday, April 29 View Page
1684 Crews greenhouse plant. Temp got a little high. +27 C outside.
 
Sunday, April 29 View Page
1684 Crews shop patch. Still battling ants. Patch drying nicely.
 
Sunday, May 6 View Page
Watermelon s I’m just going to grow them both, unless someone talks me out of it. I think it’s a worthwhile experiment.
 
Sunday, May 6 View Page
1684 Crews greenhouse. Laying down and running.
 
Sunday, May 6 View Page
1684 Crews shop patch. Going over.
 
Sunday, May 6 View Page
Transplanted cabbage and rutabagas. Soil was dry enough to till. Unbelievably I am on schedule.
 
Saturday, May 12 View Page
1684 Crews shop patch.
 
Saturday, May 12 View Page
1684 Crews greenhouse.
 
Monday, May 21 View Page
1684 Crews shop patch. Putting up the next level of protection. Temps near 30 C forecast. 5 weeks ago -30 C. I’m glad someone turned the switch to summer so that I can complain about too much heat though it feels strange.
 
Monday, May 21 View Page
1684 Crews greenhouse. Time for vine burying.
 
Monday, May 21 View Page
The melon patch. Left side 205 Kent BD. Right side my 20lb genetics Carolina cross. This is getting confusing because both are throwing similar shape fruit.
 
Monday, May 21 View Page
I’m pretty sure this is on the MV of 205. Just wanted see what it looked like.
 
Monday, May 21 View Page
102 Wolf FP.
 
Saturday, May 26 View Page
1684 Crews greenhouse. About 9 secondaries on each side by the time pollination starts.
 
Saturday, May 26 View Page
1684 Crews shop patch. yup broke the main vine off. Grower error. Didn’t move the tip shade in time and it got in the way. Never had one reach up like that. Cloudy day? Train a secondary. But which one? Thinking the third one back. The one pointing forward.
 
Saturday, May 26 View Page
The two melons. Look closely.
 
Saturday, May 26 View Page
142.5 Kapelari. It is a selfed 140 Crews.
 
Saturday, May 26 View Page
102.5 Wolf. Doing fine.
 
Friday, June 1 View Page
After a week or two of high 20’s low 30’s we are back to normal. These temps have slowed things considerably. The hot and the cool.
 
Friday, June 1 View Page
It’s a little early for my update but not much is going to happen. Here is the shop patch 1684 Crews. The new MV is taking a while to assert dominance. There is a baby there.
 
Friday, June 1 View Page
The 1684 Crews greenhouse. I’m going to put the board in there first. I’ll drag it along as pollinations fail.
 
Friday, June 1 View Page
The watermelons are racing. I didn’t think the first pollination would take so I didn’t record the date but I think it would have been around the 18th
 
Friday, June 1 View Page
142.5 Kapelari field pumpkin. Opened up the shack to get some cold rain.
 
Friday, June 1 View Page
102.5 Wolf field pumpkin is doing great.
 
Friday, June 1 View Page
I’m playing with tomatoes. This one looks like it split.
 
Tuesday, June 5 View Page
It’s the day of pollination finally. 1684 Crews x self. I covered it but it’s just force of habit. I only have the two 1684 plants and there isn’t anyone near here that would have a pumpkin plant at flowering stage.
 
Saturday, June 9 View Page
1684 Crews. Looks like one took. Both next flowers opened today. Interestingly both of these are 5 lobe while my first was a 4 lobe.
 
Sunday, June 10 View Page
The watermelons. I think the Black Diamond is getting passed. It still close.
 
Sunday, June 10 View Page
Kapelari field pumpkin.
 
Sunday, June 10 View Page
102.5 Wolf field pumpkin has flopped.
 
Sunday, June 10 View Page
Pollinated this one on the 1684 Crews shop patch plant after it looked ready to open on the 9th. This one is my backup plan. It’s not the greatest location. Selfed.
 
Monday, June 11 View Page
Ok. This one opened properly today. 1684 Crews shop patch. self, 4lobe
 
Wednesday, June 13 View Page
The rain has let up so let’s check the patches and... son of a... That’s the first time that’s happened. Nice moist soil. Probably too late to start over. Only 80% left. Secondary roots it is then. 102 Wolf. Was the best.
 
Friday, June 15 View Page
?Winds gusting to 80k for 5 straight days and 100mm of rain. Some things didn’t make it.
 
Friday, June 15 View Page
And some did.
 
Friday, June 15 View Page
I grew a 145 lb fp off a plant that was broke off at the cots. It grew a new vine!
 
Saturday, June 16 View Page
Happy 10 day birthday!
 
Saturday, June 16 View Page
1684 Crews shop patch. You can see the first pollination on the left side secondary and in the foreground the secondary trained as a main. There was another one open this morning that I almost missed. It wasn’t covered so it’s an open.
 
Saturday, June 16 View Page
205 Kent Black Diamond. Plants are suffering from mites. They should all be dead soon. The mites that is.
 
Saturday, June 16 View Page
20 Crews Nice fat one
 
Saturday, June 16 View Page
Nice main vine on the 1684 Crews greenhouse. The fruit looks like it may be shaped like the Brandt side of the gene pool.
 
Friday, June 22 View Page
?The shop patch 1684 Crews is 10 days old. It’s not the most symmetrical fruit but it’s what I have. This plant is suffering from heat, more so the outside leaves. I’ve already lost a couple of secondary vines, I think I only have 4 or 5 off the real mv on each side.?
 
Saturday, June 23 View Page
It’s been warm this week...
 
Saturday, June 23 View Page
The 20 Crews watermelon. Still growing, plant seems a little weak. Could be the mites that struck hard.
 
Saturday, June 23 View Page
205 Kent BD. Same story
 
Saturday, June 23 View Page
142 Kapelari vining out but suffering from the heat.
 
Saturday, June 23 View Page
Greenhouse is filling up.
 
Monday, June 25 View Page
1684 Crews greenhouse. 20 Dap 58” cir. That’s about average for me. The 1684 started slower for me last year...
 
Saturday, June 30 View Page
?1684 Crews greenhouse ? ?June 30 25 Dap 85” cir ?
 
Sunday, July 1 View Page
1684 Crews shop patch July 1 20 Dap 56” cir
 
Wednesday, July 4 View Page
1684 Crews Greenhouse 29 Dap 105” cir. I think that’s ok.
 
Saturday, July 7 View Page
1684 Crews shop patch 26 Dap 76” cir
 
Saturday, July 7 View Page
205 Kent melon
 
Saturday, July 7 View Page
102.5 Wolf FP looking better. Secondary rooting taking hold. Going to wait for larger plant before pollination.
 
Saturday, July 7 View Page
142 Kapelari
 
Tuesday, July 10 View Page
1684 Crews greenhouse 35 Dap 131” cir. Looks like a wild ride coming up.
 
Wednesday, July 11 View Page
Ignore the date marker, it’s day 30. Shop patch 1684 Crews 91” cir. There are about 14 vines in total now though most are tertiary off the secondary trained as a main. If that makes sense you are a pumpkin grower lol. Has the dreaded low stem syndrome.
 
Sunday, July 15 View Page
1684 Crews greenhouse 40 Dap 142” cir
 
Sunday, July 15 View Page
Had to do some crown maintenance. Little peroxide.
 
Sunday, July 15 View Page
102.5 Wolf Fp just started pollination process. Hope for a main vine flower this week.
 
Sunday, July 15 View Page
The melon plants look much healthier after the miticide dose. Regrowth from the crowns.
 
Monday, July 16 View Page
1684 Crews shop patch 35 Dap 102” cir. A little disappointed but I knew what was going to happen when I broke the Main vine off. It’s an ugly shape too. Pollination problem? Doesn’t matter much now.
 
Friday, July 20 View Page
1684 Crews greenhouse. 45 Dap 158” cir at least. I’d say it’s getting pretty close to four digit weight.
 
Saturday, July 21 View Page
1684 Crews shop patch 40 Dap. I hope I don’t have to bring this one to a weighoff. I’m not sure it’ll get me gas money.
 
Saturday, July 21 View Page
Lots of golf ball sized hail last night. Cut some vines off. FPS are going to be scarred.
 
Wednesday, July 25 View Page
1684 Crews greenhouse 50 Dap
 
Wednesday, July 25 View Page
Had to remove some field pumpkins from the patch. Plants took a beating from the hail. Prospects on the Kapelari are limited to the new twins and the last one on the mv.
 
Friday, July 27 View Page
20 Crews watermelon 68” cir short fat. About 75 Dap.
 
Tuesday, July 31 View Page
1684 Crews greenhouse 55 Dap. I’m going to run out of tape if this holds.
 
Sunday, August 5 View Page
?Trimmed the broken leaves from the rutabagas and cabbages. Hail storms are very common here and I have missed them just about every time for 20 years. This has been the only one to do critical damage to the patch. I should feel lucky. Lol?
 
Monday, August 6 View Page
Something new this year is my use of rainwater. So far it’s rained enough. I have 2 buildings like this. 10 totes. Plants seem to like it.
 
Monday, August 6 View Page
Main vine fruit on the 142 Kapelari. Hail stone sawed the mv off.
 
Monday, August 6 View Page
Mutant on the 142 Kapelari. I should probably remove it because it’s almost on the main vine. I’m guessing not all these will make it.
 
Monday, August 6 View Page
The biggest mutant on the 142 Kapelari. Yup here we go...
 
Monday, August 6 View Page
Watermelon shack. I think the first 205 Kent Bd is done. Both the other Black Diamond melons are growing faster so...
 
Monday, August 6 View Page
It’s much better tasting than Carolina cross melons. Weighed 60lbs. I’m putting it in the fridge for later. Yummy
 
Monday, August 6 View Page
102 Wolf plant looks much better. Unfortunately most of the vines were damage badly where they weren’t buried. Bury your vines religiously. That’s the lesson. We will see how it affects growth, the main was in pretty good shape.
 
Monday, August 6 View Page
61 Dap 1684 Crews greenhouse. It’s still growing at a good clip. Good clip. Hopefully slows a bit...
 
Thursday, August 9 View Page
1684 Crews greenhouse 65 Dap I’m using objects to determine growth rate. Seems to be about 1/2” diameter a day. Sideways anyway.
 
Tuesday, August 14 View Page
Well. We don’t have to worry about my fused field pumpkin anymore.
 
Tuesday, August 14 View Page
1684 Crews greenhouse 70 Dap still growing. Developing some stem issues right on cue. Doesn’t look to serious.
 
Tuesday, August 14 View Page
This is the last pumpkin on the 142 Kapelari. Well other than one I just pollinated. This one has some lumping so I’m not optimistic. Growing well though.
 
Tuesday, August 14 View Page
102.5 Wolf July 21 main vine fruit. Nice shape, looks good.
 
Tuesday, August 14 View Page
There is an earlier secondary fruit on the 102.5 Wolf
 
Tuesday, August 14 View Page
1684 Crews shop patch. Still growing. Nothing special. It’s had a hard life and is a bit beaten down.
 
Saturday, August 18 View Page
?142 Kapelari. That’s that. Beer. ?
 
Saturday, August 18 View Page
20 Crews watermelon is still growing some. Pollinated mid May.
 
Saturday, August 18 View Page
?1684 Crews greenhouse. 75 Dap. Didn’t grow much. Hope it’s the dark days of smoke and not a problem. It is at a point where growth may be 15 a day and not look like it grew at all. Ya. That’s it. Got to be it. ?
 
Saturday, August 18 View Page
?102 Wolf 28 Dap. Covered the hoop house. That was the plan so I’m sticking with it. Let’s see what happens .It was dark this week. ?
 
Saturday, August 18 View Page
Another late one on the 102 Wolf.
 
Sunday, August 19 View Page
And Fall is almost here. Leaves starting to turn and +5 C tonight.
 
Monday, August 20 View Page
1684 Crews greenhouse fruit is growing again now that there’s some sunlight. Down to about 1/4” diameter a day.
 
Tuesday, August 21 View Page
Well. It definitely does have a tinge of green but I don’t think it will throw the squash I’d hoped for. It’s too late in the season anyway.
 
Tuesday, August 21 View Page
Hmmm. Don’t like this. Am I going to have a field pumpkin this year? Hopefully the other one on this plant is ok. Tomorrow I’ll know more.
 
Wednesday, August 22 View Page
Very happy that my chocolate Bhut jolokia are throwing brown. I had that plant and a black Naga side by side that year. Large size may be due to that.
 
Friday, August 24 View Page
102 Wolf. I guess that’s that.
 
Sunday, August 26 View Page
?81 Dap on the 1684 Crews greenhouse fruit. Still growing but just a bit. Cold, dark, rainy, smokey. I’ll turn on the heater. It’ll either split or grow. Eddy’s ahead by 16” so nothing to lose by trying. Lol?
 
Sunday, August 26 View Page
Second fruit on the melon. Growing ok but short of time.
 
Sunday, August 26 View Page
Hmmm. I’ve never lost the crown like this before. 1684 Crews greenhouse. Secondary roots are the whole support system, probably for some time.
 
Tuesday, August 28 View Page
I don’t like this...and it was 2 a little later. I was bummed until I remembered everything outside split.
 
Friday, August 31 View Page
And... the secondary vine fruit on the 102 Wolf. So I guess that’ll save some room in the truck.
 
Saturday, September 1 View Page
1684 Crews shop patch. Still growing some. I’d guess 700 lbs by just looking at it. It isn’t getting any care now. Trying to minimize traffic to stop spread of hairy galinsoga that is only in this patch. Contaminated potting soil.
 
Saturday, September 1 View Page
Last hope on the 102 Wolf. I have a tendency to not give up when I should. 21 Dap about 12” diameter. Have a heater to keep the frost off. It’s that time of year. Pumpkins tend to grow very slow if at all in September. Sun barely warms greenhouses from now on. Leaves are turning, it’s Fall.
 
Sunday, September 2 View Page
102.5 Wolf x 142 Kapelari seeds are harvested. Nice thick except at the blossom.
 
Sunday, September 2 View Page
I think this pic proves my point. Wedge doesn’t fit anymore.
 
Thursday, September 6 View Page
?Was there a frost warning for tonight? No. We seem to have escaped with minimal damage, for a few days. Now if we could just break into double digit temps before noon... Doesn’t matter. 1684 is suffering from an aphid attack, and is 90+ Dap. All fruits are mature. 1 month to go.?
 
Sunday, September 9 View Page
Frustration. Mousetrap doesn’t catch these particular rodents.
 
Thursday, September 13 View Page
Battle with vole appears to be won. Battle with nature not going as well.
 
Friday, September 21 View Page
Patch update. First day of fall.
 
Tuesday, September 25 View Page
We had a killing frost yesterday night. We made it through cold and snow but it was cloudy. First clear night and it was over. Sun was kinda scary at first but I remembered what it looked like and then I was fine.
 
Tuesday, September 25 View Page
I’m picking the melons today. Forecast is for lows of -7 soon and I’m tired of paying a wealth redistribution er... carbon tax.
 
Tuesday, September 25 View Page
Black Diamond from the 205 Kent.
 
Saturday, September 29 View Page
 
Saturday, October 6 View Page
1884!
 
Tuesday, October 9 View Page
Looks like I need new pipes. They were getting old anyway. This season has really taken a toll. Didn’t quite get things picked up in time. Got the melon shack down but Sunday night Mother Nature smacked us with 6” of snow. It hasn’t been above melting temp yet, Farmers have a lot of crop out still. A lot.
 
Friday, October 12 View Page
Eddy Z took his 2255 to Smoky Lake. It was a beast. Monstrous beast.
 
Monday, November 12 View Page
?Well I had big plans but winter started in Sept and that meant working on any day that was nice. Patch got put on the back of the priority list . Now it’s frozen so I’ve given up on soil amending until spring. I put the plastic on again to keep the moisture in over winter.?
 
Monday, November 12 View Page
?Here are the north patch’s. Got the plastic off but need to replace some hoops. Vines still there. Melon patch still has the heat cable and drip lines so I put a shack over it. So much for tilling. I’m just lucky to get it cleaned up enough that I could grow next year. ?Soil is very frozen and I’ll see how I feel in the spring.
 

 

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