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Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 69 Entries.
Thursday, January 5 View Page
Hey Reedl, that was a really engaging conversation we had in the chatroom. If you see this shoot me an email at ajbeattie00@gmail.com, I'd love to talk more
 
Sunday, January 15 View Page
If there was a howard dill award for squash, I think this one would win! 367 Hochstetler grown off the 1000.4 Barratt.
 
Tuesday, February 7 View Page
Got some compost and rice hull ash, which is the black pile toward the middle. Hoping it'll be good for the soil, adding carbon, silica, and other nutrients accumulated in the rice hull.
 
Tuesday, February 7 View Page
Picture
 
Wednesday, February 8 View Page
I heard these were some of the best melon seeds you could get, and at $6 for 25 seeds its hard to beat the price. 350 looks like a piece of cake now.
 
Friday, February 10 View Page
I hope I'm not starting too late
 
Thursday, April 6 View Page
Started Seeds April 6
 
Friday, April 14 View Page
Good start to the year. Didn't strap it down. I didn't think it would be that windy, but it isn't the first time I've been wrong. I straightened out the frame and I think it will work fine once I patch the plastic
 
Friday, April 14 View Page
23/23 seeds germed, most after 24 hours, all but one by 44 hours. The last one took over 80 hours and did not have a main taproot, but had several small roots poking out of the stem. Here are the 2110 Plattes which I transplanted yesterday
 
Friday, April 14 View Page
Here are the 2342 Stelts and 1535 Andrusz. I actually didn't mean to put the 2342 here, I thought it was a 2554, must not have looked closely at the label. I'll go with it
 
Saturday, April 22 View Page
150 sf contest, 2128 LeBlanc on the right, 1989 left
 
Saturday, April 22 View Page
2342 Stelts
 
Saturday, April 22 View Page
2493 Wolf
 
Sunday, April 23 View Page
2554 Andrusz A
 
Sunday, April 23 View Page
2006 Wolf
 
Sunday, April 30 View Page
2342 Stelts, very nice strong plant. Look out for this one
 
Monday, May 1 View Page
2128 LeBlanc 150sf plant is looking great, though the main is shooting for the sky. Have to slowly pull it down without breaking it.
 
Monday, May 1 View Page
2 2110s side by side here. The one on the left looks like the keeper, though the one on the right is also doing well, despite not looking it in the picture
 
Monday, May 1 View Page
2554 Andrusz A. This is a very nice plant, but unfortunately it's planted next to the 2006 Wolf, which I would very much like to keep. The reason for this is because the 2554 didn't look all that hot early on, and I decided I would just throw it into a spot that I thought would benefit from having another backup. This one is located quite close to the edge of the greenhouse, which might complicate things. I intend to remove the greenhouse in a week, at which point the 2554 will have probably outgrown its allotted space. Luckily I started another 2554 6 days later on the 12th, which is developing nicely and will probably be the one to go with. It's a close call, we'll see how things look in a couple days.
 
Monday, May 1 View Page
2x 2006 Wolf planted in the same spot as the 2554. I'll be going with the one closer to my feet
 
Wednesday, May 3 View Page
Very strong main on this 150sf 2128, 2-3 feet, and good secondary development. At this pace I wouldn't be surprised by a May 20-June 1 pollination at 13 feet. It has a whole 10x20 greenhouse to itself, so I'll be able to keep it in here a week longer than my other plants, though at that point its going to be nice warm summer weather.
 
Saturday, May 6 View Page
1838 Jutras Squash hitting a bit of a wall
 
Wednesday, May 24 View Page
Had some setbacks, had to pull some plants. Here's the squash patch, this is the 810 Cantrell, which is a 2118 Jutras x 2469 selfed f2 progeny. I had 4 of them growing, and this was the only one with green fruit.
 
Wednesday, May 24 View Page
810 fruit looks like it'll be good color. I overreacted and hit the plants with a bit too much nitrogen in panic, which stressed the plants and induced fruit a bit early. Plants are doing fine now
 
Wednesday, May 24 View Page
Didn't get a good picture of the 1109, its in the background behind the 810. The 1109 was severely stunted because it was a hollow seed, but its recovered very well and is growing nicely, despite a slow start. Thanks Joe for both the seeds. I also had an 1838 which was growing extremely vigorously, but it outgrew the hoop house and got a bit jumbled, so I decided to go with the 1109.
 
Friday, June 16 View Page
Bad news, my plants were kinda messed up due to excess nitrogen, particularly organic nitrogen becomming available in the soil from all my spring amendments. Good news, I finally got my wind fence and shade cloth up, and started new plants, 2342 Stelts (May 8) in the front, 10 feet, and 2 1634 Reas behind it (May 18) which are about 3 feet. Still dealing with excess nitrogen in the soil, but I think I can ride it out. I'll just have to cut out all nitrogen fertilizer.
 
Friday, June 23 View Page
810 is about a foot high, not bad color for a half pumpkin. This plant hasn't received the best care, but I'm having some fun and I think it might get me a pb
 
Friday, June 23 View Page
The 810 is 16 DAP, pollinated June 7
 
Saturday, June 24 View Page
218 Baggs started June 6 in the ground, with plenty of space to spread its wings. I noticed a lot of people started their FPs earlier, but I should have enough time to get a fruit to 50 DAP by weigh off time
 
Sunday, June 25 View Page
Plants are growing slowly, we still have spring weather with temperatures rarely breaking into the 80s, which is exacerbated by my 40% shade cloth. However it seems that we'll be jumping straight from April to July weather, because its going to be 100+ degrees this week, finally putting my shade cloth to good use. I hope it kick starts growth
 
Tuesday, June 27 View Page
1634 Rea on the other side, started may 18 10 days later than the 2342. I think growth is picking up with the warmer weather starting to come in.
 
Tuesday, June 27 View Page
810 20 dap 55 pounds. not huge, but I'm hoping I can slowly coax it to 700 pounds. Nice shape and color, though it is slightly deformed in the areas that got sun scarred. I thought the 50% shade cloth would prevent damage, but apparently not, so I am covering it. The 810 is a selfed f2 of a 2118* x 2469 cross. I'm glad the color is good on this one, it shows color can be preserved relatively easily with squash/pumpkin crosses with the right selective breeding.
 
Friday, June 30 View Page
2342 x 2006 just before the bell on June Pollinations. About 14-16 feet by my guesstimation, 19-20 side vines. I'll probably go with the next one down the line, its 103f today and 107 tomorrow, hopefully it sets.
 
Sunday, July 2 View Page
218 Baggs really doesn't want to cooperate, despite my.... persuasions. I think I'll just settle for a compromise and let it lay down diagonal.
 
Tuesday, July 4 View Page
150 plant diagram, 21x13 diamond shape with a 4' circle on the end for the pumpkin, 149 square feet and change.
 
Tuesday, July 4 View Page
13 feet wide
 
Tuesday, July 4 View Page
21 feet long
 
Tuesday, July 4 View Page
Whole 150sf plant, 2128 LeBlanc. This one was started May 8.
 
Tuesday, July 4 View Page
2128 x 2493 July 3, hoping this will be a big heavy and orange cross. Weigh offs are in 88-97 days
 
Sunday, July 16 View Page
2342 16 dap. It had a very slow start, not much bigger than a softball at 10 dap, but its been growing fine now, 4.5" circumference the last 24 hours. It has some nice plant behind it so hopefully it speeds up.
 
Sunday, July 16 View Page
2342 measured 42 inches this morning
 
Tuesday, July 18 View Page
2128 LeBlanc 150sf also a slow start, 15 dap 31" cc, but it looks like it's starting to grow. The 2342 grew 6"cc + 5"cc the last two days, so it's moving along. Hopefully the 150 does the same.
 
Thursday, July 20 View Page
2342 20 dap 64cc 42ss 42ee 148 ott 80lbs averaging 5.5cc per day for the last 4 days.
 
Friday, July 21 View Page
Tissue test on the 2342, some inbalances. Particularly calcium is very low, which is surprising because my soil calcium is high, boron is good, and I've been using a lot of calcium nitrate. Russ told me its probably the calcium to magnesium ratio. Until I get that figured out, I found a bandaid solution that should get my calcium levels up without adding more nitrogen
 
Friday, July 21 View Page
A clorox pool product? Lol. This is calcium chloride. I avoid chloride products, and my well water doesn't contain chlorine, so I have no chloride in my soil. However, from a bit of reading this seems to be the best option for getting calcium into the plant without raising nitrogen, so I'll give it a try. Calcium chloride is used in a lot of those blossom end rot products, I just decided to get this so I don't pay extra for water.
 
Sunday, July 23 View Page
150sf 20 dap 55lbs. It went up from 4 inches cc to 5 last night, so hopefully the calcium is working
 
Wednesday, July 26 View Page
2128 150sf looks like a tall boulder, I love it. Hopefully its a rock
 
Friday, July 28 View Page
2128 LeBlanc 150sf, doesn't even look like it'll be ugly like its parents! 141 pounds 25 dap, I'm pretty pleased with how this one's turning out. Hopefully its heavy like its parents! The 2342 is growing 30lb/day, and it looks like it'll be posting PR numbers for me in 2 days at 30 dap.
 
Sunday, July 30 View Page
2342 30 dap, 109cc 66ss 66ee 322.7 pounds. Its not ramping up quite how I wanted it to, but its growing about 28-30 pounds a day. Hopefully I can finally take something nice to a weigh off for the first time in 11 years.
 
Monday, July 31 View Page
And now for a pleasant surprise! I can't deny that I've neglected the 1634 compared to the other two plants due to how the plant has grown, but it seems leaving the plant alone has paid off. Here's the 1634 at 20 dap, measuring 74cc 52ss 51ee for an estimated weight of 131 pounds, which is about 20 pounds bigger than anything I've grown. It'll be interesting to see what it's able to do with the relatively small plant behind it.
 
Thursday, August 3 View Page
150sf moving along at 252 pounds 30 dap yesterday. I believe its growing in the upper 20s now
 
Friday, August 4 View Page
35 dap on the 2342, 272 ott 464.4 pounds average daily gain of 30 pounds, 5 pounds ahead ahead of my 2013 pumpkin and growing a hair faster I think. Picture is from last night
 
Saturday, August 5 View Page
1634 continuing to impress at 25 dap measuring 228 ott 273.4 pounds and gaining 31 pounds a day over the last 2 days, 85 pounds bigger than the 2342 at the same dap and growing a fair clip faster. And I was more than happy thinking that the 2342 would be my biggest pumpkin! We'll see what happens over the next 60 days.
 
Wednesday, August 9 View Page
2342 measured 605lbs today at 40 dap. Bit of a slump due to cooler weather, but we have a bunch of warm nights coming up. The 1634 is going to be 30 dap tomorrow, and it is massive for a pumpkin I didn't think would amount to much 3 weeks ago
 
Wednesday, August 9 View Page
2342 yesterday 39 dap
 
Thursday, August 10 View Page
1634 is 30 dap 472 pounds up 40/day the last 5. Bring on the heat! We're going to have 2 weeks of lows in the low to mid 60s, so I'm excited to see what it does during the next 10 days.
 
Tuesday, August 15 View Page
1634 35 dap 661 pounds. 5 day average 38lbs/day. It measured 611 yesterday, so either it loved the heat and water, or I'm bad at measuring. We have some really warm nights coming up so I'll keep giving plenty of water and see what happens.
 
Friday, August 25 View Page
1634 45 dap 160cc 353 ott 1002lbs up 36/day last 5
 
Monday, August 28 View Page
150 sf is out of the running, it stopped growing about 15 days ago around 40 dap north of 400 pounds. Shame too, I really liked that pumpkin. I have a lot of improvements for next year
 
Wednesday, August 30 View Page
1634 50 dap 1131lbs up 26/day last 5 and looking pretty orange. Would be pretty nice to have a 1500lb beauty this year
 
Saturday, September 9 View Page
2342 still appears to be growing, and at a decent pace as well. 71 dap 1140lb up 12/day the last 6 days. I kinda let the plant get trashed, found a lot of bugs on the leaves. Applied an overdue dose daconil, spectracide and merit. Hopefully it keeps chugging along to the weighoff
 
Saturday, September 9 View Page
1634 just sitting there looking pretty at 1325lbs 60 dap, growing 16/day.
 
Tuesday, September 19 View Page
1634 is 70 dap 1449lbs, still putting on weight in the low 10s. Getting awfully close with 10-17 days depending on which weigh off it goes to. Hopefully it doesn't go too light.
 
Friday, September 22 View Page
Is this legal mr. GPC man?
 
Friday, September 22 View Page
Unfortunately the 2342 is rotting at 1231 est as per last measurement. Can't say it was unexpected, gotta take better care of the plant if you want them to last. I let it go and the pumpkin suffered. 1634 is in better shape, hopefully it makes it the next 7 days to weighoff
 
Friday, September 29 View Page
Ready to go for tomorrow
 
Sunday, October 1 View Page
ITS A BUBBLE! Lol 13% light, coming in at 1310lbs, good enough for 13th place! 13 13 13, what a lucky day! Awesome weighoff with lots of big pumpkins, I'm gonna have to step it up next year if I want to compete!
 
Monday, October 2 View Page
All of the 675 maydan x blue moon squash are a pretty orange color, off 2 different plants. Very interesting how genetics works
 
Monday, December 18 View Page
I really enjoy playing around with the 150sf vine pattern for next year. I liked my diamond pattern; making a couple tweaks trying to optimize it, area is off by a couple square feet because I'm still tweaking dimensions. The goal with this pattern is to minimize dead space, particularly around the pumpkin, have long vines, and maximize the number of leaves. The footprint is very compact, but I think I'll be able to give the leaves some space to spread out. The footprint of the plant is almost 135sf and the footprint of the pumpkin is a bit more than 15sf
 

 

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