Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 109 Entries. Friday, January 20 View Page Thank you everyone who participated in the SNGPG Seed Auction on www.BigPumpkins.com. In this photo, all the seeds are shown on the Floor. About 95% of the 56 orders were shipped, in bubble packs, this morning via USPS First Class. Best of luck in 2023!   Monday, February 6 View Page The 150 Challenge is on for 2023 for growers both above and below the equator. Attached are the rules. Free Patch for all entrants   Friday, March 31 View Page Once again I'll be adding 4 cu ft of Perlite around each pumpkin plant.   Saturday, April 1 View Page The perlite has been spread. Now need to till it under.   Sunday, April 2 View Page Dug 7 Planting Holes 6 ft x 6ft x 18 inches deep. Backfilled the holes with 3.8 cu ft of Greenworld GM15 and the previously spread perlite. Lined up the irrigation tubing and Cleaned/flushed them out with hydrogen peroxide solution.   Monday, April 3 View Page Garden tilled and 3 of 7 greenhouses are up   Wednesday, April 12 View Page Starting 9 Giant Pumpkin plants on April 12th.   Sunday, April 16 View Page All 9 plants came up in 4 days. I prefer the 1 and done method. So I start them in these 1 gallon pots vs smaller starter pots, so I dont have to transplant in anther pot after 1 week and possibly break roots.   Saturday, April 22 View Page First True leaf's have emerged. Its almost planting time.   Saturday, April 22 View Page 59 Entries in the 150 Challenge so far. Last day for entries is May 30, 2023   Saturday, April 22 View Page Here is my 150 patch for 2023. Its 6ft x 25ft   Monday, April 24 View Page My 150 Challenge plants are in the ground.   Monday, April 24 View Page The 2365 Wolf and 2240 Connolly were planted outside   Monday, April 24 View Page The 2907 Paton and 2359.5 LeBlanc have been planted.   Tuesday, May 9 View Page Its great to see Pap Wallaces colorful Pumpkin Patch/Garden/Home Ornaments on sale at the Lariviere Garden Center. I've had some for 15 years. Very durable. This is a must have gift. They are located at 36 Heritage Road in Putnam, CT or call/text 860-942-2185.   Wednesday, May 10 View Page This is my 1375 (my 150 pumpkin). It should hit ground and start to run in a few days...with a few gentle nudges from bamboo stakes, to get the main vine down.   Wednesday, May 10 View Page My 2365 Wolf has one scorched leaf from the heat lamps. THat minor stuff. The Main is 14 inches long and has not hit ground yet. I'm keeping the plant very warm, so that the main will hit ground and not crack.   Wednesday, May 10 View Page The 2907 Paton Giant Pumpkin plant is out-growing the mini 3ft x 3ft greenhouse that I cover and heat in the evenings. It has a 12 inch long Main Vine, and I"m training the main down with bamboo stakes so it hits ground soon.   Friday, May 12 View Page First Touchdown. The Main on the 2702 Cutrupi hit ground today and is running.   Friday, May 12 View Page Touchdown 2 The 2365 WOLF main vine decided to hit the ground with a soft landing, after it saw the 2702 CUTRUPI touchdown a few minutes prior.   Wednesday, May 17 View Page THe 150 Challenge Pumpkin is growing from a 1375 seed. Main is at 8 ft. Growth is a bit slow. I'm already starting to dead end some of the side vines in my 6ft x 25ft long patch   Thursday, May 18 View Page My 2365 WOLF Pumpkin Plant is off and running with its big Floppy Leaves. Gave it a dose of Humic Fulvic, Magnesium Nitrate and Neptune's Harvest Fish for breakfast yesterday.   Wednesday, May 24 View Page Starting to move the Greenhouses off the plants for the daytime. Then cover them back up at night. Evenings have still been around 39F in MA. Shown is the 2907 Paton plant with a 10ft main, Starting to layout the drip irrigation too.   Wednesday, May 24 View Page The 2365 Wolf has an 11 ft main and is growing fast in the 12ft x 12ft greenhouse. Lots of trimming, fertilizing, vine burying and vine training. busy, busy....   Friday, May 26 View Page Today I removed the greenhouse from my 1375 (150 Challenge) plant, and installed drip irrigation and wind break fence   Tuesday, May 30 View Page The 2365 Wolf is really kicking into gear. The 80% Wind Break Fencing is up around this one, and should help protect the plant leaf stems this summer... I hope.   Tuesday, May 30 View Page And now for something completely different. The Bushel Gourds are starting to run. Shown is the 470.5 BG plant   Tuesday, May 30 View Page Here is the 470 BG plant photo for the previous entry   Wednesday, May 31 View Page Growing lots of BG's this year. My 189 Fleming BG plants are in the ground. Thanks for sprouting them Bill Sullivan.   Friday, June 2 View Page Pollinated the 2907 Paton with a 2365 Wolf today at about 13 ft out on the Main Vine,   Thursday, June 8 View Page I decided to grow a 470 Bushel Gourd this year. Looks like its off to a good start with a 4ft main and lots of Side Vines starting to appear.   Thursday, June 8 View Page Pollinated my 1st pumpkin on the 2365 Wolf at about 14 ft out on the main vines crossed is with the 1375 Connolly. If this is a keeper it would be real orange, but there is another at about 17 ft out that I"ll probably pollinate next week.   Friday, June 9 View Page Looks like the 150 CHallenge will be a good one in 2023. There are 86 Growers participating from all over the world. Here is page 1.   Friday, June 9 View Page Shown is page 2 of the particpants in the 150 Challenge this year. Lock and load its time to GROW em BIG.   Tuesday, June 27 View Page My 2365 Wolf x2907 Paton, shown 9 DAP, has a nice long shape.   Tuesday, June 27 View Page Correction. This is the 2365 x 2907 for thr last post.   Sunday, July 2 View Page My 2365 Wolf x 2907 Paton pumpkin has a nice shape to it. Its growing with a Diamond Vine Pattern. Shown at 14 DAP.   Sunday, July 2 View Page Here is the 2365x2907 Pumpkin, at 14 DAP, for the last post   Sunday, July 2 View Page My 150 Challenge pumpkin (and a spare just in case are starting to kick into gear.   Saturday, July 8 View Page Our 2365 Wolf x 2907 Paton at 21DAP is starting to look like it will be a nice orange color   Saturday, July 8 View Page Our 2907 Paton x 2365 Wolf has a nice shape and is starting to pack on the pounds. More of a whitish color. Time to Grow 'em Big.   Saturday, July 8 View Page We culled tour last 150 Challenge pumpkin, due to shape issues. Shown is our 2nd choice (backup) at 6 DAP. Its a 1375 x 1375 Connolly, so should be a nice orange color in the Fall   Saturday, July 8 View Page The 268 WR Baggs Field Pumpkin plant has a 11 ft Main. No problems with this plant. Its a magnet for SVB's and cucumber beetles, so sprayed with Talstar/Merit 75 wsp insecticide.   Saturday, July 8 View Page Last 3 days the "Feels Like" temps have been 96F and full sun. Tough on the young leaves. So we added 50% Sun block Shade Cloths. Shown is the 2907.   Wednesday, July 12 View Page Shown is the 2907 Paton x 2365 Wolf. Will be switching to a Tablecloth cover today, since it outgrew the "Card Table" cover At DAP 24, its taping 253 lbs.   Wednesday, July 12 View Page We are growing 4 BG's this year. THe 189 Fleming, 200 Lariviere, 296 Jutras and the 470 Connolly. This is a photo of the 470 plant (all the plants look very similar at this time of the year) Lots of fruit are appearing everywhere. Hopefully will start pollinating, at 19 ft out on secondary vines, tomorrow.   Thursday, July 13 View Page Our pumpkins are outgrowing their shade structures. Shown is the 2365x2907 at 26 DAP. Its taping 326 lbs.   Monday, July 17 View Page The 2365 Wolf x 2907 Paton has a nice shape and is taping at 528 lbs at DAP 30. It survived the 4" of rain we got in the last 2 days. Got a fan on the stem with sulpher just in case it starts to puss with the large influx of water and nutrients.   Tuesday, July 18 View Page The 2907 Paton x 2365 wolf is the new Alpha pumpkin in the patch at DAP 30. Looks like it will be a great white pumpkin   Thursday, July 20 View Page I think I can.... I think I can. The mighty little 470x470 Bushel Gourd appears to have set, and is starting to grow.. Shown 7 DAP.   Friday, July 21 View Page The 2365 Wolf x 2907 Paton is in Rapid Growth. Need to start trimming leaves so she doesnt get all scratched up.   Sunday, July 23 View Page The 2907 x 2365, our Alpha Female, still has that soft baby skin. Good to see since she it is rapid growth. At DAP 35 she tapes at 790 lbs. Looks like she wants to grow left, which is fine by me, since I got more available pink Mill Cloth on that side of the pumpkin.   Sunday, July 23 View Page Took me 1 week and 7 traps, but I finally got this woodchuck. Looks like he fattened up a little on some of my secondary vines, since I first saw him chowing down on pumpkin vines last week.   Thursday, July 27 View Page Our Bushel Gourds are starting to enter the rapid growth phase. Shown is the 470 x 470 at 14 DAP.   Thursday, July 27 View Page This update should have gone onto the last post, since it was actually taken at 12 DAP   Sunday, July 30 View Page This is the 200 x 200 Lariviere Bushel Gourd. It was set at 19 ft out on a secondary vine. Shown at 9 DAP.   Sunday, July 30 View Page This little one is the 296 x 296 Jutras BG thsat we have growing out back. Shown at 8 DAP. It a "no-neck" BG   Sunday, July 30 View Page Our 470 BG shown at 15 DAP. It looks very young with it white skin during rapid growth. Growing fast now. It wIll turn a darker green as it matures..   Monday, July 31 View Page The 2365 x 2907 is taping 1118 lbs. Very orange pumpkin like its mommy.   Wednesday, August 2 View Page DAP 45 for the 2907. Est wt = 1222 lbs. Surface is still young looking on the pumpkin.   Tuesday, August 8 View Page My 470 BG is starting to go to the dark green color and fill out nicely. Next week I"ll start measuring.   Tuesday, August 8 View Page The 268 Baggs Fild Pumpkin was pollinated July 29th. 5 out of last 6 nights have been cold (high 50's F). Perfect for Filed Pumpkins. So growth has been slow and steady.   Tuesday, August 8 View Page The 200 x 200 Lariviere is gonna be a tall wheel. Tough part will be to keep it on its side. But its growing nice now at 18 DAP   Tuesday, August 8 View Page The sleeper Bushel Gourd in our patch is the 296 x 296 Jutras, shown at 17 DAP. Its the young one in the patch and finally is starting to take off with its rapid growth phase.   Thursday, August 10 View Page Our 2365 Wolf x 2907 Paton is still chugging along at DAP 55.   Saturday, August 12 View Page At DAP 55, my 2907 x 2365 is still putting on 33.2 lbs/day for the last 10 days with an estimated weight of 1563 lbs. Still growing at a good pace for this time of the year.   Saturday, August 12 View Page I try to allow air flow over the 2907 pumpkin and keep it shaded at the same time   Saturday, August 12 View Page Got up early this morning with vist fellow grower Steve Halowell and check ut his 4 plants. I got to see a nice one he has, growing from my 2240.5. as shown in picture.   Tuesday, August 15 View Page Our 470 x 470 BG is starting to put on the pounds. Averaging 15 lbs per day. Which is a lot for a Bushel Gourd.   Tuesday, August 15 View Page Our 200 x 200 Lariviere Bushel Gourd is starting to put on the pounds. Took first measurements todat. Its still got a long way to go.... OTT is 154 and total current est wt by the GPC chart is 101 lbs.   Wednesday, August 16 View Page Our 268 x 268 Baggs Pumpkin is 19 days old and growing at a good slow rate, in the cooler, which I programmed to drop to 59F every night for 9 hours.   Saturday, August 19 View Page Our 200 x 200 Lariviere is up near 150 lbs. Still a young fruit. Hope she keeps growing. But this cool weather is slowing everything down.   Sunday, August 20 View Page Our mighty Bushel Gourd is still chugging along and adding 10.4 lbs per day This 470x470 cross has an OTT of 207 and an estimated weight of 221 lbs. Still 6 weeks to go....   Sunday, August 20 View Page Our 2365 Wolf x 2907 Paton has only added 12.8 lbs per day for the last 10 days. Cold weather. Today her OTT is 402 and the estimeted weight is 1430 lbs. Nice Orange color.   Sunday, August 20 View Page The 2365 plant still looks very healthy with a pumpkin on it thats at 65 DAP. No Powdery Mildew yet. Sprayed today with Ranman fungicide.   Sunday, August 20 View Page I like the shape of our 268 x 268 Baggs cross   Monday, August 21 View Page The 2907 at 65 DAP is putting on 21.5 lbs per day with OTT of 438   Tuesday, August 22 View Page Our 268 x 268 Field Pumpkin-2 at 28 DAP   Friday, August 25 View Page The 200 x 200 Larivire Bushel Gourd at 35 DAP, still has a youthful pale skin. Its adding about 9 lbs per day for the last 10 days   Friday, August 25 View Page This is the baby Bushel Gourd in the patch. Its the 296 x 296 Jutras, shown at 34 DAP. The darn Gnomes keep moving around at night and I have to go searching for them every morning. lol   Friday, August 25 View Page The 470 Bushel Gourd at 41 DAP is slowly out growing its shade table. I"ll add some Stilts to the 4 legs to raise it up.   Friday, August 25 View Page Close up of the 470 x 470 Bushel Gourd   Monday, August 28 View Page THe 268 x 268 Baggs Field Pumpkin is chugging along. This year I pollinated July 29. Next year I plan on pollinating around Aug 5th, so that I'm growing it in the cooler weather   Thursday, August 31 View Page OK The sun is just right. I got my body shade out of the picture. Its photo op time. Wait, where is my cell phone. This is the 200 Lariviere. Still a young looking Bushel Gourd   Thursday, August 31 View Page Just 1 month to go. Hope she makes it. This pumpkin is the 2365 Wolf x 2907 Paton   Thursday, August 31 View Page The youngest BG is the 296 x 296 Jutras It's entering "Rapid Growth" phase, and is catching up to the other Bushel Gourds in the patch.   Thursday, August 31 View Page 5 more weeks till the weigh off for this one. We got 2 weeks of mid 80's F warm weather coming up. Hope that helps her add weight   Friday, September 1 View Page I lost my 2907 Paton x 2365 Wolf, do to real bad stem/vine stress. Vines went under the pumpkin and pumpkin kept growing. Final OTT was 451. Est weight is 1908 lbs DMG. It was my own fault. Would I grow these two seed again. Absolutely!!   Sunday, September 10 View Page The 200x200 Lariviere Bushel Gourd, is all grown up. It still has the varicose "Pump me Up" veins it had back on August 1st.   Sunday, September 10 View Page Our 2365 x 2907, has been pounded with too much drenching rain and flooding. Today we got 3 inches of rain. Yesterday we also got 3 inches of rain.... in 1 hour. Like a super cell was just parked over our house dumping water. Not good. Ground is saturated and flooding as you see in photo# 1. Really worried that the pumpkin could crack.   Sunday, September 10 View Page Here is the 2365 Wolf pumpkin just before the 2nd day of heavy rain. Garden is saturated with too much water   Monday, September 11 View Page The 470 x 470 Bushel Gourd still has a smooth skin at 58 DAP. No cantaloping yet so it still is putting on pounds. Average weight gain las 10 days has been 5 lbs/day.   Wednesday, September 13 View Page My 296 x 296 Jutras Bushel Gourd has woken from her sleep and is adding some pounds now. 1 week till the weigh-off for this one.   Thursday, September 14 View Page Looks like too much nitrogen in the soil for the 2365 Wolf x 2907 Paton   Tuesday, September 19 View Page We got one of our Bushel Gourds weighed at the Durham, CT fair today. Its a 200 Lariviere x self cross. She weighed in at 273 pounds and won the BG category.   Friday, September 22 View Page Sprout Trest. Make your life easier. If I have a pumpkin that went down from a Split (like my 1908 due to Stem Stress Split for example). After removing the pumpkin and tilling, I always plant a few seeds from that pumpkin in the garden with a cover crop If they come up then I have completed a simple Sprout Test, without having to re-set my seed starting gear up. Then I pull out the seedings after they come up.   Saturday, September 23 View Page Proactive action for 2024. Getting the Fall Fusarium drench Spray ready for my 4000 sq ft pumpkin patch. Even at 1% dilution this hydrogen peroxide kills all (good and bad) bacteria and diseases in the soil, so I'll need to reintroduce the biologicals next Spring.   Saturday, September 23 View Page Got a late season (early September) growth surge on my 296 x 296 Jutras cross after 2 days of heavy rain followed by a few days reaching 84F Lots of surface cracks. All healed up.   Sunday, September 24 View Page Good luck everyone! From the 87 growers that entered the 150 Challenge....there are still lots of weighoffs and results coming up in from Europe, Canada and the US, but here is a list of 150 Chaallenge results from some of the earlier weigh-offs.   Thursday, September 28 View Page Loaded up the 470 x self Bushel Gourd for Topsfield. There are a few Pock marks on it, but we dried them out   Friday, September 29 View Page We had a wonderful time at the Topsfield Fair tonight. Lots of big pumpkins. Our 317 lb Bushel Gourd (470 x 470 cross), won this Weigh-Off category at Topsfield.   Friday, October 6 View Page Loaded another of our Bushel Gourds onto the Trailer tonight to avoid doing the load up in the Rain all day tomorrow. (200 Lariviere x self cross). The Pasquales Farm SNGPG WEigh-off was moved from Saturday to a forecasted sunny Sunday.   Sunday, October 8 View Page Congrats Steve Sperry at the SNGPG Pasquale Farm weigh Off   Sunday, October 8 View Page At the SNGPG Pasquale Farm..Weigh-off I've never seen a Top 3 this big before   Sunday, October 8 View Page Our mighty mini Greenie Meannie Bushel Gourd weighed in at 283 pounds and won the BG Category. But there was only one entry. Lol. I'm trying to made lemonade out of a lemon of a season. Lost all my pumpkins this year.   Monday, October 9 View Page Here is a "150" Weigh-off update. We are still in the middle of weigh-off season. Several weeks to go. Good luck everyone.   Friday, October 13 View Page More 150 Challenge updates came in this week. After this weekend of weigh-offs, there will be more 150 results.   Monday, October 16 View Page One more week of Weigh-off's to go for the 150. Here is a current update   Wednesday, November 1 View Page Here are the final 150 Challenge Weigh-off Results for 2023. Congrats everyone. Hope you had a great time in this contest. Awards will be sent in a couple weeks. Look forward to seeing everyone next year. Enjoy the off season.