Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 59 Entries. Thursday, April 25 View Page Hello everyone. After a long winter, the patch and plants are ready to go. Since last season, the total growing area was expanded by about 500 sf in order to better accommodate the four plants that I will grow this year. Two of the plants will get 1000 sf, and the other two, 750 each.   Wednesday, May 15 View Page 2018 was a good year for me. I managed to get four pumpkins to the scale. The pumpkin pictured was the largest and my personal best. It was grown from my own seed, the 1436.5 Pappas and it weighed 1503 pounds. I have modest goals this year. I just want one bigger than that.   Thursday, May 16 View Page Due to the weather, the plants are less than half the size they were last year at this time. Their not very impressive. The weather channel reported that it rained 22 of 30 days in April, and 13 of 15 in May in my part of southern New England. My plants were started on April 15, and set out between May 1, and 3rd.   Thursday, May 16 View Page I've got a little east coast west coast rivalry going. On the right is the Best of the West, the 2018 2469 Daletas. ( 2624.6 Willemijus X 1937 Urena )   Thursday, May 16 View Page On the right is " The Beast from the East" the 2528 Geddes. (1911 Urena X 1803 Gadberry )   Thursday, May 16 View Page The plant on the left is the 1846.5 Marley. A 2018 pumpkin that combined seldom seen beauty and brawn.   Thursday, May 16 View Page Rounding out the foursome is the 1436.5 Pappas. ( 2307 Wallace x 1961 Sperry ) I usually plant one of my own each year. Through the years, four of my personal bests have come from my own seed.   Thursday, May 16 View Page Pic of the 1846.5 Marley   Friday, May 31 View Page What a difference two weeks and a little sunshine make. All plants main vines are in the six to seven foot range   Thursday, June 6 View Page Groundhogs, the scourge of my 2018 season are back for more in 2019. Shortly after this pic was taken the first of at least four was sent to the big pumpkin patch in the sky.   Tuesday, June 11 View Page Most growing seasons, I try to measure the vine lengths on this date to get a feel for whether I am behind or ahead of previous years. This year their lengths are: 1436.5 - 8.5 feet 1846.5 – 9 feet 2469 – 10 feet 2529 – 10.5 feet Average = 9.5 feet 2018 average = 11.25 feet. 2017 average 7.7   Wednesday, June 12 View Page Now that's something you don't see everyday.   Friday, June 14 View Page After a few days of good pumpkin growing weather, the plants are starting to pick up speed. In the most sun challenged area of the patch is the 1846 Marley. In a week or two, the vines of this plant will enter a sunnier zone and hopefully the plant will catch up to its patch mates   Friday, June 14 View Page The 1436.5 Pappas is chugging along.   Friday, June 14 View Page The 2469 Daletas is a strong healthy plant despite its light green color.   Friday, June 14 View Page Arguably, the best looking plant in the patch at this time is the 2529 Geddes   Wednesday, June 19 View Page Visiting the patch this morning,this little girl came out to say hi.   Thursday, June 20 View Page Plants are picking up speed now. Clockwise from the foreground, 1846 Marley, 2528 Geddes, 1436 Pappas, and the 2469 Daletas. Female flowers are at 11 to 13 feet on all plants. Earliest pollination is about five days away.   Saturday, June 29 View Page Hmmm, clearly we have a problem here   Monday, July 1 View Page I've got you my pretty. #2   Wednesday, July 3 View Page The 1846 Marley and pumpkin pollinated on June 25. This plant is a little strange. Leaves are small in diameter and height. Vines are on the spindly side, I'm not concerned. I grew my first 1000 pound pumpkin on a plant with these traits.   Wednesday, July 3 View Page 2469 Daletas plant with pumpkin pollinated on June 26. 2469 Daletas X 2528 Geddes,   Wednesday, July 3 View Page The pumpkin terrorist cell shrunk by another member today. #3 Big momma the ringleader is still out there.   Friday, July 5 View Page 2528 Geddes plant. There is a Nerf ball shaped and size pumpkin 15 feet out on the main. A near perfect four lobed flower pollinated on June 30. The cross is 2528 Geddes X 2469 Daletas.   Saturday, July 6 View Page Opinions everyone. Can this hoe slashed pumpkin survive this and grow normally?   Monday, July 15 View Page Many culls were taken off the plants today. I had left them on the plants for two reasons. The first was because of the excessive rain we had three days ago. I didn’t want the primary picks to get growth surges so strong that they would split the pumpkins. Secondly, Day 20 has arrived for the first pumpkin, to be followed in quick succession by the rest. I was leaving a few on for insurance. Some of the culls were quite large.   Monday, July 15 View Page Day 20 has arrived for the 1846 Marley pumpkin. Its numbers were not too impressive. Then again, I don't pay much attention to this milestone.   Monday, July 15 View Page Great dive today. I caught eight big lobsters. Everyone of them were over three pounds. In July the big females come into shallow water to breed. We call this the Cow Season. This period is when you can catch the most per dive. In August, when they are all carrying eggs, it is illegal to take them.   Tuesday, July 16 View Page The 2469 Daletas X 2528 Geddes pumpkin was next to hit the 20 day mark. Although it was 12 inches bigger in OTT than the 1846, I’m still not impressed with its size. Maybe the next one will hit the desired numbers.   Wednesday, July 17 View Page Day 20 nicely shaped 1436 Pappas. I hope it's eventual color matches the hat. Largest of the Day 20 pumpkins so far   Thursday, July 18 View Page Day 20 for the 2528 Geddes X 2469 Daletas pumpkin. Finally, I was impressed. It was the biggest of the four Day 20 pumpkins at 187.5 OTT.   Thursday, July 25 View Page Day 30 for the 1846.5 Marley x 1436 Pappas. At 221.5 OTT   Friday, July 26 View Page Number five this year. I must be getting close to Norm Gansert's record. But seriously, these things can cause a lot of damage.   Friday, July 26 View Page Last year in addition to ransacking all four of my plants, they chewed into the side of this pumpkin.   Friday, July 26 View Page Day 30 2469 Daletas X 2528 Geddes. Look at the innie on this one!   Saturday, July 27 View Page Day 30 for the 1436 Pappas X 1846 Marley.   Sunday, July 28 View Page The current queen of the patch is the Day 30 2528 Geddes X 2469 Daletas. At 273.5 inches in OTT, this one shows real potential.   Thursday, August 1 View Page The 1436 Pappas plant grown in a Daddy Long Legs spider pattern has reached the end of her territory. Soon to be followed by all of her sister plants. Yay! Have I told you how much I hate vine burying?   Monday, August 5 View Page 1846 Marley x 1436 Pappas. Nice color and shape. 259 OTT, Day 40. At it's current rate of growth, it is not going to scare many growers at the weigh-off.   Monday, August 5 View Page Day 40 2469 Daletas X 2528 Geddes. This homely looking pumpkin came from such a perfect flower. Go figure. At a respectable 314 inches in OTT.   Monday, August 5 View Page Side view.   Tuesday, August 6 View Page Sunset on the North River.   Tuesday, August 6 View Page Day 40 1436 Pappas x 1846 Marley. Growing slower than I would like. At 292 OTT.   Tuesday, August 6 View Page Side angle.   Wednesday, August 7 View Page A good problem to have is when you have to tape the measuring tape to the pumpkin to get an accurate measurement because it is too big to see around. Day 40 2528 Geddes X 2469 Daletas. 153 inches in circumference.   Wednesday, August 7 View Page Side view. The leaves on this plant are very tall making this pumpkin look smaller than it is. The 2528 Geddes is a very aggressive plant.   Thursday, August 15 View Page I lost the 1436 Pappas today to a blossom end split. Now down to three pumpkins.   Saturday, August 17 View Page Main vine and stem issues on the 2528 X 2469 forced me to take her to an earlier weigh-off than planned. At 1109 pounds, it took first place at the Marshfield Fair.   Saturday, August 17 View Page The five contestants left to right were, Mike Fleming, Bill Sullivan, myself, Mike Oliver, and Steve Halliwell.   Tuesday, August 20 View Page In order to prepare for next year, the small 1846 pumpkin was cut off the vine and stored under some trees to keep it cool. Now three out of four growing areas have been cleared. The plan is to get out the tiller, and then plant Mighty Mustard. Only the 2469 pumpkin and plant remain of the original four. It is growing well closing in on 1000 pounds, but it is unlikely that it will be a new personal best.   Wednesday, August 21 View Page Early morning shot of the lone queen of the patch, the 2469 Daletas.   Saturday, August 31 View Page The Mighty Mustard on the south side of the patch is coming up   Saturday, August 31 View Page The 2469 X 2528 is starting to orange up some.   Saturday, August 31 View Page Having a drink with my buddy Jim after a long swim.   Monday, September 23 View Page Its that time of year when I let some vines grow anywhere they want. So now I have a pumpkin in a tree.   Monday, September 23 View Page I took the covers off the 2469 X 2528 today for a quick photo shoot.   Monday, September 23 View Page She tapes around 1250.   Thursday, September 26 View Page At 383.5 OTT and an estimated weight of 1260 pounds, the 2469 pumpkin came in at 1399.5 pounds. Not bad. I took seventh place. Several years ago at this site, my pumpkin weighed 999 pounds.   Thursday, October 3 View Page The seeds were harvested today. Not much of a cavity there.