Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 36 Entries. Wednesday, May 26 View Page Started 12 plants this year and went with the most promising. This is the 1281.5 Butler- 1911 Urena x 2003 Haist. It popped first and is, so far, a very nice plant. Late transplant this year because of the cold wet weather.   Wednesday, May 26 View Page Today’s high is 29, too much too soon, the reason for the shade. Up until last night the overnight temps have been quite low.   Wednesday, May 26 View Page I’m only keeping one of these. Both plants are about equal and are fighting it out for second place. Closest is 1493 Johnston- 2528 Geddes x 2003 Haist. The other is 1742 Vanheuckelom- 1989 Daletas x 2016 Boonen Herman.   Wednesday, May 26 View Page This one back-up is 1867 Biermans- 2624 x 2016 Boonen- Herman.   Wednesday, May 26 View Page Today the tomatoes come out and the peppers go in. Going with 11 tomato plants. The three pots in front are castor bean plants, got the seeds a few years ago from the seed exchange. Growing these for fun.   Wednesday, May 26 View Page Here is the pic. Sorry about the sideways pics- stupid iPhone.   Thursday, May 27 View Page Doing some work around the yard and this crawled out of the box I was holding. Turns out to be a wolf spider, I think, and native to Nova Scotia.   Friday, June 11 View Page Sweet   Sunday, July 11 View Page This one is 1493 Johnston x 1281 Butler 8 DAP.   Sunday, July 11 View Page This is 1281 Butler x self. It’s on a side vine only a foot or so off the main and 12-13 feet out. 3 DAP   Sunday, July 11 View Page This is another 1281 x self on the main about 14 feet out. It’s only 2 days after pollination. Not sure which one to keep.   Sunday, July 11 View Page This is the 1281 plant really filling in nicely. So far a trouble free plant. Only complaint is soooo many females, I don’t one to sneak in.   Wednesday, July 21 View Page Well I cut the one on the secondary just off the main. It was the right decision because the next day......   Wednesday, July 21 View Page It’s bigger already and positioned well.   Wednesday, July 21 View Page This is what it looks like at day 10. We just had 2 inches of rain in under an hour, hope she holds up.   Wednesday, July 21 View Page I don’t expect much from this one. The plant is small and some vines already self terminating. My bigger plant is twice as big and growing nicely still.   Thursday, July 29 View Page This is day 20 on the 1251.5 R. Butler x self. By far the biggest day 20 I’ve ever had. Plant still chugging along.   Thursday, July 29 View Page Not sure what to think. About 6 secondaries and several tertiary vines growing but the main seems to have self terminated. Day 30 and 40 should be interesting.   Thursday, July 29 View Page One more shot.   Thursday, July 29 View Page The seed is 1251.5 R. Butler, not 1281.5 R. Butler, as I previously listed. The cross is the same, 1911 Urena x 2003 Haist.   Wednesday, August 11 View Page Day 30 and she’s still chugging along nicely. I hope all the rain we have had lately, and we have had a lot, won’t slow things down.   Monday, August 23 View Page Day 40- I like big butts, we have been away the past three week ends and going away tomorrow for five days. This plant and fruit are amazing.   Monday, August 23 View Page Sorry about the photo.   Sunday, August 29 View Page Day 50 and she’s still here. We were away for 5 days and three week ends in a row. Hoping for a warm September.   Thursday, September 2 View Page About 3.5 inches of rain in no time. I don’t know if the patch can handle it. I didn’t check anything today. Still raining. Great to be an onion farmer.   Thursday, September 2 View Page On a brighter note, this is a pic of one of my four castor bean plants. The seeds came from an exotic seed exchange a few years ago.   Thursday, September 2 View Page Same as previous entry. The zinnias came from an exotic seed exchange a few years ago.   Friday, September 3 View Page There is a stream that flows around our property. It overflowed.......   Friday, September 3 View Page And it’s still rising   Friday, September 3 View Page Doesn’t seem any worse for wear, except for some minor cracking around the stem.   Friday, September 3 View Page I’m hoping these stay the way they are.   Thursday, September 9 View Page Nothing to do with pumpkins, but I saw a guy make a knife out of a table saw blade and I had to try it.   Thursday, September 9 View Page Step one.   Thursday, September 9 View Page Steps 2-6. I won’t do it again but it was fun.   Thursday, September 9 View Page I think it’s done. Will probably take it to the Gkad Garden’s weigh off off in a few weeks.   Wednesday, September 15 View Page Hoping these go to seed before the first hard frost. They spent the better part of a year on my basement fridge and now they are a sprouting leaves. Two are red mangel and the others are yellow Eckondorf.