Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 69 Entries. Thursday, January 1 View Page SEED LIST 2009 Pumpkins and squash (3 plants): 1142 Van Kooten 04 - greenhouse 842 Eaton 02 - greenhouse 1310 Pitura 08 - trial patch 275 Van Hook 06 - backup 1378 Pitura 07 - backup 1310 Pitura 08 - backup 904 Stelts 06 - backup if 842 or 1142 don't germinate Marrow (6 plants): 90.6 Wursten 08 76.7 Wursten 08 4 unknown British strains Tomato (12 plants): 4.59 Lyons 4.53 Lyons 4.15 Lyons 4.30 Craven 3.25 Craven 2.20 Craven 2.50 Timm 3.18 Smit 2.95 Wursten Long gourd (2 plants): 106.25 Eaton 05 104 Eaton 05 122 Eaton 05 (backup) Also: giant corn (Craven & Moore) giant beet (Mammouth & sugarbeet & English strain) giant carrot (English strain) giant sunflower (Craven & Hope)   Thursday, March 5 View Page Patch 1 Greenhouse for two pumpkins: 842 Eaton (front) and 1142 Van Kooten (back)- straw to prevent freezing and keep soil from drying out Outside room for two marrows   Thursday, March 5 View Page Patch 2 Giant veg patch In the front my "beetbox" In the mini tunnel giant carrots and beets in barrels Behind that the large hoophouse for one marrow Behind that the cage for sunflowers and tall corn Then the long gourd trellis At the back one more giant marrow   Thursday, March 5 View Page Patch 3 In the front room for one marrow Then three raised beds for giant carrots, beets and swedes (rutabaga) At the back the greenhouse for giant tomatoes   Thursday, March 5 View Page Patches 4 and 5 At the front right, room for one marrow Behind that (crossways) 900 sq ft of trial patch for the 1310 Pitura   Thursday, April 16 View Page No germination on either the 842 Eaton or 1142 Van Kooten. I will keep them going for a few days, but I doubt either will germinate. Started the following seeds as backups: 1378 Pitura (1039 Leonard x 1231 Pukos)- 2 seeds 1156 Hunt (1631 McKie x 1689 Jutras) - GVGO competition 1286 Würsching (1092 Martin x 985 Werner) - EGVGA competition 1079 Frei (1207 Young x 898 Knauss) - EGVGA competition Got heavy carrots, long carrots, rutabaga, tomato, corn, mangolds and heavy table beets going. Heavy cucumber (old seed) didn't germinate. Waiting to plant long cucumbers, heavy potatoes, radishes, long gourds, squash (1310 Pitura), sunflowers and marrows.   Monday, April 20 View Page I took off the seed coats of the 842 Eaton and the 1142 van Kooten and boosted the temperature to above 30°C. After 11 days the 842 germinated. The tips of the cot leaves had already rotted away. Unfortunately the plant is rather scrawny with a poor root ball and I will likely send it to the genetics patch. The 1142 germinated on day 7. It leads the pack by far with a great root system and the largest cot leaves. Of my backup plants, the 1156 Hunt germinated first and shows the most vigour. It will likely get the 842 Eaton's place in the greenhouse. I will keep the 1079 Frei (1207 x 898) and the 1378 Pitura (1039 x 1231) as backups. The other two backups will likely be given away. Tomorrow I start a 1310 Pitura for outside and a 1234 Wursten* as a genetics plant. If all goes well I hope to make the following crosses: 1142 x 842 1156 x 1142 1310 x 1234*   Thursday, April 23 View Page Tomorrow the plants go in the greenhouse. I have decided to go with my original plan. 1142 Van Kooten (backup 1079 Frei) 842 Eaton (backup 1378 Pitura) I only have one 842 and multiples of all the other crosses I started, so I'll give the 842 a chance even if it is the smallest plant so far.   Thursday, May 7 View Page Final line-up (probably...) Only marrows and radish still need to be planted. PUMPKIN 842 Eaton 02 (backup 1378 Pitura) 1142 Van Kooten 04 (backup 1079 Frei) - other plants pulled except 1286 Wursching still in pot SQUASH 824 Brunst 05 or 1310 Pitura (1310 is probably a double vine - I will use one of the two as genetics plant) BEET 3x English strain (Ian Neale?) - 1 for seed CARROT (heavy) 8x English strain CARROT (long) 1x St. Valery CORN 3x 249" Craven 2x Craven 2007 3x Moore CUCUMBER (long) 1x Telegraph Improved LONG GOURD 122 Eaton 05 (88.5 Eaton x sib) 117.63 Lyons 08 (109 Eaton x 125.75 Urena) -all other LGs failed to germinate MANGOLD 3x Mammoth MARROW 1x 118.8 Glazebrook 08 (thank you very much Mr. Glazebrook!!!) 1x 90.6 Wursten 08 1x Cross #1 1x Cross #2 1x Cross #3 1x Cross #4 And backups of each MELON (musk) 1x 29.9 Wellington PARSNIP (heavy) 2x White Gem POTATO 3x Nicola RADISH 3x Mooli Minowase Nr. 2 SUNFLOWER (tall) 3x 228 Craven 2x 285 Craven 2x 229.5 Craven 2x Richard Hope SWEDE / RUTABAGA 1x Craven (grew WR) TOMATO 3x Big Zac 3x Delicious 1x 4.59 Lyons 1x 4.30 Craven 1x 4.15 Lyons 1x 3.18 Smit 1x 2.50 Timm 1x 2.20 Craven WATERMELON 2x 118.5 Joynson 08 (1 as pollinator)   Monday, May 25 View Page I had to cull the 842 Eaton today. It had a ribbon vine, double leaves, secondaries, tendrils and flowers. The main was growing straight up in the air. The 1378 Pitura has taken over its spot in the greenhouse. The 1378 was a bigger and stronger plant from the beginning. The 1142 van Kooten is still easily leading the crowd. About 3 or 4 ft long. The 1310 Pitura and 824* Brunst are very slow. One will be kept and the other banned to the genetics patch. Dave Pitura unexpectedly sent me two 107 Johnston 08 LG seedlings through the mail. I will grow one of them likely and the 122 Eaton. The 117.63 Lyons is a very slow grower and will be used as a backup probably. The 122 is doing very well. Two very good giant beets going. Added a long carrot in the greenhouse. Giant potatoes above soil as are tall sunflowers. Marrow cross #1 didn't germinate and has been replaced with a second 118.8 Glazebrook 08. Tall corn is about 120 cm (4 ft) tall and still in pails in the greenhouse. Will stay there till sometime in June if possible. Still got a 1286 Würsching pumpkin plant going in case of an emergency. Somebody broke into my greenhouse on Saturday and stole my umbrellas over the 1142. Missed trampling the tip of the plant by about 1 cm. Today I hung up shade cloth over the 1142 and 1378. Temperature outside was 26°C and inside 38°C with all the doors open.   Tuesday, June 9 View Page One of the heavy beetroots and heavy carrots. I have 8 heavy CARROTS going, of which 3 or 4 are doing well. I have 3 heavy BEETROOTS going, of which 2 are doing well. The one in the picture measures 90 cm (35") from leaf tip to leaf tip. Quite a bit bigger at this stage than last year. Of my 4 MANGOLDS, 3 are doing quite well and much bigger than last year's at this time. I have one giant RADISH going and just planted 3 others. The LONG CARROT in the greenhouse won't make it I don't think. The one outside seems healthy enough. The 2 heavy PARSNIPS were started way too late but are surviving in the greenhouse. The 3 giant POTATOES (Nicola) seem to do be doing fine. So much for the root crops. On to the others...   Tuesday, June 9 View Page A picture of my last root crop - the heavy SWEDE/RUTABAGA. The 1378 PITURA is 3.30m long (11ft) and 3.60m wide (12ft). It's a scrawny plant with small leaves and thin vines. Same as the one I grew last year. This one has green vines though unlike last year. The 1142 VAN KOOTEN is 4.00m long (13 ft) and 4.40m wide (14.5 ft). It has yellowish vines and is still the best/healthiest plant I have ever grown. Lots of females in the 13 ft range. The 1310 PITURA got pulled. It had no vines at all, just a cluster of leaves. The 824 BRUNST has taken its place. The night time temperatures never get above about 6°C here so growth is very slow. Of the 8 TALL CORN stalks, the tallest is now 1.50m (5 ft). All 8 plants are now outside in the corn cage. The long CUCUMBER is climbing. I just received seeds from England from cucumbers grown off the WR heavy and long cucumbers. I hope those do better for me next year. The WATERMELON got its own greenhouse this week. Not doing great. Doesn't like the cold nights I guess. Of the 9 TALL SUNFLOWERS, a Richard Hope one is the tallest. I have 2 BIG HEAD SUNFLOWERS going as well. 15 TOMATO plants. All are doing well till now. Taking off the first trusses now. 2 LGS are waiting patiently for better weather. The 122 Eaton is climbing. The 107 Johnston is just sitting there. I have 5 MARROWS going. The 118.8 Glazebrook (which is the oldest) is clearly leading the pack. Cross#3 got killed by something. The 90.6 Wursten, cross#2 and cross#4 are equally good. The 2nd 118.8 (the youngest) is catching up well.   Tuesday, June 16 View Page 1142 Van Kooten - 4.70m (15.5ft) long and 6.00m (20ft) wide. Three females lined up. All nice and long and yellow.   Tuesday, June 16 View Page 1378 Pitura - 4.50m (14 3/4ft) long and 4.80m (15 3/4ft) wide. Two females lined up. Nice oval shape but greenish.   Tuesday, June 16 View Page Corn cage. Tallest corn plant is about 6.0-6.5 feet where the leaf bends. In front the sunflowers. On purpose planted very late so as not to be ready too early and to profit from the warmer weather. Tallest is now 27" (68cm) tall. To the left the 122 Eaton long gourd. It is climbing (slowly) as is the 107 Johnston LG. Night temperature 6°C.   Tuesday, June 16 View Page Giant radish. The shoe is size 11 (45). This is a radish planted way too early on purpose. The competition radishes have just popped above the soil. They will be thinned out next week. The 118.8 Glazebrook marrow is one great plant. Actually two great plants as I have two going and growing. The 90.6 Wursten marrow has fallen a little bit behind but has the biggest leaves by far. Cross#2 and Cross#4 doing well as well. These two have no shelter anymore. The others are in a hoophouse.   Saturday, June 20 View Page After a year and a half, it finally got here. Quite a bit of paper work, documentation and patience to apply, but in the end it'll come.   Tuesday, June 23 View Page 1378 Pitura in the front. Pollinated with 2 males from the 1142 on June 19 at 13 feet. An absolutly perfect 6-lober. Probably the keeper. The next female had three very poor lobes. 1142 van Kooten at the back. Pollinated with 2 males from the 1378 on June 18 at 13 feet. Poor 5-lober. Pollinated with 2 males from the 1378 on June 19 at 14 feet. Perfect 5-lober. Hope to pollinate the keeper tomorrow at about 17 feet. It has been a cold, wet week with night temps still hovering around 6°C. At the back of the greenhouse my new 1050 litre (260 gallon) watering tank. Hoping to warm up the water first before spraying.   Tuesday, June 23 View Page 118.8 Glazebrook 08 marrow #1. By far outdistancing all the other marrows. 118.8 Glazebrook #2 in second place. 249" Craven tall corn now at 213cm (7ft). The Craven cross#5 corn at 180cm (6ft) and the Moore Jala corn falling behind at 167cm (5.5ft). Added three more feet of bubble wrap to the cage. Now about 9ft high. 229" Craven sunflower has now taken over the lead from the Hope sunflower. 2nd place is the 228" Craven, then the Hope and last of all the 285" Craven. The too early planted radish has bolted. Hope to get some seeds off of it.   Tuesday, June 30 View Page 1378 Pitura - day 11 Day 10 CC: 25.6" My smallest day 10 ever for a greenhouse pumpkin but it will have to do. 1142 Van Kooten is at day 6. Nice shape, but small. Day and night temps are now high for Dutch standards (25°C day and 14°C nights).   Tuesday, June 30 View Page Rutabaga/swede. Mostly bad news in the giant veg patch this week. Probably because of several weeks of very cold nights (but also dry), my radish, tallest corn plant and 4 of the 9 tall sunflowers bolted. This should have only happened in late August/September. Also plants in my regular garden bolted so it must be weather related. Tallest corn stalk (not the tallest that already has a tassle) is now 280cm (9ft+). Up a bit more than 2 ft this week. Temps are supposed to stay high for a few days and then come down to more regular ones for Dutch standards.   Tuesday, July 7 View Page 1378 Pitura - day 18 Doing quite well eventhough after a hot period we are back to cold, wet weather with low night temperatures again. It's bigger than my 2007 pumpkin (1256) and squash (1234) were at this stage.   Tuesday, July 7 View Page 1142 Van Kooten - day 13 I like the round shape. It looks like it will produce a white pumpkin. The growth is as expected from this seed. In other giant veggie news: Almost all the CORN has bolted now. Tallest is 380cm (12.5ft). The SUNFLOWERS have also almost all bolted. Tallest is 210cm (6.8ft). The MARROWS are doing fine except cross#2 which has no secondaries. The best TOMATO plants are two of the Big Zac ones, the 2.2 Craven and the 4.59 Lyons. The Delicious plants are a bit disappointing at this stage. The LONG CUCUMBER got burnt to a crisp. Hoping a secondary will take over. The LONG GOURD plants are about 7-8ft tall now. Thinned out the POTATOES to 2 or 3 potatoes per plant.   Tuesday, July 14 View Page 1142 van Kooten - day 20. A week of very dark, cold and wet weather. We received more than 2x more rain this week than usually in the whole month of July. Day temps were 14°C-20°C. Nights about 10°C. The biggest problem was the lack of sun. As expected, the growth on both pumpkins was down dramatically through no fault of the plants themselves. A good start has turned mediocre. The 1142 has multiple minor and medium cracks in the blossom end which has been treated with baby powder.   Tuesday, July 14 View Page 1378 Pitura - day 25 The poor weather really took its toll on the 1378 but I really like this plant and pumpkin and am sure some warmer weather will get it back on track. Only up 144 lbs since last week. Now a bit over 230 lbs.   Tuesday, July 14 View Page Three giant POTATO plants. The plants are big, let's hope the potatoes are too. Tallest CORN has stopped growing at 400 cm (13ft+). I still have 3 (shorter) stalks without a tassle. LONG GOURDS have almost reached the top of the trellis. Biggest MARROW plant is now 20 ft wide and 14 ft long. Still a ways to go till I pollinate in early August.   Tuesday, July 21 View Page 1142 van Kooten - day 27 Up exactly 200 lbs this week. This past week we had a few nice days, but mostly cold, wet and dark. The 1142 is "sweating" a lot and still oozing from minor cracks in the blossom end. A bit scary but I hope it stays in one piece.   Tuesday, July 21 View Page 1378 Pitura - day 32 Up 202 lbs this past week. This one is a joy to grow.   Tuesday, July 21 View Page One of my medium sized mangolds. This one decided to lay down on the job. In other veggie news... The LONG GOURDS are up on top of the trellis. The Johnston is showing lots of females. The 118.8 Glazebrook MARROW went flat vined at 14 feet and started growing in loops. Had to terminate the main without a marrow set. Will set one on the first secondary in about a week. Got TOMATOES set on most plants. The two Big Zac plants and the 2.2 Craven are leading the show. I have 3 Big Zac plants and 3 Delicious plants going. At this stage I'd say the Big Zacs are easily outperforming the Delicious plants.   Tuesday, July 28 View Page 1142 Van Kooten - day 34 I thought my days of powdering bums was over, but this baby has already used up half a bottle of baby powder. Its blossom end is now fine, but there are two major stem splits I'm a bit worried about now. Nothing into the cavity (yet) fortunately. Up 194 lbs this past week.   Tuesday, July 28 View Page 1378 Pitura - day 39 Dark, wet, cold and gloomy typifies the weather over the past seven days. Going to stay that way a little longer by the looks of things. Weights not what I wanted to see. 1378 now measures 619 lbs, up 186 lbs since last week. Not the 200-210 I was hoping for.   Tuesday, July 28 View Page 824 Brunst* - day 10 This patch has been partially flooded twice, including once this past week. Just too cold and wet to grow. This is my last year trying any AGs outside. Waste of time. In other veggie news: MARROWS 07-24 - 118 Glazebrook (2) x 118 Glazebrook (1) = sib 07-25 - 90.6 Wursten x 118 Glazebrook (1) 07-25 - Cross 4 x 118 Glazebrook (1) Hope to pollinate 118 (1) with 118 (2) tomorrow = sib Cross 2 will be pollinated by 118 (1) in a few days 2 of the 3 marrow patches have been flooded twice in the last two weeks.   Tuesday, August 4 View Page A bad week in the patch. We had a few nice days, but severely cold nights (8°C) and a few days with lots of rain and no sun. The 1378 split through the blossom and is out of the race. 1142 weights went down sharply with the poor weather, but is still up and running. In other veggie news: The giant POTATOES got blight. Dug them up. No big ones. Pollinated a bunch of LGs. Almost all of the new radishes have bolted again. 100% of the SUNFLOWERS have bolted. Two CORN stalks haven't. Lost most of the big tomatoes to rotting. Have started new ones on almost all plants. Expecting dry, warm weather for three days this week before the rainy season takes over again.   Tuesday, August 11 View Page 1142 Van Kooten - day 48 (±850 lbs) My only pumpkin left. This past week we had a few nice days and several with no sun at all. 1142 only up 150 lbs this week.   Tuesday, August 11 View Page 1378 Pitura - day 53 (888 lbs) After a blossom end split last week, a rib split this week. Hardly growing anymore, but we will try to keep it going for a bit.   Tuesday, August 11 View Page 90.6 Wursten marrow 17 days old (I think) and 68 cm long. My best chance at a new personal best of the five I am growing.   Tuesday, August 11 View Page Long gourds. I now have 3 per plant: 122 Eaton and 107 Johnston. All pollinated between August 4-8 and crossed with each other. Last year not a female in sight. This year at least 30 per plant.   Tuesday, August 11 View Page I am having no success with the sunflowers or corn this year. But I did get a Siamese sunflower head. The little one is growing out of the back of the big one. My giant rutabaga/swede has a serious case of caterpillars which I can't get rid of. The mangolds are doing great. Many of the giant tomatoes have rotted including one entire plant. My best bet at the moment is the 4.59 Lyons and a Big Zac plant.   Tuesday, August 18 View Page 1142 van Kooten - day 55 Up a disappointing 100 lbs this week. Nice weather, just cold nights the past seven days. Estimated 950 lbs. In the background the 1378 Pitura.   Tuesday, August 18 View Page 1378 Pitura - day 60 Still alive, though with 2 rib splits and BES. Not growing much anymore. Estimated 965 lbs. In other veggie news: Best LONG GOURD is the 122 Eaton - day 13 and 89 cm (35"). Still got a wee little 824 Brunst* SQUASH growing in the trial patch. Day 28 was 172 lbs. RUTABAGA went down to rot. No more rutabagas outside here. Got a few nice MARROWS going. Short, fat ones on the 118.8 Glazebrook plants, a smoothie on Cross#2 and a ribbed one on Cross#4. The 90.6 Wursten is looong: now at 98 cm (38.6") and still quite young. Almost all TOMATO plants or tomatoes have rotted. Still got 2 big ones going and a number of smaller ones. Have pulled 5 of the 15 plants. All the CORN has a tassle now. Tallest (still growing a bit) is 4.10 meters.   Thursday, August 20 View Page 1378 Pitura - day 62 = THE END Weighed the 1378 today as it hadn't grown the past two days. Estimated weight = 967.3 lbs Actual weight = 852.8 lbs 11.2% light Of all the pumpkins I have ever grown, this is the only one to ever go light. I have been averaging 10% heavy for years already. Last year my 1378 went 20% heavy. Only good news is we had our first and only warm night (above 15°C) this year. The 1142 kicked back into gear and the LGs had their first ever 5" night. Even the marrows responded favourably. Severe hail and wind storm predicted for this afternoon. Hoping it won't end my season like it did last year.   Thursday, August 20 View Page With one pumpkin plant gone, I have too much spare time so I took up pumpkin carving. The Indian is my work, the bear was done by my wife.   Monday, August 24 View Page 1142 Van Kooten - day 60 (yesterday) : 1012 lbs The 1142 is still a bit ahead of the day 60 weights of my 1256 and 1234* of 2007. Back to cold nights again. The last few were at 8 and 9°C. All giant veg have suffered from them. LGs 122 Eaton (1) - day 19 : 60" (152cm) 122 Eaton (2) - day 17 : 57" (144cm) 107 Johnston - day 15 : 43" (110cm) Hoping to break the Dutch record with these. 17 inches to go. Marrow 118 Glazebrook (1), Crosses #2 and #4 are no good at all. 90.6 Wursten is long, thin and crooked. Won't be a record. 118 Glazebrook (2) - CC 87.4" EE 53.9" SS 34.3" OTT 175.6" This one is still young and light green. Should be about 65-85 lbs now. Hoping for a personal best and perhaps one over 100 lbs.   Wednesday, August 26 View Page First giant veg result today. I picked the smallest of the five marrows. Estimated 52 lbs, weighed 51.0 lbs. Grown on an unknown English cross (Cross#2 in my books). The plant only grew 3 secondaries, 2 on the left and 1 on the right. Open pollinated. Three of the other marrows are estimated over 60 lbs and nearing the end of their growing season. The fifth marrow is by the far the youngest and now growing just over 5 lbs a day. Currently estimated at 90+ pounds (a new PB for me). 54 lbs to go for a WR...lol. For those interested, the calculation I use to estimate marrow weights is: EE (cm) x SS (cm) / 150 = lbs EE = end to end, from bottom to bottom down the center SS = side to side, from bottom to bottom at thickest point I developed this using the stats from 7 marrows. 5 of the marrows were within 0.0 to 1.0 lbs of the estimate. One was quite heavy and one was quite light which corresponded with their shape and the wall thickness. We have metric measuring tapes here and we record our weights in pounds, so that is why the equation uses centimeters but the results are in lbs.   Monday, August 31 View Page My last posts till after the Dutch Giant Vegetable Championship on September 26. 1142 Van Kooten - closing in on 1100 lbs (500 kg).   Monday, August 31 View Page Front view of the 1142. Hardly any growth anymore: 7-9 lbs per day.   Monday, August 31 View Page Actually, this is the front view. Hoping it to measure 1200 lbs by weigh-off time and then go 10-20% heavy...   Monday, August 31 View Page Long gourds. 118 Eaton (1) - 200 cm (78.7") 118 Eaton (2) - 202 cm (79.5") New personal best. 107 Johnston - 185 cm (72.8") Youngest and fastest growing. Dutch record has already been broken 3 to 4 times by two of us growers.   Monday, August 31 View Page Of the many giant vegetables I hope to enter at the Dutch Giant Vegetable Championship are also two mangolds. I think this is the biggest. Also the biggest I have ever grown I think.   Monday, August 31 View Page I also hope to enter two marrows. This one is off my 90.6 and is typically long and skinny. Somewhere between 60 and 70 lbs I would assume.   Monday, August 31 View Page This is the other marrow. Growing on the 118.8 Glazebrook 08. 112cm (44") long 132cm (52") girth 108cm (42.5") side to side 169cm (66.5") end to end Estimated weight between 120 and 140 lbs. World record is 143 lbs. Still growing an estimated 4-5 lbs per day. Should continue growing till the end of the week at least, perhaps longer.   Monday, August 31 View Page My two pride and joys...   Saturday, September 12 View Page Ok, just had to post this. Yes, it's the marrow.   Saturday, September 12 View Page Ok, you've had your fun, now GET OFF THE MARROW!!!!! The weight is a secret. Let's just say it weighs more than I do. 13 more days till the weigh-off and still growing.   Tuesday, September 22 View Page http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du3T1krKjIg A mini tour of part of my giant veg patch. Just a few of the things I grow including the pumpkin, long gourds and marrows.   Thursday, September 24 View Page Getting ready for the Dutch Giant Vegetable Weigh-off on Saturday. I have too much to harvest in one day, so I started today with the marrows, beets and long gourds. Tomorrow the parnsips, carrots, squash, other marrow, pumpkin, corn and sunflower get harvested. Cucumber and radish aren't big enough (yet) to take along. There should be two national records in the picture, I hope. Hopefully a world record and another national record still in the patch. Time will tell... The standing marrow is also off a 118.8 Glazebrook plant, but is the mini-sister (but well over 70 lbs) grown on a side vine. It was pollinated by the big 118.8 Glazebrook. Really hoping for a lot of seeds in this one. The long gourds are the 107 Johnston 08 (curvy one) and the 122 Eaton (heavy one). The front, left beet missed the world record edible beet by 0.5 lbs. It pre-weighed 51.0 lbs. My first official giant veg weigh-off since 1988 or 1989.   Friday, September 25 View Page Some carrots and parsnips and the big marrow added to the harvest. The sunflower, corn and squash have also been harvested. The pumpkin will wait till late this afternoon. I have pre-weighed everything except for the squash and the pumpkin. The pumpkin was estimated 1197 lbs this morning.   Friday, September 25 View Page My three biggest marrows. The long skinny one is 74.5 lbs and was grown off my 90.6. It is going along as an exhibition entry as it has been previously weighed. The middle one is off the first 118.8 Glazebrook plant and weighs about the same as the skinny one. The back one is off the second 188.8 Glazebrook plant. It needs to weigh more than 143 lbs to beat the old world record. Tomorrow we will all know.   Saturday, September 26 View Page The three pumpkin/squash winners of the Dutch Giant Vegetable Championship. 1st place (centre) - Brad Wursten - 1135 lbs 2nd place (left) - Iwan Horde (squash) - 976 lbs 3rd place (right) - Jaap Mol - 957 lbs Way at the back - Theo Kiewiet (7th place) - 865 lbs Very disappointed with the 1135. About 5.5% light while I figured on about 10% heavy. I think the problem was my waterpump was broken this year and hand watering isn't as good as with the pump. Probably too little water.   Saturday, September 26 View Page Some of the giant veg. The two LGs on the right are mine. The thick one is a 122 Eaton and was 98.8", a new Dutch reocrd. The beet, next to the last marrow, was 51.0 lbs, 0.5 lbs under the world record.   Saturday, September 26 View Page This was the highlight of my day. The marrow world record to beat was 65.0 kg (143 lbs). This is the new world record. Weighed 93.7 kg (206.5 lbs). My son was not impressed.   Saturday, September 26 View Page Ok, now you can get on the marrow...   Monday, September 28 View Page The big marrow in three pieces. The walls were pretty thick. Unfortunately there were not many viable seeds in it. Most were immature or had already germinated. If anybody really wants to grow one, send me an email and we will try to work out a deal. I can't promise I have enough. The big one was open pollinated, just like the 118.8 Glazebrook itself was. I also have a 73.6 lber which is 118.8 Glazebrook x sib, closed pollination.   Monday, September 28 View Page 98.8 Wursten 09 LG (122 Eaton x 107 Johnston). New Dutch LG record. No viable seeds in any of my LGs this year.   Tuesday, October 6 View Page Beetroot on exhibition at the Dutch Giant Vegetable Championship. 300 more grams would have been a world record. Will try again next year. Photo: Jan Scheffe   Tuesday, October 6 View Page Heavy carrot exhibited at the Dutch Giant Vegetable Championship. Finished first. This one was grown in a tub and protected by an open mini-polytunnel. Photo: Jan Scheffe   Tuesday, October 6 View Page Arnold Horde (thanks for the help) and myself getting the marrow on the scale. Kind of shocked the marrow world. Most didn't think marrows could get over 200 lbs. Photo: Jan Scheffe   Tuesday, October 6 View Page The top three growers with their fruit. For the trophies we have a separate pumpkin and squash division. For the prize money we don't. Iwan Horde - 976 lbs (895.5 Hester*) Brad Wursten - 1135 lbs (1142 van Kooten) Jaap Mol - 957.5 lbs (1357 Ghaye) Special congratulations to Arnold Horde with 2 pumpkins over 400 kg (3rd and 5th in pumpkin division). Thanks to Jan Scheffe for talking LOTS of pictures! Thanks to Iwan Horde for being the main organizer and his wife Anita for doing the weigh-off administration. Photo: Jan Scheffe   Friday, November 13 View Page The Dutch pumpkin maffia at the first Dutch Giant Vegetable Championship. From left to right: Theo Kiewiet, Iwan Horde, Arnold Horde, Sebas Coenen, Jaap Mol, Brad Wursten and Jan Scheffe. GIANT VEGETABLE LINE UP FOR 2010 (I think): SQUASH - 1234 Wursten 07*, 1047 Cuypers 09* AMARANTH (tall) BEETROOT (heavy) CARROT (heavy) CORN (tall) CUCUMBER (heavy) CUCUMBER (long) LONG GOURD (long) MARROW - 206.5 Wursten, 118 Glazebrook, 73.6 Wursten PARSNIP (heavy) PARSNIP (long) POTATO (heavy) SUNFLOWER (tall) SUNFLOWER (head) SWEDE (heavy) TOMATO (heavy) WATERMELON (heavy) Due to time and health reasons I have had to get rid of two of my five patches. So from 7500 sq ft to 4500 sq ft. So everything is compacter and I should have a bit more time to keep everything under control. And the normal vegetable garden and field pumpkin patch got smaller too. I would like to break the beet and squash WR. This year I missed the beet record by 1/2 pound and I really need to get that WR squash back!