21 September 2020
The weigh off was a big success, my AG wasn't very good but everything else was on target.
AG - 623.9 lbs, third place
Field Pumpkin - 60.8 lbs, first place
Tomato - 1.5 lbs, third place new PB
Watermelon - 108.9 lbs, first place, new state record
Long Gourd - 123.8" first place, new PB
15 September 2020
95.8 olsen 19 has slowed down a lot, still have a chance at 125". The second LG on the same plant is still young and getting close to the ground, time to dig a second hole.
13 September 2020
The pride and joy of my garden this year is estimated over 120" with 13" left in the hole, only have 7 days left till the weigh off.
13 September 2020
The second LG on the same plant is measuring a estimated 86.5" and growing well. Will allow it grow as long as it wants to.
13 September 2020
253 Kent is finally over 100 pounds and estimated a new PB.
13 September 2020
Field pumpkin has stopped growing at 57 pounds, will need to go heavy to be a PB.
8 September 2020
My 95.8 olsen 19 (PB), 4 September and 8 September. Still growing 2" a day. Presently measuring 111.5", 12 days left till the weigh off, would love to break 120".
4 September 2020
Slowing down, but not much, grew 6" in 2 days. I'm 7" past my PB. I wish I knew what I did right this year...LOL
1 September 2020
I was concerned that what I did yesterday was going to jinx the growth of my LG, another 5" overnight.
31 August 2020
My 95.8 olsen 18 had to do something was getting to close to the bottom of the hole. Now I have another 27" and can adjust another 15" if needed. Hope I haven't jinxed it!
31 August 2020
253 Kent DAP 40 and 47, measuring a new PB today, 20 day to go need some insurance pounds. Side note, the LG grew 6" overnight.
24 August 2020
327 Kent DAP 55 and the 253 Kent DAP 40 have a very good chance at finally breaking 100 lbs, 27 days to go and I will need every one of them.
19 August 2020
253 Kent DAP 30 and 35, getting some nice length now I need for it to start filling out.
19 August 2020
327 Kent DAP 45 and 50, starting to get fat.
14 August 2020
Time lapse of the 253 Kent DAP 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30.
14 August 2020
Left to Right 253 Kent day 30, 327 Kent day 45. I am having a really bad pumpkin year but the watermelons are making up for it, specially the 253.
9 August 2020
Just received some very good news. The only weigh off that I go to has decided to go ahead with the weigh off. Due to government rules on masses of people gathering it will be done without fans and the prize money will be cut in half. I am very happy.
9 August 2020
253 Kent x open DAP 20 and 25. It is 15 days younger then the 327 Kent and already has the same circumference, grow baby grow!
9 August 2020
327 Kent x open DAP 40, we are at about 50 pounds. Plenty of time left trying to finally break the 100 pound barrier.
8 August 2020
So it's 20:30 at night and my first 95.8 LG opened. Pollinated x self and open.
8 August 2020
2416 Haist x self DAP 50, 55 and 60, do you see the difference? I don't either.
4 August 2020
253 Kent x open DAP 15 and 20. It is 15 days younger then the 327 Kent and is almost as big, grow baby grow.
3 August 2020
2416 Haist x self DAP 50 and 55.
3 August 2020
65.7 olsen x open DAP 20 and 30, starting to get orange, guess the growing is over.
30 July 2020
253 Kent x open day of pollination, DAP 10 and 15.
30 July 2020
327 Kent x open DAP 10, 20 and 30.
27 July 2020
915 olsen x 2416 Haist DAP 20 & 25 I'm checking the box to get a nice Halloween pumpkin this year so there's that.
25 July 2020
Another 65.7 olsen x open DAP 21 measured 39" CC. This is on a separate plant.
25 July 2020
65.7 olsen x open DAP 10 & 21. Today measured a 43" CC.
25 July 2020
327 Kent x open DAP 20 & 25 a slow but steady grower.
25 July 2020
253 Kent x open day of pollination and DAP 10.
22 July 2020
915 olsen x 2416 Haist DAP 15 & 20 I have a outside chance at 1000 lbs, like being down by 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th with 2 outs, nobody on base and my pitcher at bat.
20 July 2020
327 Kent x open DAP 10 & 20, so far so good.
17 July 2020
915.4 olsen x 2416 Haist DAP 10 & 15 growth wise nothing special but I want to believe this one has a chance of being a nice color.
15 July 2020
327 Kent x open DAP 10 & 15 and the 253 Kent x self/open I like the shape, hope it's a long one.
14 July 2020
2416 Haist x self DAP 30 & 35. I think I have been watering to much. I ran 2 tests, watered heavily and had low weight gain, watered lightly and weight gain picked up. I am going to take a day off from watering to see what happens. #confused #IThoughtHeavyRainsCausedGoodGrowth
12 July 2020
915.4 olsen x 2416 Haist DAP 5 & 10. I've managed to get the crosses I wanted this year but the growth is consistently poor, at least I'm consistent
10 July 2020
327 Kent x open DAP 10, 26.5" CC.
9 July 2020
2416 Haist x self DAP 25 & 30 estimated only 18.2 lbs gained from day 29 to day 30. This is shaping up to be my worst year since 2007 when I had a 640 lb pumpkin. Never the less I will keep on fighting, not going to ease up, challenge excepted.
4 July 2020
2416 Haist x self, DAP 20 & 25 the growth "looks" impressive but it's not. I'm still satisfied and the plant is very healthy, I've been using a foliar spray of sulfur every 2 weeks and have zero signs of powdery mildew. Hope that will extend my growth late into the season.
2 July 2020
915.4 olsen 19 (1911 Urena 17 x 2363 Holland 17) X 2416.5 Haist 18 (2003 Haist 2017 x 1742 Wolf 17) 13‘, MV, 4 Lobes.
29 June 2020
2416 Haist x self, DAP 15 & 20.
24 June 2020
2416 Haist x self full plant view, the plant is still very healthy and filling in the growing area nicely.
24 June 2020
2416 Haist x self DAP 10 & 15 growth has been steady but nothing like I expected, but as Monty Python would say look on the bright side of life, so, at least the shape is super.
19 June 2020
2416 Haist x self DAP 7, 8, 9 & 10 I have never had a pumpkin grow fast in the first 10 days and this year is no different. If things go as in the past in about 3 days I will start seeing 6" circumference gains per day.
13 June 2020
2416 Haist DAP 4, the main vine has been adjusted so that the pumpkin has room to grow.
9 June 2020
2416 Haist x self, 12' main vine, 5 lobes. Before and after pollination. 3 days ago I thought this would happen on the weekend, yesterday I notice how fast the blossom had developed so I covered it and 3 males last night. That's why you can't take 1 day off growing these giants.
6 June 2020
I have not been updating my diary much this season because I just didn't feel like it was worth it. COVID-19 pandemic appears to have meant that there will not be any weigh offs this year. Police brutality also has me down. It is not enough to not be a racist, we need to be anti-racist.
At any rate here is a update, the 2416 Haist plant is doing well. Broke the main vine about 2 weeks ago, have trained a secondary as a new main vine and it is doing well. I have a pumpkin at 12 feet that should be ready in about a week and another at 14 feet that will be ready shortly after that. One of them will be my keeper.
With no weigh offs this year how do we document them for the database? If any body knows please send me a email at giantsquash@gmail.com
29 April 2020
Lost the 1928 Daletas to a stem split, replaced it with a 915.4 olsen 19 (1911 Urena x 2363 Holland), that is why we start backups.
22 April 20
2416 Haist
5 April 2020
Planted 2 x 327 Kent and 2 x 253 Kent today. No electricity in this greenhouse, frost prevention will be strictly with candles.
28 March 2020
L - R 1928 Daletas and the 2416 Haist have been transplanted to their greenhouses. Will be using heating cables, a small electric heater and 4 candles each plant to avoid frost damage. #NoLookingBackNow #GiantPumpkins
24 March 2020
Final prep for patch one, will be the home of the 2416 Haist, will monitor temps for a week or so before I transplant the seedling. Here is a link to some videos.
1 March 2020
I do not pre-germinate seeds, file them and straight into starter soil. 5 days later the 2416 Haist, 1928 Daletas and as backup my 915 olsen (1911 Urena x 2363 Holland) are up and getting their first rays of sunshine.
19 Feb 2020
3 days and 6 hours after planting the 1st 327 Kent has germinated. Transferred to a bigger pot with mycorrhiza added to the root area. Good to see something positive happen after this mornings disappointment.
19 Feb 2020
After 3 days the first 253 Kent watermelon has germinated, unfortunately it was so aggressive that it broke off the cotyledons still in the seed coat, I dug the seed coat out of the soil with the cotyledons still in it. Isn't that special!
16 Feb 2020
Started the following today:
3 x 327 Kent Giant Watermelons
2 x 253 Kent Giant Watermelons
4 x 95.8" Olsen Long Gourds
1 x Giant Tomato I grew last year, about 1.5 pound
Into the incubator they go! 2020 season has started!
15 February 2020
Big day, checked my grow lights and they survived the winter, turned on my reptile incubator that I use to germinate seeds and it is set at 30C and looks like it is fine. Tomorrow start my watermelon seeds, 2020 season is started. Tomorrow seeds see dirt, get some of that!
28 October 2019
After the season is before the season.
What seeds to grow next year? (favorite winter pastime).
- Long Gourd my 95.8
- Field Pumpkin my 65.7
- Watermelon 327 and 253 Kent
- Backup Atlantic Giant is my 915 Olsen 2019 (1911 x 2363)
- Primary Atlantic Giants at this time 2416 Haist and 1928 Daletas
***Might change 20 times..LOL