Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 58 Entries. Sunday, January 26 View Page Nothing like an unseasonably warm day to get you thinking about the upcoming growing season. Plans can change, but for now I’m thinking of growing only two plants next year. I will be prepping and resting the north (right side in picture) side of the patch for the following season. Fertilizers, Gypsum, compost and leaves will be tilled in and at least two cover crops planted through the growing season. Currently, this area is planted with Fracking Radishes. The radishes will not over winter. Their purpose is to create deep channels into the soil, rot away, and then leave air spaces where water and nutrients and pumpkin plant roots will be able to reach deeper. The first cover crop will be Mighty Mustard. Following that may either be a mix of hairy vetch, peas, and winter rye, or buckwheat.   Sunday, January 26 View Page My lineup for 2020   Thursday, January 30 View Page Fracking Radish aka Turbo Radish   Saturday, April 11 View Page It was time to get the growing going. Planted are the 2051 Marshall, 1911 Wolf, and a few backups from my 2019 pumpkins.   Saturday, April 11 View Page Mr Google says I walked nearly 3.5 miles in my pumpkin patch today spreading amendments.   Sunday, April 19 View Page I gave the babies four hours of sunshine today. Kinda forgot they need to be slowly hardened off. One small benefit of this unreal world we are living in right now, is that I have time to chase the sunshine around the house with trays of plants.   Wednesday, April 29 View Page Even though the forecast for the next few days is less than desirable, I decided to put the first of four plants out. I'll let this guinea pig test the waters for the rest.   Friday, May 1 View Page Free to a good home. Anyone within driving distance that needs a plant, shoot me an e-mail. D1109@aol.com   Saturday, May 2 View Page All of the plants are now in the ground. Two 1911 Wolf, and two 2051 Marshalls. The strongest two will go on to greatness. ( I hope)   Monday, May 4 View Page Do you think they are aiming at it? Couldn't get them all in the picture, but there are at least seven bobbins and one lure in this tree.   Monday, May 4 View Page Picture from last post   Thursday, May 7 View Page A Throwback Thursday Pic from 1997. My fifteen minutes of fame on the front page of our local newspaper. This was my second year of growing. The pumpkin came in at 585 pounds which was pretty good back then.   Saturday, May 9 View Page My wind chime. Take a steel scuba tank that failed inspection, take off the valve, cut off the bottom, install a clapper and a chain for hanging. Have your talented daughter paint your favorite prey. Sounds like a channel buoy.   Saturday, May 9 View Page My wind chime. Take a steel scuba tank that failed inspection, take off the valve, cut off the bottom, install a clapper and a chain for hanging. Have your talented daughter paint your favorite prey. Sounds like a channel buoy.   Thursday, May 14 View Page 2007 Topsfield Fair. It took me ten years to get my first 1000 pound pumpkin.   Thursday, May 14 View Page A picture would be helpful. 1053 Pappas.   Friday, May 22 View Page The 2051 has laid down and is starting to run.   Friday, May 22 View Page A couple of unruly Wolfs that didn't get the memo.   Thursday, May 28 View Page Now I have a lone Wolf.   Thursday, May 28 View Page Throwback Thursday pic. Pumpkin grown from the 867 Mombert. Circa 2001. The Mombert pumpkin line offspring typically had this shape and color   Saturday, May 30 View Page The 2051 Marshall is on the loose.   Saturday, May 30 View Page 2051 Front side. About eight feet long   Sunday, May 31 View Page The 1911 Wolf is out of the house and on the prowl.   Monday, June 8 View Page What a difference a week makes. 1911 Wolf at twelve feet long. It has two female flowers at the ten and twelve foot marks. I think I will probably pass on both.   Monday, June 8 View Page The 2051 Marshall. 14 feet long with a female at the tip.   Monday, June 8 View Page Found a flock of turkey chicks this morning in the back yard. Mom wasn't too happy   Thursday, June 11 View Page A Throwback Thursday picture of my now 12 year old granddaughter. I couldn't resist laying her down on a pumpkin leaf and taking this pic.   Monday, June 22 View Page My first desired pollination on the 2051 Marshall. At about 16 feet. 2051 X 2051. The plan was to cross it with the 1911 Wolf, but there weren't any males around this morning. Prior to this day, they had been fairly prolific. A flower on the 1911 had opened up also, but I had to pass on it due to it being super fugly. Gnarly lobes and seeds hanging out of it. There is another three feet further down that should open in four days or so.   Sunday, June 28 View Page The 1911 Wolf plant is filling out nicely. It has a pumpkin pollinated yesterday at about 16 feet. It wasn't the prettiest girl I've seen by any stretch of the imagination. This seems to be a problem this year on both plants. A lot of nowhere near perfect flowers. I have one more shot on the mains of both plants for a June pollination. A little late in the day, but they are way out on the vines with massive plants behind them. I’m of the opinion that a late pollination with a good flower is the better option. The nearest is a day away, and the other, at least two.   Sunday, June 28 View Page The 2051 Marshall. Aggressive, fast growing, with thick vines. A less than perfect five lobed pumpkin s pollinated on the 22nd is at about 16 feet. If the flower that should open tomorrow isn't acceptable, I may go with this one.   Saturday, July 4 View Page Interesting   Monday, July 6 View Page Day 10 2051 Marshall X 1911 Wolf. This pumpkin has 19 secondary's and more than 700 sf of plant behind it   Monday, July 6 View Page Oops, forgot something   Tuesday, July 7 View Page Day 10 for this four lobed pumpkin on the 1911 Wolf. (1911 Wolf X 2051 Marshall. There are 21 secondary's behind the fruit.   Tuesday, July 7 View Page It is nearly time to cut down the mustard and till it in.   Tuesday, July 7 View Page I enlisted some help today. The bare earth showing is all of the area left to fill on the 2051 plant   Tuesday, July 7 View Page Awesome osprey nest.   Tuesday, July 7 View Page I had my first major setback of the season today. The pumpkin on the 2268.5 Leblanc aborted. I wasn't really happy with the shape it was developing anyway. Maybe that had something to do with it going down. Fortunately, There is another pollinated on the 29th at the 20 foot mark. 2268.5 x 2045 Krusznya. All in all a much better looking flower. I do regret the loss of six days between pollination dates however.   Tuesday, July 7 View Page I had my first major setback of the season today. The pumpkin on the 2268.5 Leblanc aborted. I wasn't really happy with the shape it was developing anyway. Maybe that had something to do with it going down. Fortunately, There is another pollinated on the 29th at the 20 foot mark. 2268.5 x 2045 Krusznya. All in all a much better looking flower. I do regret the loss of six days between pollination dates however.   Tuesday, July 7 View Page I had my first major setback of the season today. The pumpkin on the 2268.5 Leblanc aborted. I wasn't really happy with the shape it was developing anyway. Maybe that had something to do with it going down. Fortunately, There is another pollinated on the 29th at the 20 foot mark. 2268.5 x 2045 Krusznya. All in all a much better looking flower. I do regret the loss of six days between pollination dates however.   Tuesday, July 7 View Page I had my first major setback of the season today. The pumpkin on the 2268.5 Leblanc aborted. I wasn't really happy with the shape it was developing anyway. Maybe that had something to do with it going down. Fortunately, There is another pollinated on the 29th at the 20 foot mark. 2268.5 x 2045 Krusznya. All in all a much better looking flower. I do regret the loss of six days between pollination dates however.   Tuesday, July 7 View Page I had my first major setback of the season today. The pumpkin on the 2268.5 Leblanc aborted. I wasn't really happy with the shape it was developing anyway. Maybe that had something to do with it going down. Fortunately, There is another pollinated on the 29th at the 20 foot mark. 2268.5 x 2045 Krusznya. All in all a much better looking flower. I do regret the loss of six days between pollination dates however.   Tuesday, July 7 View Page I had my first major setback of the season today. The pumpkin on the 2268.5 Leblanc aborted. I wasn't really happy with the shape it was developing anyway. Maybe that had something to do with it going down. Fortunately, There is another pollinated on the 29th at the 20 foot mark. 2268.5 x 2045 Krusznya. All in all a much better looking flower. I do regret the loss of six days between pollination dates however.   Tuesday, July 7 View Page I had my first major setback of the season today. The pumpkin on the 2268.5 Leblanc aborted. I wasn't really happy with the shape it was developing anyway. Maybe that had something to do with it going down. Fortunately, There is another pollinated on the 29th at the 20 foot mark. 2268.5 x 2045 Krusznya. All in all a much better looking flower. I do regret the loss of six days between pollination dates however.   Tuesday, July 7 View Page I had my first major setback of the season today. The pumpkin on the 2268.5 Leblanc aborted. I wasn't really happy with the shape it was developing anyway. Maybe that had something to do with it going down. Fortunately, There is another pollinated on the 29th at the 20 foot mark. 2268.5 x 2045 Krusznya. All in all a much better looking flower. I do regret the loss of six days between pollination dates however.   Wednesday, July 8 View Page I was feeling ambitious this morning. The Mighty Mustard was cut down, chopped up, tilled, and watered in. After three weeks, I’ll plant another cover crop.   Saturday, July 25 View Page I have been having a rough time in the patch this year. This is where my 2051 Marshall pumpkin decided to stop growing at day 23. There are no other viable options and soon I'll pull the plant and grow mustard. Thanks for the seed Dale, I gave it my best shot.   Saturday, July 25 View Page Moving on over to the 1911 Wolf, this was where my first main vine pumpkin gave it up at around Day 20.   Saturday, July 25 View Page And a few feet further, another stopped growing.   Saturday, July 25 View Page This is my last chance on this plant, and for the season. It is on a secondary vine and growing well. I think I will call her "Hope"   Saturday, July 25 View Page Hope is twenty days old today and is a 1911 X 1911 cross.   Tuesday, August 4 View Page Hope is thirty days old today. So far she is an underachiever. I'll have to push her a little.   Monday, August 17 View Page Hope was never going to scare anyone at the weigh-off at the pace she was growing, but it would have been nice to get her to one.   Monday, August 17 View Page After 29 days without any, an all day soaking rain was more than she could handle. This is the end of the season for me.   Monday, August 17 View Page Ok you tomato growers out there, try not to laugh at my efforts. This is all that's left of my giant tomato plant after the deer decided to annihilate it. It's been that kind of year.   Monday, August 17 View Page There is one that escaped detection. About 20 inches around whatever that comes out to.   Sunday, August 23 View Page Cross section of the 1911 Wolf pumpkin showing blossom end split and fairly thick walls.   Sunday, August 23 View Page Curiously, there weren't any seeds at all.