Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 16 Entries. Friday, April 6 View Page Last years AG learning experiment, and one of the reasons why I'm doing it again this year. Got into this because a coworker said they grow giant pumpkins, and his PB is 275 LB. I started researching how to to this so i could beat him, and read everything i can find on this, and landed squarely on this site. Read all diary entries, and every article on the entire site, and every message board comment posted. Coworker got seeds sprouted, and gave me 2 plants. I assumed they were AG's, but when i asked, he said they weren't. &%$^%%$ In a bind, i ordered some generic AG's, overnighted them, and got seeds sprouted mid June. Last year was the first year at this property, so there was a learning curve involved as well. Started a garden from scratch, and wife got overzealous filled it up and i got the least desirable spot for the pumpkins. Bugs killed the top plant contender, plant # 2 got mangled by a 2 year old, and the peat pots that didn't sprout got dumped in the corner of the garden and ended up giving me a volunteer AG that i nursed to the finish line. Ended up producing one that was right at 100 lb, and a couple smaller that i was going to keep seeds from for this year was the thought. Trashed all those, and bought some proven seeds from Auctions here. With a 2 and 3 year old, too many projects around the house and hobbies, I'm no threat yet, but a couple of 500 lb (or bigger) orange pumpkins in front of the house this fall would be great, and is a make-able goal for this year. And as excited as those two little clowns got over a 100 lb'er, i can't wait for the look on their faces when they see a big one.   Friday, April 20 View Page I mentioned in a different post yesterday, that I "had to get some other projects out of the shop", so I could actually get to my plants. Well, since weather here is still garbage, and have another full week before I start the real seeds, shop projects are on overdrive before the weather breaks, and I can get back to outside chores. Want to post plant pics, but will give an update as to what outputs the shop produced this winter, the second here at the place. I thoroughly enjoy woodworking. Always have. Problem was, that makes dust, and I didn't feel like buying an air purifier, so I made one. Squirrel tail fan from an old furnace, and three layers of filtration, operated on a remote switch normally used for Christmas lights. Works well for sanding/woodworking, and painting as well.   Friday, April 20 View Page The project that created the need for the air purifier. A toybox my grandfather made me, that my siblings and I managed to beat the $(*& out of. Sanded, refinished, new hardware, and now to be destroyed by the crazy little mongrels that inhabit our house.   Friday, April 20 View Page The boss had been tormenting me that she wanted a shelf for the bathroom, and couldn't find something she liked. Sat down and started to scribble up what she wanted, got dimensions and got to work. About an hour later, she got her rustic looking shelf, towel holder thing and the nagging has ceased. for now. about that.   Friday, April 20 View Page Had a nice winter day, and got took the hoodlums outside to burn off some steam. Boss lady mentioned how she wished we had a tire swing out back, so about 15 minutes later one was up. The little one would ride on top of it all day, or sleep inside it if we let her.   Friday, April 20 View Page The boss once again decided on another project for me. We needed a bench in the laundry room to store the piles of little shoes, hats, gloves and stuff generated by the clowns. Almost complete in this pic.   Friday, April 20 View Page And the clowns approve the finished product.   Friday, April 20 View Page The most extensive project of the winter. Completely restored a car. 1971 AMF GTX. This belonged to my great Aunt/Uncle, and I remember driving the wheels off it as a kid. Literally. As the oldest grandkid on that side of the family, after their family was done with it, it ended up in my hands. I remember it being awesome. When my dad pulled it out of the attic last fall, the boss cringed and told me to throw it away. I almost agreed. Great uncle had brushed over original paint, and after a little strategic sanding, and some recon on the internet machine, I found out what it was, and places for replacement parts. Then began about a 2 month journey, an hour a night after the mongrels were in bed to get it done.   Friday, April 20 View Page One night while waiting for primer to dry on the car, i accidentally made a squirrel feeder. Coworker showed me a pic of one his wife was going to buy, so i whipped it out in about 15 minutes and brought it to work the next day.   Friday, April 20 View Page And the two little crazies approve of the finished product. Got it done one night my folks were down for a visit, and Dad and I sat and had a beer (or two) and a cigar to admire the finished product. And then cringed as i put it in the toy lineup to destroyed again. They'll have fun with it as I did, and I promise I will not kill them when it gets its first scratch. I'll probably have to redo it again in about 10 years after they're too big, and done with it.   Friday, April 20 View Page Put in an attic ladder, decked the entire attic space to get some stuff out of the way, and momentarily had a clean shop. Put up the little greenhouse, and the next day an ABL truck showed up with a 4' x 8' pallet with 850 lbs of a swingset/playfort monstrosity that dad gets to assemble. Was going to build from scratch, but by the time I design/engineer one and go get all the materials, the price was about the same, and this was the shortest route for completion. I wimped out and just bought one.   Friday, April 20 View Page Current state of the shop. About 5 hours into what the 130 page instruction book says will take 30 hours..... One hour every night, and hopefully more this weekend will be able to get that thing out of there. The good thing about it, is I can tell the boss that "I'm going out to work on the swingset", but in actuality, I'm going out to take care of plants, and then work on the other stuff. Like many of yours, the boss thinks I'm crazy for growing huge pumpkins.   Friday, April 20 View Page Finally a pic of a plant! But an old one. I do know how to grow things. I'd been on the road for the past 15 years everywhere from Texas, Louisiana, DC, Georgia, R-Kansas, Missouri, Maryland with my "office" being located in Dallas. Got married during that adventure, and built a house in the DFW area even though I was rarely there, but the boss really liked it. I'm originally from Nebraska, and folks always had a garden, and when I was going to UNL, I worked at the landscape service, so I've had a green thumb throughout. Texas weather is stupid, and the only thing we could get to produce well in our flower pot garden was Jalapenos. Beyond that I did plant Mandarin trees, lemon trees, and even grew some Pineapples. Because I could. Had that little greenhouse setup in the garage for the 1 month of winter it drops below freezing a couple times to keep them in, and had a good laugh the day I had to explain to the husband/wife directly across the street wearing their full, official, Fort Worth PD SWAT gear costumes that I was growing pineapples, not pot. I wish i would've gotten a pic of them both having a beer with me discussing it in same said outfits... After getting back to Nebraska and settling in permanently a year and a half ago, I'm back to the climate I know, and will get some pics of what I have going on. When Mother Nature allows it...... Until next time. The end.   Wednesday, June 13 View Page Alright... been busy, haven’t posted plant pics yet, but have made some progress. 3 plants made it in this season, and would have to look back through my notes, but was about May 19th if memory serves correctly. Have about 1200 sf currently for the three, but could grab some more on the front and back sides of the pic if necessary. Going for orange this year. Pumpkins from near to far are 907 Young, 1604 Robinson, and 1718 Kline. All HD winners.   Wednesday, June 13 View Page No greenhouse, naturally protected from wind in that location, no heating cables, and get about 9 hours sun a day. Soaked hoses on timers, regular feeding and insecticides similar to everything I read in all of your diaries. (Thank you very much). 907 started out fast and 1604 and 1718 have caught up in the last couple days. All three are about 7’ long and all looking to take over the world. Seems like I move the walking planks every other day. Everything in front of them is freshly tilled, and laid out some cardboard in front to keep weeds down. Looks trashy, but this was lawn two seasons ago, and wants to return to it badly... side hill isn’t ideal, but main garden only has until mid September to produce, before it turns into a big concrete slab and a shop expansion, so the pumpkins won’t have an “expired by” date.   Wednesday, June 13 View Page Patch from the other side. 1718 Kline in front. Need to knock down the grass behind the plants. Boss lady had to have her zucchini and summer squash, so they are behind the plants, and hopefully they work to attract bugs as a first line of defense but knock on wood, nothing in the patch has been touched by the bugs thus far. Start burying vines with mix tonight, and hold on for the ride. Coworker and his amateur hour pumpkins will meet their maker this season.... and next year I’d imagine I’ll be a little more extreme on my efforts if the boss lady and projects list allows it...