Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 57 Entries. Sunday, May 8 View Page 2016 plants 1162.5 Podraza (1738 Barron x 1916 Barron) 1533 Haist (359 foss self) or 864 Podraza (1426 wolf x 1634 werner) whichever one grows better gets the spot! 5-6 growers putting in the 1162.5 this year also growing a LG again up the basketball pole and Im giving tall corn a try(Thanks for the seed Ray Waterman) Bit of a story about tall corn. I wanted to submit the corn to the Erie County Fair agricultural competition (mid august) which has a tall corn division. I was told tall corn is only for those 50 years of age and older. Not sure how corn and being >50 go together but Im growing it anyway.   Sunday, May 15 View Page Snowed here today for about an hour. Not much sun the past few days so I gave them a tonic for the nerves! I use a foam cooler inside the cold frame over the plants to keep them extra warm but I only have maybe 2 more days before they wont fit anymore.   Tuesday, May 17 View Page test post, internal server error noted with posting a pic   Wednesday, May 18 View Page figured out my good camera creates pics that are too big so back to my little camera. The 864 on the left 1533 haist on the right   Wednesday, May 18 View Page 1162 podraza Been really cool the past week and I noticed today the start of a double vine, it seemed to be working out of it as one was clearly dominant. I picked at the smaller one and it conveniently broke off, had little flowers forming in it. The cool weather may have stressed it.   Saturday, May 21 View Page 1162 growing a bit odd. Started to double during the cool weather past week and a half and then came out of it. Broke off a small second main tip. Seems really wide or its going to be a gigantic stump and fill out.   Monday, May 30 View Page 864podraza removed the cold frames today, will start burying in few days. Ive had success with only burying the nodes and then washing that dirt off once the tap roots have anchored.   Monday, May 30 View Page 1162.5podraza Tried to double early on, the first few nodes are throwing double leaves and secondarys but it normalized. Started burying as the main was already pushing tap roots on top and underneath.   Thursday, June 9 View Page Its been cold (40-44 at night) and constantly gusting since sunday. The plants are holding up well but the wind fencing is taking a beating. Vine growth slowed to a crawl after being up to 8-10 in per day in last weeks heat. New drip line is in and works very well. I had been using the old stuff since 2011 and most of the emitters were plugged up so I was sticking barbed emitters all over. Gave them a drink of neptunes kelp/fish mix, humic/fulvic, seaweed, micrel and companion. Dosed with agrifos and merit last week. 1162 female should open at about 14' and this may be the keeper. The 864 at 9 feet may be the keeper as this plant will run out of room quickly and I don't see any other females in the main tip.   Saturday, June 25 View Page My 864 from 2012 1426 wolf x 1634 werner, 1st set from 6-18 does not look good and that's ok as it was at 9 feet. I turned the main after that set to a left right path which allows for more main in a smaller area. Next set will be open tues/wed and that most likely has to be the keeper because I will really be out of room at that point.   Saturday, June 25 View Page 1162 podraza, pollinated 6-20 with 2009 Wallace so the 1162 is 1738 barron (1730 werner x 2009wallace) x 1916 barron (2009 Wallace x 1738 barron) with the 2009 back into it. the plant is actually pretty big but I pull the 1st 4 secondays backwards to grow them straight back, I then turn the next secondary's forward to get more into my smaller patch. I just put of the netting as I had alot of sunburn today.   Saturday, June 25 View Page 1162 set at 12 feet, looks pretty, the next should open Monday at close to 16 feet but its growing straight up from the main with no left or right side orientation and the flower is partially open already due to a deformed petal. Im ok with 12 feet as I will have a near equal amount of plant before and after the set. It looks exactly like the 1162 looked last year except this one is growing much faster   Sunday, June 26 View Page Posted all these yesterday but I guess they didn't go through, This is the 864 podraza (1426 wolf x 1634 werner) 1st set didn't take at 9 feet send set later this week but running out of room so I had to shift the main to run right to left to get more in.   Sunday, June 26 View Page If these end up double posted it will be twice as nice! This is the 1162 with some shade netting as its very hot and very dry with quite a few burned younger leaves. The plant looks thin but its not as I train the 1st 4 secondary's on each side to run straight back. The remaining secondary's are then trained to run forward. 1st set at 12 feet crossed with 2009 Wallace, next will open tomorrow and that means a trip to get some pollen. This next one is a bit off as its growing straight up off the main and has a deformed petal.   Sunday, June 26 View Page 1162 set from 6-20-16 with 2009 Wallace Looks exactly like the 1162 from last year except its growing alot faster!! Should be low and long.   Thursday, June 30 View Page Got Oyster Mushroom farm in a box awhile back and decided to try it out. Works well and after your harvest you keep rotating the block and can regrow.   Sunday, July 3 View Page 1162 pollinated with 2009 Wallace, Cut off the nub and applied daconil concentrate as there was a spot forming. gave it a nice sand bed as well   Sunday, July 3 View Page 1162 is 1738 barron (1730 werner x 2009) pollinated with 1916 Barron (2009 x 1730 werner), the 1162 was a long pumpkin and it started out that way then it filled out and became quite round as you can see. Stem is nice and long.   Sunday, July 3 View Page would help if I attached the image   Monday, July 11 View Page 864 podraza selfed, pollinated 6-29   Tuesday, July 12 View Page 1162, taking on the shape/color of its 1916 pollinator   Sunday, July 17 View Page plants filing in   Sunday, July 17 View Page LG   Sunday, July 17 View Page 864 podraza selfed...looks like it will be a nice orange day 19   Sunday, July 17 View Page 1162 podraza...nice daily gains...looking like the 1916   Saturday, July 23 View Page Future patch protector...My new little buddy is on the way end of august. Coming from a working cattle ranch in New Mexico. Hes an Australian shepherd 1162 has been doing 45-50+#/day, most I've ever had a pumpkin do....Im worried...told andy wolf he would hear it in little valley 50 miles away if it blows   Sunday, July 24 View Page 1162 with best daily gains i've ever seen. found a massive amount of aphids despite drenching and foliar merit. All of them are on damaged old leaves, my guess is that the merit isn't translocating to certain sections of the leaves due to damage and they are pigging out. sprayed a heavy dose (overdose) of merit and drench as well to make sure all the healthy leaves are protected.   Thursday, August 4 View Page 1162, best growing pumpkin ive ever had. Mid to high 30's/day. Also starting to get some orange areas. I hope it holds.   Thursday, August 4 View Page My 864, it will be small but orange, not sure why its so slow, same soil as the 1162.   Tuesday, August 9 View Page 864 podraza selfed, nice shape and getting to a deeper orange   Tuesday, August 9 View Page 1162 Podraza x 2009 Wallace, best grower ive ever had. Tomorrow will be a 10 day measure for the 1st 10 days of august. Starting to turn orange as well. Continuing to push it hard to try and stretch out the gains. If it holds it will be a competitor this year.   Thursday, August 11 View Page new patch protector arriving the 23rd   Tuesday, August 16 View Page 864 podraza shifting to a deeper orange   Tuesday, August 16 View Page 1162 getting big and creeping out of the patch. The blossom end is continuing to split open on the rib lines and now the shoulders are getting splits in the flesh between the ribs. Starting to shift from orange to green and thumps like solid concrete ...Heavy Heavy Heavy   Tuesday, August 23 View Page Kink forming, I guess I should have pulled the pumpkin out further when it was little but when I noticed it the stem was already angled down so I figured it would snap, its very loose so it should be ok.   Tuesday, August 23 View Page 1162 splitting and growing daily, that big split keeps growing daily and more like that forming on the other ribs.   Tuesday, August 30 View Page 1162 is somewhat deceptive or maybe its me, Im 6'-5" with a monkey arm wingspan so im not the best comparison for size. Looking very heavy with a lot of green and flesh cracks, all the ribs are filling out nicely. The plant has seen better days, about 80% from the stump to the stem is shot, probably a mix of soil disease, early wind damage, boiling hot temps in july through mid august and some mite damage. Plant after the pumpkin is ok. A few spots of vine snot that im now drying.   Tuesday, August 30 View Page 864 looking nice and orange   Saturday, September 10 View Page 1162, stump to stem plant is gone! Leaves were bloated (too much N) but not in the 864??? Maybe the 1162 was that more aggressive. The bloated leaves seemed to offer an opportunistic path for disease and mites aphids despite a lot of merit. Pumpkin is still growing but the main to the stem and just after is starting to spring leaks. 20 days left   Saturday, September 10 View Page 1162 plant after the pumpkin is still ok. This section did not have leaf bloat as bad and it grew in after the extreme heat we had in june and july   Saturday, September 10 View Page 864, very nice orange and perfectly symmetric, plant is still intact.   Thursday, September 29 View Page My 864 is a beautiful orange. That's my new buddy Linus with me. Definitely would be a HD contender but it will be going to a independent weigh-off this Saturday in Williamsville NY.   Thursday, September 29 View Page 864, taping 340"   Saturday, October 1 View Page 864 Podraza (1426 wolf x 1634 werner) is now the 832 Podraza (selfed)   Saturday, October 1 View Page 1162.5 Podraza all loaded...shes heavy.   Sunday, October 2 View Page The season is done! Overall a great year with a big jump in my PB. The 1162.5 didn't go as heavy as I thought but still a great ride at 1427#. Good for 3rd place at the Great Pumpkin Farm weigh off.   Sunday, October 2 View Page Also took home 1st place for LG and tomato at 103" and 1.1#.   Sunday, October 2 View Page 1427#   Friday, October 7 View Page Raising up the 1427   Friday, October 7 View Page backing the truck under   Monday, October 17 View Page Went out to retrieve the seeds from my 1427 and got one more pic, the top 3 at Clarence, Karl Haist, Jim Hazleton and me. The seeds will be available to growers from the 1427 and the beautiful 832   Tuesday, October 25 View Page Linus in front of my 832, yes people stop in their cars and ask if its a "real pumpkin"   Saturday, October 29 View Page 832 before carving, beautiful orange! Seeds are now drying.   Saturday, October 29 View Page Linus is good at patch protection and seed retrival   Sunday, October 30 View Page 832 looking good, seeds are drying now   Sunday, October 30 View Page Linus is good at patch protection and seed retrival   Sunday, October 30 View Page 832 carved