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Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 82 Entries.
Monday, March 11 View Page
It's that time of the year where everybody is itching to grow, me included. I have big plans for the patch (keeping it slightly more secretive this season). What I will say: I will be growing the 1911 Urena & 2528 Geddes thanks to Henry, plan on being at the scale. 2019 is just getting started...grow em big
 
Wednesday, April 24 View Page
Hoophouse has been warming soil for a couple weeks. Equipped with soil cables, heat light, raised walking boards and ceramic heater.
 
Wednesday, April 24 View Page
Big shoes to fill 1911 Urena, big shoes.
 
Monday, April 29 View Page
Outdoor temps were in the upper 20s this A.M., hoop stayed at 67° (about a +40 degree temperature difference). P.s. I'm loving this 1911
 
Monday, May 13 View Page
1911 Urena at 20 days old (19 days outside). The plan this year is push pollination 1 week back, due to a later Topsfield weighoff. That gives me 43-45 days (June 25-27th target date). Updates every 10 days will be posted on bigpumpkins.
 
Monday, May 27 View Page
Got 12 giant tomatoes this year, 8 big marley's, three 6.23's & one 5.95. Hope to beat 5 lbs. Last year got 3.90 lbs with 5 plants
 
Monday, May 27 View Page
Oh, also have 9 giant sunflowers coming from 23-26" heads, first summer trying them
 
Tuesday, June 4 View Page
Updates to everything in the patch coming soon, lot of work going in this year so far. Almost can't tell with this spring we've had here in Western MA. A grand total of 1 night over 60 degrees so far. 43 degrees last night. Thing's look good but nothing can grow without warmth!! Please let this year change for the better soon. Highly likely a july pollination this year.
 
Friday, June 14 View Page
Diary has been super spotty this year, as some know my home life has been all over the place for the last 2. Ribbons for winter tomato contest will be sent out ASAP & hopefully the delay is understood. That being said, I have been putting all my spare time into the garden this year and even despite the cold spring I feel confident
 
Friday, June 14 View Page
One of the 4.28 Spaziani "Big Marley" plants
 
Friday, June 14 View Page
Every plant is producing a 1st truss mega, here is one of the further developed one's on a Big Markey
 
Friday, June 14 View Page
*Marley for last post, here is a 5.95 Domingo plant
 
Friday, June 14 View Page
One of 9 giant sunflowers, this one came from a 25"+ head
 
Friday, June 14 View Page
Aside from the 1911, I'm growing two Orange kins (both in 17.5 × 17.5 foot patches ~ 305 sq ft.) Those plants are: the 745 Bernard 525 Katz (Red genetics) My goal is to just have some pretty pumpkins alongside the 1911
 
Saturday, June 15 View Page
Here's my 1911, 12 feet long. Like most people, the plant has been slower than most (add on top of that an abnormally cool spring & it's a bad combination). The pro's of this plant so far - extremely large leaves, insane tap rooting, and a very thick main vine The con's: first 3 feet of plant has no secondary vines Overall I feel okay
 
Sunday, June 16 View Page
1st truss flower on 4.28 Spaziani Big Marley
 
Thursday, June 20 View Page
Despite all the rain & clouds, things in the garden are finally looking way up. Here is one of the larger sunflower stalks, started 3rd week in April. I will weed after the rain
 
Thursday, June 20 View Page
1911 is about 14 feet, stump on this plant is huge
 
Thursday, June 20 View Page
Leaves are also quite massive. This one measures 23"
 
Thursday, June 20 View Page
One of the crazy looking Big Marley blooms looking even crazier
 
Thursday, June 20 View Page
First truss on 5.95.. this one looks kinda mean
 
Thursday, June 20 View Page
Is this what love feels like? My best 4.28 Spaziani first-truss flower. This is an awesome seed Rick
 
Thursday, June 20 View Page
This was hard to photograph I am short lol
 
Saturday, June 22 View Page
Got a concussion a few days ago by falling down the stairs and putting my head through a wall. Had to work today and I cut my thumb on a can pretty good. Came home to discover the garden got slammed with hail and wind. Loving life lol. Will have to do a better assessment of extent of damage tomorrow. I know I lost some of my megablossoms.
 
Sunday, June 23 View Page
The tomatoes took the brunt of the hail damage, lost 4 out of 12 megablooms (not my biggest luckily) and a good amount of small branches were dangling. Overall I think they will be fine
 
Sunday, June 23 View Page
The 1911 has holes on about 50% of the leaves, the largest being the hardest hit. No damaged vines (Thank God). The 755* Berard (butchered genetics the last post) does have a damaged main vine - but will be treated and closely looked after. Everything looked a lot better this morning than I thought it did last night
 
Thursday, June 27 View Page
1911 Urena is looking loads better after the hail. Amazing how these plants bounce back. Over 17 feet long, pollinating in a week or so.
 
Thursday, June 27 View Page
Crazy rooting going on.
 
Thursday, June 27 View Page
Unburied node
 
Thursday, June 27 View Page
Non-buried* for last post.
 
Thursday, June 27 View Page
Tomatoes and Giant Sunflowers are loving the sun
 
Sunday, June 30 View Page
So this is the best first truss mega I have ever pollinated. Took drying petals off today. Off the 4.28 big marley. Man. Oh. Man. I'm excited. She's not even the biggest blossom I've got - they just aren't open yet. 3.90 is going down!!!! :)
 
Sunday, June 30 View Page
Another angle. Huge stem early on. Me likely. Me likely lots.
 
Sunday, June 30 View Page
Plants are all very healthy this year
 
Sunday, June 30 View Page
Who knew giant sunflowers were so fun in soil lol
 
Sunday, June 30 View Page
I feed them like the pumpkins. The leaves bloat the same
 
Tuesday, July 2 View Page
If you look really close you'll see me behind the 1911 plant! She's 22 feet long 23 feet wide, female at 20 feet should open on July 5th. That leaves 89-90 days until I harvest for topsfield. Excited!!
 
Thursday, July 4 View Page
"Henry-the giant cabbage savage"
 
Friday, July 5 View Page
Made my first cross today. Super excited. 1911 Urena x 1928 Daletas @ 20.5 feet out on the main.
 
Friday, July 5 View Page
Largest plant I've pollinated on, 26.5' wide
 
Friday, July 5 View Page
Not the prettiest, but not the ugliest either. I am satisfied.
 
Sunday, July 7 View Page
So now that I am seeing some people talk about clonex, I'd like to come forward and say that I have been using it since the start of the season, above and below every node. Was afraid to say anything as I thought people would laugh at the unconventional-mess of using clonex gel... Anyway here is what I have noticed: I think auxin levels in the clonex initially slow the plant down and thicken up the vines, leaves and roots... this process of thickening up/ slow growth went on for about 2-3 weeks. Soon after this, I began noticing the most insane tap rooting. Some nodes had what seemed like 50 tap roots shooting out. It was crazy. Then, I noticed that this plant was creating scar tissue unlike anything I had seen in the past. Every split on vine fully healed and scarred over, rather than being an open wound. 1911 plant also used to burn with every sunny day and I am noticing an incredible amount of burn resistance now. Clonex takes a while to be appreciated I'd say, but so far it's 100% worth every drop. Hopefully this helps someone out.
 
Monday, July 8 View Page
1911 x 1928 DAP 3. I like the shape on her.
 
Monday, July 8 View Page
Plant is doing phenomenal... ready to push!
 
Monday, July 8 View Page
Front view
 
Wednesday, July 10 View Page
DAP 5. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't pretty excited at this point.
 
Wednesday, July 10 View Page
Right side up? This dang app thing
 
Wednesday, July 10 View Page
All set up
 
Thursday, July 11 View Page
Big Marley
 
Thursday, July 11 View Page
Big marley
 
Monday, July 15 View Page
1911 x 1928 DAP 10
 
Monday, July 15 View Page
Drenching my ferts in this year with every single water (minus 1 fresh water day). During plant growth period kept solution under 450 ppm. Raised it to 550 ppm and hit cruise control
 
Wednesday, July 17 View Page
12 DAP
 
Thursday, July 18 View Page
Selfie with the 1911 x 1928, 13 DAP 5" cc last 24 hours
 
Thursday, July 18 View Page
She finally outgrew her cover, needed an upgrade
 
Thursday, July 18 View Page
5.95 ramping up, about a month left
 
Thursday, July 18 View Page
Go Big-Marley go!
 
Thursday, July 18 View Page
Had to slide her back 3-4 inches, too much pressure. If you zoom in you can see the mini splits going on above the main vine leading into the fruit. She told me she felt muuuuch better now
 
Friday, July 19 View Page
I grew tertiaries back to fill in the space left by the weaker secondary vines early on
 
Sunday, July 21 View Page
Before her shape changes, I have named this girl "Liberty", after the Liberty bell. DAP 16 today
 
Sunday, July 21 View Page
Got Nub? (Lol she was a massive flower)
 
Monday, July 22 View Page
Check your stumps and stems daily...especially if its hot and humid like it has been
 
Wednesday, July 24 View Page
Been talking with Scott Marley and Spencer Glasgow, they have convinced me its time to stop growing plant... only a couple vines still growing
 
Wednesday, July 24 View Page
Been talking with Scott Marley and Spencer Glasgow, they have convinced me its time to stop growing plant... only a couple vines still growing
 
Thursday, July 25 View Page
DAP 20 on Liberty: 124 lbs, 20 lb gain over night
 
Tuesday, July 30 View Page
DAP 25, gained 35 lbs last 24 hours
 
Sunday, August 4 View Page
Today Liberty turns 30 days old, she is at 262" ott, or an est. 415 lbs. She has done an est. 87 lbs in the last 48 hours. Can't wait to see day 40!
 
Friday, August 9 View Page
DAP 35, 581 lbs est. Liberty did slow down with the cold nights, but the good news is daily gains appear to be on the rise again
 
Friday, August 9 View Page
Photo from the other day, but shows a good side view shot
 
Friday, August 9 View Page
The evening sun is flattering on her, apologies if I'm posting too much - never had a pumpkin last long, getting excited for potentially making my first weighoff
 
Friday, August 9 View Page
Liberty DAP 42
 
Thursday, August 15 View Page
Picture from day 39, yesterday was day 40 and she taped 740 lbs, gains are slowing but remain above 25 lbs per day. Keep chugging liberty...keep chugging..50 days left
 
Friday, August 16 View Page
Posted the wrong date, hope this is better
 
Saturday, October 12 View Page
Wow I haven't posted in a while - let me recap the season: Tomatoes started out awesome, had the best megas I'd ever gotten - then had a hailstorm that took about 1/2, lost more to heat... managed a couple tomatoes over 20", my chickens decided to destroy those tomatoes while on still the plants while I was in North Carolina.
 
Saturday, October 12 View Page
Liberty, my 1911 x 1928, was growing strong. That is, until about DAP 40-45, where growth completly haulted. Upon disecting the plant, I had 2 areas of rot in the main vine near an early crack in the stump (even with the stump cover and no direct stump watering) Here is Liberty a few days before she was cut
 
Saturday, October 12 View Page
:(
 
Saturday, October 12 View Page
Ott: 331.5", or est. 836.5 lbs
 
Saturday, October 12 View Page
All was not lost! Thankfully Art Kaczenski gave me one of his 525 seeds, and she got planted as a backup. Here is the 525 on June 27th, so tinnnny...
 
Saturday, October 12 View Page
Here is the 525 on Oct, 3rd the day before Topsfield. Man was she fun to look at in the patch
 
Saturday, October 12 View Page
595.5! Lighter than I thought but I'll take it!! After 3 years trying we finally made a weighoff!!
 
Saturday, October 12 View Page
Henry bringing the heat with his 1138 lber, good job bro!
 
Saturday, October 12 View Page
Alex Noel's 2294.5 before weigh-in, what a monster!!
 

 

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