Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 28 Entries. Sunday, March 29 View Page I’m going to grow two bushel gourd plants this year. This will be my third year growing in the same place and I started to get disease problems last year. I had gummy stem blight very bad by the end of the season. I decided to solarize the soil this spring before planting in it. I did this at my old house about ten years ago and grew my largest AG ever following the solarization.   Friday, May 1 View Page I’m growing a 384 Terry and my 344 Price. I soak them in straight hydrogen peroxide for two days to reduce chance of seed borne disease. This will be the first time ever growing one of my own seeds.   Thursday, June 4 View Page Here’s the 344. This spot isn’t as good due to being closer to trees. Their roots come into this spot stealing water and nutrients and also shading it.   Friday, July 10 View Page 384 near and 344 far. The 384 is much bigger so far. I have 8 pollinations that took on it. All of them are on side vines at the first leaf junction. Still waiting for a pollination on the 344.   Friday, July 17 View Page Here is the keeper on the 384 on day 10. Pollinated on 7/7 and crossed it with my 344. It is the only 4 lober which is why I went with it. All 8 pollinations on this plant had this same terrible shape with a long neck which I’m not happy about. I don’t have high hopes for this one.   Tuesday, July 21 View Page Problems with the 384 stump. Treated with fungicide but keeps oozing.   Tuesday, July 21 View Page I finally got a set on the 344. It’s a 3 lober and crossed with the 384.   Tuesday, July 21 View Page Here’s any early leaf problem I had on the 344. I don’t know what it was. I sprayed fungicide and that seems to have stopped the spread.   Thursday, July 23 View Page Day 16 on the 384   Thursday, July 23 View Page I decided to take a measurement. Day 16 on the 384 not including the neck of the gourd. 44 in circumference.   Thursday, July 23 View Page Day 8 (I think) for the set on the 344. This one has a good shape.   Monday, July 27 View Page Day 12 on the 344. Main vine was terminated a few days ago and only a few secondaries still growing.   Monday, July 27 View Page Day 20 on the 384. Measurements are 56+42+41= 139 OTT Estimated weight of 78 lbs It’s difficult to get a good measurement with the long snout.   Tuesday, July 28 View Page Current shot of the patch all filled in.   Tuesday, August 4 View Page Day 20 for the bushel gourd growing on the 344 plant. 63cc 44. 45= 152 OTT Something is wrong with the gourd on the 384. The growth has slowed to a crawl.   Friday, August 14 View Page Day 30 for the 344. 81 57 58=196ott   Friday, August 14 View Page Day 38 for the 344. 79 58 60=. 197ott This one has slowed way down. It has kept the same funny shape. I thought it might fill out the long neck section but hasn’t.   Monday, August 24 View Page Day 40 for the 344. 91 63 67= 221ott   Monday, August 24 View Page I think I found the issue. We were on vacation last week and I came home to a heavy gummy stem blight infestation. I have been spraying fungicide and used two different granular systemic fungicides throughout the season. I don’t know what else to do.   Monday, August 24 View Page Day 48 for the 384 86 61 64= 211 OTT   Monday, August 24 View Page Even new growth from sucker vines have gummy stem damage.   Thursday, September 3 View Page With the State Fair cancelled and no chance at a PB this year I gave up on the gummy stem blight fight and let them go for a few weeks. The GSB started to migrate to the gourd so I decided to have a weigh-off tonight.   Thursday, September 3 View Page Today was day 50. We’ll call it the 295 Price UOW. It is a 344 Price x 385 Terry. Final measurements were 97 68 71= 236 OTT. The estimated weight was 308 so it went a little light.   Thursday, September 3 View Page Not the year I had hoped for but since there was no local weigh-off this year, this was a good year to have a bad year. I’m disappointed that the solarization didn’t work better to control the gsb. I’ll be looking for better ways to control it next year. I will weigh the other gourd in the next few days and clean out the patch.   Saturday, September 5 View Page I weighed in the gourd on the 384 today. Today was day 30. There was no damageFrom gummy stand light on this fruit and it would’ve made it to the fair easily.   Saturday, September 5 View Page Correction to previous post. Today was day 60 for the gourd on the 384.   Saturday, September 5 View Page 266 Price UOW 384 Terry x 344 Price   Saturday, September 5 View Page The long neck never did get absorbed. When I cut it up, that part was solid and heavy. Seeds have been harvested from both gourds and I’ll begin patch prep for next year.