Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 218 Entries. Wednesday, May 7 View Page Well, we are going to try and grow a few pumpkins this year after all.The winter rye was planted early November and did ok.   Wednesday, May 7 View Page The back garden winter rye.   Wednesday, May 7 View Page Tilled all the rye grass in last sunday.   Wednesday, May 7 View Page Front garden for one AG and maybe two Field pumpkins.   Wednesday, May 7 View Page The soil looks pretty good and with all the snow we got this winter I don't see many insects.I think we will start some long gourds on the trellis this year and a few tomatos and some sweet green bell peppers in the side garden not pictured.   Wednesday, May 7 View Page Ammendments added last November.About 200pounds of calcium carbonate, 150 pounds of Azomite and 250 pounds of Humic Acid.Lots of egg shells and all the scrap bones we have.   Monday, May 12 View Page Did a Biota-Max treatment and added some 10-10-10 yesterday.   Monday, May 12 View Page Soil is looking better everyday.   Monday, May 12 View Page All pumpkin seeds have germinated and are in cuos of Pro-Mix.Think they will be in the garden by the weekend.Will plant some long gourds today.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page 2 pairs of field pumpkins from my friend John Ciesielski.Once they start to run a little I will cull to just 2 plants.Thanks again for the seeds John.Grew these, I think 3 years ago and they did great.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page 84LB. Ciesielski field pumpkin (137.5 Crews X Self)   Wednesday, May 28 View Page 4 foot volunteer sunflower.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page A pair of 3 foot volunteer sunflowers.These things are really growing fast now.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page A 2032 Mathison and a back-up 1309 Connolly.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page An 1157 Bhaskaren (08) and another 1309 Connolly back-up.Hoping for some nice color with the 1157 (826.5 Heyne 05 X 1290 Poirier 07).   Wednesday, May 28 View Page 2 1536 Marsh plants.This is the better looking of the 2.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page 1110 Krause plant.First to germinate and a nice looking plant growing well.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page Planted 6 long gourd plants against the trellis in the rain yesterday.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page 3, 83" from Dale Marshall and 3, 81" from Thomas Nesbella.These long gourd seeds grew well for us a few years ago.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page Have a dozen eating tomatoes caged and staked.Some new varities for us. Have 8 Supersonic and 4 Big Beef.Both are supposed to have some disease tolerance to them.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page 10 foot stakes on these climbing tomatoes.We have 8 of these planted. They will climb up to 25 feet in the right condition.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page These climbing tomatoes are called Climbing Triple-L or The Italian Tree Tomato.Not only do they climb, they produce 16-24OZ. tomatoes that are pinkish red and really delicious to eat.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page 36 Bell pepper plants.Yellow, green and purple.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page When digging to plant the pepper plants this year I thought I hit a rock.Not a rock.Did some historical reaearch here and found out that 140 years ago this back area of our neighborhood was a large pond.We are thinking that this is a pier footing of some type.You can see the remnants of a square wooden post in the top of this.Anybody that might have seen something like this before and knows exactly what it is, please E-mail us and let us know.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page Another gardening project if we have time.Apartment building behind our house caught fire about 5 years ago.We gathered the bricks from it this past winter and cleaned them up.Going to build a nice wall around the garden on the slope beside the carport.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page Classic old fashion roses blooming today.This bush is over 40 years old.   Wednesday, May 28 View Page Almost forgot.About 10 or so days ago we layed down some granular Merit (Zenith) and sprayed some molasses to help the Biota-Max.Also all plants were given a dose of Myco at planting.   Sunday, June 8 View Page 84 Ciesielski field pumpkins growing well.   Sunday, June 8 View Page Volunteer sunflower past 6 feet tall.   Sunday, June 8 View Page 2032 Mathison looking good so far.Feeding plants a mixture of liquid fish, liquid seaweed, liquid iron and soluable humic acid.   Sunday, June 8 View Page 1157 Bhaskaran on the left and 1309 Connolly on the right.I'm hoping the 1157 makes the cut as it should throw awesome color.   Sunday, June 8 View Page A pair of 1536 Marsh plants and both are doing well.Pumpkins have been sprayed twice with insecticide.First time liquid Sevin, second time with Cyzmic CS.   Sunday, June 8 View Page 1110 Krause.Looking good and still the front runner but the 2032 Mathison is catching up with it.   Sunday, June 8 View Page Two SVB traps in place.Saw one in the garden 10 days ago.   Sunday, June 8 View Page Triple-L climbing tomatos.Soon will be suckering them and tying them up to the stakes.   Sunday, June 8 View Page I got 6 of these from my brother-in-law the other day.He said they came from a tomato that a friend of ours grew last year that weighed 6.5 pounds.When I see our friend, I will find out more about what these are, as that's all I know now.   Sunday, June 8 View Page Supersonic tomatos.Nice color and growing supersonic...lol.   Sunday, June 8 View Page Long gourds.I have 6 planted along the trellis.Some kind of insect attacked 2 of them the day after I transplanted and before I sprayed.Replaced them with back-ups right away.Thank GOD for back-ups.   Sunday, June 8 View Page 275 gallon water tank hooked up and ready to go.Soon we are going to enclose this tank to keep the light away and minimize the algea growth.   Sunday, June 8 View Page 6 rain barrels catching water from the back porch roof.   Sunday, June 8 View Page Bell peppers doing well.The entire garden was sprayed with Daconil 2 days ago as humidity begins to set in here.   Sunday, June 8 View Page Concrete Sunflower.Another volunteer sunflower growing in a pile of concrete.Pretty amazing.   Sunday, June 8 View Page Some smaller pale yellow sunflowers out by the street.There are a few Zinnias coming up there also.   Saturday, June 28 View Page Two 84 Ciesielski field pumpkins doing well.   Saturday, June 28 View Page Have an early open pollination on the field pumpkins (has to be selfed, as it was the only males available. Huge stem and big pumpkin to be so early.   Saturday, June 28 View Page An AG that looked like it was never going to grow has finally taken off.A 1236 Harp.Not much room for it here, but we will see how it goes.Hoping to use it as maybe a pollinator.   Saturday, June 28 View Page 1309 Connolly looking great.Huge vines and huge leaves.Wasn't going to grow this one,but its growth is incredible.I will dig the sod out in front of this plant to at least get some more of the main vine buried.   Saturday, June 28 View Page Giant leaves on the 1309 Connolly.   Saturday, June 28 View Page 2032 Mathison in its screen house.This plant is beside the 1309 Connolly but they are growing in opposite directions.   Saturday, June 28 View Page The 2032 Mathison does not like the heat we have here, so I try to keep the younger growth shaded best I can.Seems like when the temps get over 90 degrees she wants to flag a little.The screens are helping it a lot now.   Saturday, June 28 View Page The 1157 Bhaskaran moving right along doing well.   Saturday, June 28 View Page Baby pumpkin on the 1157 Bhaskaran.   Saturday, June 28 View Page 1110 Krause growing well.   Saturday, June 28 View Page Planted three 84 Ciesielski back-up field pumpkins to take the place of the 1536 Marsh AG plants.The 1536 Marsh plants (I had 2) both would completely flag like they were going to die in the heat over 90 degrees.I pulled the worst one and tried to save the other with shading.The flagging stopped but the plant would not grow after that and looked stunted. I pulled it this week and replaced that area with three field pumpkins I had as back-ups.   Saturday, June 28 View Page Long gourds really growing well.   Saturday, June 28 View Page More long gourds.   Saturday, June 28 View Page Triple - L climbing tomatoes.Keeping them to two main vines and they are really growing quickly.   Saturday, June 28 View Page The late tomato plants from my friends 6 pound tomato from last year.I have six of these planted.All are growing fantastic.   Saturday, June 28 View Page Eating and canning tomatoes.Variety "Supersonic" growing super great.   Saturday, June 28 View Page Green, yellow and purple Bell peppers doing good.   Saturday, June 28 View Page SVB traps doing their jobs.....but I also see a couple dead bees in them also.   Saturday, June 28 View Page Volunteer sunflower at 12 feet tall.   Tuesday, July 1 View Page 96 degrees today and supposed to be hotter tomorrow.1157 Bhaskaran is not loving it.Removable shade structure is really helping.   Tuesday, July 1 View Page Removable shade structure.   Friday, August 8 View Page Green peppers came down with a bacterial spot disease.I'm guessing that it came from the seeds as I have never seen this in my garden before.Upon seeing this I started a spray rotation of multiple fungicides and seem to have a grip on it now.   Friday, August 8 View Page I have picked about 70-80 green peppers off of these plants so far.We make different stuffed pepper casseroles with them and freeze them.   Friday, August 8 View Page Long gourds are doing well.   Friday, August 8 View Page The fatter long gourds.   Friday, August 8 View Page The skinny long gourds.   Friday, August 8 View Page Long gourds on the fence will be a problem.Not to worry though because there are plenty of them hanging from the top.   Friday, August 8 View Page Triple-L tomato plants (Italian climbing tomatoes).Kept them to 2 vines and the white posts are 10 feet tall.   Friday, August 8 View Page Tomatoes on the Triple-L's.   Friday, August 8 View Page Long gourds covering the trellis and starting to grow up the Holly tree.6 plants in all.   Friday, August 8 View Page Supersonic tomato plants are super healthy and loaded with tomatoes.   Friday, August 8 View Page Tomatoes on the Supersonics.   Friday, August 8 View Page Starting to pick a lot of tomatoes.Will be canning tomatoes and making sauce soon.   Friday, August 8 View Page The only mega blossom we had on the mystery tomato plants from my friend.Still growing and was 3 blossoms in one.   Friday, August 8 View Page View of garden from the street.   Friday, August 8 View Page Upper garden.2 field pumpkin plants and the 1309 Connolly plant and a 1236 Harp plant crammed into the upper corner.   Friday, August 8 View Page A pumpkin on the 1236 Harp.This plant is really late as it just sat there for the longest time before it ever wanted to grow.   Friday, August 8 View Page I think its time to pick this field pumpkin.   Friday, August 8 View Page 1309 Connolly.Beast of a plant.Pumpkin still growing but I madea big mistake.......   Friday, August 8 View Page 1309 Connolly......Hmmmmmmmmm.....need to work on that positioning a little more next time.   Friday, August 8 View Page Pumpkin on the side vine of the 1309 Connolly.   Friday, August 8 View Page 1110 Krause plant in the back garden.Late field pumpkin in the forground.   Friday, August 8 View Page 2 pumpkins on the 1110 Krause plant.   Friday, August 8 View Page Another late field pumpkin.Lost the 1137 Bhaskaren plant to mosaic.Pulled the 2032 Mathison due to slow growth and a rotted main vine and lack of space.This field pumpkin is quickly filling the space where the Bhaskaren plant was.   Friday, August 8 View Page Zinnias and another pumpkin on a side vine of the 1236 Harp plant.   Friday, August 8 View Page A few more Zinnias.   Friday, August 8 View Page All the water tanks are full. Only used the tanks to water one day this year so far.The rain has been just perfect. Not too little, not too much.   Friday, August 15 View Page A 50 pound field pumpkin from the 81 Ciesielski.   Thursday, August 21 View Page The biggest tomato from a mega blossom on the mystery plant.2 pounds 4.1 ounces.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page The garden is completely full.The weather has cooled quite a bit.70 in the day, 50 at night and fairly dry now.AG pumpkins still growing slowly but the field pumpkins are all pretty much finished.I'm guessing there are about 2 dozen field pumpkins hiding in the jungle from 4 plants total.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page All super nice colored field pumpkins.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page A really long, gourd shaped field pumpkin.Many of them have this shape.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page AG vines are as healthy as they can be and still growing.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page 1236 Harp.Around 350 pounds on about 150 square feet of plant.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page A second pumpkin on the 1236 Harp.Maybe 200 pounds.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page 2 pumpkins on the 1309 Connolly.I have 3 pumpkins on this plant with a total weight of around 1950 pounds.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page Pumpkin around 550 pounds.1309 Connolly.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page Pumpkin number 2 on the 1309 Connolly.Around 650 pounds.It's a shame on me I let this pumpkin split the vine on the main.This pumpkin could have been something really special I think.Oh well....live and learn and get better at positioning small fruit.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page Vine split on pumpkin number 2.1309 Connolly.I did get the vine to heal up with bleaching it and a fan and a small amount of fungicide once per week.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page Pumpkin number 3.1309 Connolly plant.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page Another view of pumpkin number 3.1309 Connolly.Taping somewhere around 750 pounds.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page Stump on the 1309 Connolly.Healthiest I'v ever had.Researching and applying a much improved spray program over this past winter has made a tremendous difference in the entire garden.My thanks go out to Paps and Ron Wallace for clueing me in on a proper spray program.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page 1110 Krause plant.I have 5 pumpkins on this plant.3 that are around 400 pounds and 2 late sets that are around 100 pounds each.All are on side vines.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page Pumpkin number 2 on 1110 Krause plant.Around 400 pounds.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page Pumpkins number 2 and 3 on 1110 Krause plant.Both around 400 pounds.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page Long gourds growing over the trellis and to the top of the Holly tree behind it.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page Lots of long gourds from 6 plants.The biggest is around 94 inches.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page More long gourds.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page Bell pepper plant are really producing many many sweet peppers now.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page Yellow sweet bell peppers.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page Something new for me this year.Black sweet bell peppers.They sure are pretty.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page Healthiest tomatoes I'v ever had.Spray program really worked well here.....not much blight at all and still producing many fruits.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page Healthy tomato plant all the way to the ground.Most other peoples tomato plants in this area are done and finished now from the blight.I'm hoping we will get tomatoes here until frost.   Wednesday, September 17 View Page The tomatoes I picked today.They are starting to get smaller now but there are plenty more green ones on the vines.I'm guessing we have picked over 400 pounds of tomatoes from 20 plants.   Friday, October 3 View Page The grandkids....Marley and Silas.   Friday, October 3 View Page Picture taken Saturday the 27th.Silas is the birthday boy...2 years old today.   Friday, October 3 View Page Another of Marley and Silas.   Friday, October 3 View Page My youngest daughter Leana with the tri-pod we built.Really works well.   Friday, October 3 View Page The tri-pod.   Friday, October 3 View Page Our homemade lifting ring made from an old basketball goal.Thanks go out to my next door neighbor,LJ, for welding it up for us.Thanks go out to my friends, the Roberts boys, at Precision Fabricators in Stuarts Draft Virginia for drilling the hole out for the eye bolt.   Friday, October 3 View Page We were going to take this pumpkin to Elkins Saturday, but upon lifting it we found a small split in the blossom end (BES).Its just a tiny hole but it goes thru.Estimated to be right at 600 pounds.   Friday, October 3 View Page This pumpkin was our first choise to go to Elkins.As you can see, it didn't make it (LOL). Estimated weight on this one was 650 pounds or so.   Friday, October 3 View Page 3 pumpkins on the 1110 Krause plant.All 400-500 pounds.   Friday, October 3 View Page Our biggest pumpkin on the 1309 Connolly plant.Still gaining weight.   Friday, October 3 View Page Vines and leaves still look healthy on the Connolly plant.   Friday, October 3 View Page 1236 Harp.Pumpkin plant is 150 square feet.Weighs around 350 pounds.   Friday, October 3 View Page Second pumpkin on the 1236 Harp plant.Around 200 pounds.   Friday, October 3 View Page I think we have at least 25 field pumpkins growing on 4 plants.These plant are pretty much finished and haggered looking.   Friday, October 3 View Page Still have long gourds that are growing.   Friday, October 3 View Page Long gourds growing and hanging in the Holly tree.   Friday, October 3 View Page Our longest gourd.Its over 95 inches....haven't measured it in over 2 weeks.   Friday, October 3 View Page Tomato plants still looking great and still producing lots of fruit.   Friday, October 3 View Page I have "canned" over 70 quarts of tomato sauce this year.   Friday, October 3 View Page This time of year the tomatoes get smaller, but there are some that are pretty nice size.   Friday, October 3 View Page This weeks harvest.More sauce to make this weekend.Should be getting tomatoes until the frost kills these plants this year.Plants are very healthy all the way to the ground.   Friday, October 3 View Page Green bell pepper plants are huge now with tons of peppers on them.Freezers are full now of 7 different kinds of stuffed pepper casseroles.   Friday, October 3 View Page Basket of green bell peppers destined for casseroles.   Friday, October 3 View Page On another note.I was able to pick up 2 more totes for a better watering system project to work on this winter.These 2 give us 1200 gallon capacity now and I may be able to get one more tote.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page Loading the truck for the North Carolina State Fair.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page Me (Steve) and my youngest daughter (Leana).This is the third pumpkin off of the 1309 Connolly plant.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page Just me.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page My next door neighbors, Steve and his son, Josh.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page At the State Fair in North Carolina.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page A better picture.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page The pumpkin entries at the fair.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page A good turn out.I think there were 24 pumpkins.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page My pumpkin waiting for its turn to be weighed.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page The watermelon entries.Met many of the North Carolina watermelon growers there.Heck of a bunch of super nice guys and it was an absolute pleasure to meet them.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page And the winner of the watermelon weigh-off.......Mr. Chris Kent.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page Super nice lady...(Rookiesmom)...Suzy. Very nice to meet you in person.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page What a great kid......TJ...with his dad.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page Another great guy.Danny Vester.Danny brought his State Record pumpkin for all to see.....what a "hoss". Great job on that one Danny.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page Bringing my pumpkin to the scales to be weighed.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page Checking it close.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page A little question and answer with me and Big Daddy Pumpkin.Another really nice guy.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page Wow! I won the weigh-off.808.5 pounds.Very surprised...I surely did not expect to win.   Wednesday, October 15 View Page I wish to thank everyone involved at the Fair and the weigh-off.Great group of people.Super hospitality and treated me like I was at home here in Virginia.Again...thank you, thankyou, thankyou.   Friday, October 31 View Page Returned to the North Carolina State Fair for the last day on sunday to enjoy the fair with my daughter Leana and my grandaughter Marley.   Friday, October 31 View Page What a great day we had.97,600 people there that day and the giant pumpkin exhibit was the number one most visited exhibit for the 11 days of the fair.   Friday, October 31 View Page Marley and Leana.   Friday, October 31 View Page Marley and the ponies.   Friday, October 31 View Page The giant pumpkin exhibit.Got to see some of the guys from the North Carolina growers club there again.Really just a great bunch of guys.   Friday, October 31 View Page Chris Kent first place watermelon and my first place pumpkin.   Friday, October 31 View Page Big day for the girls.We were there for 10 hours sunday and tried to see everything.Huge fair and I'm not sure if we saw everything or not.   Friday, October 31 View Page Leana coming down the giant slide.   Friday, October 31 View Page Fun, fun, fun.   Friday, October 31 View Page Marley on the Flying Bobs.   Friday, October 31 View Page This ride went fast.   Friday, October 31 View Page Faster and faster.   Friday, October 31 View Page Actually it went super super fast.....amazing....Marley loved it.   Friday, October 31 View Page Evening approaching and the lights come on.   Friday, October 31 View Page 7 year old Marley.   Friday, October 31 View Page The fair lights.   Friday, October 31 View Page Marley on another very fast ride.   Friday, October 31 View Page Go Marley GO!!!   Friday, October 31 View Page Leana and Marley trying to climb the jungle ladder.   Friday, October 31 View Page Down goes Marley.But you get 2 turns.   Friday, October 31 View Page Leana trying hard.   Friday, October 31 View Page Down goes Leana.   Friday, October 31 View Page So close.Marley almost made it to the top on her second try.   Friday, October 31 View Page One of the laying down rides.   Friday, October 31 View Page Round and round she goes again.   Friday, October 31 View Page Lots of lights, kids screaming and loud music.The girls loved it.   Friday, October 31 View Page Marley......sooo cute!!!   Friday, October 31 View Page Kids make new friends so quick and easy.   Friday, October 31 View Page Marley told us that her day at the fair was Super Super FUN.We all had a great time there and spent the night in Raleigh.Picked our pumpkin up on Monday morning and headed back home.   Friday, October 31 View Page My 808.5 pound pumpkin unloaded in the front yard along with some others from the garden.   Friday, October 31 View Page 8 giant AG pumpkins from 3 plants and 39 field pumpkins from 4 plants.Getting ready for the trick or treaters on Friday night.   Friday, October 31 View Page Pleasant surprise.A 94 pound field pumpkin.Have a couple more that are 80 pounds and many more around 50 pounds.   Friday, October 31 View Page The long gourds.   Friday, October 31 View Page Wide view of all the pumpkins.   Friday, October 31 View Page Zinnias still blooming.I think not for long though.They are calling for snow flurries here this coming sunday.   Friday, October 31 View Page Still picking tomatoes.   Friday, October 31 View Page Tomato plants have lots of green tomatoes on them.   Friday, October 31 View Page Plants look great for this late in the year.   Friday, October 31 View Page More tomatoes.   Friday, October 31 View Page Long gourd leaf frost protection for the tomato plants LOL.   Friday, October 31 View Page The tomatoes picked this week.   Friday, October 31 View Page Green, yellow and purple bell pepper plants still producing.   Friday, October 31 View Page Picked around 100 bell peppers this week and gave most of them away to all my neighbors.   Friday, October 31 View Page The spooky creapy long gourd display for Halloween.   Monday, November 10 View Page Last of the green peppers we picked.   Monday, November 10 View Page Frost and 28 degrees finally killed the rest of the garden on Saturday night...November 8.These are the last tomatoes we picked Saturday evening before the freeze.   Monday, November 10 View Page We made 2 of the local newspapers....this is the Staunton paper.   Monday, November 10 View Page The Waynesboro newspaper also.   Monday, November 17 View Page Adding to the garden this winter.   Monday, November 17 View Page My friend Dale.We are adding about 2500 more square feet and improving drainage in the middle garden.   Monday, November 17 View Page 3 year old compost to be added along with many more things to come.   Monday, November 17 View Page Subsoiling for drainage.   Monday, November 17 View Page Going deep.We did this to the upper and lower garden 3 years ago.Now its time to do the rest of the garden.   Monday, November 17 View Page Working near the lower garden.Dale is a driving expert.30 years working for the city and county driving heavy equipment.   Monday, November 17 View Page Busting up this clay here in Virginia is essential for drainage and good growth.   Monday, November 17 View Page Spreading the compost.   Monday, November 17 View Page Finished the subsoiling.The whole garden done.Hope we can get the ammendments added this coming week.Oh yes....and pick out all the tiller-killer rocks we loosened up....lol.   Monday, November 17 View Page My pal Dale.Neighbors and have been friends for 45 years.Thanks for all your help, always.