Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 25 Entries. Saturday, May 2 View Page The 2020 season is now under way. We had a wet spring so I held off working the soil as long as I could until it had a chance to dry out some. For the first time I will have a second patch to grow in this year. This was last weekend, the day I picked to do all my patch prep. It made for a long day, actually a long weekend out in the sun. Both patches are ready to go.   Saturday, May 2 View Page This year I am going orange. It would be nice to get a Howard Dill Award so that will be my goal this year. I'm going with the 477 Buglio (923 Gouin X 681 Gansert) in one patch and for the other patch it will be either the 666.5 Gansert or the 907 Young,   Saturday, May 2 View Page They are all up and going now. Both 477 Buglio's and the 666.5 Gansert look great! The 907 Young was showing no signs of life after 4 days and the seed coat was starting to get a slight bit of mold. I figured it probably wasn't going to make it so I tried to experiment with it. I removed the seed coat completely and soaked the seed in a 9 parts water - 1part 3% hydrogen peroxide / seaweed solution for 15 minutes. Wrapped it in a new, very slightly damp paper towel and sandwich bag. Threw it back in the germinator box at 88° and a day and a half later it popped to life! The 477's and the 666.5 were planted today. I'll wait a few more days on the 907 since its a few days behind.   Saturday, June 6 View Page The 477 Buglio is looking very good too. Up to this point the plant did not have even a single leaf with sun damage so I thought it was displaying good heat tolerance. It did not fare as well as the 666.5 Gansert did when the temp hit 101°. I had about 20 leaves that were damaged by the sun, some partially burnt to a crisp. All leaves that were burned were either the third or fourth leaf from the tip which are always the most tender leaves. The next day the temp hit 102° but this time I had a second layer of shade cloth above the plant and nothing burned. The first pumpkin opened on the day it hit 101° so I'm guessing it will probably abort. Even if it doesn't abort I will cut it off because the location is not where I want it. Another pumpkin will open in the morning at a better location. I will pollinate it with the 666. Gansert. I have the 907 Young as an option for pollinating with but there aren't any open flowers on that plant yet.   Saturday, June 13 View Page The 666.5 Gansert is looking real good. Both my plants seem to really be flying this year. The weather has been nearly perfect with the exception of 2 days this past week where we hit 101° and then 102° the next day. The 666.5 handled the heat very well under 40% shade cloth with no burnt leaves at all.   Saturday, June 13 View Page First pumpkin on the 666.5 Gansert. Unfortunately, I gotta pass on this one for obvious reasons. I'll wait for one a little further out on the main. This one was at 12 feet out. I think this is some sort of record for me. From seedling to pumpkin in 5 weeks on the 477 Buglio and 5-1/2 weeks on the 666.5 Gansert. Earliest pumpkins I've had.   Saturday, June 13 View Page A few weeks ago I woke up to see my patch looking more like a moonscape than a garden. Something tore the place apart during the night. Even tore up my water lines.   Saturday, June 13 View Page Here is that "something" that tore my patch apart. He had so much fun tearing the place apart that night that he decided to visit the trap too. He now has a new residence.   Saturday, June 13 View Page Modern day lizard hangin with the prehistoric lizard. They seem to get along pretty well!   Thursday, July 2 View Page After several pollinations on each plant the chosen pumpkins have finally been selected. Here is the pumpkin on the 477 Buglio ( 923 Gouin x 681 Gansert ) crossed with the 666.5 Gansert (681 Gansert x 1092.5 Gansert). Looking a bit ribbed already. No doubt its going be be orange.   Thursday, July 2 View Page The chosen pumpkin on the 666.5 Gansert (681 Gansert X 1092.5 Gansert) crossed with the 907 Young (1059 V/M x self). I am growing the 907 Young only as a genetics plant because it had such a late start. This one looks like shes going to be a real beauty. Perfect round shape (so far), bright yellow like a lemon and nice smooth skin.   Tuesday, July 14 View Page Day 30 on the 477 Buglio. Daily weight gains have been in the 30's. 266 OTT or 425 lbs on the 2013 chart. She's growing pretty good Frank!   Thursday, July 16 View Page The 666.5 Gansert is a beauty. Growing well as day 30 approaches in a couple days. Last night was a good night in the patch. One rat eliminated and one opossum relocated after a few weeks of evading the trap.   Thursday, August 6 View Page The 477 Buglio is really starting to draw attention from people walking by. Its so nice to have orange pumpkins in the patch after several years of white blobs. She is currently in the 900's. I hope you like her Frank!   Thursday, August 6 View Page The backside of the 477. I might have to name her "Pumpkin Buns" :-)   Thursday, August 6 View Page The 666.5 Gansert sitting pretty in the patch. Nice smooth skin and getting more orange by the day. This one is sitting at 750 lbs. Not growing as fast as I would like to see but so happy with the way it looks.   Saturday, August 15 View Page The battle for survival is on. The pest control service says this is a bad year for rats and my patch is no exception. The rats took down a smaller pumpkin I had going on a side vine a few days ago and then yesterday morning I found they turned their attention toward my large pumpkin. Fortunately both places they chewed were only about 1/2" deep. I put some sulphur dust on the bites and it looks like its going to heal up. Rats going to die!   Saturday, August 15 View Page The pictures look almost the same each time I post a picture but the 477 Buglio is getting more orange all the time. This pumpkin has exceeded my expectations for this year. We are over 1000 lbs on this one. The weather has turned super hot and will continue to be that way for the next week. 106° yesterday, 103° today. The plant is really taking a beating and showing its age now.   Saturday, September 19 View Page The 666.5 Gansert is one of the most beautiful pumpkins that I have ever grown. She measures 144 circ. 101 SS 95 EE 340 OTT 900 Lbs on the chart.   Saturday, September 19 View Page Color and shape are perfect!   Saturday, September 19 View Page ...And then the picture that makes me sick. She would have easily been a Howard Dill Award winner if she could have held on for 2 more weeks. We had back to back days of 115° and 112° and then an extended period of about a week of right around 100° temps that proved to be too much for this pumpkin. I did my best to protect it from the heat by covering it with thick white blankets early in the morning while the pumpkin was still cool to try to insulate it but it didn't seem to work. It was done growing about 2 weeks ago so it didn't crack from growth. About a week ago a small crack developed so I put on some sulfur and a fan 24/7. The crack slowly continued to get deeper each day. Then a couple days ago temps got up to 107° and 6 new cracks developed and by the next day one of the cracks travelled up to the blossom and split open. First pumpkin I have lost in 17 years of growing, so I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. I suspected it might have been rotting from the inside but upon opening up the pumpkin, it was flawless on the inside and had no soft spots anywhere, inside or out. Good news is that it had a very good seed count so if anybody is interested there should be plenty to go around.   Monday, September 21 View Page The 666.5 Gansert now known as the 900 Est. George was crossed with the 907 Young. The 907 was grown with a main vine only due to space limitations but did produce this pumpkin pictured above.   Monday, December 28 View Page Time to wrap up this years diary. This is the 900 Est. George. (666.5 Gansert X 907 Young) One of the most beautiful pumpkins I have grown and was very symmetrical. It would have easily been a HDA winner but unfortunately the back end blew out just shortly before the weigh off. Harvested many seeds from this one.   Monday, December 28 View Page I set out this year to try and capture a Howard Dill Award and this was the pumpkin that achieved the goal for me. It is the 877 George HDA (477 Buglio X 666.5 Gansert). She was a crowd pleaser in my neighborhood and at the weigh off. Unfortunately only about 30 seeds were recovered from this pumpkin.   Monday, December 28 View Page Another shot of the 877 George prior to unloading at the weigh off.