Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 77 Entries. Tuesday, January 8 View Page Seed packs are completed and most have been mailed out. I did a something a little different with the packaging. I had five goals in mind. Make it obvious if it was tampered with, breathable design to fend off moisture issues, display information with a nice picture, compact for easy storage, and be able to see the seed on all sides without opening. I feel like this solution met all criteria and is far more interesting than a white envelope. Get your hands on a couple this weekend from the Wisc Club Sale.   Tuesday, February 5 View Page Increasing my patch size in hopes to raise a jacket this year.   Saturday, February 9 View Page You can find us on Facebook. If you request to join the group an admin will approve you (its free).   Tuesday, March 12 View Page First till of patch extension completed. Amendments up next followed by a final till before things get going. Spring is in the air. :)   Tuesday, March 19 View Page Stella working the organic matter into the patch extension. I also added some micro amendments today....Boron, Mag, Copper, ect   Monday, April 1 View Page Go time..... Grow time. Seven starts set.   Monday, April 8 View Page West Virginia dirt copperhead   Monday, April 8 View Page Likely why my drainage is so good.   Friday, April 12 View Page Both of my planted 2145's have germed. Took the second 2145 almost 11 days at 85 deg to crack the soil. I preformed a little surgery on that seed 3 days ago to help it along. 2003 Haist back up was started just a couple days ago. It should pop today or tomorrow.   Friday, April 12 View Page These pretty gals are about ready to hit the hot huts.   Saturday, April 13 View Page One of the huts waiting for a plant.   Saturday, April 13 View Page Another picture with coil layout.   Wednesday, April 17 View Page Wolf transplant technique....patent pending. Thank Andy for the tip(s).   Thursday, April 18 View Page One of the 2145's digging in to her new home.   Tuesday, April 23 View Page Dustin, Here's Gimpy.   Wednesday, April 24 View Page All of my competition plants are in the ground now with a couple back ups waiting on deck as needed. I will start a few pretty orange non comp plants next Tuesday. The roster is as such: (1) 2145 McMullen (1) 1971.5 Barlow (2) 1742 Wolf (1) 1501 V/W Comp Backups remaining are 2003 Haist and 1971.5 Barlow. The picture in this post is of my 1501 VW.   Thursday, April 25 View Page For those wondering, this is what happened to my other 2145 start. Live and learn.   Saturday, April 27 View Page 2145 Gimpy starting to limpy along.   Monday, April 29 View Page Wolf Pack ..... 1742 ..... Amazing plant Andy.   Tuesday, April 30 View Page Three days has been good for Gimpy Dustin. She is starting to get legs.   Tuesday, April 30 View Page Stella and Solomon's Sunflowers. They are pretty excited!   Sunday, May 5 View Page 1501 is outgrowing the hut. I may end up with a larger plant than normal before I set a kin on this one. The other plants are normal and on schedule.   Wednesday, May 8 View Page Gimpy has outgrown her name. She is now on target with last year's plants.   Wednesday, May 8 View Page Your 1742 is starting to run Andy.   Wednesday, May 8 View Page 1501 is 8-10 days ahead of schedule. The hut is off and she is doing work. I plan to drop the huts on the other 4 plants after this weekend's cold snap.   Wednesday, May 8 View Page The picture for the last post.   Wednesday, May 8 View Page So, Dustin, when I go to a summertime cookout that's crazy hot...picture it... there I am sweating like a wild mad eating a cheeseburger....hair soaked. Is that human Guttation? Or just the common meat sweats? Either way, here are the tall sunflowers.   Monday, May 13 View Page Joe, if she goes.....it will be a festive departure.   Monday, May 20 View Page First female on the 1501 has shown up at about 12'.   Monday, May 27 View Page Gimpy starting to stretch a little. The weather here has been agreeable.   Tuesday, May 28 View Page Where my girls at?   Saturday, June 1 View Page 1501 VW continues to be our most aggressive plant. Dad and myself are into full on vine burying mode now.   Saturday, June 8 View Page Overcast and rainy for 3 days now. My plants are looking for the sun. I think Jay Yohe sent me some of that Pennsylvania weather. Growth is still nice but color could be better. The next two weeks are going to be very busy in the patch with pollination and vine maintenance.   Sunday, June 9 View Page 1501 Vander Wielen X Self. If this one sets and goes orange the self should strengthen that line.   Thursday, June 13 View Page Patch tour video. 6-13-19 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6xmOKXs2og   Thursday, June 13 View Page My daughters sunflowers now have a trellis. We aim to get the state record this year out of this 30 gallon tub.   Wednesday, June 19 View Page DAP-10 yesterday on the 1501 set. Great stem but slow starting uneven pumpkin. Looking at my other sets on this plant.   Wednesday, June 19 View Page Next prospect on the 1501 main. Set at 1000 feet from the stump.   Wednesday, June 19 View Page 1742 DAP-3. Nice looking pumpkin but a short stem. Andy offered me a comprehensive short stem coverage for this plant but I opted for liability insurance instead. I'll be spraying viagra foliar this evening.   Wednesday, June 19 View Page 2145 DAP-2. Pops and I like everything about this set. 17'ish feet out, good stem, nice shape, and perfect nodal arrangement. I hope to see it still kicking at DAP-10 and doing as anticipated.   Friday, June 21 View Page Video update 6-21-19 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUMDdewEKDc   Tuesday, June 25 View Page All in on our 1742.   Wednesday, June 26 View Page Dance floor spread out. All in now for the 1501.   Thursday, June 27 View Page Even with a nice sprinkler system I still like to spend time with my hos.   Sunday, June 30 View Page Squash bug patrol officer Mr Toad.   Monday, July 8 View Page Mostly full up just 3-4 hundred square feet left for salad.   Sunday, July 14 View Page DAP-34 on the 1501 VW with a 132" cc. We need rain. My storage will go dry by Tuesday and then back to tap.   Tuesday, July 16 View Page Click, Click, Click.   Wednesday, July 24 View Page 50 Deg last night. July 23rd.....really? I mean come on.   Thursday, July 25 View Page State Record Tall Sunflower. Not official yet, but I have it.   Thursday, July 25 View Page Here is the picture of that sunflower.   Monday, July 29 View Page DAP-50 on the 1501 today.... 162" cc. Stem issues seem to be managed.   Wednesday, July 31 View Page Congratulations to Dustin for breaking the Cucumber WV State Record for weight. He beat the old record (which he held) by nearly 50%! Nicely done sir.   Monday, August 5 View Page DAP-57 for our 1501 VW. She is 173" in circumference and holding steady gains. Powdery mildew season is now here. Soooo....the battle has begun to keep foliage healthy.   Wednesday, August 7 View Page I took down my tall sunflower yesterday to measure and did indeed get the state record. It feels good to get the win. I'm amazed at the excitement a person can get from a silly tall sunflower. Video link to youtube below. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjKZuHSauL4   Wednesday, August 14 View Page 1742 Wolf east is slow but steady. 344ott DAP-58. I would love to see her make it to 405"   Wednesday, August 14 View Page 1742 Wolf west. Same story here...slow and steady growth, but she has an orange tint like Andy's 1624.5 last year. She also has a short but healthy stem.   Saturday, August 17 View Page Going Orange....what?   Sunday, September 1 View Page Is this what they mean when they say "final push". Pumpkin is 1742 Wolf x 2145 McMullen.   Thursday, September 12 View Page 1501 V/W is free from the vine and loaded up for this weekend. Not a personal best....but not bad given the conditions this summer. I learned quite a bit, and have more yet to learn. We will grow her seeds as she was the most aggressive grower that I have seen. Also, she only produced long kins.....and I tend to prefer that shape.   Saturday, September 14 View Page Trailer a pumpkin for 1050 miles in one direction and you will likely need to pull over to adjust the fruit. Jeep folk tend to know how to move things.   Saturday, September 14 View Page The bugs in Missouri are as big as the pumpkins in West Virginia.   Saturday, September 14 View Page Unloading Plump'kin at Claremore Oklahoma.   Saturday, September 14 View Page Weighing Tony Prochaska's pumpkin. He cleaned house BG, FP, and melon.   Saturday, September 14 View Page 1501vw x 1501vw is now...... 1418 Rodebaugh 2019. She was 393" and 5% heavy.   Saturday, September 14 View Page Top 3 pumpkins and Howard Dill.   Wednesday, September 18 View Page Thank you Dawn for the congrats. I am excited to see your lift and scale photos. Nice first year so far; you should be proud. Here is a picture of one of our 2 remaining pumpkins. Her cantalouping has barnacles but she is a beast. This girl is closing in on 100 days and will be DAP-122 at the scale. Ha!....take that Matt.   Monday, September 23 View Page Lifting the Rodebaugh 1418# into place for Halloween.   Monday, September 23 View Page The final set up.   Monday, September 30 View Page Princess (1742 Wolf) is our last pumpkin. DAP-106 and still moving ever so little......but moving.   Wednesday, October 9 View Page DAP-115 today for Princess. Still doing a hair better than 1/4" a day. Probably just puffing up like a deer alongside the summertime road.   Monday, October 14 View Page Getting that last little bit of fun out of our final pumpkin before Wednesday's weigh off. Still some of that "No shirt" weather here in the south.   Tuesday, October 15 View Page Locked and loaded. Also had our first frost of the fall this morning. Boooooooo.   Wednesday, October 16 View Page Andy, here is your 1742 Wolf. She is now the 1347.5 Rodebaugh. (1742 Wolf x 2145 McMullen). 12% heavy. So you delivered on the heavy my friend I just wish I could have gotten you more on the OTT. The plant was a real gem to grow. The foliage was resilient and the rooting was aggressive. DAP-122 and blemish free.   Wednesday, October 16 View Page Dustin and Krisha with their fat fruit took top honors. Dustin has busted his buns this season and it's pleasing to see that reflected at the scales. Good job my friend.   Wednesday, October 16 View Page Congratulations to my buddy Danny Vester on setting a new NORTH CAROLINA STATE RECORD at 1506.5#. This Pumpkin is so old that Danny was able to get is signed up for social security benefits....DAP-130. It takes some serious skill and a little luck to keep one going that long on the vine, and he did it in the south.   Thursday, November 7 View Page This was a nice local write up on my season and pumpkin endeavors.