Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 23 Entries. Wednesday, June 30 View Page Both 2183 Mendi   Wednesday, July 7 View Page One is white...   Wednesday, July 7 View Page And the second one is yellow   Saturday, July 10 View Page Plants are beautifull and very easy to look after. Unfortunately, spring has been poor, grey, wet and pretty cold here, 17C and rain most of the weeks. Even a good part of summer was similar with much less daylight than usual and low temperatures average. Soil temp struggle to rise up. Growth was affected at a early stage but I still worked hard everyday. I spent hours and hours just to weed regularly the patch. Buring the vines was done regularly to get as much as possible a nice rooting system. That was only the second time I was abbe to grow the whole season without any voles and moles. The first time was back in 2009 when I grew a 1611lber.   Thursday, July 22 View Page Healthy plants, growing slowly. We had a poor weather, spring and a good part of summer has been grey, wet and pretty cold here. Nothing we can do to improve that factor. 17C was the average air temp. Soil temp struggled to rise up which is affecting plant growth. I spent countless hours of weeding...burying vines and many more little things to check daily. Despite, those sad conditions, I keep concentrate all season on the plant. The positive note is the roots barrier. It s working perfectly to stop voles and moles. This is only the second season I m growing giant pumpkins without having this issue. The first time was back in 2009 when I grew the 1611lb ER at this time.   Tuesday, July 27 View Page The white 2183 Mendi was doing okay, plant was awesome, very aggressive, fat vines, massive stump. Flower had 5 lobes, I selfed it.   Thursday, August 5 View Page Both plants are just incredible. I noticed the white fruit plant was very heat tolérant. We met the first hot day at 32C ( around 40C inside the polytunnel without shading mesh) but none of the leaves flagged. The Orange fruit plant did stressed a little bit. I made a mistake regarding the watering set up. The driptapes going through the lenght of the tunnel are pressed by the weight of the vines and the pumpkin from the first plant. So, most of the water is dripping at the first plant and much less at the second plant ( the Orange fruit plant). To be improved for next year...   Friday, August 6 View Page Funny to see easily the 5 lobes of the flower. I like that cream color. Slow and steady grower Like most of my pumpkins. I believe the fact of using only organic stuff is the main reason. I started to worry à bit a this time cos I noticed some spidermites on the older leaves...predators are working hard to get ride of them pest but I think they will lose the battle. Fingers crossed.   Monday, August 16 View Page Mid august and a few PM spots are showing. The reason is the huge condensation of the plastic in the morning. Many big drops fall down on the leaves, it also reduces the light doing through the plastic, much less lux, no good... spraying biologicals to prevent PM work fine up to now. Milk, laminarine, B. Subtilis, baking soda, B.K, orange oil, severals plants purins, seaweed, etc... I have to accept the disease from now to the end, no chemicals at all.   Monday, August 16 View Page I had to pull back both pumpkins to release stem stress. We fixed a hoist to my little B2410 Kubota. Funny thing happens...the pumpkins werent not moving...but the tractor was sliding ! Since it weights 789kg, I know those pumpkins were heavy. I really love that feeling ! But we all know many bad things can happen in that hobby.   Monday, August 23 View Page As every year now, we grow about 700 tomato plants, mostly Big Zac and some different strains like Andines Cornues, ananas, Bulgares etc....and many courgettes, eggplants, cucumbers, Bell peppers, butternuts, spaghettis, sucrines du Berry etc...   Sunday, August 29 View Page The Orange 2183 Mendi was a bit different, pencil vines, tiny stump, 4 lobes flower but the longest stem that I have ever had which is very usefull to reduce stress. Very Nice plant too. I sibbed it.   Saturday, September 25 View Page The orange 2183 at day 107 was still growing very slowly. Nice shape, long stem, very cool plant to look after, could have been bigger with water lol This is one is going to the GPC French weigh off.   Sunday, October 3 View Page Won first place at GPC French weigh off with 1978lb Smashed my 1693lb National record grown last year. I strongly believe it should have been way bigger without the watering system mistake and more sun.   Sunday, October 3 View Page Won first place at GPC French weigh off with 1978lb Smashed my 1693lb National record grown last year. I strongly believe it should have been way bigger without the watering system mistake and more sun.   Sunday, October 3 View Page Went to European GPC weigh off in Germany. 20h driving to go and come back with a van was a special expérience. Meeting pumpkins friends and seeing monsters pumpkins was awesome ! I couldnt wait to know the final weight ! It tapes 464" and was still growing 6lb a day when picked up. That s the sad part, I hate cutting a pumpkin that is still growing. You know the last kilos are very important... It s 114 days old , could have grown over 120 days easily , plant was still in good shape.   Monday, October 4 View Page The last pumpkin was still growing nicely. I made another mistake on this one, the mainvine was badly bended just before the fruit during the whole season, I did my best to try to keep it straight but it keeps growing forward , pushing , pushing. The bad angle slowled down the Juice flow during about 8 weeks. Also, I had to fight against cats that used to come everyday to jump on it and scratch the skin....grrr the best solution was essential oils around the pumpkin.   Sunday, October 10 View Page It went 6% heavy at 2169.3lb ! Youpiiiii !! Very good surprise   Sunday, October 10 View Page It was awesome to see and touch the new world record pumpkin grown by Stefano Cutrupi ! 2702lb What a beast !! Congratulations Stefano !   Sunday, October 10 View Page 2439 Vangeel 2021 was impressive too. Very similar shape than my 2169 but bigger lol, same genetic. Well done Mario !   Saturday, November 6 View Page As every year, pumpkin has been cut and offer to everyone. People said it was tasty.   Tuesday, November 16 View Page Hi all, just making a test to check if everything is working fine.   Monday, November 22 View Page Tomatoes are great this season.