Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 86 Entries. Wednesday, March 13 View Page Soil Test - Fall 2018   Wednesday, March 13 View Page Soil Test Recommendation - Fall 2018   Sunday, March 24 View Page Placed bales over area last fall to help keep frost out. Uncovered this spring and no frost in ground at all.   Sunday, March 24 View Page cloche in place over bale protected area.   Sunday, March 24 View Page Excavated 4x4 area to install heat cable.   Tuesday, March 26 View Page Learned that installing heat cables is about as fun as burying vines. Finally got it pretty good and ready for back fill.   Wednesday, March 27 View Page Nightcrawlers liked it under the bales all winter. Must have fed all winter as large as they got.   Saturday, April 6 View Page Plugged in heat tape today. Starting 6" soil temp 55 degrees.   Sunday, April 7 View Page 24 hours later, 6" soil temp is 73 degrees. Temps under hoop house exceeding 100 degrees on sunny days.   Monday, April 8 View Page Sent in soil sample to Western Labs.   Thursday, April 11 View Page That snow bank is my hoop house. Still above freezing inside. Soil heat cables running.   Saturday, April 13 View Page Soil test results are back.   Saturday, April 13 View Page Info came with soil test results.   Saturday, April 13 View Page Read through this several times. Great pamphlet.   Sunday, April 14 View Page 18 inches of wet snow melting in a couple of days has left my patch completely underwater. I dug some drainage ditches through the ice dams and got things draining down the storm sewer. City snowplowed a huge berm on both sides of the street and dammed up the storm drainage. Unplugged my heating cables, don't know if they can hold up to immersion or not? Was planning to soak a seed today, but have decided to delay things a week or so.   Sunday, April 14 View Page My spring amendment list. I hope I calculated everything right as per soil test. My patch is 500 sq ft. If anyone would check my figures, I would surely appreciate it. Drop my an email and let me know if this looks right according to my soil test results a couple posts back. Thanks. 2.3 lbs Ammonium Sulfate - 21% Nitrogen and 24% Sulfate 2.78 lbs Urea - 46% Nitrogen - Split Apply 1.4 lbs Muriate of Potash - 60% K2O 2.5 lbs Elemental S - 99% S 13.5 oz Manganese - 14% Mn .6 oz Boron - 17% B   Sunday, April 14 View Page Another of the Soil Test so it just one post away from my amendment schedule and easier for people to check back and forth.   Saturday, April 20 View Page This was my patch on 4/17. 18 inches of wet late season snow melt in 3 days.   Saturday, April 20 View Page Here is my new rain water collection system. Each tank is 330 gallons.   Saturday, April 20 View Page Here's my granddaughter after licking the frosting off her cookie.   Saturday, April 20 View Page Planted my seed today. 2150 Skinner. Sanded the edge and soaked in a glass of RO water with one drop of SuperThrive for an hour then coated the seed hole with myco and put the seed in and covered. Watered in then put in 80 degree closet.   Wednesday, April 24 View Page 2150 Skinner not showing anything after four days. Will start a 337 Johnson for a backup in case I see no soil heaving soon.   Saturday, April 27 View Page 2150 Skinner had some problems shedding her seed coat. I helped her out after a couple days, but she does not look the best.   Saturday, April 27 View Page Started some back ups. These are 337 Johnson 18 that I grew last year. World class genetics, just first year grower. I am going to start these, already showing the radicle root, and select the best one when things are ready to go outside which will be a little while yet.....see next post.   Saturday, April 27 View Page April 27 and we get this for weather. I think my dreams of a May 1 outside planting may be down the tubes.   Tuesday, April 30 View Page 2150 Skinner seedling starting to stretch a little more than I want. I will finish filling the pot to the top, that should shorten things up a little. There just has not been any sun since she emerged. Tomorrow is forecast to give us some sun and the weekend is supposed to be nice.   Tuesday, May 7 View Page Transplanted into hoop house today. Weather has been nothing but cold and rainy since the day I planted my seed. Under the hoop house, it was what I would call "just barely" dry enough to transplant. The heat cables and heat lamp under the hoop house keeps it warm.   Friday, May 10 View Page One and a half inches of rain followed by an overnight freeze. All is well in the hoop house.   Friday, May 10 View Page 2150 Skinner   Sunday, May 12 View Page 2150 Skinner 15 Days since emergence.   Friday, May 17 View Page Finally got my some of my amendments applied. Only 2/3 of the patch got amended, the lower 1/3 of the patch was still just too wet to do anything. Big thunderstorm coming tonight and continued chances of thunderstorms throughout the weekend. Pumpkin has been in the ground under the hoop house and is doing good considering such crappy wet, cold spring.   Wednesday, May 22 View Page 8 1/4 Inches since April 27, no sunshine for two solid weeks. Things are warm (70 degrees) inside the hoop house. Water running under edges of hoop house.   Wednesday, May 22 View Page 2150 Skinner 25 days since emergence 15 days since transplanting   Monday, May 27 View Page 2150 Skinner - 30 Days since emergence - 20 Days since transplanting in hoop house.   Friday, May 31 View Page 2150 Skinner - Starting to lay down - Growing fast every day now. Finally some pumpkin growing weather.   Sunday, June 2 View Page 2150 Skinner has a 30" main, secondaries are starting. Hoop house is finally off and she is off and running.   Tuesday, June 4 View Page Growing very fast. six inches a day. Got my drip irrigation in place. A couple of secondaries are over a foot long, had to pinch a couple tertiary tips off them. Starting burying the main vine, a couple feet already. So hoping for a June pollination, and tihngs are looking good.   Sunday, June 9 View Page 2150 Skinner really growing strong and fast. Main is 69 inches long and secondaries are growing fast.   Tuesday, June 11 View Page Finally got my patch worked for the first time all year. Got my amendments incorporated and the tilth looks good.   Tuesday, June 11 View Page 2150 Skinner really growing fast both the main and secondarys.   Tuesday, June 11 View Page Different view   Friday, June 14 View Page My granddaughter's first kiss.   Friday, June 14 View Page Got my shade cloth installed today. 40 percent shade. Last year I just used burlap and have no idea what % shade it may have been. Summer temps are easing there way in and I wanted to have the shade ready when needed.   Friday, June 14 View Page First flower to open on my girl.   Friday, June 14 View Page 2150 Skinner - Started burying secondary vines today. First couple secondaries are about 4 foot long. Main vine is 10 ft. Looking good so far. Fingers crossed for a June pollination.   Monday, June 17 View Page 2150 Skinner looking good, 2 female flowers on sides and one female hidden in the growing tip of the main. Main is 12 ft and longest secondaries 6 ft. Patch is finally back into good tilth. Looking good for June pollination.   Friday, June 21 View Page 2150 Skinner tucked in with thunderstorm looming. She has a female on the main 13 ft out that should be ready in about a week. Longest sides are 10 ft, so right now she is wider than she is long. She was growing very fast, 6-8 inches a day when we had 80's, last several days have been cooler in the 70's and a noticeable reduction in speed of growth. Warm weather again in the forecast, so hoping for speeding up again.   Sunday, June 23 View Page I have a couple stunted secondaries that have stopped growing and are miles behind it's neighbor secondaries. My plan is to let a tertiary vine grow to fill in the gaps. I have looked at a few 2150 Skinner pics from 2018 and it appears like this could be genetic. Each pic seemed to show the same type of thing right down to which vines stunted. A possibility I guess, but probably something I did or did not do. Now, should I cut off the stubs or risk renewed growth late season and it becoming a sucker vine. Is this a common thing? Chime in please.   Sunday, June 23 View Page Here is another different stunted secondary just two down from the first on the same side, with a really aggressive long vine in between. This one is slightly longer than the first pic.   Friday, June 28 View Page Squash bug porn. Also saw first SVB. Did a Merit drench last Sunday, just in time. Applying Malathion today.   Friday, June 28 View Page High 90's yesterday and again today, 100 for Saturday. My longest secondaries have grown out from under the shade cloth and got some sun scald. Put up a quick temporary shade to get through the weekend, then a more permanent shade on the ends. I have my first female on the main about 13 ft out that looks like it is going to open right during this heat. Just my luck. Preparing cooler and fan and blocks of ice to try to keep her cool and maybe she might take. Another female on the main vine tip, so will have a second, although later than when i wanted, chance later on.   Friday, June 28 View Page Burlap emergency shade for my longest secondaries   Friday, June 28 View Page 2150 Skinner tucked in under the shade. 92 degrees today, 100 for tomorrow. I am very pleased so far. I had a rabbit eat off the tip of my 3rd on one side secondary, and it was on the same side as the two stunted secondaries I cut off. So a little open on the one side, but I am in the process of curving my main back around into the open area to fill in some.   Friday, June 28 View Page Here is my first female on the main. 13 feet out and just about perfect for the end of my 20' long patch. Was so hoping for a June pollination, but now with the scorching hot weather, I'm hoping she waits until Monday and temps in the 80's.   Saturday, June 29 View Page My first main female will open tomorrow at 13 ft.   Saturday, June 29 View Page Looks like I'm going to be able to say I had a June pollination. LOL   Saturday, June 29 View Page Think I doubled up on that last pic.   Saturday, June 29 View Page Another pic. Supposed to be a high of 92 tomorrow, so not nearly as bad as the 102 today. Planning on adding a block of ice/fan/cooler when the temps get above 85.   Sunday, June 30 View Page Four lobber open wide this morning. Had no males on my 337 Johnson, so this one is selfed. One lobe a little funny, see my next post for close up. Please chime in as to if you think this is something to be concerned with down the road?   Sunday, June 30 View Page Close up of lobes. Any concerns to be aware of?   Sunday, June 30 View Page Pollinated at 7:00 AM and it was 78 degrees. At 9:30 it was 83 and I put up my styro cooler with a 5 lb block of ice inside and a little 4 inch fan blowing the cool air over the female flower. 1:30 now and 92 degrees. Going now to replace with new 5 lb block of ice.   Monday, July 1 View Page I think the pollination stuck, she seems to be growing. I pollinated at 7 AM yesterday, this pic was taken 7 AM today. Thunderstorm last night with big winds. Blew my wind fence over on one side of the patch and suffered 10 or so busted over leafs. I used bamboo sticks in X formation to prop up the ones that were not snapped. Sure could have been worse, that is for sure.   Monday, July 1 View Page This was 6:30 PM. 36 hours after pollination.   Tuesday, July 2 View Page DAP 2. Vines growing like mad. Terminated 3 Secondaries that reached the edges of the 24 ft wide patch. Got caught up on the vine burying. Love that job in the heat. LOL   Thursday, July 4 View Page 2150 Skinner, 4 DAP , 9 1/2 cc, looks to be a more elongated pumpkin. Concerned about bend in the neck of the pumpkin. Next post shows a little closer. What can be done, if anything, can I do to get this to straighten out a little? Pumpkin looked to be perfect perpendicular to the vine until she started dropping, then fell crooked.   Thursday, July 4 View Page Anyway to straighten this out? Does it appear to be an obvious fault, or this really somewhat normal?   Friday, July 5 View Page 2nd female on the main will open tomorrow morning. About 18 ft out. Looks like no males on the 337 Johnson, so she will be removed after tomorrows 2150 Skinner selfing.   Saturday, July 6 View Page Pollinated nice 5 lober this AM. Self 2150 Skinner. 2nd on the main.   Saturday, July 6 View Page DAP 6. CC 13"   Saturday, July 6 View Page 6 DAP   Sunday, July 7 View Page 2150 Skinner 7 DAP. I'm concerned about the neck and shape of this pumpkin. Growing nice every night.   Sunday, July 7 View Page This was what it looked like when I took the petals off of yesterdays pollination. Was surprised to seen so much yellow on the lobes. I could still see pollen all over. Don't know if this is a sign that she didn't take, but she has no doubt swelled since the pollination.   Monday, July 8 View Page 2150 Skinner, 8 DAP, 17" cc. Getting an irregular shape and the bent neck still concerns me. I have been adjusting just a tiny bit every day now for 3-4 days. Can't really see that I'm getting any better angle to the main which runs off to the left. I left the secondary from the pumpkin and ran in off to the right.   Monday, July 8 View Page Pumpkin #2, DAP 2 Main vine snapped about 4 ft past this pumpkin.   Tuesday, July 9 View Page 9 DAP 2150 Skinner   Wednesday, July 10 View Page 10 DAP she is 22 1/2 inch cc. Just in the lower range of the Ailts/Landry Benchmarks for 1400+ lbs. I don't like the ring she is forming nor the crooked stem. I have another down the main that is 2 inches larger than this one was at 4 DAP and is nicely situated. Good chance this one will get the ax if the other continues to outgrow.   Wednesday, July 10 View Page Here is pumpkin B, 4 DAP and already 11 inch cc   Friday, July 12 View Page DAP 12   Friday, July 12 View Page Second pumpkin 6 DAP   Monday, July 15 View Page Culled this odd ball today. Terrible bad crooked neck and non symmetrical. No way this pumpkin could have gotten big without snapping her own cork. I don't think her shape could hold up to giantism.   Monday, July 15 View Page This is what this inside of the stem looked like. Almost like a root growing out of the pumpkin, What the hell is that? Normal?   Friday, July 19 View Page DAP 13: Pumpkin has stalled out growing. Stall corresponds to my culling off one pumpkin along with a thunderstorm that dropped 1.75 inches and broke off several leafs. Also the same day, I had a dumb ass attack and mistakenly cut off one of my main secondaries about half way while cutting out some rot on a broken leaf. She has also just recently developed two cracks in the vine node on the stem where it hooks to the vine. I know all of this could be contributing to the growth stall, but I wonder if I have been over watering and the big rain made thing too wet to grow. Things are drying out and I am going to cut back a little on the drip irrigation. Also just add fertilizer last Friday, may have contributed to the cracks. Hope she don't abort, this is my only pumpkin left on the plant. I am going to pollinate another this AM, but this late will be just to salvage a little of what I've put into it. I guess my PB is only 337 last year on my first grow, I do have that goal too, although I was thinking 1000 lbs. LOL   Friday, July 19 View Page One of the stem splits.   Friday, July 19 View Page The other stem split.   Saturday, July 20 View Page Pumpkin with the splits is aborting. Lost and inch in cc and is turning white, no shine, and blossom end is getting soft. Last one on the main. Pollinated a secondary yesterday, looks to have took. This late in the season I am not going to get a big one, so will probably cut back some on the amount of inputs, both physically and financially. Disappointed yes, but everything has a learning curve and this is only my second year. I am giving it the old farmer credo "maybe next year."   Tuesday, July 30 View Page Throwing in the towel for this year. My 4th pollination just rotted off the vine and I am tearing the plant out and planting some mustard and radish. Weather could not have been worse from day 1. More rain then we have ever seen and flooding and high humidity just took its toll. I think I over fertilized early on and caused alot of my troubles. I will give it the old pumpkin growers cry, "Just wait until next year!"