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Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 104 Entries.
Wednesday, January 8 View Page
Happy New Year to all. 2020 was going to be an “off” year (famous last words) and still kind of is. This year we are going for Orange and otherwise just making a few power crosses. Here are a few of our seeds.
 
Tuesday, February 11 View Page
Last year we grew a couple marrows for fun so we thought we'd have another go this year, made possible by the generosity of Mr Mar(row)k Baggs.
 
Tuesday, February 11 View Page
Only another 2 months until we start the AG seeds. In the meantime, I received some field pumpkin seeds (some unsolicited). Thanks guys! We'll see if we can find some space to squeeze one or two of these in.
 
Tuesday, February 11 View Page
Last but not least, I thought to try a squash (1 max). There's a first for everything. Space is going to be an issue so we are going to have a lot of unofficial 150 sq. ft. patches going on.
 
Wednesday, March 25 View Page
Here's my patch in the valley where I hope to do a couple marrows and a squash. The mini Greenhouse is just trying to warm the soil up. Hard frost the last several nights in a row.
 
Wednesday, March 25 View Page
And it doesn't look set to warm up much any time soon, but you never know. Rumor has it, it's going to be a hot summer in the UK.
 
Tuesday, April 14 View Page
The Easter weekend was sunny and hot (for England) but it has cooled off again. Another cold night ahead but then it should start to warm up enough to plant out a few on the weekend. (Temps are in Celsius.)
 
Friday, April 17 View Page
There will be two main plants here and a bunch around the edges. This is where my daughter grew her 1256 last year. Hoping for a PB again this year.
 
Friday, April 17 View Page
We started some of our own seeds quite early. The 1256 (2070 Paton x 1752 THW) on the left is definitely ahead of the 1236 (2070 x 1080 Hochstetler).
 
Friday, April 17 View Page
We also planted out the Mendi plants a little early (2183.7 (1911 x 2469) and 1819 (2528 x 2469).
 
Friday, April 17 View Page
Here are the rest of the plants waiting to go out. Thanks to all the growers who sent seeds: Ian and Stuart, Glenna, Rubén, Jeff, Norm and others.
 
Monday, April 20 View Page
Got to give a shout-out to Vermont John. Both the 1215 and the 532 (pictured) germinated quicker that the other seeds and will definitely have a place in the garden.
 
Saturday, April 25 View Page
I'm not going to be growing squash this year after all as there was a fire in the glass house and all the plants burnt up (not my fault). So, Matt doesn't have to worry about the UK record being broken this year (at least not by me). Plants lost included the 1579 Podraza (1826 Wolf x self) and the 990 Heavy West (1871 Cutrupi x 2145). Both were pure 2145 genetics, but luckily my other plants were spared and are now safely in the ground.
 
Monday, April 27 View Page
The 1215 Young did make it into the patch and even if it doesn't have a lot of space we should get a decent sized orange pumpkin off it.
 
Wednesday, April 29 View Page
692 Podraza. This is any exciting cross: 2005 Haist x 2416 Haist. However, the first true leaves were shriveled and so far it has failed to really impress me. It was a pretty pumpkin though.
 
Wednesday, April 29 View Page
1462 Podraza (2416 x self). The first true leaf appears to have been scorched on a hot day last week. We got almost an inch and a half of rain in the last 48 hours. We needed it. Now we need some warmth and sun. All plants in the ground now.
 
Wednesday, April 29 View Page
1533 Rea (1501 x 1810). Doing well enough. Should produce a big orange pumpkin.
 
Wednesday, April 29 View Page
2183 Paton (1911 x 1875). I'm guessing this will produce our biggest pumpkin this year, but you never know. (We are only giving the 1533 and 2183 free rein. The rest are restricted by space.)
 
Wednesday, April 29 View Page
I'm trying giant tomatoes for the first time this year and will do one in a 5 gallon bucket, probably the 6.11 Smith (Delicious variety). 5.57 Smith (Domingo) will go outside to give it a bit more potential.
 
Tuesday, May 12 View Page
A rough week but better times are ahead. We had 3 nights of frost in the last 7 days: last Tuesday was 3 degrees Celcius, Wednesday was 2C and last night was down to 0 (proper freezing). The first frost caught us off guard and many of the plants suffered frost damage and a couple died (including 1354 Short - sorry Gerald). Yesterday we had high winds and one of the 1462's snapped completely off despite being inside a hut. Luckily we have a back-up.
 
Saturday, May 16 View Page
Here is the 1462 Podraza. So far so good. Actually doing better than the 2183 Paton at the moment. Now we finally have a bit of warm weather ahead of us.
 
Tuesday, May 19 View Page
2183 Mendi and 1819 Mendi getting ready to lay down. No complaints about these.
 
Tuesday, May 19 View Page
These are my daughter's 2183 Patons. Small but looking healthy.
 
Tuesday, May 19 View Page
These are my other daughter's 1533 Rea's. They have out grown the mini greenhouse so we will cull one today.
 
Thursday, May 21 View Page
Here are the marrows that germinated. So far the front runners are the 167, 125 and 165. I'll plant them all and select the strongest 4 or so.
 
Monday, June 1 View Page
5 gallon bucket challenge underway. 6.11 Smith.
 
Monday, June 1 View Page
Everything has managed to lay down and now they are starting to run. This is the 2183.7 Mendi
 
Monday, June 1 View Page
A female spotted in the 692 Podraza. The main vine snapped on the 1462 Podraza growing back to back, but I have another 1462 in my other patch (thankfully).
 
Monday, June 1 View Page
My daughter's 1533 Rea. Also spotted a female in the tip but obviously will not keep it. This is our biggest plant so far.
 
Thursday, June 4 View Page
...and a female on the 2183.9 Paton today. The warm sunny spell is over now and we have a week of cooler cloudy weather ahead.
 
Monday, June 8 View Page
We got about half an inch of rain over the weekend (which we needed) but the cool weather is set to continue for about another week. At this rate, we'll be lucky to pollinate any in June.
 
Thursday, June 11 View Page
Is this what they call a megabloom? One of three 6.11 Smith's.
 
Thursday, June 11 View Page
Someone tilled up a bit of this field but then left it exposed over winter. This is what you get with our clay soil.
 
Thursday, June 11 View Page
A few dozen wheel barrows of cow manure later and a few pumpkin plants and it doesn't look half bad. That is the 450 EST Gansert (907 Young x Sibb) in the foreground. There are field pumpkins and some eating pumpkins and sunflowers in the background.
 
Thursday, June 11 View Page
This is probably the first one we will pollinate. 2183 Mendi (1911 x 2469)
 
Thursday, June 11 View Page
Here is my 1462 Podraza (2416 x self). Not doing bad but not spectacular either. Those are Jerusalem artichokes providing a wind break.
 
Thursday, June 11 View Page
This is an unruly 1533 Rea (growing towards the left). The secondaries are all crisscrossed and one is trying to compete with the main vine and is growing vigorously in the exact opposite direction!
 
Thursday, June 11 View Page
Last but definitely not least, the 2183.9 Paton. We had some high winds that caused some damage. Then a week of cool weather. Now the warmer weather has returned and we should see some explosive growth.
 
Thursday, June 25 View Page
If there is one that should produce orange this year, it is this one: 450 EST Gansert (907 Young x Sibb). These are some of the pollinations we have done so far: - 1297 Young x 1533 Rea - 1215 Young x 1462 Podraza - 2183 Mendi x 2183 Paton
 
Thursday, July 2 View Page
A little update from our patch. First the good news. Pollinations are happening every day and some seem to have taken on my daughters' pumpkins: 19 June: 1819 Mendi x 1462 Podraza 28 June: 2183 Paton x 1256 Hochstetler 28 June: 721 Gansert x 907 Gansert 02 July: 1533 Rea x 2183 Paton The bad new is we have ha no end of trouble with the 1462 Podraza (I had such hopes!). 2 plants got the main vine snapped off (wind?), and the third (and biggest) self terminated. The growing tip just shriveled up, baby pumpkin and all (hot weather?). I will try and still pollinate something on a side vine but it will be a week or more before anything opens up. No PB for me this year.
 
Tuesday, July 7 View Page
Being a first timer, it's not a huge surprise I've lost a couple to BER. This one is hanging on in it's 5 gallon bucket.
 
Tuesday, July 7 View Page
On the pumpkin front, starting at the top, this is my daughter's 1819 Mendi at 18 DAP.
 
Tuesday, July 7 View Page
2183.7 Mendi at 18 DAP. Looks like it might show some orange.
 
Tuesday, July 7 View Page
1462 Podraza (x 1819 Mendi) at 15 DAP. This is on a cracked main vine with not many secondaries so I do not expect much size out of it. Nice shape though, and even a bit a of color. My other 1462 will open a flower on a side vine in a couple days.
 
Tuesday, July 7 View Page
2183.9 Paton at 9 DAP. Seems to have taken but we have pollinated another just in case it aborts.
 
Tuesday, July 7 View Page
1533 Rea (x 2183 Paton) at 5 DAP. The biggest plant with the smallest pumpkin. We were really hoping for big and beautiful with this one (and still are). Warmer weather is just around the corner. I has been just around the corner for some time now.
 
Wednesday, July 15 View Page
The bad news is the 1533 Rea seems to be aborting. The good news is we have pollinated a second one on the main vine (yesterday). We also have some great orange crosses including this one: 1297 Young x 1533 Rea @ 13 DAP.
 
Wednesday, July 15 View Page
1215 Young @ 13 DAP. This one was on a long stem and had a fantastic color, but it got culled because it was a funny shape and growing on the wrong side of the vine. We have pollinated three more on the 1215: x 532 Young, 721 Gansert and 666.5 Gansert. Now if those are aren't decent orange crosses, I don't know what is.
 
Saturday, July 25 View Page
A little update from the pumpkin patch: 2183 Mendi at 35 DAP.
 
Saturday, July 25 View Page
1462 Podraza a.k.a the "Queen of Sheba" at 33 DAP.
 
Saturday, July 25 View Page
692 Podraza (x 2183 Paton) a.k.a "Pretty Polly" at 34 DAP.
 
Saturday, July 25 View Page
Definitely the belle of the ball (so far). 721 Gansert (x 907 Gansert) at 27 DAP.
 
Monday, August 3 View Page
Time for a patch update. This is our 1256 (1st place RHS winner) from last year at 42 DAP.
 
Monday, August 3 View Page
My 1236 also at 42 DAP (pollinated on Father's day with the 1533 Rea).
 
Monday, August 3 View Page
The 1819 Mendi at 44 DAP.
 
Monday, August 3 View Page
1462 Podraza at 41 DAP. Putting on some nice colour.
 
Monday, August 3 View Page
692 Podraza (2005 Haist x 2416 Haist) at 42 DAP. Also not a bad color.
 
Monday, August 3 View Page
The 2183 Paton at 35 DAP. This will probably be the only one to even get close to 1000 lbs this year. We are taking it a bit easy this year!
 
Monday, August 3 View Page
Still the belle of the ball, the 721 Gansert, also at 35 DAP.
 
Wednesday, August 12 View Page
Finally we have a set on the 1533 Rea! Here it is at 19 DAP. I think the first two aborted because it was so cold and rainy. We have now had some periods of hot weather with some warm days in between. Now it is predicted to rain again.
 
Wednesday, August 12 View Page
The 2183 Paton has been christened "Lady Splotchy by it's owner (my daughter). Not looking too bad.
 
Wednesday, August 12 View Page
It might not be respectful but the Queen of Sheba (1462) is a bit of a runt.
 
Wednesday, August 12 View Page
Sleeping Beauty (721 Gansert) sitting pretty around 300 lbs.
 
Wednesday, August 12 View Page
907 Gansert x 1533 Rea just starting to move.
 
Wednesday, August 12 View Page
..and our best kept secret: est 450 Gansert (907 Young x sib). I think this one had seeds in the blossom and it is a bit of an irregular shape, but it will look nice in the display.
 
Tuesday, August 18 View Page
We picked our first Marrow today as it had a couple splits right in the middle and one on the stem end.
 
Tuesday, August 18 View Page
39.225 Kg, that's about 86.5 lbs and a PB. Not bad for us seeing as we are not really serious about it. This was off the 165 Baggs. We still have a couple more on the vine.
 
Wednesday, August 19 View Page
This is the first fruit off the est 450 Gansert on display. It is a nice color and smooth as silk but the shape is somewhere between a wheel and a lunchbox.
 
Thursday, September 3 View Page
One of our field pumpkins managed to grow through a piece of fence. The kids thought it was funny and want to dress it up like a snowman (or a fancy lady.)
 
Friday, September 4 View Page
Now for a little beauty show. This is the 1215 Young (x 721 Gansert).
 
Friday, September 4 View Page
We've picked a couple for various autumn displays. Here is the 1297 Young (x 1533 Rea). Can't wait to grow this one next year.
 
Friday, September 4 View Page
The 1533 Rea was a very late pollination and is just starting to pick up a bit of color. Pollinated by the 532 Young.
 
Friday, September 4 View Page
The 666.5 Gansert growing on the edge of the patch. Sure to be a looker. (x 532 Young).
 
Friday, September 4 View Page
And finally, the 532 Young (x 1533 Rea). Probably my favorite one in this patch. Let me know if you want seeds from any of these. Otherwise I will just save a few from each.
 
Monday, September 7 View Page
The 721 Gansert on display outside our local school. 104 House FP on the left (62 lbs).
 
Tuesday, September 15 View Page
Hear is our super-late-pollinated 1533 Rea developing quite an "inny".
 
Tuesday, September 15 View Page
Growth has slowed way down as there is not much of a plant left on the 2183.9 Paton. Still the biggest.
 
Tuesday, September 15 View Page
907 Gansert. Still growing... I think.
 
Tuesday, September 15 View Page
est 450 Gansert x 721 Gansert. Pure orange.
 
Tuesday, September 15 View Page
With new Covid restrictions coming into force and the scarcity and uncertainty of weigh-offs, we decide to have our own weigh off. This is my youngest daughter's 2183.7 Mendi that she named "Golden Beauty", about 10 times lighter that it's sibling weighed in Spain over the weekend! ¡Felicidades Rubén! and thanks for the fantastic seed. We'll do it justice next year (hopefully).
 
Tuesday, September 15 View Page
"Pretty Polly" (692 Podraza) grown by my eldest daughter went 16% heavy as did the 1462 Podraza she grew (2005 x 2416 and 2416 x 2416 respectively).
 
Wednesday, September 16 View Page
A little bit smaller and on the same plant. The 62 Hochstetler was 104 House x 175 Wagler.
 
Thursday, October 1 View Page
A little update on the orange front. Here are the 532 Young and 666.5 Gansert. Both will go on display shortly.
 
Thursday, October 1 View Page
450 Gansert (now the est. 284 Hochstetler 2020) is already on display.
 
Thursday, October 1 View Page
Got to show it from another angle. It just glows.
 
Thursday, October 1 View Page
Plants are finished but a couple pumpkins are holding on. The 907 Gansert estimates around 450 lbs.
 
Thursday, October 1 View Page
Our neighbor's manure spreader threw a brick which took a chunk out of the beleaguered 1533 Rea. Now at 529 lbs. Not terrible for a 24 July pollination and not great weather since then.
 
Thursday, October 1 View Page
One last shot of the 2183.7 Mendi (x 2183.9 Paton) before we harvest the seeds. Probably no one is interested in these genetics, lol.
 
Thursday, October 1 View Page
The 721 Gansert ended up as a boat and all the kids took turns paddling it around the lake.
 
Thursday, October 1 View Page
We will also harvest seeds on this one soon. Not a terrible color and not terrible genetics either: 1462 Podraza (2416 x self) x 1819 (2528 x 2469).
 
Thursday, October 1 View Page
A surprise marrow on the 165 Baggs (I think). It estimates around 80 lbs. Hope it holds out until the weigh-off in just over a week.
 
Saturday, October 10 View Page
We couldn't attend a weigh-off so we had our own. Our super late pollinated (24 July) 1533 Rea came in 9% heavy at 584 lbs.
 
Saturday, October 10 View Page
The 907 Gansert was a little light and weighed 353 lbs.
 
Saturday, October 10 View Page
Our last 165 Baggs was not our heaviest marrow overall but it is our heaviest sound marrow this year: 77 lbs.
 
Saturday, October 10 View Page
I thought only other people forgot to upload images with their posts! Here is the 1533 Rea. Might have gotten a bit more orange if we had left it longer, but it is pretty late in the season now.
 
Saturday, October 10 View Page
Not sure which was the best looking one this year. It is a pretty close call either way, but the 532 Young is definitely in the running.
 
Saturday, October 17 View Page
This is where the 532 ended up. That's me inside. I'm still sore. I won the category for scariest jack-o-lantern because I scared the kids walking past.
 
Saturday, October 17 View Page
I got a local artist to get creative with one of our smaller pumpkins. He had the eyes of the tiger hooked up to a remote controlled motor so they rolled around. He won the "most creative" category. We even got a double dose of Trump but he didn't win the Jack-o-lantern competition.
 
Saturday, October 31 View Page
We carved up the 666.5 Gansert and lit it for Halloween night. It didn't even get vandalized (much) this year.
 
Saturday, October 31 View Page
The fundraiser was quite popular and and the school was pleased with the amount they got.
 
Saturday, October 31 View Page
They sure got some mileage out of the pumpkin.
 
Sunday, November 1 View Page
We donated our largest pumpkin (2183.9 Paton) to the local pub who ran a fundraiser for the local school.
 
Sunday, November 1 View Page
We didn't have a scale big enough to weigh the whole pumpkin so we weighed it in pieces. It was taping around 800 lbs and was cut off the vine more than 3 weeks ago, so I was pleased that it went just the slightest bit heavy at 804 lbs. So that is the end of our season.
 
Tuesday, December 29 View Page
I may not make a diary next year but here is my prospective line up. Site 1: 2000.6 Paton (2005 x 1875) or 2014.6 Paton (1875 x 1875) Site 2: 2163 Paton (2226 x 2005) or 2060.2 Paton (2226 x 2005) Backup: 1095 Rea (2005 x 2433) Site 3: 1723.5 Rea (1382 x 1533) or 1378 Rea (1533 x 1382) And for orange: 707 Ressel (495 x 97) 756 Leach (97 x 1501) I will start some of my own seeds and see how they perform. I may also grow a few other categories such as the bushel gourd (pictured) Merry Christmas everyone and grow big in 2021!
 

 

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