Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 78 Entries. Saturday, March 28 View Page After being off for 2 seasons, I am going to try to grow this 2020 season. As you can see, we have poor drainage at the new property. Yes, ducks love it here, so do frogs, lol. I got 2 hoops up in the brief dry snap about a week ago and put out tarps on the lower spot for 2 more hoops. Not sure if we will ever dry up enough to get those going. My soil can use another season or two to get it “up to par”, in my opinion.   Saturday, May 23 View Page 2095 Brandt on left, 2261.5 Wallace on right. Pic taken last Sat. Have to decide on on in a few days. Both have 3 ft mains now.   Saturday, May 23 View Page 1937 Urena on left, 1868 Sherwood. Both plants are very yellow, which are starting to green up with the warm snap. The 1937 is the one I'm hoping to keep, but it’s growing straight up, having trouble getting it down.   Saturday, May 23 View Page Two Jutras squash.   Sunday, June 14 View Page 1407 Jutras squash, doing good , maybe 8 ft long.   Sunday, June 14 View Page 2261 Wallace plant. I started this one a week earlier than the others, its around 14-15 foot now. I should be pollinating tomorrow the 17th, around 12 ft out.   Sunday, June 14 View Page 1868 Sherwood plant, looking fine at around 9-10’ long now. All plants had their 2nd dose of amendments last week.   Wednesday, June 17 View Page Pollinated 2261 Wallace x self this morning, 12 ft out, 6 lobe.   Wednesday, June 24 View Page This morning, 6-24-20, 2nd pollination on the 2261 Wallace. About 15-16 ft out, 5 lobe, very good vine set up. Hoping to keep this one. One more farther out in a few days. Thos plant has been problem free so far.   Wednesday, June 24 View Page 2261 plant, looking good, around 18’ long now.   Wednesday, June 24 View Page In the foreground is the 1407 Jutras squash. Still waiting for a late June pollination.   Wednesday, June 24 View Page 1868 Sherwood plant. Today i decided to cut a large leaf off right up on the main vine, which had fallen over due to a kink on the stalk. Not only did i cut the leaf off , but cut the 7 ft long secondary vine beneath it! Dang, that sucked !!   Tuesday, June 30 View Page 3 pollinations this morning. #3 on 2261 Wallace x 1868 Sherwood. 4 lobe 20 ft out #2 on 1868 Sherwood x 2261 Wallace, 4 lobe 16 ft out # 1 on 1407 Jutras x self Going to be very hot today, some shade cloth out and ice bottles and coolers.   Saturday, July 4 View Page Pollinated the 1868 Sherwood X 2261 Wallace, #2. Nice long 4 lobe. Around 17-18 ft out.   Tuesday, July 7 View Page Day 20 for the 2261 Wallace. 186.5 ott. Planning on cutting #2 off tomorrow morning. No bugs to speak of. Very hot and dry the past week and a half.   Friday, July 10 View Page Day ten today for the 1868 Sherwood fruit. Kind of small, but it seems to be picking it up. This plant seems to have excessive nitrogen, as the vine tips are way up in the air, and very brittle. I have a back up in the back of the picture several days behind it. We got 1/4 inch of much needed rain last night. Im turning the water off today.   Friday, July 10 View Page The 1407 Jutras squash is at day ten today, and doing very good. I have a twin in the background, pollinated the same day. It is just a tiny bit smaller than the chosen one. That one has a stem split that is perpendicular to the stem, right at the stem / vine junction, so i chose the other one. The one that has the mill fabric also has stem splits , but the y run parallel with the long stem. One split on top and one on the bottom. They are healing as it is growing, but i must keep an eye on them that the pumpkin does not start to split. I will cut the back up off in a few days.   Friday, July 10 View Page Day 23 for the 2261 Wallace. Weight gains have moved up into the upper 30’s the past 24 hrs. I will do a five day average on Sunday, at day 25.   Friday, July 10 View Page My only 2 sunflowers, about 4.5 ft tall.   Saturday, July 11 View Page I am getting some odd yellowing of leaves on three side vines. Two side vines right before my pumpkin and the very next side vine past the pumpkin, all on the same side of the pumpkin. We finally got some decent rain yesterday and this morning. This afternoon is when I first noticed these leaves. It looks as though the veins are getting the yellowing. I turned the leaves over on all 3 infected vines, and i see what looks like light brown dust, almost like the backs are drying out, but that is not the case. I am wondering if this is some kind of mildew ??? I looked through Matt D’s pictures and do not see anything like this. This pumpkin is putting on big weights right now. Could this be a deficiency ??? But what about the odd dust like stuff on the back of the leaves ? I do not think that it is soil splash, because none of my green leaves have this, only the ones with the yellowing. Please look at the following two pictures, and if you think you have a good idea of what this is, please email me.   Saturday, July 11 View Page This is the back with the odd light brown dust like stuff.   Sunday, July 12 View Page Day 11 for 1868 Sherwood fruit. Going to be a long and ribby one. I have good luck getting the long ones to the end.   Sunday, July 12 View Page Day 11 for the 1407 Jutras squash. A little bigger than a basketball. Seems to be doing very well. Please stay green for me.   Sunday, July 12 View Page Day 25 for the 2261 Wallace pumpkin. 242.5” ott, 328#. This one went crazy the last 5 days, putting on 174# for an average of almost 35# a day. We got rain and have been cloudy the past 2 1/2 days and i noticed that gains have dropped off. I am hoping it is just the weather and not the 3 vines with yellowing leaves. No squash bugs at all, so i don't think its Yvd. Hopefully just a deficiency or just weather related.   Sunday, July 12 View Page I have always had leaves falling over on the edge of the patch, so this year I'm trying some wide tape to help hold them up. Seems to be working well.   Sunday, July 12 View Page This is a new patch I'm growing on and to my surprise, very few weeds. I have not had to go in to weed yet.   Sunday, July 12 View Page Just a correction, the 1407 Jutras and 1868 Sherwood are both at day 12 on Sunday the 12th.   Friday, July 17 View Page Day 30 for the 2261.5 Wallace, and its a personal best by far. 280.5” ott, for about 510#. It picked up the pace last night. I hit it with some K yesterday before the rain. Looks like its going to be a very wide pumpkin. Going to need sand on the right side.   Friday, July 17 View Page I thought the 2261.5 was doing great, but this 1407 Jutras may be doing even better. Day 17 and its already at 179” ott. Day 20 will be a nice one if it holds together.   Friday, July 17 View Page Im not crazy about the 1868 Sherwoods shapein the stem end, but i have to go with it. Its growing so that is good. This plant has very high N, and may pose a growing issue. We will see.   Friday, July 17 View Page This pic goes with the entry above. The 1407 Jutras squash at day17.   Monday, July 20 View Page Day 20 for 1407 Jutras. Taped at 216.5 inches, smashing my pb from earlier this year with the 2261.5. Mid thirties at day 20, I will take it. This has a very nice plant behind it.   Monday, July 20 View Page The 1868 Sherwood fruit, doing good. Day 20 its at 187.5” ott. Also a nice looking plant.   Sunday, July 26 View Page Sunday update. 1868 fruit is doing very well with gains in upper 30’s for a 6 day average. 255” ott, around 382#. Besides the leaf canopy being 4 ft tall from too much N, plant health is very good, for now.   Sunday, July 26 View Page Sophia posing with “ Big Papa Pump”, the 2261.5 pumpkin. Day 39 today. I will measure tomorrow on day 40, then only measuring on weekends going forward. Its doing well with gains averaging in mid 30’s all week. This plant took a beating with rain last week. Again, the high N is costing me. Leaves are collapsing all over the interior, not good. I have new growth popping out all through there, its a mess that needs tidying up.   Sunday, July 26 View Page 1407 Jutras is cranking on the pounds. I am very impressed by this young day 26 squash. Average gains for 6 days have been 42#. Sitting at 276.5 ott, about 487#. This should be over 600 at day 30 this Thursday, as long as the stump stays where it is at, and does not get worse. Next pic will show stump.   Sunday, July 26 View Page Seems like the good ones always get a leak. My son thought that it looked a little wet near the stump on Thursday. I was not sure because we had rain a few days earlier and the patch was still wet. Well, we checked it again Friday afternoon and it was definitely leaking. I carefully pulled all the dirt back with a spoon. I sliced it open with my fillet knife. To my surprise, the interior of the stump was green and solid, no issue with any rot. It was leaking where a root joined the stump. It was loose from rot starting so i pulled it off. I caught this early enough that i think i will be fine. I squirted peroxide solution on it and have a fan going now to dry the inside.   Tuesday, July 28 View Page Don't worry, this is not a crime scene, lol 1.7 inches of rain yesterday afternoon was too much for a few rows of leaves on my 1407 Jutras plant. I had to stake a mess of them up. If we had wind, it could have been much worse. ThIs plant and my 1868 Sherwood plant made out very good. The squash is doing great after Saturdays surgery on the stump. Its gains are in the mid 40’s which I am loving. With that much water in the patch, we could have a splitter today or tonight. I would also expect growth to slow a little until the patch dries out after a few days.   Tuesday, July 28 View Page This is now my problem child plant, the 2261.5 Wallace plant. A mess more leaves came down with yesterdays storm. I have new growth starting all through there. Im not looking forward to trying to get this plant in better shape.   Thursday, July 30 View Page Day 30 for “Mean Joe Green”, He did not disappoint. 308” ott, 674#, DANG !! 48.5# average past 2 days. Apparently this one likes the 1.7” of rain 3 days ago.   Thursday, July 30 View Page A different angle. Getting lots of cataloping the past few days.   Thursday, July 30 View Page The 1868 Sherwood pumpkin also at day 30 today. This one is no slouch either. 289” ott, 558 pounds, averaging 44# a day the past 4 days.   Thursday, July 30 View Page Some of the nice plant beyond the pumpkin. All plants are getting close to totally filling in their space, another week maybe.   Sunday, August 2 View Page If the rain stops, maybe i will post a few pics later. Rain most of the day yesterday, 3/4”. Over 2” for the week. Busy morning. Had to move the squash back 3 inches, did the other two pumpkins yesterday. Measured for the week. Found that under my squashes stem, had a small leak where the vine joins the stem. Had to scrape some brown off, peroxide, and got a fan on it. Also had to set a tarp over, to keep the fan and stem dry. We seem to be back to typical Western PA weather now. It was an incredible past month, so I really cant complain. All pumpkins are on a very good pace at the moment, but that can change very fast for the worse.   Sunday, August 2 View Page The 2261.5 “ Big Papa Pump” is at day 46 and 358” ott, 162” cc, around 1043 lbs. down to 33# a day average for the past 6 days. The 1868 is at day 33 and at 308” ott, 145.5” cc, est around 674#. 38.67# a day aver for the past 3 days. Almost 42# a day the past 7 days. The 1407 Jutras, “ Mean Joe Green” day 33, 326” ott, cc around 142”. Around 797 pounds. 44# a day aver the past 7 days. ThIs squash has been very consistent since day 20. Its going to be a cooler week, hopefully the sun will shine some.   Sunday, August 9 View Page Day 53 for 2261.5 Wallace, 376” ott, about 1196# est. only 22# a day. Cooler nights and days last week, plus wet soil from rain last weekend. No stump pr vine issues yet, just fallen leaves and lots of new tertiary growth popping up, which i need to clear out.   Sunday, August 9 View Page Star of week in my patch is the 1868 Sherwood. Day 40, 342.5” ott, about 920#, up 246# this week, averaging 35 a day. I have a stem split im dealing with for 1 1/2 weeks now. Seems to be dry after slicing the stem forward.   Sunday, August 9 View Page 1407 Jutras squash at day 40, 352.5” ott, 998#. Up 201# for week averaging about 28.7# a day for week. Stump is giving me more issues now. Hopefully the nice weather and fan will dry it up.   Sunday, August 23 View Page 1868 Sherwood at day 54, doing ok in only 5 hrs of sun, and 3 very cool nights. Up 144# this week, averaged 20.57# a day, 385” ott, around 1275. Getting very ribby the past 1 1/2 weeks. 2 weeks ago this one averaged 30# a day .   Sunday, August 23 View Page 1407 Jutras squash at day 54 today. Up only 109# for week, averaged 15.6# a day. This squash surpassed the PA current record last weekend at day 47. Today it's ott is 384.5” around 1270# “Pumpkin Picker Orange”, best of luck with your two big squash !! I think the record will be broken possibly a few times.   Sunday, August 23 View Page 2261.5 Wallace at day 67. 403.5” ott, about 1445#, up 98# for week, around 14# a day.   Wednesday, September 2 View Page Patch update, All 3 are still growing. Very humid and wet the past week has me treating vines and stems. The 2261.5 Wallace pumpkin has gone over 1500# and closing in on a Personal best. It did about 12 # a day last week. The 1868 Sherwood fruit is doing the best the past 3 weeks, over 1400#, still doing 17 # a day with only 4 hrs of sunlight when we get sun. This one also has a very good chance to give me a personal best. The 1407 Jutras squash is doing ok also. It is over 1300 and did about 11# a day last week.   Sunday, September 6 View Page I was off work for a week in late June and decided to dig a frog pond. It was more as an experiment to see how well my clay would hold water. When its dry, i seem to loose about 1” of water a day. Im glad i dug it to 3.5 feet in the middle. It has not dried up totally yet, as we have got decent rains just in time to refill it. And yes, the frogs move in very fast. The first night it filled, I had about 12 frogs move in. Every consecutive night more moved in. I counted about 80 jumping in at the peak, several days after the initial fill up. Keeping the patch well watered , i have many living in the patch also. Unfortunately, several have been squished under my walking boards.   Sunday, September 6 View Page 1407 Jutras, day 68. Still growing so no complaints. Only doing about 8# a day this past week, around 1408# now. Eric, “Pumpkin Picker”, i think you got this !   Sunday, September 6 View Page 1868 Sherwood day 68, up about 80 for the past 6 days, still doing 13 a day. This has been the best growing the past 4 weeks now. Im impressed with only about 4 hrs of sun on this plant, the past 4 weeks. Im in the process of taking trees down to get more light for next season. Around 1491#. Sounds like a bolder   Sunday, September 6 View Page Big Papa Pump, 2261.5 Wallace at day 81. Around 1587#, up 48 lb the past 6 days, 8# a day average. This plant has new growth popping everywhere. Its a huge mess , and its going to stay that way.   Wednesday, September 9 View Page With 2” of rain on Monday, plants took a beating. Not helping matters. Mistakes WILL be corrected for next year.   Wednesday, September 9 View Page Same plant as above post, the 1868. Not sure whats going on here, but it has vine rot that i have been treating on the main vine. This vine is a secondary that shoots off the main vine near the rot area. Main vine is still very solid. I have never had leaves turn that color, and it happened rather quickly. I am monitoring closely.   Sunday, September 27 View Page Squash plant is in bad shape. It cant be gaining very much at this point. I saw about 22# gain last week. I did not check this past weekend. This will get picked later this week.   Sunday, September 27 View Page Here is a stem pic of the squash. Main vine and stem have been very good, only minor issues. The stump is pretty much shot.   Sunday, September 27 View Page Another angle. Very tough to get a good picture of this squash.   Sunday, September 27 View Page Tripod is in place and ready for later this week.   Sunday, September 27 View Page 2261.5 Wallace fruit is hanging in there. I had some stump rot progressing very fast 2 weeks ago when we were wet and humid. Fans are just great for drying that stuff up. Warm and sunny weather is a huge plus too.   Sunday, September 27 View Page Its a decent fruit but sounds like a balloon.   Monday, September 28 View Page This was my Barnesville entry, 1578 Zappa ( Lee and Derrik). I had to pick it two weeks ago, so it lost a few pounds no doubt. Vine rot was getting too close to the stem. Cross is 1868 Sherwood (2016) X 2261.5 Wallace (2016) This fruit was a very good grower. Gains dropped off pretty fast in late August when I was only getting 4.5 hrs of sun.   Monday, September 28 View Page Blossom end   Monday, September 28 View Page Stem end. Yep, that stem started splitting and ripping the flesh open way back around day 24. I did not wast time slicing the stem forward all the way up to the vine on both sides. I got a fan on it and it dried and healed up, no issues after that with the stem. 6” of rain at the end of August and early September was too much and the vine started to rot all over past the fruit.   Monday, September 28 View Page Yesterdays work. My son and I got two big maples down and have 5 or 6 more trees to cut down to give me more late afternoon sun.   Monday, September 28 View Page Im hoping to get at least two more hours of sun after we get some more down.   Thursday, October 1 View Page I wish my plant still looked this good, lol. This pic was from back in early to mid August i believe. The squash will be getting weighed in two days. Good luck to everybody this weekend.   Tuesday, October 6 View Page What a great week to have off from work. Starting to get 3/4 of the patch cleaned out, and finding American green frogs all over the place, especially under my walking boards. What great critters to have in your patch !! They, along with toads are bug eating machines. Dragon flies, which i had many all season, are just as good. Bugs were not an issue at my new patch/ property this year.   Tuesday, October 6 View Page This is from last Saturday at the PGPGA weigh off. My son Derrik and I had a good day. We have tried back in 2017 for the squash title and unfortunately the color changed too much that year. We tried a different seed this year, the 1407 Jutras, and everything held together for us. Cross is 1407 Jutras X self. 13% heavy   Tuesday, October 6 View Page A few pics of it on a pallet.   Tuesday, October 6 View Page Sideview   Tuesday, October 6 View Page Stem was very long. Sorry for backlighting on this and next photo.   Tuesday, October 6 View Page Other side. This was a very symmetrical squash.   Friday, October 9 View Page Big Papa Pump is a pretty wide pumpkin, a few inches shy of 6 foot. I was surprised that after 3 weeks of not taping, that it measures out to be my biggest ott / weight ever. Heading to Ohio Valley weigh off.   Sunday, November 1 View Page You can’t tell how big the fruit is, but this is our 1652.5# squash. We lit her up last night. For a big pumpkin, soak a roll of paper towels in diesel fuel, kero, or heating oil, getting it good and saturated. Stand it up inside the pumpkin, and light the bottom of the roll with a torch or lighter. It will burn for 20-30 minutes. For a smaller pumpkin, you can use a roll of toilet paper.