Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 64 Entries. Monday, April 18 View Page Alright, the time is here to start releasing my lineup for this year. I'm gonna do one per day in the order they germinated. All seeds were started April 10th. Much to my amazement, the oldest seed germinated first. Thank you Iceman for the 1625.5 Gantner   Wednesday, April 20 View Page Ok since I missed posting yesterday I will announce two from my lineup today. Here we have the 1861.8 Cutrupi. Thanks Stefano!   Wednesday, April 20 View Page And I'm trying a green squash for the third time. Started two different seeds and this is going to be the keeper, the 1161 Barlow   Friday, April 22 View Page Taking a break for a moment from the giant pumpkin lineup, here is my attempt at a giant watermelon this year. The 250.5 Mudd, seed started on March 20th.   Friday, April 22 View Page Back to the pumpkin lineup, the 2145 McMullen. Germinated a little slow but is making up for it. Thank you Gene for this great seed! All plants are now in 1 gallon pots as of Wednesday   Wednesday, April 27 View Page And finally, the final pumpkin in my lineup for this year is the 1992.5 Vincent. This is actually Jill's plant for this year with my guidance : )   Sunday, May 1 View Page All 5 pumpkin/green squash plants went in the ground today during a 50 degree drizzle. Under row cover as always. We decided to replace the 1998 Neptune in the rotation because it developed a lengthwise split in the stem from the ground all the way to the cots. Going in instead is a 1625 Huydic, I'm actually kind of psyched we're growing another one of Nick's seeds. It was my biggest last year and didn't even come close to it's potential   Thursday, May 19 View Page Quick update - we decided after all to pull the 1625 Huydic and replace it with the 1992 Vincent. The vertical stem split it developed has healed up nicely and the plant was looking so good we had to go with it. All the other plants have had a slow start and are looking pale from all the cool damp weather. Not posting any pictures until they look better! The forecast has some low 80s coming next week so they should start to move finally   Monday, June 6 View Page Way overdue for some diary entries as usual. Took these pics last night, June 5th. Here's the 2145 McMullen really starting to go now   Monday, June 6 View Page Here is the 1992.5 Neptune. A couple of our plants, including this one, are a little behind the others   Monday, June 6 View Page 1861 Cutrupi   Monday, June 6 View Page The 1161 Barlow green squash. So far it's been incessantly trying to turn to the right   Monday, June 6 View Page The one that has me the most optimistic so far, the 1625 Gantner. First to germinate and the biggest since day 1. Should be pollinating by the solstice   Monday, June 6 View Page Oh yeah and the 250.5 Mudd. My third try at a watermelon, disease always seems to kill these early for me. In the past I have grown them between two pumpkins where they would get poor air circulation. Now they have a nice open spot in a completely different house. Spraying a lot of Companion this year too   Monday, June 6 View Page Oh and I was able to get one of these seeds germinated, so I figured what the hey. A 57.5 Holloway giant cantaloupe   Saturday, June 18 View Page 2145 McMullen, about 12 and a half feet long now   Saturday, June 18 View Page Should be pollinating within the next week   Saturday, June 18 View Page 1625 Gantner, about 13 and a half feet long   Saturday, June 18 View Page Also should have one ready by the 25th. If both of these flowers open on the same day I'll be psyched. I'll get to use the same dose of Anthesis on them and then I'll have enough for all of my plants   Sunday, June 19 View Page The runt of the litter, the 1861 Cutrupi. Really can't figure out why it's been so slow to get going, it is at least 8 feet shorter than the Gantner despite being planted at the same time and being treated the same   Sunday, June 19 View Page The 1161 Barlow green squash. My third try at growing a greenie and so far it's pulling all the usual greenie antics. Finally got the main to stop trying to turn to the right, now secondaries are growing straight into the air, lol.   Sunday, June 19 View Page And the 1998 Neptune, about 8 feet long now and secondaries are beginning to go. Could still get a pollination on this one by July 4th. So far it's a tale of two seasons, two plants are going gangbusters and 3 are lagging behind   Sunday, June 19 View Page I grow inside big hoop structures covered with floating row cover for full insect protection. A few years back I decided to grow this way since organic insecticides just don't cut it.   Tuesday, June 21 View Page 250.5 Mudd. By far the nicest and biggest watermelon plant I've ever had on this date. First female on the main opens tomorrow.   Tuesday, June 21 View Page The 57.75 Holloway cantaloupe, off to a pretty decent start too. Been spraying all my plants with Companion religiously thus far   Sunday, June 26 View Page Pollinated this one on the 2145 McMullen two days ago with the 1625 Gantner. At 12 feet on the main, sprayed with Anthesis this morning. Looking good   Sunday, June 26 View Page Pollinated this one on the 1625 Gantner two days ago with the 2145 McMullen. At 12 and a half feet on the main, sprayed with Anthesis this morning. Only had one male for this one on pollination day, so keeping my fingers crossed that it will take   Wednesday, July 6 View Page 2145 McMullen day 12   Wednesday, July 6 View Page Ribbon side vine on the 1625 Gantner decided it was time to terminate itself   Wednesday, July 6 View Page 1625 Gantner day 12   Wednesday, July 6 View Page Devised this overhead spraying system this year for foliar feeding and Companion. Using this 50 gallon sprayer and loving it so far!   Wednesday, July 6 View Page I have four zones right now to cover 3500 square feet and I decided tonight I need to split them up into 8 zones. Not getting enough pressure to get good spray coverage from that old engine and pump but splitting each zone in half should do the trick   Sunday, July 10 View Page 250.5 Mudd day 11. Looking good so far   Sunday, July 10 View Page Finally got one pollinated on the 1992 Vincent! Perfect 5 lober at 19 feet 9 inches, with the 1625 Gantner as the pollinator   Sunday, July 17 View Page The season of weirdness continues. The 1861 Cutrupi has refused to have any females fully develop and now the tip of the main vine looks like this. Looks like a deficiency, might be time for a tissue test   Sunday, July 17 View Page The 1625 Gantner is now 23 days old. Grew really slow until about day 18 which had me pretty worried. In the last 5 days it has sped up considerably so maybe that was just the Anthesis doing its thing   Sunday, July 17 View Page The 1161 Barlow squash has yet to have a female open on the main either. Tips of secondaries are growing up in the air again too. About to resort to pollinating on secondaries just to try to get one going.   Sunday, July 17 View Page The 2145 McMullen looks good on day 23   Sunday, July 17 View Page And the 250.5 Mudd on day 18, nice big happy plant   Sunday, July 31 View Page The 250.5 Mudd today, day 32   Wednesday, August 3 View Page Day 40 for the 2145 McMullen. Putting on some nice gains but has an indented rib right on the bottom under the pumpkin. Making me nervous   Wednesday, August 3 View Page Day 35 for the 250.5 Mudd. Plant still looks pretty good, hope it stays hot through August   Friday, August 19 View Page Took this photo last night of the 2145 McMullen. Still growing pretty well and about to surpass my biggest OTT ever. Plant is starting to lose a lot of leaves though, very humid weather is causing leaf stem rot   Friday, August 19 View Page 2145 stem side   Friday, August 19 View Page The 1625 Gantner is hundreds of pounds behind the 2145 despite being pollinated on the same day. It is still growing though and the plant is still quite healthy   Wednesday, August 24 View Page Day 61 for the 1625 Gantner, taping around 850. Best looking plant I have but for some reason this one just never grew very fast and has already slowed down a lot   Wednesday, August 24 View Page Another view of the 1625   Wednesday, August 24 View Page Day 56 for the 250.5 Mudd. Estimating 184 pounds now with the PA state record at 208.5. What a healthy plant, I just never expected a melon like this!   Wednesday, August 24 View Page Still putting on 2 pounds a day at last measurement with more summery weather on the way   Wednesday, August 24 View Page Day 61 for the 2145 McMullen. Plant is not in good shape but still gaining in the upper teens per day. Now my biggest OTT ever, just get it to the finish line is my new motto   Wednesday, August 24 View Page Beast of a seed, thank you so much Gene!   Saturday, September 3 View Page Harvested my first ever attempt at a giant cantaloupe last evening. Took it to the DVU farm market for a weight this morning   Saturday, September 3 View Page 33.3 pounds grown off the 57.75 Holloway. Not bad for a first try   Friday, September 23 View Page Brought in the big machinery today to load up Wendy for Doylestown tomorrow. I've been a slacker with my diary again this year, just too damn busy all the time. Wendy is the biggest I've ever grown   Friday, September 23 View Page Had two near mishaps while lifting her. The bottom rope came close to slipping off as we were just getting the pallet under her, and then after she was on the trailer the forks weren't level when the machine operator was pulling out and they broke the edge board on the pallet. Splinters of wood went flying, and the forks sprung upwards dangerous close to Wendy, but she escaped unscathed   Friday, September 23 View Page Wendy was grown on the 2145 McMullen and pollinated with the 1625 Gantner, which is still in the patch and estimating around 1,000. Can't wait to see what % heavy that one is because it thumps like a boulder   Friday, September 23 View Page Wendy thumps pretty solid too but has a significant empty space at the bottom of the blossom end that probably will negate any heaviness it might have. We shall see   Friday, September 23 View Page It barely fits on my trailer, by like two inches. As usual I know this pumpkin could have been even bigger. I say it every year but late season plant health remains my biggest hurdle. I am organic and had planned on spraying a lot of Companion overhead this year but my pump went down mid-season and I never got it running again. The list of offseason projects and improvements is long   Friday, September 23 View Page Thank you again Gene McMullen for the seed! See you all at the Delaware Valley College Farm Market tomorrow afternoon!   Saturday, September 24 View Page What a day! First place in Doylestown at 1,795.5 pounds. About 13% heavy, Personal best by over 400, new site record, met Dave Stelts finally! It doesn't get much better than today, and Jill and I celebrated our 2-week anniversary too! Come to think of it, it's been a pretty awesome month!   Wednesday, October 5 View Page Just wanted to add this interesting item for everyone to think about, especially new growers. This is the stump from my 2145 McMullen plant that grew my 1795.5. One of, if not the smallest stump I've ever had, plus it split in half early in the season (by June 1). You can see clear through the middle of it to the ground underneath. I don't believe there is much correlation between big stumps or leaves and big pumpkins. Overall health, total root and leaf surface area is way more important. I kept a fan on that stump all summer and kept it covered every time it rained, and uncovered the rest of the time. It never got a speck of rot on it   Thursday, October 13 View Page Last Friday evening we weighed the 1625 Gantner fruit which was the pollinator for my 1795.5. It never grew very fast, only reached a final OTT of 356.25 inches (976 lb. estimate). Actual weight was 1,198 pounds, 22.7% heavy. This was pollinated with the 2145 McMullen that grew the 1795.5, so in conclusion seeds from both of my fruit should be very heavy producers. Both seeds will be in the MAGPG member packs this winter alongside some other great ones too   Sunday, October 23 View Page Harvested a bunch of seeds this weekend from the 22% heavy 1198. Didn't have my ruler with me, but no point in this pumpkin was under 10 inches thick   Sunday, October 23 View Page The entire stem end from the ground all the way to the top was about 14 inches thick. This is what we need more of to keep the weights going up