Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 57 Entries. Sunday, July 15 View Page New diary participant. I think this is a pretty cool feature of the forum. I have grown pumpkins 4 out of the last 6 years. I started out with regular pumpkins and switched to the bigger variety since I have so few survivors of the Vine Borer War. I don't care what any ag extension article says, we have at least two waves of vine borers every year in Georgia. I have seen and killed flying borers up to mid September and have scrapped off eggs all the way through harvest. Harvest time for me is about September 20th. That is when the North Georgia Fair starts and they have a flower/produce contest. I one best of show back in 2016 and I took 2017 off. Anyway, enough of the back story. Here is a picture of my largest pumpkin so far this year measuring 42 inches in circumference. It is just a Burpee Atlantic giant seed so I do not expect it to have much of a chance of getting over 200 lbs.   Monday, July 16 View Page This is the last season without a greenhouse. Tonight, I lost two more vines to SVB's and we had over two inches of rain. Anyone who knows of a good website or youtube video for building your own greenhouse, feel free to email me. I planted 26 plants and I am down to maybe 12. I can only imagine what is like to plant two or three and not have to worry about vine borers. One can only dream...............   Thursday, July 19 View Page I lost my only set Holland Giant yesterday. I was concerned about him when he stayed at 27 inches for two or three days in a row. Went out to the garden last night and was shriveling up. Hopefully, I have another one setting a little further down, but it is still the size of an onion. On the bright side, my largest pumpkin two years ago did not set until August so all is not lost. :D And I still have my largest regular Atlantic Giant going strong, knock on wood.   Sunday, July 22 View Page It is days like today that I wish that I only had one vine borer season instead of fighting them through September. I would be so content with my three largest pumpkins if all I had to worry about was disease and leaf bugs from here on out. I will have to go back to the 2016 thread to see where I stand versus this year. But I am thrilled with the general roundness and size of my Atlantic Giants. These are not Dill's Atlantic Giants or any other name brand so if I can get to 150lbs, I will be thrilled. My number one pumpkin added 7 inches in a week. Unfortunately, my number 2 plant died at 27. That was disappointing because that one was a Holland Giant. Pumpkin #1 added 7 inches in circumference going from 42 to 49. The new Pumpkin #2 measured in at 42 inches in circumference and really grew this week, but I have no idea how much. And Pumpkin #3 is closing fast at 40 inches.   Wednesday, July 25 View Page Okay, I bought a pheromone squash borer trap last week from Hollands' Giants and set it up on Monday night. Here is the link: http://hollandsgiants.com/squashVineBorerTraps.html"]http://hollandsgiants.com/squashVineBorerTraps.html. I must admit that I thought it was voodoo science and that I was basically throwing my money down the drain. However,the trap killed 22 squash vine borers in 48 hours. That is more than I have killed in 4 years chasing them around the patch with a bug killer spray can. The pheromone lure is suppose to last 30 days. I knew I had svbs, but I have never seen more than three or four in an afternoon in the patch. And this trap killed 22 in two days! If you cannot tell, I have this huge smile on my face. :D I might have found something that might turn the tide against my arch enemy.   Wednesday, July 25 View Page My SVB trap in action;   Sunday, July 29 View Page Added some shade to the patch. I have some remay left over from four years ago. It claims to block out 25% of sunlight. Not a huge amount, but sunlight is not something that I am lacking in Georgia. Next year, I will budget for a real sun shade. Not sure if my set-up could survive a severe thunderstorm, but I should be okay with regular rain.   Saturday, August 4 View Page Happy with where I am at with my patch. I am just about maxed out on space. The nice thing about just being a casual grower of regular Atlantic Giants is that I have no real self applied pressure. I have two or three pumpkins that should come in around a 100-150 lbs. and about six others that should be around 50 lbs. I might go for the gusto next year and just try to grow one or two large ones, but I do not like the thought of my season being over if I lose a single plant. Heck, I lost over a dozen this year to SVB's.   Monday, August 6 View Page Just some pumpkin photos. I just grown regular non-Dill AG's. Though I think this one may be a Holland. I did not think any of the seeds germinated, but I was thought this one was difference.   Monday, August 6 View Page One of the regular AGs.   Monday, August 6 View Page It was nice of the Cheerios Honey Bee to drop by the patch on Sunday.   Wednesday, August 8 View Page I am really starting to get excited about the giant holland. It has added 10 inches in circumference since Sunday morning. I am know officially on the OTT chart for giant pumpkins with a measurement of 163.The chart starts at 160 being 99 pounds and 165 being 108 lbs. The holland is the size of an ottoman with a circumference of 73 inches, 46 inches top to bottom, and 44 inches side to side. If it ended today, I would break my personal best but be short of my goal of 150. I wish I had enough experience under my belt to try and figure out what it might max out at in late September. I guess I need to start keeping OTT measurements on a weekly basis so I can estimate how many pounds he is packing on per week. I am not sure if it is sad that I am excited like a kid, or a good thing that I am still in touch with my inner child. I guess it will depend on who you ask. Plus, I am so glad that such a small giant makes my day. I am amazed at how many growers on this forum get bummed out growing a 1200 lb pumpkin. I hope I never get that way, no offense.   Thursday, August 9 View Page I am not going to post measurements every day, but I was curious what the new ones were. My cir. 76, side 50.5 and top/bottom 51. My measuring may be off since that totals an increase of 14.5 inches in one day. A total OTT of 177.5. Maybe this is legit. I can't imagine that my pumpkin added 30 lbs in a day. Gosh I hope this rate of growth is right.   Friday, August 10 View Page Probably going to take same time off from measuring. I have ordered a 120 inch tape since, I am using a 60 inch tape which causes me to make some adjustments. Tonight I got 76 circumference, 53 top/bottom, and 53 side/side. So my circumference state the same but the other numbers added a couple of inches. My total last night was 177.5 and today it is 182 which sounds like a more realistic growth total for a single day.   Sunday, August 12 View Page So, I will just post an update on the Holland. The Holland is getting bigger. Circumference 79 in., top/bottom 57, and side/side 56 in. The OTT is 192 inches. According the giant pumpkin chart it weighs approximately 162 pounds or almost double my previous best. The circumference of the pumpkin increased 16 inches in a week. I just really hope that it turns orange. It is still cool to grow something this large but I really, really do not like cream colored pumpkins. I think this will seal the deal for me joining team orange. I am thrilled to set a personal best, but it doesn't seem like a pumpkin without some good orange. I guess until I can grow over 500lbs., I should just stick to tried and true orange seeds.   Tuesday, August 14 View Page y Holland just hit 30 days this week and I could not resist measuring it tonight. It is now 84 inches. circumference, 59 1/2 top/bottom, and 60 side/side- total OTT 203 inches. It has grown 11 inches since Sunday night which moves the weight up from 162lbs. to 195 lbs   Friday, August 17 View Page I am attaching a general pic of the patch and some of my Holland giant. I built a my first ever hoop shelter for my large pumpkin tonight. I am doing my best to keep it protected from the elements. It is putting on some good size. It is now 90 cir., 63 top/botton, 60 side to side. That is an OTT of 213 which equates to almost 225lbs which is a 60 pound gain since last Sunday afternoon. I hope you enjoy the pics.   Friday, August 17 View Page M first ever hoop shelter. I thought the 8 ft. pvc would make for a larger hoop. But it works for one pumpkin. Using rebar as a stake is cheap and effective. Thanks to whoever thought of that first.   Friday, August 17 View Page The cool thing about my little giant is that it looks like that it will sit on its bottom. And it should be taller than my daughter. I am stoked about the cool photos that I will have of her at Halloween with the pumpkin. Fighting some stem cracks though. Thankfully most of them barely break the skin.   Sunday, August 19 View Page I had to harvest one of my generic ag's. It grew off of a weak secondary from a stump that was riddled with SVBs. I give every pumpkin a chance in my general patch.   Monday, August 20 View Page My Holland giant measured in tonight at 93 circ., 63 top/botton, and 62 1/2 side/side. It is getting hard to measure since I cannot see both sides when I measure. It is easy for the tape to twist. I have a total OTT of 218.5 inches which is an increase of 5.5 inches since Friday night. According to the chart, I am currently at 240 lbs. It is catch-22. My first goal is to keep my pumpkin alive, but I would love to break 300 lbs. I just get nervous since my pumpkin is developing some stress cracks at the top. They are healing over, but I would feel better if I did not have them. But a fifteen pound gain in three days tells me that my pumpkin is really slowing down which helps with the cracks but not the total weight.   Friday, August 24 View Page Still doing okay for a pumpkin on an eight inch secondary with the circumference of a dime. It measured in tonight with an OTT of 230 which translates into 281 lbs. About 3 1/2 weeks until the local fair. Maybe 400 is in reach. I added 17 inches in the past week. If I can do 30 inches in 24 days. That would put me at 260 OTT and 405 lbs. I would just need to hope that I do not go light. But I really wish it had the orange of the field pumpkin next to it.   Sunday, August 26 View Page Harvested my second pumpkin this year. Same story, vine dying out, stem looking soft. I hope it makes it. I have several pumpkins that look ready and have good solid stems but the vines are still viable so I prefer to wait. But harvesting does seem early this year. I plan on making the switch next year to 3 or 4 true giants instead of planting burpee ag's as field pumpkins. Everything still going well on the holland. It is just hard to measure since I am down to like an inch or two of growth every day. I will post new OTT on the holland mid-week. Now that the holland is heading towards hopefully 400 lbs., I am starting to get nervous about transportation.   Monday, August 27 View Page My Holland is gaining more orange color, but there is some green sneaking in. I guess there is no chance that the green will turn to orange. And it is really slowing down. It is at an OTT of 234.5 which is is about 18 pounds since Friday night. Six pounds a day and probably only going to get slower. But such is life. I am still happy with a 300 lb. pumpkin.   Friday, August 31 View Page No pic tonight. But since I have been measuring on Fridays, I thought that I would continue for comparison sake. Tonight's OTT was 242 which is an increase of 12 inches in a week and an increase of 46 lbs. If my goal is 400 then I need another 73 lbs in 2 1/2 weeks. With no rainfall in sight, I will be upping the watering.   Sunday, September 2 View Page Brought in a few more field pumpkins of the Burpee ag variety. So I am up to 5 harvested so far this year.   Sunday, September 2 View Page My Holland giant's OTT puts its current weight at 343 lbs, and about a fifty pound increase since Monday. I feel really good about 400 lbs by September 19.   Thursday, September 6 View Page I think the green on my Holland pumpkin is turning orange. My OTT was 249 which is small increase of 3 inches of growth. That moves me up the chart from 343 to 356 since Sunday morning. Certainly slowing down, but I am only looking for 44 more pounds. :-)   Sunday, September 9 View Page Really burned out this week. I barely did anything in the patch. I found the energy only to do one spraying- fungicide. About a week and half before I harvest the big guy. Part of me is really looking forward to next year. How crazy is that? I am excited about ripping out all my plants and figuring out next years garden size. Plus, I need to figure out if I can really do a net exclusion house. I guess I will get more excited once people oh and ah over my pumpkin at the fair. :D While I figure my giant is too ugly to be named grand champion, his sheer size will be hard to discount since they got excited about a 250 lb pumpkin last year. My OTT is now 251 inches which estimates to a weight of 364. The race to 400 is going to be real close.   Tuesday, September 11 View Page Sprayed some fertilizer tonight. Not that it will make much of a difference between now and next Wednesday.   Tuesday, September 11 View Page Sprayed some fertilizer tonight. Not that it will make much of a difference between now and next Wednesday.   Tuesday, September 11 View Page Another pic.   Thursday, September 13 View Page OTT at 256. Of course is hard to get a level tape on the circumference. Some solid rain the last two days, so hopefully that will translate into a late growth spurt before Wednesday. :-) I need just four more inches to hit the 400 lb. mark. I will probably never get it weighed. When you grow one of these guys for the first time, the thought of having to actually move it never really seems real until it is.   Sunday, September 16 View Page Posting picsof the remaining pumpkins in the patch, and probably the prettiest though I think Burpee mixed in a few wrong seeds. Two of the pumpkins started as green which never happens with atlantic giants in my experience. And you can still see green in them. And the last pic is just too pretty to be one of my pumpkins. It has heavy ribbing and a really nice stem but stopped growing at about 25 lbs or so. It is such a beauty that it makes want to grow more of them. But my mind is made up on size for at least next season. Or until, I realize that I cannot grow a State record pumpkin. :-)   Sunday, September 16 View Page Second pumpkin which started out all green. About 40 lbs.   Sunday, September 16 View Page Probably the prettiest pumpkin that came out of my patch this year. It weighs about 20-25 lbs.   Wednesday, September 26 View Page So true.   Tuesday, October 2 View Page Catching up on some pics. Nothing spectacular with everyone on BP growing 2k monsters, but my first will always be my first.   Tuesday, October 2 View Page Load pic.   Tuesday, October 2 View Page Pumpkin being brought into the fair.   Tuesday, October 2 View Page Anybody noticed the nice carpeted pallet with the exposed openings painted black. Pretty first class..........lol   Tuesday, October 2 View Page My little girl holding my first place ribbon for pumpkins over 25lbs. I OTT at about 425, the next largest was 110lbs but they actually weighed their pumpkin at home which I could not do. This show is actually a flower show so, size does not necessarily win and I was worried that I had too much green to considered a nice enough example for first place.   Tuesday, October 2 View Page I got my pumpkin all set up in front yard. I still have to decorate the area. I am amazed at how much of the yellow turned to green over the past 10 days at the fair. There sure was a lot of squash in that generic 500lb Holland seed. It must have slipped passed quality control at Holland's processing plant aka his kitchen. lol   Wednesday, October 3 View Page My daughter inspected the pumpkin today. She was more interested in the leaves on the ground. lol   Wednesday, October 3 View Page Starting to fill out my pumpkin display. I need to buy some more straw bales, and I have three more pumpkins to bring out front. That brings my total pumpkin harvest 12 pumpkins. My Halloween decorating juices are flowing. I am not sure how many of you decorate for Halloween, but I have a tendency to go overboard.   Sunday, October 7 View Page Halloween pumpkin display coming along. I am dividing my overall display into three sections. The pumpkin section is along the walkway to the front door. I will be placing out some orange fire lighting along the pumpkin section. Maybe it will make my pumpkins look like HD winners. lol   Saturday, November 3 View Page Posting some Halloween pics. I had a major project to present the day after, so I kind of mailed it in this year. My driveway maze was about 80% smaller than last years maze. But I still was the King of the Cul-de Sac.   Saturday, November 3 View Page Pumpkin display.   Saturday, November 3 View Page Day pic of Maze entrance.   Saturday, November 3 View Page Side view of maze.   Saturday, November 3 View Page MY little girl with pumpkins.   Saturday, November 3 View Page More lamb and pumpkins.   Saturday, November 3 View Page Spider victim at the end of the maze.   Monday, December 3 View Page The last of the pumpkins that have survived. Amazing how some pumpkins get to a certain point and they last forever. A lot green crept into the Holland generic pumpkin. That is certainly something that I have to work one for next year. Up next the obligatory cutting of the pumpkins.   Monday, December 3 View Page Used the sawzall to the 425 in half. The walls were really solid and uniform. They were a uniform 6 inches all the way around. My sixth year of growing pumpkins and I have no idea what is in my soil. But to my untrained eye, my pumpkin did seem to be structurally challenged. Who knew that pumpkin growing would involve power tools. I am sooo hooked.   Monday, December 3 View Page I am just amazed at how thick the walls are on this thing. I was going to only pluck out like a dozen seeds just to practice some germinating techniques next year and my OCD kicked in and I scraped the pumpkin dry of seeds. Not going to count them but I think I have about a hundred or so. I just could not resist being a seed hoarder. God help me, if I ever actually grow something worth hoarding.   Monday, December 3 View Page Meant to say a couple of posts earlier that to my untrained eye my pumpkin DID NOT appear to be structurally challenged. Man I wish there was an edit feature. I would pay extra on top of my premium membership. lol