Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 75 Entries. Saturday, February 22 View Page Penryn Garden - February 22 2020 photo - First Garden Prep for my AG garden plot . Raked out 5 yards of Compost over 25lbs of Soil Acidifier to lower my current 8.2 ph levels.   Friday, March 13 View Page 2020 Garden Prep - Added 5 Yards of Compost and 25lbs of Soil Acidifier- More goodies to be applied before I rototill the patch.   Friday, March 13 View Page Penryn Garden - Today my garden got some goodies : 1) 50lbs Kelp Meal 2) 50lbs Alfalfa Meal 3) 10lbs Blood Meal 4) 33.33 lbs All purpose 15-15-15 - All rototilled along with the 5 yards compost and 25lbs Soil Acidifier that's been decomposing under the Compost for the last several weeks. Next Step - Hand Turn after adding a few more delicate items. Two lucky pumpkins will get the works - #3 AG choice -gets the leftovers.   Wednesday, March 18 View Page A little Sunshine and they should start sprouting in a perfect world.   Monday, March 23 View Page Flowers, Herbs,Vegetables - Starting seedlings this week, approx 150 total of various varieties including heirloom. Each tray holds fifty. Letting the sun do it's magic!   Tuesday, March 24 View Page Epson Salts - Added 25lbs today just before it started raining in Northern California - Slowly working through my Soil Amendment list for 2020 Pumpkin Season. Think I'm gonna hand turn my soil before I add the last few items, then I'll rototill it all again in April. Anyway that's my plan.   Thursday, March 26 View Page Encouraged my son who has been in his room Computer Coding to get some fresh air. Handed him a shovel and asked him to double did my 1,000 sqft patch this morning. I was going to do it myself - but I thought -hmmm - tee hee :) it good for him. Gave me time to put some 4.22 Dyson Tomatoes into larger containers. Plan to put 20lbs of Potassium Sulfate on patch tomorrow if the weather cooperates. Thoughts of ordering drip tape on my mind-gotta figure out the system and size.   Sunday, March 29 View Page Added 20lbs - Sulfate of Potassium to a 1,000 sq.ft area. All part of my AG garden amendment 2020 plan. Need to still add Four more items 1. Borax, 2. Manganese, 3. Zinc Sulfate, 4. Copper Sulfate - to complete my spreadsheet nutrient list.   Monday, March 30 View Page I don't have a greenhouse. No heat mats or grow lights. Had to be creative - I do have a $29 dollar 6 egg incubator with instructions in a foreign language. Why not incubate a few hot pepper seeds courtesy of Glenoma and a 3.26 Pittston courtesy of Ned S. Put a few test seeds in on 3-14-20 and have roots today ! Planted them in seedling trays with mycrorizane. Now I'll do the 5.53 Momate tomato seeds and try a few more peppers.   Monday, March 30 View Page Chicken Egg Incubator- aka Tomato and pepper incubator ?? photo.   Monday, March 30 View Page Propagation & Coffee. Today: Thyme, Cleveland Sage, Love & Wishes Salvia-, Salvia Microphylla, Russian Sage, Salvia Nem Rose, French Lavender + Planted a few Pepper seeds that germinated ( It took 2 weeks) for those seeds to germinate inside with a coffee filter & zip lock bag- testing that method.. Shelter at home - getting creative. Hopefully they all grow!   Monday, March 30 View Page Better Photo   Monday, March 30 View Page Cherry Pepper & 3.26 Pittston Tomato in coffee filter sprouting photo - as reported earlier- could not upload photos - had to download Foxfire browser as recommended on this site to get photos to upload.   Saturday, April 4 View Page My little 25 adorable troubles are keeping me busy.   Tuesday, April 7 View Page Planting my seeds today- after soaking in Foxfarms Kelp Me Kelp You Solution. I read a seed starting article where the grower dipped the seeds in captan-fungicide before the final planting in containers. Anyone's thoughts on this method?   Wednesday, April 8 View Page Planted seeds April 7th in Containers - Soaked in Fox Farm - Kelp Me - then dipped in Captan Fungicide before planting. Let hope they all germinate!   Thursday, April 16 View Page Final Rototilling yesterday with my BCS Harvester - Does a great job.   Thursday, April 16 View Page Final Rototilling yesterday with my BCS Harvester - Does a great job.   Thursday, April 16 View Page Good morning Mr. Geddes. I have a freshly rototilled spot waiting for you and one other Lucky pumpkin-depends who really wants to grow big.?? Two up out of 12 planted ....Sunny warm day today - hopefully a few more pop out and show off their cotyledons.   Thursday, April 16 View Page My boys free ranging out of the chicken coop - run area for the first time. Wasn't thinking I'd end up with 2 roosters when I incubated 6 eggs. Oh well-they are Beauties.   Sunday, May 17 View Page My 2158 Geddes picture from May 15, 2020 - The main vine is out about 2 feet and I need to start the burying process. I have been very busy with 21 unruly baby chicks. They have taken up more of my time then I could have imagined. They are now Out of the house and in their coop/run. I was able to get in my 2 Best Pumpkins in the ground and cover them with Agri-Cloth (Thank you Plant Daddy for sharing your Agri-Cloth with me!) Also planted a (740x1211) courtesy of Plant Daddy - I believe he told me it's a nice Orange one. This one is for the 150sqft Contest. I still have to put the parameter around it and send in my sqft - photo proof. Rain today in Penryn- so that means 1 million more weed seeds will sprout in my garden soon. Oh well I find it relaxing pulling weeds - I may take a few drinks with me in the evening when it warms up again.   Sunday, May 17 View Page My 1938 Urena - Just starting to vine - its a few days behind Mr. Geddes and seems more heat sensitive. Time will tell. Next step getting my water lines put down. Not sure if I am going to do soaker hoses or drip tape. I had my hose regulator in hand - set it down somewhere safe ... now it's lost so I can't hook up my pumpkin hose system to the garden yet. I really don't want to go to Homedepot - but I may have to venture out for the sake of my pumpkins. Darn xyxuuqtox...!!..bad words.. are in the works.   Friday, June 5 View Page I thought I was ahead of the growth spurt- didn't put down my soaker hoses until yesterday. Only had time to do half and still not hooked up to a timer. Had to go between the secondary growth. Where did all my time go? I've been hand watering, weeding, and burying vines. It's those chicken pullets keeping me busy!   Friday, June 5 View Page Slowly weeding out in front as time permits. We had a lot of rain after I rototilled the garden and all the weeds flourished.   Friday, June 5 View Page Mr. Urena. Slower grower- wilts easier late in day. I'll be putting up 30 feet of 30% shade cloth. Add that to my long to do list. —   Saturday, June 6 View Page Mr. URENA   Thursday, June 11 View Page Working on making the S Curve 14ft out - first pumpkin on main. Now I have a second pumpkin starting on the next node- do I make another S curve or will the first S curve be enough?   Saturday, June 20 View Page A Ms. Geddes - Big beautiful 4 lobe blossom 18ft out on main. Pollinated it today with Mr. Urena . Would love this one to take... It's gonna be in the high 90's today. Ice bucket and fan this afternoon. Wish me luck.   Saturday, June 20 View Page Pollination 18 ft out - Mr Geddes   Saturday, June 20 View Page Fan with small container of ice - trying to pollinate - temps over 90's all week.   Saturday, July 4 View Page I'm hoping this one does not abort . It's been in the High 90's to 100's for weeks . Every hand pollination seems to abort even after I do the ice and fan to attempt to keep it cool. Appears the bees are better at it then I am. I find Secondary pumpkins growing from open pollination(s)everywhere but on the main. I keep snipping them off. This is Geddes at 19 ft out on Thursday July 2, 2020. 13 DAP Note: First pollination at 12 ft aborted, 3rd Pollination aborted ( This is the Second Pollination)   Saturday, July 4 View Page This is a stem split I saw today - have fan running on stem area- should I be worried ? Darn it.   Saturday, July 4 View Page This is Mr. Urena - 12 DAP . This year has been challenging. The heat , the lack of female flowers on the main vine , seems to be 5 ft between each main vine flower. The secondaries are popping off a female flower every single day - so I've been snipping them off daily. I'm behind on burying all the vines. The plant was slower than the Geddes but seems to be catching up quickly. How many hours a day can you spend tending your pumpkins-not including the one hour of just looking at the darn things.   Thursday, July 9 View Page Today's Goal - Bury vines - I'm really far behind on this task, somehow it got away from me. Maybe the high 90's and 100 degree heat that hasn't let up since I pollinated on June 20th. I read that pumpkins stop growing when it hits 85 degrees - I hope that's not 100 percent true.   Saturday, July 11 View Page Ms. Geddes 20 DAP OTT is at 184 today. (July 10, 2020). I have been fanning the stem split and the blossom end. High 90's to 100 degrees all week. Lots of hand watering. Tomorrow I'll be measuring Ms.Urena definitely a slower grower- time will tell.   Tuesday, July 21 View Page Ms.Geddes 30 DAP July 20 2020. She's a big girl. OTT 268.5 She has been gaining 30-41 pounds a day.   Wednesday, July 22 View Page Ms. Urena1938 30 Day Ott: 252 ( July 21 2020) Starting to turn orange.   Wednesday, July 22 View Page Ms. Urena1938 30 Day Ott: 252 ( July 21 2020) Starting to turn orange.   Sunday, July 26 View Page Sunday evening weigh-in. Dap 36 and still growing. Averaging 35.04 pds per day. OTT: 301.5 today. Est weight 632.6 Hmm how many problems could I have getting this to Oct.3rd? Second year grower- obviously I have no experience maintaining a pumpkin this size. All advice appreciated.   Sunday, July 26 View Page 2158 Geddes Day 36 Sideview   Sunday, July 26 View Page 1938 Urena Day 35 - 271 OTT 459.3 pounds. Still a great pumpkin - even if it's slower then the 2158 Geddes. This one is turning more orange everyday ! Both pumpkins are keeping me busy. I don't know how anyone can manage more then 2 pumpkins at a time. They feel like a full time job.   Thursday, July 30 View Page Ms. 2158 Geddes is 40 DAP today-Coming in at OTT: 317.5 with GPC1.org estimated weight of 737.4 pounds. She is averaging 35.88 pd a day. Just trying to keep her happy.   Friday, July 31 View Page Ms. Urena 40 DAP today. That feeling when you've been giving the other pumpkin all the attention-then you take off the sheet and realize it put on 130.40 pounds in 4 days. Crazy. Today's OTT is : 297 for estimated weight of : 604.80 - pretty good for the neglected pumpkin.   Saturday, August 1 View Page 1938 Urena was growing around the crooked blossom end. Had to cut it back. Used alcohol to clean my surgical equipment. Fanning 24/7 to dry it out quickly. Also cleaned the fresh wound with cotton ball & alcohol. Seems to be drying well.   Tuesday, August 4 View Page The Bunny Story & How I scalped my own pumpkin – The 1938 Urena One evening I was sitting outside enjoying my 22 pullets’ free range outside of their pen when I spotted a baby bunny in my pumpkin patch. Each evening around 6pm the gray furry cottontail bunny raced around a cucumber plant and dashed back and forth in a flurry of joy. It would get on its hind legs and stretch to reach a new cucumber set to eat. Hmm. Thoughts it could eat my pumpkin started me thinking its time for the bunny to find a new home. I admit I asked my husband to get rid of it – he is a hunter and I did suggest he take a shot at it. I seriously would never hurt a bunny but thinking back to how much work I had done to prep my pumpkin batch – bunny needed to go. Nope, was his response, added to the fact he could not believe I wanted to get rid of that adorable bunny. So, he gave me some live traps that I set out in the garden in various areas so we could relocate it. As time went on the bunny continued to outsmarted me. Food set out was ignored or missing. I would go out in the morning to let out my chickens and see the bunny dashing about the patch. I admit it was a joy to see it and had given up hope of every catching it. Early one morning while inspecting the back stem of my pumpkin I noticed a slice of my pumpkin missing and it was oozing out juice. After further inspection I realized a rat trap had gone off and as a newbie grower had not accounted for the distance the trap would need to clear the pumpkin. Yep- I scalped my own pumpkin. I had the trap between the back of the pumpkin and several 2x4’s that were supporting the stem. After further inspection I realized it was not a rat, but the poor bunny. Eeeeks, if it just would have stayed in the other 2499 sqft area that did not have the traps it would have had a long fruitful life. Part of me felt bad, part of me felt Really bad that I was a bit happy he was gone. Worse, I had to tell my husband I killed the bunny with a rat trap-not my intention when I put them out. Bunnies gone – Captan paste applied to damage. Fan placed on damage 24/7 since incident. Scar continues to stretch with growth and a piece has curled back a bit. 2020 Note: I’ve done more damage to my pumpkin and vines than nature just by entering the patch, stepping on vines and trying to cut rouge pumpkins off – everywhere and not thinking through the correct placement of rat traps.   Tuesday, August 4 View Page The Bunny Story & How I scalped my own pumpkin – The 1938 Urena One evening I was sitting outside enjoying my 22 pullets’ free range outside of their pen when I spotted a baby bunny in my pumpkin patch. Each evening around 6pm the gray furry cottontail bunny raced around a cucumber plant and dashed back and forth in a flurry of joy. It would get on its hind legs and stretch to reach a new cucumber set to eat. Hmm. Thoughts it could eat my pumpkin started me thinking its time for the bunny to find a new home. I admit I asked my husband to get rid of it – he is a hunter and I did suggest he take a shot at it. I seriously would never hurt a bunny but thinking back to how much work I had done to prep my pumpkin batch – bunny needed to go. Nope, was his response, added to the fact he could not believe I wanted to get rid of that adorable bunny. So, he gave me some live traps that I set out in the garden in various areas so we could relocate it. As time went on the bunny continued to outsmarted me. Food set out was ignored or missing. I would go out in the morning to let out my chickens and see the bunny dashing about the patch. I admit it was a joy to see it and had given up hope of every catching it. Early one morning while inspecting the back stem of my pumpkin I noticed a slice of my pumpkin missing and it was oozing out juice. After further inspection I realized a rat trap had gone off and as a newbie grower had not accounted for the distance the trap would need to clear the pumpkin. Yep- I scalped my own pumpkin. I had the trap between the back of the pumpkin and several 2x4’s that were supporting the stem. After further inspection I realized it was not a rat, but the poor bunny. Eeeeks, if it just would have stayed in the other 2499 sqft area that did not have the traps it would have had a long fruitful life. Part of me felt bad, part of me felt Really bad that I was a bit happy he was gone. Worse, I had to tell my husband I killed the bunny with a rat trap-not my intention when I put them out. Bunnies gone – Captan paste applied to damage. Fan placed on damage 24/7 since incident. Scar continues to stretch with growth and a piece has curled back a bit. 2020 Note: I’ve done more damage to my pumpkin and vines than nature just by entering the patch, stepping on vines and trying to cut rouge pumpkins off – everywhere and not thinking through the correct placement of rat traps.   Thursday, August 6 View Page Today is the first day since pollination that the temperature has been under 90-106 degrees. It will last until tomorrow.   Sunday, August 9 View Page Ms. Geddes 50 DAP Just made it to the 900's category. 340 OTT for 900.40 pounds. Its been a journey. Now I just need to keep it safe until October 3rd 2020   Sunday, August 9 View Page Very excited. We were surprised by our first 2 eggs Friday morning. That breaks down to about $1k per egg at this point. ? My chicks arrived March 30th 2020.   Sunday, August 9 View Page First egg.   Thursday, August 20 View Page The heat wave in California has been bad enough-never cools down at night - Hit 106-110 in the valley. Now fires from an hour by the crow flies has put ash and smoke in the sky. It's raining ash on my pumpkin field. Doubtful they are growing in this heat. Most of the old growth is dying off. Just need to keep them going until early October.   Friday, August 21 View Page The other pumpkin. I seem to run out of time for this pumpkin. It's doing well despite me. OTT is 339 coming it at 892.80 at around 60 days.   Saturday, August 22 View Page Wow, I'm over 1,000 pounds.... 8 20 2020 was the last time I was measured and my OTT was 356.75 I'm cantalouping but I don't think I'm a cantaloup. I don't look like all the pretty orange pumpkins but my owner take care of me like I'm special - so it must be True.(Ms. Geddes 2158).   Saturday, August 22 View Page Weeding my stumps today. This is the 1938 Urena .   Saturday, August 22 View Page 2158 Geddes Stump .. getting weeded today also.   Monday, August 31 View Page I thought I was growing two pumpkins. Apparently I was wrong. Hiding in plane sight. Seriously, I'm in the patch Dailey.   Monday, August 31 View Page I'm hiding from Penryn....   Tuesday, September 1 View Page A friend came by to visit and took a few pictures of my pumpkin. Both are still growing... another heatwave on the way.   Tuesday, September 1 View Page Tangerine dream   Saturday, September 5 View Page Harvested the Hubbard Squash, Banana Squash & Sunflowers from the unfenced garden. Takes 10 days in sun now to harden them off. Sunflower heads drying for winter bird treats. The winter squash is really delicious cubed, tossed with olive oil , garlic and basil than roasted in the oven.   Sunday, September 6 View Page One Less Skunk this morning - Something was eating my Hubbard & Banana Squash. Harvested them yesterday, but left one Hubbard & one Banana Squash they had nibbled as Decoys - Set out the trap last night with some big marshmallows ( Guess they have a sweet tooth) - This year put the other veggies away from my pumpkins because last year a skunk chewed my pumpkin 2 weeks before the weigh-off and it went into the cavity- rot, leakage and a horrible smell within days. Nothing like the smell of rotting pumpkin. Who can forget that horrible smell.   Sunday, September 6 View Page Nobody's gonna Eat my Pumpkin this year.   Monday, September 7 View Page Opossum Opossum - Another little friend in my trap. I'm 2/2 , wonder what I'll find tomorrow.   Tuesday, September 8 View Page My husband is in charge of taking care of my pumpkins for 2 days while I'm training in San Francisco. So far he called to tell me the wind blew off my cover sheets, my fan blew off and fell on the pumpkin, the pvc frame came apart in the wind & he thinks he saw a rat scurry by my pumpkin patch - That's day 1 down.   Wednesday, September 9 View Page I hope the fires Stop burning soon!   Sunday, September 13 View Page One Pumpkin down. I can't even talk about.   Sunday, October 11 View Page Ready -Heading to Half Moon Bay.   Sunday, October 11 View Page Pumpkin - time to get it out of the patch! Hoping there are No mouse hole underneath.   Monday, October 12 View Page 47th Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off, Half Moon Bay - My pumpkin weighed in at 1,314 pounds. (12th place) Ended up in 12th place After a few got disqualified. What an amazing time John & I had. Great seeing all the other pumpkin growers & entries. It really is a journey getting to the finish line - My personal best today!   Monday, October 12 View Page Half Moon Bay Weigh off   Monday, October 12 View Page Half Moon Bay   Monday, October 12 View Page HMB Results   Monday, October 12 View Page 1314 Stampfl -Getting pumpkin trailed.   Thursday, November 12 View Page I planted Cereal Rye Seed last weekend. Never tried a cover crop before. I should have planted it a week or two sooner. We are having a cold spell - finally. Not sure if rye seed will germinate at 33/34 morning temps/ degrees.... Time will tell. My 22 chickens are not happy that they got got locked out of the Pumpkin Patch. They were loving scratching at all the vines, old tomatoes and eggplants. Now it just their coop and run area -otherwise they would eat all the grain seed. I prepped a soil sample before I seeded the patch, it's drying before I submit to Western Labs.   Sunday, December 13 View Page Getting ready to send in my soil sample 75s to Western Labs - I'm curious to see how all the amendments and mulch I added last year affected my soil - Hopefully for the better. Currently I put in a Cereal Rye Crop Cover that is growing. Never planted a cover crop before. I'm really not sure what to do once it grows. Till it in ? I see some people mow it in the spring. Maybe I'll just put my 22 chickens out in the patch and let them eat it . It should only take them a few days. They knocked off my damaged1300 pound pumpkin like it was an appetizer.