Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 46 Entries. Monday, January 18 View Page 2021 plan #1 1938 Sperry Seeds purchased. Hopefully one of my these germinate. Last year the same seed failed. This year I'm filing down a bit. Thinking about growing 3 pumpkins . I am Still pending on my other two selection. Plus backups. Poor germination rate last year.   Sunday, January 24 View Page Today - I put all my seeds on an Excel Spreadsheet by Year, Seed, Parents, Ott , +or - Heavy - and any important factors... thinking about who gets to be germinated this year. Usually I just get them out of the fridge and gaze at each little package one at a time, and forget who I have ..... I may plant one seed that is unproven but a nice orange.   Friday, January 29 View Page A treasure trove of goodies from the seed exchange. Thank you Leif for all your time and effort. Much appreciated.   Thursday, February 4 View Page 2021 patch design on graph. Thank you everyone for your input.   Thursday, February 4 View Page I read good things about this on my pumpkin Facebook group. I'm game on giving it a try.   Friday, February 12 View Page Finally took the step and ordered my medium size drip tape kit from dripworks. Most of my goodies came Except for the drip tape kit. It should arrive in a few days. I'm trying all kinds of thinks this year in regard to watering and fertilizing to make life easier.   Sunday, March 28 View Page Got out my BCS. Plan. 1. Rototill in my rye cereal cover crop. 2. Spread out my composted horse manure and mulch. 3. ADD all my nutrients. 4. Rototill it all in. That's my plan.   Thursday, April 15 View Page My 2021 season has started. Filed and I'm soaking my seeds today. Heating up the grow pad. I'm a week late but we had too much company visit last week to get it done.   Friday, April 16 View Page Got up early, mixed my potting soil, and got my seeds planted. I've got some backups just in case. Wasn't sure how much to file the pumpkin seed. Time will tell if I did a good job of it.   Friday, April 16 View Page My 2021 season has started. Filed and I'm soaking my seeds today. Heating up the grow pad. I'm a week late but we had too much company visit last week to get it done.   Saturday, May 1 View Page Finally, I have the first of my two plants I plan to grow in. The 1938 Urena. It Out grew the container and needed to get put in before I have my drip tape done. I grew this one last year and wanted to grow it again and see what I can do if I put a bit more effort into taking care of it. Last year I spent most of my time tending my Geddes plant that I thought would be my personal bet. Life gives you some ups and downs when growing - the Urena was a pleasant surprise- in the end it grew my 1,314 - A personal best and a beauty.   Saturday, May 1 View Page 1938 Urena - First post did not have photo - Planted May 01, 2021   Sunday, May 2 View Page We have a germination sprout after 3 days in the homemade Styrofoam / ice chest . This is the second attempt to sprout the 2294 Noel . It failed last year in 2020 . First Seed Attempt for 2021 failed. Finally I changed my method and did the paper towel zip lock baggy method. It will be a week behind the other plant - Oh well, I really want to grow this one. Mendi Seed Purchased - Failed to Germinate.   Sunday, May 2 View Page I'm very, very, very, frustrated with my Drip Tape . All the points where the barb and the main line connect LEAK! After a few chat's back and forth with DripWorks .....their solution is thread sealant tape. I used the correct punch hole , used the correct barb size. For the huge investment I spend on all the product - I expected it to work. That = one angry Penryngarden   Friday, June 18 View Page Hot in Penryn CA , 108 degrees yesterday , expected 105 degrees today . My pumpkins and I are wilting.   Tuesday, June 29 View Page Mr. Tommy is keeping me busy. Penryn is being outsmarted by a 6.27 pound - French bulldog puppy. Guess who wakes up like a newborn baby at midnight, 3am and finally, I get up with him at 5am. for company. Too hot to have him outside with me in the patch when it's over 100 degrees. I'm behind in my patch...since puppy needs come first. Note to self....get puppy after weight off. What were you thinking!   Tuesday, June 29 View Page He does sleep After he's got everyone awake in the morning .   Friday, July 16 View Page Faith. 1938 Urena ( 3 lobe ). This was not my pick. 14 ft out, first practice pollination with the one male flower on the plant. Tried to pollinate 3 further with 4 lobes down the main. With the heat ??wave of 106 to 112 ...it was unfortunate, lots of flowers, ice, fanning in hopes of anything other than the first pumpkin set. Had a perfect one set at 16ft, set up the board and S curve....my chosen one. It was not to be. Aborted a few days ago. Each time I looked back at pumpkin#1. I kept looking forward to the day I slowly culled it. After the main was out 25 feet I finally gave in, and realized #1 set wants to grow. It's not pretty. A 3 lobe with a crossed line so it's lop sided. That's why I'm naming her Faith, because I had no faith in this pumpkin, but she had other plans. Day 26 - 250.5 OTT, My PB early on. With 85 growing days till the weigh off. She put on 40lbs yesterday. She won't win an HD award....but I'll let her grow big and have faith in my patch.   Friday, July 16 View Page Faith and Patch. Happy with patch growth and healthy leaves.   Friday, July 16 View Page Faith and Patch. Happy with patch growth and healthy leaves.   Friday, July 16 View Page PUMPKIN # 2 IN PATCH - Noel Seed. Late pollination on 07/02/2021. 14 Days old today. Beautiful 5 lobe blossom. Crossing my fingers it does not abort. It's the 2nd attempt on plant. Day 13 measurement 24,24,33 ...I am just measuring early to see if it's still growing. I've lost so many this year due to the unrelenting heat ....I'm paranoid it's going down. Happy growing every one.   Friday, July 16 View Page NOEL   Friday, July 16 View Page Noel again, getting the fan treatment.   Tuesday, July 20 View Page DAP 30 photo shoot. DAP 29 it put on 51.83 pounds. Unbelievable, had to measure that increase 3xs. Hope it doesn't split open. Looking forward to seeing what the next 10 days bring.   Tuesday, July 20 View Page Photo.   Tuesday, July 20 View Page Patch still healthy!   Monday, July 26 View Page My smallest pumpkin...still gaining. It takes a lot of my energy and time to keep this pumpkin happy.   Saturday, August 14 View Page Good morning, Everyone. Wish I could post sooner but my puppy needs a lot of attention. The free time I do have is spent in the patch when I get my husband to watch the puppy- usually during golf.:). Faith is DAP 55 weighing over a 1K pounds OTT=359.25, This is a PB for me, its 572 pounds heavier at day 55 then my last years pumpkin. Just have to keep it going for another 50+ days until the Vacaville CA weigh-off.   Saturday, August 14 View Page A little greenfoliage shot   Saturday, August 14 View Page Faith Side view - turning orange   Saturday, August 14 View Page Pumpkin # 2 in the patch . I finally named this Pumpkin Tom after my puppy Tommy. It's coming along nicely, good shape. The sheen came off several weeks ago when it was 106/108 outside and the cotton sheet cooked it a bit, never had that happen before... but it survived and continues to grow. I've had a few 50-60 lbs day gains that just make the sport so exciting. DAP 42/ OTT =337 and it's outpacing Faith by 37.6 lbs by same day comparison, putting on some good weight each day.   Sunday, September 5 View Page Morning Coffee and time to update some photos , maybe too many but what the heck, the season is almost over. First , a few photos of Faith. This photo was taken August 03, 2021 when I got my son who lives in S.Francisco to pose with her. Even though the sun was in his face.... he was a good sport.   Sunday, September 5 View Page Faith August 7th - Side view   Sunday, September 5 View Page Faith August 28th - she a beauty - Turning orange DAP 70 1,200 lbs range .   Sunday, September 5 View Page Pumpkin # 2 Tom. 09 03 21 Over 1,200 lbs, 13 days younger than Faith.   Sunday, September 19 View Page Faith.... I'm saving the seeds this year. Love the smooth orange color.   Sunday, September 19 View Page Tommy #2 Pumpkin in the patch. . This pumpkin is starting to turn more orange.   Sunday, September 19 View Page The Blob, or Mr. Nose. #3 Pumpkin in the patch. It's still putting on some decent weight.   Sunday, September 19 View Page My friend Susan came by with her granddaughter Melody and snapped some photo of my patch.   Sunday, September 19 View Page Faith. 09/15/22   Sunday, September 19 View Page Tommy 09/16/21   Sunday, September 19 View Page Mr Nose. 08/21/21   Sunday, September 19 View Page Tomato Contest Megablossom.   Sunday, September 19 View Page Sliced up some Irish Spring soap. Seems like every year a few weeks before the Contest the mice show up to nibble on my pumpkins.   Sunday, September 19 View Page Patch photo from 09/01/21. Photo of all 3 pumpkins.   Sunday, September 19 View Page One pumpkin unfortunately will not be heading to the weigh-off. We Split Up. It had a growth split , I made the captan fungicide paste and used a fan 24/7. This fixed the issue. No soft spot. A week later I went out and it spit again. Did the paste again.. to stop any issues , fans..... all seemed fine. This Friday went the patch in the morning to cover the pumpkins , and a completely different area had a soft spot. Game over! It really is too bad because the vines are still health and the pumpkin is solid on the top and side. The front was the week spot. Dirty Darn..