Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 10 Entries. Wednesday, March 11 View Page Took the day preparing a few spots where I will plant this year. I spread some chicken liter that I will till in later. Here in the South growing in the heat is the biggest challenge. The best strategy seems to be watering in the morning and then shading during the heat of the day. Last summer when my plant was covered in the shade by a nearby tree (around 4 pm) it would visibly perk up, so this year I have picked out a spot where the shade hits about 1pm which should cover it during the hottest part of the day. It has been my experience that if the plants down here are left in the full sun then they wilt like crazy and die after a few weeks no matter how much water you give them or fertilizer you use. I will also start a seed or two almost a month early this year to see how it goes. My goal is to have a plant in the ground by April 6.   Friday, May 22 View Page 1533.5 Rea is starting to spread, growing real nice.   Thursday, June 11 View Page 1533.5 Rea growing really strong!   Thursday, June 11 View Page 1533.5 Rea continues to grow strong. About 12 inches a day.   Tuesday, June 30 View Page 1533 Rea continues to do really well. Looks like we might have a keeper.   Tuesday, July 7 View Page Rea 1533 so far.   Tuesday, July 14 View Page Weekly progress of the 1533 Rea. It’s growing under a 70% shade cloth as of yesterday and will probably continue to from now on. The summer heat is here!   Monday, July 20 View Page The 1533 Rea is adding somewhere around 20lbs per day. Hopefully I can keep her going in the 90+ degree heat.   Monday, July 20 View Page Here's a better shot of the plant and pumpkin growing under a shade cloth. I'm trying to find the right balance between too much and too little watering. I water mostly in the morning and maybe a little more in the afternoon if it's really hot. The entire plant is in the shade by 4pm which helps a lot. I'm also learning what else to feed it while she continues to grow.   Tuesday, August 18 View Page It was a great season! Could have ended better, but working in the patch was always a joy! Here's a short video I put together for friends: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP6R0fLgGOo&t=131s