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Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 28 Entries.
Thursday, June 28 View Page
First glimpse of my 356 Borgers. Now that it is well established I feel like it's okay to start a diary. Allow me to introduce "Elvis". No, I'm not an Elvis Presley or Elvis Costello fanatic, I just like the name, lol. This is my first year ever growing an AG pumpkin. I'm working wit about a 100 sq. ft. growing area and hope to reach 200 lbs. Whether or not I make it, it is already fun and addicting! This patch is in my gf's back yard, so she is my assistant. She tells me he's already out of control, so I just wink and say, "just you wait honey". Also, Thank to everyone for the advice in my new growers forum post.
 
Thursday, July 5 View Page
My first female has arrived at about the 10 ft. mark. This is getting exciting! Plant still looks strong and free of ailments. Vine management is becoming a challenge with the tight space. I get sad cutting the few secondaries I have, despite knowing it's necessary.
 
Sunday, July 15 View Page
Getting close to filling out my 100 sq. ft. I have been keeping up with pesticide and fungicide as much as possible. I've stuck with foliar pesticide all year so far as I heard from a very reliable source that systemic pesticides can inhibit mychorrizae fungi. Will I still make 200 lbs? We shall see...
 
Sunday, July 15 View Page
This is my first target female. It will be pollinated tomorrow morning or the day after for sure. This pic is actually a day and a half old. If this one does not take, it's up to the nest one at about 14 ft. Keeping fingers crossed. This is in the hands of my gf and/or her daughter as I cannot be there due to work. Keeping my fingers crossed that they watch the videos and are very gentle. :)
 
Tuesday, July 17 View Page
Edit to my first July 15th post. I misspoke. I meant to say fungicide, not pesticide.
 
Tuesday, July 17 View Page
Yesterday was Pollination Day for me... (yes it's capitalized like a holiday, don't judge me.) I felt kind of like Anna from "Frozen" for a minute. lol. Gf did the deed with 3 males x self. Bnot has me paranoid about SVB's now, so I will also inspect the plant tomorrow to make sure all is good. Should be able to bury more nodes and terminate a few more secondary's. Today I day-dreamed about sitting next to Elvis and telling him stories while getting drunk and sunburned so bad I can't go to work the next day. XD
 
Thursday, July 19 View Page
2 DAP. Looking good. It's shiny which I'm told from a reliable source is a good thing. My gf keeps bragging about how good she did with the pumpkin flower sex. I told her she's like a pumpkin concubine... she's a pumpcubine. lolololol.
 
Thursday, July 19 View Page
I'm curious If anyone knows what is causing this. It is only on a few leaves close to the base of the main vine. I've been fairly diligent with fungicide and pesticide (Daconil, Green Cure and Sevin) and am not too alarmed as there is no visible sign of SVB's or anything. The rest of the plant looks very healthy. Could it simply bee that it's burn from fertilizer early on? I used Miracle Grow shortly after planting and maybe some grains were left on the leaves and burnt a smidge? If you know, please comment on my "Brand spanking new" post in the "New Growers" message board. Thanks.
 
Thursday, July 19 View Page
Also this...
 
Monday, July 23 View Page
Elvis 6 DAP. My conundrum as you can see is that I am not properly keeping up with having the area prepped with sand and He seems to want to grow right into the prickly main vine. Ugh. Maybe I should have named it Scarface??? The next female will be pollinated tomorrow as a precaution by my gf (The Pumpcubine. Fret not my friends. She fully embraces that moniker). Hopefully I can get the current kin to shape up.
 
Friday, July 27 View Page
First kin 11 DAP. I'm a bit worried now as this one has slowed in growth a bit. Yesterday I terminated all tertiaries, all other females on the secondary's and all but one secondary vine. Sprayed fungicide. Tomorrow will be another dose of pesticide. I need to feed this thing better I think. Sand is under it now though. Fingers crossed it's still okay. It still is hard and has a sheen. I think it's just hungry and thirsty.
 
Friday, July 27 View Page
Second kin on the main vine 4 DAP. Growing fast. If the first one stays strong though and starts growing faster, this one will be culled. Once again... food and water. :)
 
Saturday, August 4 View Page
Looks like I have a keeper. 12 DAP. Gave it some food and shelter from the storms yesterday. More of the same to come. I like knowing that each day is a pb since this is my first year. 84 OTT. Not on the chart yet, but soon I hope. :D
 
Saturday, August 4 View Page
I'm a little concerned about this... any input would be appreciated. http://www.bigpumpkins.com/msgboard/ViewThread.asp?b=14&p=637276
 
Wednesday, August 8 View Page
Well, Elvis is still in the building (or, not far from it anyway). It seems that the brown leaves that had me "All Shook Up" have responded well to food and water so I don't have a "Suspicious Mind" about that anymore. Here you can see him compared to a "Jailhouse Rock". I saw the forecast and "Ooh, ooh, ooh, I feel the temperature rising". At 15 DAP (yesterday) he measures out at 112 OTT. ~34 lb. Not exciting for most people, but it is for me so BACK OFF! XD
 
Wednesday, August 8 View Page
Visited bnot this evening. This is me posing with his 1109 Borgers. taped out at 264 OTT (~410 lb). We had a great night chatting about work, pumpkins, projects, domain names, pumpkins, work, pumpkins, dogs, families and pumpkins... and how gross giant tomatoes look. lol
 
Saturday, August 11 View Page
Elvis at 20 DAP. Yes, that's the same rock (it was not technically from a jailhouse, but it came from the patch that Elvis is fenced into, which is close enough). OTT 154 (~86 lbs?). I am officially excited and proud I got this far my first year. Bnot has been a terrific mentor and I thank everyone for the advice and support. I have water filter on order as well. To be honest, I think that if Elvis continues to grow at this pace without issues, I will far exceed my goal and expectation, however I know that anything can happen still. All vines are terminated, all nodes buried. Now it's just feeding, weeding and anti-diseasing. :)
 
Wednesday, August 15 View Page
Elvis 22 DAP tapes out at 179' OTT (133 lbs.). Almost to goal weight and still averaging 15 lbs/day. I was lazy this weekend and did not give it the normal preventative dosage of fungicide or pesticide, so I will definitely be doing that this weekend. Added my Boogie Blue filter in line with the small irrigation I placed in the patch so it "Goodnight Chorine...". I know it's not an Elvis pun, but I had to make a pun of some kind. It's what I do. :P
 
Saturday, August 18 View Page
Elvis. 26 DAP. OTT 207. Chart shows 203 lbs estimated. About 17 lbs/day now. Goal unofficially achieved! Onward and upward. I did see the signs of my neglect with the fungicide hiatus via traces of powdery mildew. It got treated today. It also still amazes me how quickly and how many tertiary vines pop up. This plant is still trying to make pumpkins all over the place! Elvis is getting big enough that I need more sand and a pair of blue suede shoes to tiptoe around him with...
 
Friday, August 24 View Page
Measured Elvis yesterday It was 30 DAP. OTT 227 (265 lbs.) I forgot to take a pic though. It has been steady around 15 lb/day. Bnot says it should be picking up, but it hasn't. Still have some spotty powdery mildew, but only one treatment so far. I will hit it again Friday with Green Cure. Perhaps the lack of pickup has to do with my un-amended soil and lack of water. I think I have been under watering. As it gets bigger it should have more I guess. I don't like posting without a pic, so here is me with a lunker sunfish and wardrobe malfunction. lol
 
Friday, August 31 View Page
Elvis 39 DAP. Taping out at 254 OTT (367 lbs). I seem to have the powdery mildew well under control. Growth has slowed slightly due to the cooler temps, but still healthy and growing. :)
 
Monday, September 17 View Page
I bet you thought I was lost or had given up on pumpkins! Nope. You'll be happy Elvis is alive and kicking. I have backed off my effort level as there has been a ton going on. Here he is at 56 DAP. Taping out at 278 OTT. 3 weeks left to grow, but it's gonna get way cool. Anxious to see if I can pop the quarter ton mark. :)
 
Sunday, September 23 View Page
Feeling pretty defeated today. Got to my gf's house to find that the 7+ estimated inches of rain in 4 days last week indeed had a negative affect on Elvis in the form of several splits. Also, out of nowhere, the bunnies have found great interest as well. I was hopeful for a good showing at Anoka, but inexperience and bad weather has dashed my hopes. A valuable lesson...
 
Sunday, September 23 View Page
Evil bunnies.
 
Sunday, September 23 View Page
Elvis just couldn't say "no" to crack...
 
Sunday, September 23 View Page
Deepest split with a bulge to boot. Not good I think.
 
Thursday, October 4 View Page
73 DAP for Elvis. He is chewed to hell. The cracks are not an issue, but the chews may be. caught two mice. Sigh. Last OTT had him just shy of 500 lbs estimated. Hope the judges are forgiving.
 
Sunday, October 7 View Page
Anoka weigh off puts Elvis at an official value of 479 lbs., but I cannot put a value on how much I learned and how much fun I have with growing pumpkins. Thanks to all the growers I met for the good tips and conversation this year both on the website and in person. Good luck to everyone going to Stillwater!
 

 

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