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Entry Date
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Nick Name
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Location
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Tuesday, August 15, 2006
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Tony Pumpkin
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Abbotsford BC
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Entry 163 of 229 |
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Finally broke the 600lb mark today with an OTT of 310.5 (circ. is 127.5). For some reason 600lbs felt like quite a landmark for me--I guess I didn't see my fruit going over 600 lbs. Now I am so optimistic I could see it going to 800 or so if all goes well. The plant itself is very well established (even if it is only 400 square feet). . .but there is still the matter of that looming stem split. Actually it has become a bit worse, and I have cut way back on watering today. It is creeping into the flesh on both sides of the stem and is about an 1/8th of an inch wide and 1 inch long on either side (will post pics tomorrow as well as a shot from the roof). I will increase the water a tad bit tomorrow (as I have given the fruit 2 days to rest--even so it is gaining 10-12 lbs a day). I think if I would be watering it as hard as I normally do the hot weather would have seen some 25 lb days recently--but I have to resist the urge and keep it slow and steady. My spirits took a turn for the better after I examined the gaping splits on the secondary fruit and realized that they did not go through to the cavity--even though I could see right into the flesh of the fruit. I guess these fruits can take quite a beating. Time will tell if the split gets really bad--just have to wait and see.
New tertiaries are doing really well in some spots, and that huge 10 litre blast of aphid spray really slowed down those buggers. I aim to bury the leaf nodes tomorrow to help the tertiary leaves find their tap roots and I will also prune more old leaves and spray with fungicide again--may even expand the shade shelter--which is getting too small. Sun seems to have helped the vine rot on the back secondary too--as has the decrease in watering. Will have some pics tomorrow as I plan to spend quite a bit of time in the patch--that is if I don't get called out for that "intervention" being planned in North Van.
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