Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 120 Entries. Wednesday, January 8 View Page Been kinda busy this winter so far, Built my kids this indoor playhouse. complete with trap door. waiting for fireman pole to arrive to attach to end. Wednesday, January 8 View Page Been using the tractor to move leaves to the back side of the patch. Boy this thing is handy. My kids love driving it with me. Tuesday, February 11 View Page Started some giant cabbage seeds today Monday, March 24 View Page Sent off 5 soil samples to Umass today. Monday, March 31 View Page with over 3 inches of rain since saturday my patch vanished beneath a small lake. So today after pumping off the pool cover I stuck the pump into the patch trenches and drained them back into the wetlands. i was able to see soil again after about an hour of pumping. Tuesday, April 1 View Page Patch 1 soil Test Tuesday, April 1 View Page Patch 2 soil test Tuesday, April 1 View Page Patch 3 soil test Tuesday, April 1 View Page Patch 4 soil test Tuesday, April 1 View Page Patch 5 soil test Thursday, April 3 View Page moved the boulder from access path and used it to fill the glory hole. Tuesday, April 15 View Page Patch is amended and waiting for plants. Now I just need to start seeds. Wednesday, April 16 View Page Starting seeds today Pumpkins 1756 Lancaster 12 1442.5 Hoomis 13 829 Young 13 1526 Menting 13 1623 est. menting DMG 13 1417 Wolf 12 1744.5 Fulk 13 1556.5 Werner 07 Squash 848* Mackenzie 04 800* Neily 07 1028* Johnson 06 885* Hester 10 576* Michalec 03 Waternelons 232 Barber 13 "Weenie" 206.5 Barber 13 "Louise" Trying something new this year, all seeds were soaked in Dunkel's for 2 hours then put in paper towels and sealed in baggies. Wednesday, April 16 View Page Bubble came today just in time for staying day, filed and started soaking at 8 pm Friday, April 18 View Page 1756, 1442.5, (2) 1522, (1) 1623 dmg, (2) 1526, 1417, (2) 829 all sprouted, Given that the 1522 was started 8 hours later than the others I'm pretty impressed with it. Friday, April 18 View Page (1) 1623, 1744.5, and 2 weenies germinated Monday, April 21 View Page Looks like stump wanted to split early on this one, not gonna make line up that way. Thursday, April 24 View Page Installed a critter fence around entire patch nearly 300 linear feet. Lets hope it helps keep the plants safe Monday, April 28 View Page Finally got plants in the ground. Picture taken at 11pm. Outside temperature 48, in hoops 72. In hoops are: Hoop1) 1522 Harris X2 Hoop2) 829 Young and 1756 Lancaster Hoop3) 1623 est dmg Menting and 1526 Menting Tuesday, April 29 View Page Got Ruts? This is just for you Susan, lol. Saturday, May 3 View Page 1522 Harris x2 Saturday, May 3 View Page 1756 Lancaster on left and 829 Young on right Saturday, May 3 View Page 1623 Est Dmg Menting on left and 1526 Menting on right Monday, May 5 View Page Got to test my aim today Monday, May 5 View Page Direct sowed 74 Carter marrow and yellow marrow from 94 Carter plant. US record lookout! Wednesday, May 7 View Page soil temp was 62 at 9am this morning 6 inches deep Thursday, May 29 View Page Ok so 2 weeks in Taiwan at the beginning of your season is not a good idea. 1756 Lancaster and 829 young look very N deprived, small leaves and pale yellow/green. had a good looking 1526 Menting so pulled 829 which looked the worst and put 1526 there. 1522 Harris has both plants nearly running. 1623 Menting has taken the lead over the 1526 in the 3rd hoop. it is nearly down and running also. gave all plants a nice N feeding last night. Tilled patches to knock down weeds. repopulated garden where plants were lost from sunburn or cold temperatures. lets see if I can turn this season around. Monday, June 2 View Page Here are my 2 weenies side by side, will make a decision on who stays later Monday, June 2 View Page 1623 Est Menting Monday, June 2 View Page 1522 Harris Monday, June 2 View Page 1526 Menting that replaced 829 Young and 1756 Lancaster in background. 1756 is struggling after N issue. Tuesday, June 10 View Page Weenie #1 Tuesday, June 10 View Page Weenie #2 Tuesday, June 10 View Page 1623 Est Dmg Menting in the forground with 1526 Menting in the back Tuesday, June 10 View Page 1756 Lancaster in the front with 1526 Menting behind it, Tuesday, June 10 View Page 1522 Harris, i culled the second plant today to give this one the room for the growing secondaries. Wednesday, June 11 View Page all plants got Dunkel'd tonight Monday, June 16 View Page This is my new giant mater test. It is a 3 sided box wrapped in burlap. It is filled with compost and staked into the ground. I'll tiee the mater plant against this and hopefully it will root into the compost through the burlap. Monday, June 16 View Page Here you can see it is tied right up against the burlap. after it roots I will remove the sting as the roots will hold the plant to the tower Tuesday, June 17 View Page 1522 Harris, I actually got to bury a couple sidevines today, i fell like a real pumpkin grower now. Tuesday, June 17 View Page Culled the 1526 Menting and left the 1756 Lancaster in the second spot. Tuesday, June 17 View Page 1623 Est Dmg Menting looking quite healthy. big ole leaves on this one. Tuesday, June 17 View Page Here's my weenie. Tuesday, June 17 View Page This is the giant tomato bed. Thursday, June 19 View Page Here is a shot of some of my eating tomatoes, by far the healthiest tomato plants I've ever had at this time. I am attributing the success to the use of Uncle Dunkels Tomato Turbo. One of my best purchases this year. Thursday, June 19 View Page Here is a close up of one of the eating tomatoes. beautiful green foliage with a good leaf span, nice thick vine. I couldnt ask for a better recovery after the rough start my garden had. Thursday, June 26 View Page went home from work for lunch break tonight, i figured i'd spray as the heavy rains most likely washed away last foliar. hit bamboo stake holding 1522 main. I went to reset the stake and I snapped the main. lets hope the secondary takes over in a hurry. Not a good occurance a few days before first pollination. OH well such is pkn growing I guess. Tuesday, July 1 View Page 1756 lancaster main snapped today, before the upcoming female, so yet another setback in a rough season. Someone remind me why we do this please! Wednesday, July 2 View Page 1623 Menting x 1522 Harris 4 lobes 8 feet Thursday, July 3 View Page 1522 Harris x 1756 Lancaster 11 feet 5 lobes Monday, July 7 View Page this is a megabloom on a noname Delicious tomato plant. I bought these seeds 2 years ago lets see if I can start a new lineage with this one. Wednesday, July 9 View Page 1623 Est. Dmg. Menting x 1756 Lancaster 4 lobes about 14 feet Wednesday, July 9 View Page 1522 Harris plant Wednesday, July 9 View Page 1522 Harris x 1756 Lancaster day 6, think it might be aborting but really not sure as of now. Thursday, July 10 View Page 1623 Dmg Est Menting plant, Thursday, July 10 View Page 1623 Dmg Est Menting x 1756 Lancaster Day 1 Thursday, July 10 View Page 1756 Lancaster plant Thursday, July 10 View Page 1522 Harris x 1756 Lancaster day 7 Thursday, July 10 View Page Here is my weenie melon plant, already culled a female, i'm waiting for plant to get a lil bigger. Friday, July 11 View Page 1522 Harris x 1756 Lancaster Day 8 Friday, July 11 View Page 1623 Dmg Est Menting x 1756 Lancaster day 2 Saturday, July 12 View Page 1522 Harris x 1756 Lancaster day 9 Saturday, July 12 View Page 1623 Dmg Est Menting x 1756 Lancaster day 3 Sunday, July 13 View Page 1623 Dmg Est Menting x 1756 Lancaster day 4 Sunday, July 13 View Page 1522 Harris x 1756 Lancaster day 10 ...... 19 CC, 15 SS, 15 EE, 49 OTT Monday, July 14 View Page 1522 Harris x 1756 Lancaster day 11 Monday, July 14 View Page 1522 Harris stem already tearing apart, gonna be a fun season. Monday, July 14 View Page 1623 Dmg Est Menting x 1756 Lancaster 5 lobes not sure of distance Monday, July 14 View Page 1623 Dmg Est Menting x 1756 Lancaster day 5 Wednesday, July 16 View Page Weenie has a baby on the main Wednesday, July 16 View Page (#1) 1623 Dmg Est Menting x 1756 Lancaster day 7 Wednesday, July 16 View Page (#2) 1623 Dmg Est Menting x 1756 Lancaster day 2 Wednesday, July 16 View Page 1522 Harris x 1756 Lancaster day 13 Thursday, July 17 View Page 232 Barber 13 x self Main vine about 12-13 feet Used 4 males lets hope it takes Thursday, July 17 View Page 1623 Dmg Est Menting x 1756 Lancaster day 8 Thursday, July 17 View Page 1522 Harris x 1756 Lancaster day 14 Friday, July 18 View Page 1623 Dmg Est Menting x 1756 Lancaster day 9 Friday, July 18 View Page 1522 Harris x 1756 Lancaster day 15 Saturday, July 19 View Page Melon laid down today Saturday, July 19 View Page 1522 Harris x 1756 Lancaster day 16 Saturday, July 19 View Page 1623 Dmg Est Menting x 1756 Lancaster day 10 CC 26, SS 18, EE 20 OTT 64 Saturday, July 19 View Page Picture for last entry Sunday, July 20 View Page 1756 Lancaster x 1522 Harris Tuesday, July 22 View Page 1623 Dmg Est Menting x 1756 Lancaster day 13 Wednesday, July 23 View Page 1522 Harris x 1756 Lancaster day 20 CC 53, SS 42, EE 41 = OTT 136 Thursday, July 24 View Page First pollination on weenie didn't take. But I found this open today, the flower in front of it opened today so it is about 1 day old. Thursday, July 24 View Page 1623 Dmg Est Menting x 1756 Lancaster day 15 Thursday, July 24 View Page 1522 Harris x 1756 Lancaster day 21 Sunday, July 27 View Page 1522 Harris x 1756 Lancaster day 24 Sunday, July 27 View Page 1623 Dmg Est Menting x 1756 Lancaster day 18 Monday, July 28 View Page Woodchuck got under the fence, he got to a few leaves on 1522 Harris. Trap is set at tunnel under fence. Monday, July 28 View Page 1522 Harris x 1756 Lancaster day 25 Monday, July 28 View Page 1756 Lancaster x 1522 Harris day 8 Monday, July 28 View Page 1623 Dmg Est Menting x 1756 Lancaster day 19 Monday, July 28 View Page I have decided to name the 1522 Harris "Blockhead", because of it is a stubborn plant and it has a Blocky shape. Long live Blockhead!!!!!! Tuesday, July 29 View Page Hopefully there are no more, blocked hole under fence. Tuesday, July 29 View Page 1623 Dmg Est Menting x 1756 Lancaster day 20, CC 67, SS 48, EE 48, OTT 163 Tuesday, July 29 View Page 1623 Menting day 20 , forgot pic in last post Tuesday, July 29 View Page 1623 Menting will officially be named "Lefty". The left side of the plant is nearly non existant and will not grow for some reason. The right side however is growing like gangbusters. will try to train the vines to go around front to the other side if I have to. Wednesday, July 30 View Page 1756 Lancaster x 1522 Harris day 10 CC 24, SS 15, EE 16 OTT 55. decided to name the pkn "Lazarus" since the plant was basically resurrected after my Taiwan trip. Wednesday, July 30 View Page 1623 Dmg Est Menting x 1756 Lancaster day 21 Wednesday, July 30 View Page 1522 Harris x 1756 Lancaster day 27 Wednesday, August 6 View Page 1623 Dmg Est Menting x 1756 Lancaster day 28 Wednesday, August 6 View Page 1522 Harris x 1756 Lancaster day 34 Friday, August 8 View Page 1522 Harris day 36 Friday, August 8 View Page 1623 Menting "Lefty" day 30 222 OTT, very disappointed in all my pumpkins this year so far. Friday, August 8 View Page Set on the weenie plant Saturday, August 9 View Page Correction on 1623 Menting measurement, I looked at tape and saw 7 foot mark then added the 3 inches the tape read. It was after the 8 foot mark so add 12 to OTT measurement for a day 30 OTT of 234. Better but still not ideal. Saturday, August 9 View Page 1522 Harris day 37 Saturday, August 9 View Page 1756 Lancaster day 20 146 OTT Monday, August 11 View Page Melon on weenie plant Tuesday, August 12 View Page 1522 Harris day 40 270 OTT, 20 day average of 19# a day Friday, August 15 View Page 1522 Harris day 42 Friday, August 15 View Page Probably my best prospect in my giant tomato plants Saturday, August 23 View Page This was 19 CC couple weeks ago, I wonder what it is now, looks like it is happy. Sunday, September 14 View Page So my son says tells me he picked the largest tomato in the garden and weighed it in my mother in laws scale. Is not certified but fairly accurate, since I'm in France it will have to do this time. 5 lb tomato grown on 3.12 Marley. Here is a pic with tennis ball for comparison. Sunday, September 14 View Page I forgot to add that the mater was grown on the burlap box experiment plant. And it was fed Dunkel's, Epsom salts, coconut water, and micronutrients. Wednesday, September 24 View Page 1522 Harris, 9 days til Topsfield Wednesday, September 24 View Page 1623 Dmg Est Menting Wednesday, September 24 View Page pulled 1756 lancaster plant and started prepping for next year, moved some dirt from the back of patch to the planting site area and then used my tractor and put 10 bucket loads of compost there too. raised it about 2 feet from original grade. this should help my spring water woes