Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 43 Entries. Saturday, April 8 View Page Despite having a glacier on the patch still, it's lineup time! I will have 2 plants this year; plenty of backups for the 2261.   Friday, April 21 View Page All the kins are up! Favorites are in the front, backup 2261s in the back. Super wet in the patch at the moment. Need things to dry out, will just be amending the planting site for now.   Thursday, April 27 View Page It's been a cool and wet spring, patch has been unworkable. Going to trust last fall's soil test that things aren't super far from where they need to be and add Total Garden Blend (10 yards or about 2" on the patch). Got lucky that the spring load restrictions were lifted on Monday, got delivery on Thursday while it was still a dry spell. Planting hole is amended with myco + rootshield and a heavy dose of the total garden blend. Cables in, hut up. Weekend forecast was rough (esp Sunday when driving winds are forecast) so planting planned for Monday before a week in the 70s. Plants are eager to get in the ground; hopefully can work on broadforking and tilling in the evenings next week.   Thursday, April 27 View Page It's been a cool and wet spring, patch has been unworkable. Going to trust last fall's soil test that things aren't super far from where they need to be and add Total Garden Blend (10 yards or about 2" on the patch). Got lucky that the spring load restrictions were lifted on Monday, got delivery on Thursday while it was still a dry spell. Planting hole is amended with myco + rootshield and a heavy dose of the total garden blend. Cables in, hut up. Weekend forecast was rough (esp Sunday when driving winds are forecast) so planting planned for Monday before a week in the 70s. Plants are eager to get in the ground; hopefully can work on broadforking and tilling in the evenings next week.   Sunday, April 30 View Page Last day in the pink light! 2350 is the front left, everything else is 2261. When Travis told me to be sure and double plant the 2261 since some were mutants he wasn't kidding. One in the back left may be stunted since the seed wasn't well formed, but the two "backups" are going to be staying indoors unless absolutely needed and I may start a few of my 885s as a contingency plan.   Monday, May 15 View Page Huts down yesterday. Cleaned up the grass that was growing around the plants this afternoon. Burlap wind break is going to stay up as the plants grow. Other than a little scorching when planted out the 2350 is growing like a textbook plant. 2261 is giving me heartburn. Thought she was going ribbon on me, but that's sorted itself out. However, she's still going strait up. Hopefully I can coax her down in the next day or two; removed a big kickstandish leaf today. The leaves on that plant are out of this world--hope she gets down without incident. Will plant out 885 backups tomorrow.   Saturday, May 27 View Page 2350 is a textbook plant so far. Laid down easily. Secondary growth is starting to kick into gear; I'll need to start burying them this weekend. Probably about 10' so far.   Saturday, May 27 View Page 2261 is a bit troublesome. Some doubling on the main, which was extra thick for a while and extremely reluctant to lie down. Some cracking occurred during this process. Main vine now seems to be growing more robustly. Intra-nodal distance seems very compact so far and secondaries are slow. Extraordinary leaf size. Maybe this is just a slow and steady grower?   Thursday, June 8 View Page Both plants are kicking into gear. Unfortunately, we're sliding into drought again (3rd year in a row).   Friday, June 9 View Page First pollination on the 2350. This flower was selfed as I had 3X flowers from it available to use and only one from the 2261. I believe there are 17 secondaries behind it.   Friday, June 9 View Page The 2350 flower will be the keeper if it takes as the vine partially snapped just past it (not sure how that happened, but I guess the patch needs to be more leveled). Also, the next female is barely showing in the tip (probably 10-14 days out still). I will watch for flowers on the secondaries before the snap, but am planning to cut the main at the fruit if it set and pitchfork out the secondaries behind the fruit to fill the space.   Tuesday, June 13 View Page 2350Xself looks like it may have taken!   Thursday, June 15 View Page The patch.   Friday, June 16 View Page First 2261 pollination today. Cool morning at around 50, had many 2350 males to use (probably 8). This is the second female on the main, the plant has been producing many more than the 2350. There's another female 4 nodes down that I would prefer to use, but pollinate everything.   Friday, June 16 View Page 2350 X Self at 7 DAP. "Toni" is taking off, will probably go all-in in the next few days given the split in the main just past this fruit. There are some options on secondaries that could be re trained as the main if need be.   Friday, June 16 View Page Just a little comparison between the two plants. 2350 has been a very orderly grower, perhaps a little more sensitive to the sun, but we haven't been too bad with the high temps this year plus we've had a lot of smoke blocking the UVs. Shorter, smaller leaves. By comparison the 2262 is thick. Vine was atypical out the gate, showing doubling but has straightened out now. Secondaries are thick, leaves much bigger. Pushes secondaries out hard and fast now, can be 18 inches before the first node.   Friday, June 16 View Page Just a little comparison between the two plants. 2350 has been a very orderly grower, perhaps a little more sensitive to the sun, but we haven't been too bad with the high temps this year plus we've had a lot of smoke blocking the UVs. Shorter, smaller leaves. By comparison the 2262 is thick. Vine was atypical out the gate, showing doubling but has straightened out now. Secondaries are thick, leaves much bigger. Pushes secondaries out hard and fast now, can be 18 inches before the first node.   Saturday, June 17 View Page All in. Chopped the main on the 2350 at the break in the main. One node past the fruit, secondary off of it will be re-trained as the new main. Natural way to set a good S turn in the vine.   Saturday, June 17 View Page The plant post-trimming.   Saturday, June 17 View Page Pumpkin tent erected.   Tuesday, June 20 View Page 2nd chance on the 2261, crossed with 5X 2350 flowers. First attempt at pollination doesn't look awesome, this one is in a more favorable place anyway, and there's another one down the main that would also be a good option. Sunny and hot today--definitely not ideal conditions for pollinating! 2350 is clearly not a fan of sunny days and temps over 90!   Saturday, June 24 View Page 2350Xself, 15 DAP. Starting to kick into gear, but not breaking any records out the gate so far. Just about to start terminating secondaries on this one.   Saturday, June 24 View Page Pollinations on 6/16, 6/20, and 6/24 on the 2261. The last one is technically open since Delta screwed me over and got me home at midnight instead of 9 last night--thought that flower was due on Sunday. I did attempt to pollinate everyone with 2350. I think the 6/20 is my favorite. Every one of these is on the right side of the main--would have liked one on the left. 6/20 is probably my favorite, but temps weren't ideal that day. We'll see.   Monday, June 26 View Page June 26, 2022 (bottom) vs. 2023 (top). I am not keeping up with the weeding. Far side of the patch is particularly overrun with non-pumpkins. I also need to stop planting "backups" that I can't bring myself to cull.   Tuesday, June 27 View Page First 885 Bierle flower opened (sort of). Was expecting to open on the 28th, but was partially opened this AM. Pollinated with 2261. Will likely not be the keeper as the plant is still rather small.   Thursday, June 29 View Page 2350 @ 20 DAP. Let the gains begin. 2261 situation isn't good--Pollinations on 6/16, 20 look to be toast and 6/23 doesn't look good either. Had a main vine flower open yesterday that had seeds in the blossom and abnormal lobes. Trying for any flower now; one is showing in the tip but is probably 7 days out. Will be selfing given that 2261 selfs have had a good history. Perhaps unfounded, but I'm wondering if there isn't some genetic incompatibility (ploidy issues?)   Saturday, July 1 View Page 885 X 2350 cross this AM. Really torn on which males to use, went with the 2350 since I know it's made one set. First two 2261 sets are officially toast. Pollinated a side vine flower with self on the theory that most grown off this seed have been selfs, so there may be a genetic reason.   Sunday, July 2 View Page Two pollinations on secondaries from the 2261 today: 5 lobe crossed with 885 on a secondary that probably has 6-8 secondaries between it and the stump. 4 lobe was selfed and is much nearer the tip. Both are on the east side of the plant, where there's a lot more room. If the 6/30 pollination ends up being the chosen one it will be sitting right next to the 885 pollination (if the latter was also successful). Another 2 or 3 options tomorrow, but I'm ready to be done with the early morning routine.   Monday, July 3 View Page 3 X pollinations on the 2261 today: 2 with self, one with 885.   Wednesday, July 12 View Page Toni's down at DAP 33. Culled down to 3 pollinations on the 2261. Tiny on the 885 is humming along.   Thursday, July 13 View Page Tiny at 11 DAP (885 X 2350). Culled backup. Culled down to 3 options on the 2261: main vine pollination X 885 from 7/5, X885 on an early side vine from 7/2, and a self I think from the same date. Set up tents and vines on the two X885 crosses. Hoping for some good luck and that supplemental phosphorus after tissue test results came in will kick things into gear.   Friday, July 28 View Page It's been one of those seasons. I just got back from about 14 days away (I know vacations/conferences are a no-no in this hobby), and it's not pretty. First, my early 2350 pollination Tony looked to be going down just before I left and got culled. 2261 pollinations weren't taking so I deliberately left multiple sets that looked good before I left, culling down to 3. Sure enough, every single fruit on this plant is aborting around 10-14 DAP. Plant got pulled today. The crown is shown--it was ~1200 sq ft in size, could have been epic. Tiny (885 Bierle X Tiger King) is the only one left standing. At DAP 27, she's 224", an estimated 250 lbs, and isn't much more than a 150 sq. ft. plant. The 2350 has a few open pollinations I'm going to try and run with, but it'll take the weekend to clean her up and pick which are the most viable options. PS--It looks like the epic fail that was the 2261 is going to be immortalized in Google Street View as the car drove by just in time to see a heap of plant getting loaded into my truck for the yard waste site. Combined with the yard looking like hell since I haven't mowed in weeks, it'll be evidence that I've been classing up the neighborhood since '22.   Saturday, July 29 View Page Two solid open pollinations on the 2350. Leaning towards the one on the white fabric, will give them a few days as I did major plant surgery today to clean out tertiaries gone wild. 77 days till harvest, still plenty of time.   Saturday, August 5 View Page Tiny @ 35 DAP. 266" OTT. Doing 22ish a day. Toni, Too! is 163" and somewhere in the 23 DAP range--making a note so I can track the change over time.   Saturday, August 5 View Page Tiny @ 35 DAP. 266" OTT. Doing 22ish a day. Toni, Too! is 163" and somewhere in the 23 DAP range--making a note so I can track the change over time.   Saturday, August 5 View Page Culled this today, really don't now what I'm doing with these things.   Friday, August 11 View Page Twin cities area got hit by quickly developing severe Thunderstorms at around 5PM today. Plants are swiss cheese, but it could have been worse. May have lost a mater, but the contenders look to have faired better.   Thursday, August 24 View Page Tiny (885 Bierle X 2350 "Tiger King") is officially the 703.5 Bierle. Ended up with 4th at the Minnesota State Fair. Same as I placed the last time I brought, with a 250lb heavier fruit. Figures. Largest was only 814.5 this year, so it was more "winnable" than it's been in a few years. Tiny didn't turn out half bad for being an afterthought plant. I don't know if it had much more than 150, 200 sq ft of space and was planted late without early season support. She turned out a bit bigger than I was expecting (didn't get a final tape on her, but was just over 300" on Monday). Fruit was only 52" at harvest, but the hail two weeks ago really took the wind out of her sails. Down to Toni, too! now, who was chugging around 20/day at last check (about 40 days old estimated) and will hopefully make it to Stillwater. She is dealing with some hail wounds that need to scar up yet.   Thursday, August 24 View Page In other news, picked this a few days ago out of concern for it's little spot with weak skin. First fruit over 4 lbs, and apparently the MN State Fair winner for largest single bloom. Only one more early tomato on the vine, but the second wave/megas are still chugging along.   Wednesday, October 18 View Page Toni, too! (2350Xopen) got weighed at Stillwater. She was 788 lbs that perfectly encapsulates the challenges of the season. Hail scarred, rodent chewed, open pollination on a secondary vine. But she got to scale! Here's to a better '24! Prep is already under way--had 12 yards of compost + horse manure dropped off yesterday. Time to get it spread and tilled in before the snow flies.   Wednesday, October 18 View Page Toni, too! (2350Xopen) got weighed at Stillwater. She was 788 lbs that perfectly encapsulates the challenges of the season. Hail scarred, rodent chewed, open pollination on a secondary vine. But she got to scale! Here's to a better '24! Prep is already under way--had 12 yards of compost + horse manure dropped off yesterday. Time to get it spread and tilled in before the snow flies.   Saturday, November 4 View Page End of the season. Hauling of the last of the kin to the city's pumpkin dump. Didn't carve this year so it wasn't too much of a mess. Seed count was poor likely since it was open pollinated, so didn't bother.   Saturday, November 4 View Page Somewhat delayed end of season till. Thrilled to be going into the off season as prepped as this patch ever has been. Will do a soil test and get ready for auction time.