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Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 59 Entries.
Sunday, April 11 View Page
The girls have been busy helping get the pumpkin patch ready! The plastic will go on the greenhouse next weekend and all the goodies will get added to the soil then. The seeds will be started next weekend too.
 
Sunday, April 18 View Page
This year I took the time to turn over all 1800 sq feet of the soil in the greenhouse with a pitch fork to break it up good before I tilled it to get it really deep and fluffy. All the fertilizer is added and tilled in, the soil looks better then ever!
 
Thursday, April 22 View Page
Briar and Blake are pulling the water lines down to the greenhouse!
 
Thursday, April 22 View Page
The greenhouse is ready for the pumpkins, they’ll go in the ground on Sunday morning. 2 inside the greenhouse and 1 outside.
 
Thursday, April 22 View Page
This year I’m growing the 2552 Mendi and the 1959 Daletas. I’ll have my 1990 as a back up. They look good so far!
 
Thursday, April 22 View Page
I’m also growing a squash this year for the first time, I’ll be growing the 1480 Tobeck. Hoping for a state record!
 
Thursday, April 22 View Page
I’m also growing a squash this year for the first time, I’ll be growing the 1480 Tobeck. Hoping for a state record!
 
Sunday, April 25 View Page
1959 Daletas is in the ground!
 
Sunday, April 25 View Page
The 2552 Mendi is in the ground! Here’s how I keep them warm, put a big clear tote over them with a 65 watt bulb inside and a led light on top for more light. At night a throw a blanket over tote and light to keep them warm, having soil cables helps keep them warm as well.
 
Sunday, April 25 View Page
The 1480 Tobeck squash is in the ground!
 
Sunday, May 2 View Page
1959.5 Daletas. The plants have been in the ground since last Sunday, they’re starting to really grow!
 
Sunday, May 2 View Page
2552 Mendi
 
Sunday, May 2 View Page
1480 Tobeck squash
 
Monday, May 10 View Page
2552 Mendi. The plants are really starting to get big, the vines are about a foot long so hopefully they’ll be on the ground next week.
 
Monday, May 10 View Page
1959.5 Daletas. It’s growing really good!
 
Monday, May 10 View Page
1480 Tobeck squash. This one is starting to green up good!
 
Monday, May 10 View Page
With the lows in the upper 20s every night I had to build little mini hoop houses for them and put a heat lamp in them to keep them around 70 degrees at night. They might be spoiled haha!
 
Sunday, May 16 View Page
1959 Daletas, around 3 feet long. Getting closer to touching down smoothly.
 
Sunday, May 16 View Page
2552 Mendi. Just about down as well. I’m just doing hand watering each morning so far. I had the overhead sprinklers on for a few minutes today to make sure they work. I’ll use them a few times to cool the greenhouse off tomorrow when it’s suppose to be 86 here.
 
Sunday, May 16 View Page
The girls with their 1480 Tobeck squash! It’s turning into a real healthy plant that’s picking up steam each day!
 
Sunday, May 23 View Page
1959.5 Daletas, looking good so far!
 
Sunday, May 23 View Page
2552 Mendi. I had to build a frame over the plants because they grew out of their previous little hoops. Supposed to be in the mid 30s at night for the week. I cover them with plastic and have 3, 75 watt light bulbs on at night to keep them warm.
 
Sunday, May 23 View Page
1480 Tobeck squash. This plant is really starting to kick in, it’s in the outside hoop house and I’ll have to make the hoop house bigger this week. I’ve never grown a squash before so it’s exciting!
 
Saturday, June 5 View Page
2552 Mendi. This plant handles the heat pretty good, it was 102 here yesterday. The side vines are starting to grow really good. Hopefully in 10 days I’ll be able to pollinate one on it around 15 feet.
 
Saturday, June 5 View Page
1959.5 Daletas. This plant is stretching out really good, the side vines are starting pick up steam.
 
Saturday, June 5 View Page
1480 Tobeck Squash. The girls have been helping me bury the vines on this one. This plant is growing really fast! With yesterday being 102 I actually put a white sheet over it for a few hours during the middle of the day to keep it cooler.
 
Tuesday, June 8 View Page
Blake was happy to get dirty and help bury vines on the squash plant tonight! It’s starting to grow really fast with a little squash at 12 feet. She’s a good little helper ?? #girlpower 1480 Tobeck squash
 
Saturday, June 12 View Page
A perfect 5 lobe pollinated this morning on the 1480 Tobeck squash at 13 feet. 1480 Tobeck x self. Let the fun begin! The girls named it Family Squash haha!
 
Tuesday, June 15 View Page
The plants are really getting big! The 2552 Mendi loves the heat and has one pollinated at 13 feet, but will be doing one on Monday at 16 feet that will be the one hopefully. Blake was excited to wear her pumpkin hat by the plants!
 
Tuesday, June 15 View Page
The 1959.5 Daletas has one pollinated at 14 feet but it’s the problem child of the patch, doesn’t like to grow secondaries that much.
 
Tuesday, June 15 View Page
The 1480 Tobeck has a squash that was pollinated on Saturday, the plant is getting big! 1480 Tobeck x self
 
Sunday, June 27 View Page
The pumpkins and squash are starting to grow good! The girls were happy to be able to start taking pictures by the pumpkins and squash again! The 2552 Mendi plant in about a week will have its 900 square feet completely filled in. The 3 plants are getting a total of 300 gallons of water a day. Let the fruit growing begin! 2552 Mendi x self 8dap
 
Sunday, June 27 View Page
2552 Mendi plant
 
Sunday, June 27 View Page
The 1959.5 Daletas is growing it’s secondaries good now so the plant is starting to fill it’s spot in. 1959.5 Daletas x 2552 Mendi 13dap
 
Sunday, June 27 View Page
1959.5 Daletas plant
 
Sunday, June 27 View Page
The 1480 Tobeck squash plant is around 900 square feet so it’ll have its 1100 square feet filled in by next weekend. 1480 Tobeck x self 15 dap
 
Sunday, June 27 View Page
1480 Tobeck squash plant
 
Friday, July 2 View Page
Blakes all smiles today with the squash, it’s 20 days old today and growing good! 1480 Tobeck x self
 
Tuesday, July 6 View Page
The squash is shrinking Blake! 24 dap
 
Tuesday, July 6 View Page
Both girls and the squash! The plant is in great shape at around 1000 square feet and the squash is starting to grow fast! 1480 Tobeck x self
 
Tuesday, July 6 View Page
The 2552 Mendi is starting to pick up steam, it’s 3 days behind my 1990.5 last year. The girls were excited to give hearts by it. 2552 Mendi x self 17 dap
 
Tuesday, July 6 View Page
The 1800 square feet in the greenhouse is almost all full. The plants are about a week ahead of last year and the pumpkins are about 3 days behind. It’s been a crazy hot summer so far, I think the excessive heat is slowing the pumpkin growth during the day down. I sent a tissue sample in today so hopefully can start pushing them more.
 
Wednesday, July 21 View Page
The pumpkins and squash are chugging along nicely, and the girls are excited that they’re able to sit on them now! It’d be nice if the smoke clears out so they can get some more sunshine. I had to spray for aphids last weekend after seeing them on a few leaves, they were caught early and taken care of! Hopefully the pumpkins and squash double their size again next week! The 2552 Mendi is turning into a long tall barrel! 2552 Mendi x self 32dap
 
Wednesday, July 21 View Page
The 2552 Mendi plant is the best plant I’ve ever had so hopefully it translates into a great pumpkin!
 
Wednesday, July 21 View Page
The 1480 Tobeck is starting to roll over the front, it’s growing good and looking really dark green! It’s shrinking Blake! 1480 Tobeck x self 39 dap
 
Wednesday, July 21 View Page
The 1480 Tobeck plant has been really aggressive and easy to grow!
 
Tuesday, August 3 View Page
The squash is starting to get big! We moved it forward a couple of inches, and Blake wanted to show off her Paw Patrols on the squash! 1480 Tobeck x self 52 days old.
 
Tuesday, August 3 View Page
Front view of the squash! A little under 2 months to grow!
 
Tuesday, August 17 View Page
Blake is getting smaller on the squash! It’s starting to cantaloupe pretty good and get the mean look to it! It’s been a fast growing squash and plant all year, it’s on a really good pace! Apparently it likes the constant mid 90 degree weather in Northern Minnesota! 1480 Tobeck x self. 66dap
 
Tuesday, August 17 View Page
Picture the correct way haha!
 
Tuesday, August 17 View Page
2552 Mendi x self, 59 Dap. The pumpkin keeps chugging along with steady gains. It’s been a crazy summer in Northern Minnesota, extremely hot and dry. Most days are in the 90s and we’ve only had about 2 inches total of rain since the middle of May. The river is almost all dried up from where I get my water.
 
Sunday, August 29 View Page
Blake wanted to read a book and make funny faces on the squash and pumpkin this morning! The squash keeps getting bigger each week, it has 25 more days to grow, the current state record for squash is 1147 pounds. 1480 Tobeck x self
 
Sunday, August 29 View Page
Funny face on stem side on the squash! 78 dap
 
Sunday, August 29 View Page
The pumpkin won’t be getting as big as last year but it’s doing good and getting bigger each day. The plant is still in great condition and the pumpkin has a great shape that seems solid. Hopefully get a good month of September for growing. 2552 Mendi x self 71dap
 
Tuesday, September 7 View Page
Rapunzel wanted to take squash pictures tonight! She wanted to be like Cindy Tobeck ,who we got the squash seed from, and have fun by the squash! 1480 Tobeck x self 87dap
 
Sunday, September 26 View Page
The squash weighed 1429 pounds and got 1st place in the squash class at the River Praire Ginormous Pumpkin Festival. It’s also the new Minnesota State record squash, the previous Minnesota State record was 1147 pounds!
 
Tuesday, September 28 View Page
Elsa make one last stop on her way to her home in the Ice Palace to see the pumpkin before it goes to Stillwater Harvest Fest next weekend!
 
Saturday, October 9 View Page
The pumpkin weighed 1672 pounds and was 4th place at the Stillwater Harvest Fest weighoff! The weather was beautiful, and it’s always great to see all the growers there! 2552 Mendi x self, it went 7% heavy.
 
Wednesday, October 20 View Page
Last week I got the greenhouse all ready for winter and got both the greenhouse and outside spot all tilled up. I added old manure this fall, I’ll get a soil test and add what’s needed in the spring. I always add kelp meal, humic, and alfalfa pellets in the spring. Plus whatever the soil sample recommends. Have a great winter everyone, time for curling season now!
 

 

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