Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 52 Entries. Wednesday, March 27 View Page Good luck to everyone in 2019!   Wednesday, April 10 View Page Started seeds today. This is the 2019 lineup. We are only doing 4 plants this year, so if they all germinate, one won't make the cut.   Wednesday, May 22 View Page Haven't had time to post anything since April. My efforts to try and get an early start this year were partially derailed by the awful weather we had in April and the beginning of May. I had to replace two plants that were really looking sad after weeks of no sun and cold weather. So I'm growing- 2528 Geddes, 2469 Daletas, 1944 Vanderwielen, the 2098 Lancaster(dmg) and I recently added a 2075 Connolly as a back up. The 1944 Vanderwielen had outgrown the greenhouse, so I removed the greenhouse yesterday. Tilled in the winter rye on Sunday, probably will need one more till as the plants grow.   Wednesday, May 22 View Page Planted the long gourds last night also.   Wednesday, June 19 View Page The 1944 Vanderwielen continues to be the leader in the patch. I have a pumpkin (you can see it near the end of the vine )that should open in the next 2 days or so at 14 feet. It's got 20 secondary's behind it, so it's right in the sweet spot. Fingers crossed it will be a good blossom and the pollination will take. The other three plants are all about a week behind this one.   Wednesday, June 19 View Page Another view   Wednesday, June 19 View Page Long gourds are about 6-8 feet tall and climbing. We've also got three bushel gourd plants and about six field pumpkin plants going in another patch as well. It's going to be a busy summer!   Monday, July 15 View Page 14 day old pumpkin on the 2098 Lancaster.   Monday, July 15 View Page 18 day old pumpkin on the 2528 Geddes plant.   Monday, July 15 View Page This is a June 27 pollination on the 1944 Vanderwielen.   Monday, July 15 View Page The patch is filling in quickly. Approximately 1/2 of the vines have been terminated already.   Monday, July 15 View Page Long gourds are growing nicely. Doing three plants this year rather than the four we did last year. The top of the trellis is approximately 30 X 9 and it gets pretty crowded up there.   Thursday, July 18 View Page Started taking measurements for the first time yesterday. This is the 2528 at day 21. 68 X 52 X 52 for a weight of approx 125 pounds. This one is going to give me problems, it's already trying to grow over the blossom end. It's also a 3 lobe blossom which I went with only because I couldn't get anything else to set.   Thursday, July 18 View Page This is the 1944 Vanderwielen at day 20. This one is a nice shape and seems to be growing good. 83 X 59 X 57 for an estimated weight of 185 pounds.   Thursday, July 18 View Page Next up the 2098 dmg Lancaster at day 17. 67 X 48 X 48 for a weight of 100 pounds. This one is also a nice shape, looks like it will be orange as well.   Thursday, July 18 View Page This is the 2469 Daletas. I've had a hard time getting anything going on this plant. It's had many deformed blossoms that wouldn't set. This is a July 11 pollination and I'm thinking at this point if this one doesn't take, I'll probably just pull the plant.   Thursday, July 18 View Page This is the 2469 Daletas. I've had a hard time getting anything going on this plant. It's had many deformed blossoms that wouldn't set. This is a July 11 pollination and I'm thinking at this point if this one doesn't take, I'll probably just pull the plant.   Monday, July 29 View Page These pic's were all taken Saturday, 2 days ago. This is the 1944 at day 30- approx. 507 pounds.   Monday, July 29 View Page This is the 2098 at day 27- approx 450 pounds.   Monday, July 29 View Page Finally got one going on the 2469. This is 15 days old.   Monday, July 29 View Page This is the 2528 at 31 days, around 400 pounds.   Monday, July 29 View Page This is the stem on the 2528, it's at least a foot long. Longest stem I've ever seen.   Wednesday, July 31 View Page The 2098 was 30 days old yesterday. 132 X 85 X 80 for total of 297, or 605 pounds. 52 pounds a day for the past 3 days.   Wednesday, July 31 View Page View of the patch   Wednesday, July 31 View Page Long gourd plants have filled in nicely. No gourds growing yet. I pollinated about 10 females last night, so hopefully some of those take.   Monday, August 12 View Page I was on vacation last week and didn't have a chance to post this. Last Thursday morning, I lost the 2098 to a BES. It was day 40 and the pumpkin was over 1000 pounds and growing over 50 pounds a day.   Tuesday, August 13 View Page We have 3 pumpkins still left. The 2528 and 1944 are both about 1000 pounds and are still doing around 30 a day. This is the 1944.   Tuesday, August 13 View Page This is the 2528. This is the most lumpy, bumpy, pumpkin I've ever grown, but it's got a massive stem on it and it feels like a block of cement.   Tuesday, August 13 View Page This is our late pollination on the 2469. A July 11 pollination, it's just over 30 days old and a little over 500 pounds. All 3 of the pumpkins are doing in the low 30's a day. Our NH State weigh off is still 2 months away, so hopefully if we don't have an early frost this year, I'll still have a chance to get a decent size pumpkin from this one.   Tuesday, August 13 View Page We've got about a half dozen LG's going on three plants. I had about a dozen going and culled about half of them over the last couple days. Will probably still remove one or two more. I may grow 2 on one plant and 1 on the other two plants.   Tuesday, August 13 View Page More LG's   Tuesday, August 13 View Page One more   Monday, August 19 View Page My two daughters with the 2528 Geddes pumpkin. This one is getting big.   Monday, August 26 View Page Long gourds are coming along. These 2 are both 108 inches today.   Monday, August 26 View Page try again-   Monday, August 26 View Page This one is about 106 inches, it's getting real fat so it probably won't get much longer.   Monday, August 26 View Page This is the longest one, it's about 112 inches as of today.   Monday, August 26 View Page Plants are still nice and healthy.   Thursday, September 5 View Page Long gourds are approaching the end of their growth. All 4 are 37 days old today. One has all but stopped growing and the other 3 are doing maybe a couple inches a day. We have a 12 foot high trellis and they are all within a foot of the ground. Hoping to get a few more inches out of them before they stop.   Thursday, September 5 View Page another view-   Thursday, September 5 View Page The last one.   Monday, September 16 View Page This is the pumpkin on the 1944. I think I've got a decent shot at a new pb with this one. The pumpkin is still growing 8 -10 pounds a day with 10 days to go until Deerfield. My plants this year are in terrific shape for mid September.   Monday, September 16 View Page I'm really happy with my spray program this year. These are the best the plants have ever looked this late in the season. I've had virtually no issues with bugs or disease at all this year on any of my plants.   Monday, September 16 View Page Another view of my plants.   Monday, September 16 View Page Gourds are done growing. We came up about 2 inches short of our best one last year, however we still have two very nice LG's this year.   Monday, September 16 View Page Second one-   Wednesday, September 25 View Page Lost a 1200 pound pumpkin yesterday. This was a late pollination that was still growing pretty good. Just taped it the day before and saw no sign of anything. Pulled the sheet off it last night and discovered this.   Wednesday, September 25 View Page Close up   Thursday, September 26 View Page Got one loaded for the Deerfield fair today.   Thursday, September 26 View Page It almost didn't fit in the truck.   Thursday, September 26 View Page Found a mouse nest inside the pumpkin when I cut it up last night. I had mouse bait around the pumpkin for the past month or so, obviously it didn't help. Those little @#*#*#$!   Friday, September 27 View Page Had a great time at Deerfield last night. Came in 3rd with the pumpkin and the long gourd. 1614.5 and a new pb on the pumpkin and 136.75 on the lg.