Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 58 Entries. Wednesday, February 2 View Page YouTube video is the link to my YouTube 2021 season wrap up and Q&A More videos to come   Sunday, February 13 View Page The Giant Pumpkin Wars is on! CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! check out all of our grows this year on YouTube this is the link to my page and Challenge accepted video: YouTube video   Friday, February 18 View Page Time to choose a team! Comment on one of our YouTube channels which team your on! YouTube video   Tuesday, February 22 View Page I have been on a rotation on the same potting mix to "break" it in with test plants. I usually do this for 6 weeks before I actually start my seeds for the season. This gives me a solid grow media to start with that is balanced and has microbes active in the mix. I only grow my test plants for about 3 weeks, about the 3rd or fourth true leaf then pull the plant leaving about 75% of the root mass intact. I then put a new seed in the mix that has the root popped already ( started 2-4 days prior). And repeat the process. I do not fertilize but I do water with a "tea" that I have been working on that is organic and works well with stimulating plant growth.   Wednesday, February 23 View Page Soil test is back and it looks similar to last spring. Hopefully I can repeat some success and apply what I learned through last years tissue test how to be more proactive with some adjustments.   Friday, March 4 View Page My son was a big helper today as we took down some trees that shade part of the patch in the evening. It should give me full sun for an additional 2 hours.   Tuesday, March 15 View Page Dropped a 60' tall tree that had three trunks that came out of a 5' wide base. This will help the evening sun on the patch dramatically.   Monday, March 21 View Page I'm going to do a better job of tracking my weather for historical value in the future. I am adding 1/3 of my ammendments and tilling the patch before tomorrow's rain   Tuesday, March 22 View Page YouTube video preparation video: I ammended last night and tilled this morning. It should rain tonight   Tuesday, March 22 View Page Two passes with the tiller, three in areas where I extended the patch.   Sunday, March 27 View Page Hoop houses go out in the patch today and will stay close for the next two weeks to warm the soil.   Monday, April 4 View Page Seeds started on April 4th   Friday, April 8 View Page Hoop houses went up today, patch clean up.   Sunday, April 10 View Page Weather for the coming week, seeds have all broke surface.   Wednesday, April 13 View Page YouTube video some tips and hope to inspire   Friday, April 15 View Page 1883 Bayuk put in the ground and on the east end of the patch "state fair patch" spot   Saturday, April 16 View Page Giant pumpkin seedling are doing great and a few are enjoying the hoop houses already.   Sunday, April 17 View Page Last few days of plants being in pots, all will be in the ground in three days. I have been giving them filtered sun and putting out on over cast days.   Sunday, April 17 View Page Plants will go in the ground on Wednesday   Thursday, April 21 View Page Plants are put in the hoop houses and how i treat for corn seed maggot, prevention is key. YouTube video   Sunday, April 24 View Page Hot the last two days, a few wilting leaves on the young plants. This week will be better Temps for the young plants. Only one night in the upper 30s   Sunday, May 1 View Page Weather forecast for this week   Sunday, May 1 View Page Puning young plants to lay down and how I would prune a double if I was to try and save it. Note I would pull the plant in favor for a back up at this age. YouTube video   Sunday, May 1 View Page This will be my 150 sqft patch, it measures 12' 3" x 12' 3"   Sunday, May 1 View Page 150 patch   Sunday, May 1 View Page 150 patch   Sunday, May 8 View Page Weather is favorable and should be able to remove the hoop houses, the small ones for sure.   Monday, May 9 View Page 2195 Theil planted in the ground for the 150 sqft patch.   Saturday, May 14 View Page Weed fabric down under main vines, buried a few nodes on each plant. Rain tonight and good temperatures for the week.   Sunday, May 15 View Page Plants did well in their first rain storm last night without hoop houses. Temperatures should be favorable and a good mix of sun and rain this week.   Sunday, May 22 View Page I mowed down the cover crop "weeds" it rained a good bit last night. I should be able to ammend the left and right side of the patch in a few days and till.   Sunday, May 22 View Page Temps are okay but we'll see how much sun I see this week.   Tuesday, May 24 View Page Tilled in the last of my ammendments, need to hand weed around the plants. Happy with overall plant health.   Sunday, May 29 View Page Plants are looking good, I need to finish weeding around a couple of plants this evening but I got all the vine burying done before the heat of the day kicked in.   Sunday, May 29 View Page Much better weather this week   Sunday, June 5 View Page Weather has been good, a few hot days causing leaf burn but nothing that has taken out any vine tips   Monday, June 6 View Page Plants have good color and growth, I will send out tissue test tomorrow   Tuesday, June 7 View Page 1883 Bayuk, east side of the patch. My wife sibbed it with the 1883 Bayuk west end of the patch.   Sunday, June 12 View Page Forcast is a bit warm this week but, it's better than the 100 degree day bookend with two 99s that was originally forecast. All plants have at least one set, just need to pollinate one more on one of the 2376 and ill be making some choices after the heat wave.   Sunday, June 12 View Page YouTube video   Wednesday, June 15 View Page 2195 Theil in my 150 patch 12oz beer bottle reference   Saturday, June 18 View Page Patch update YouTube video   Sunday, June 19 View Page Been dry, I'm watering 100 gallons per plant a day and its barley enough, I could use a good rain.   Sunday, June 19 View Page 2376 Bayuk, my best plant this year, hopefully can fill in the space before fruit sink takes over   Saturday, June 25 View Page Not a perfect weather year but fruit growth is looking good so far. Meet the Bayuk patch residents. Holls and Pamela are from my 1883 Bayuk and Bays and Morticia are from my 2376 Bayuk.   Sunday, July 3 View Page Finally getting some rain, yesterday was the first day I didn't water in a month but I did foliar feed.   Sunday, July 3 View Page Quick end of June update YouTube video   Monday, July 4 View Page Looks like I'm knocked out of the 150 contest and even worse losing a great cross, 2195 Theil x 2376 Bayuk . The plant went quick today and was pulled and burned. The culprit is bacteria wilt caused by chewing of cucumber Beatles. Cucumber Beatles have been a constant battle for me this year. I nuked them this evening at sun set. I sprayed all four my competition plants with a contact as well as a systemic. I will shorten the time between treatments and I have increased the dosage slightly. Thank you to Jeff Theil for the seed, wish I could have got it to the finish line.   Monday, July 11 View Page Weather doesn't look to bad this week. The hat this year has been rough between that and the humidity I am fighting rot spots on the main vine of my 2376 Bayuk. "Morticia " I have cut out leaves from main and am treating main but well see how long i can fight on this plant. Hopefully long enough to get seeds out of it.   Sunday, July 17 View Page This has been a tough week in the patch, the heat and humidity have been difficult to battle this year. Morticia has lost 600 sqft of plant and his holding on to 200 sqft of plant and a 6 foot main. I will be growing her for seeds so that I can carry the genetics (2376 Bayuk x self) over to future years and share with others. Hollys (1883 Bayuk x 2376 Bayuk) is the perfect pumpkin but is in the worst end of my patch, it tends to stay more wet there and she has some spots on her main that I am fighting to save. Pamela (1883 Bayuk x self) has as an okay plant bit was the first to see powdery mildew on. I have started for that and hope to keep her moving along. Last but certainly not least is Bays (2376 Bayuk x sib) she is grow at 42 # a day and has minor issues i have been been working on. With any luck I can continue to keep them minor.   Monday, July 18 View Page 3" of rain last 7 days... need to dry out   Monday, July 25 View Page This is going to be an interesting weather week...   Tuesday, August 2 View Page To much rain this year, I'm fighting an up hill battle with disease, rot and overall plant health.   Wednesday, August 10 View Page This years weather sucks! That is all YouTube video   Saturday, August 20 View Page Took 3rd at the state fair, at 1236# and won the Howard Dill award! Happy about that and excited to get the patch in rest mode for next year and start prep on the new rotation patch.   Saturday, August 20 View Page Safe lift and the now 1236 Bayuk (1883 Bayuk x 2376 Bayuk)   Saturday, August 20 View Page Safe lift and the now 1236 Bayuk (1883 Bayuk x 2376 Bayuk)   Saturday, September 17 View Page Took 7th place at Roberts, my fruit that never should have made it to the scale went heavy and showed the battle that this season was for me. Cover crop goes on main patch this week and hopefully get the new patch busted up next week with a cover crop seeded