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Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 70 Entries.
Monday, April 1 View Page
LanTerra Update 2024. - Welcome to my scribes. OK so this year here is the line up. Growing this year for weigh-off. A big 1500* Squash from Cindy, 191-19 Kapelari FP's, 10.46 La Rue Eaton LG's, Several other misc maters including the, GVGO big head sunflowers and lots of flowers. Must give a very Special thanks to all growers for the seeds and especially John Vincent. My friend Mr Vincent works tirelessly for Ontario Giant Growers. Thank you John! Have first hand knowledge of the Eaton Long Gourds and the 10.46 maters. Yes after several on board ship discussions with Jack he easily gave away all his secrets. Knowing the provenance of the seed you grow is priceless. Looking ahead to a great season in my Pleasure Palace. The great pumpkin patch is everyone's to enjoy come October. GLTA
 
Tuesday, April 2 View Page
Shout out to Chad New. Been a fan and watching for a while. You bring the seminar into my living room. Good Luck on the You Tubes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8LpVT3N45Q
 
Wednesday, April 3 View Page
LanTerra Science update: Some recent 2022 mater research that has caught my eye. Amazing Amino's. Soy and or Sunflower Protein's with Glycine. Well worth the read. Soluble premixed products are on the market in Canada this year. A guy first scribbled about Glycine written here. Link one is direct to the study and please note and read the citations as they reveal broad base acceptance of the findings. Glycine was first noted in this diary several years ago. https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/8/1761#metrics https://www.ez-gro.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Aminogro.pdf Biostimulants, like Amino13 + other Glycine enriched amino acids are protein hydrolysates that can have various effects on different functions of Giants, namely size, which is yield and yield components of delayed senescence through extended growth promotion and increased transportation of micro nutrient availability. Noting that studies like this may help AGP growers to better understanding the use of them.
 
Friday, April 5 View Page
Backups emerge. Caleb my 6 year old grand son and I started two backup 945* pollinators last Saturday. He put lots of hearts on the tags. Caleb filed and gently covered them while waving his hands over the pots saying the magic words. “Abracadabra grow squash grow” and then he watered them with natural stagnated rain water and went off to play. So turns out Caleb has a big fat green thumb. His dry non soaked non heated seeds placed on the window sill only took a short five days to break the surface. On day three I mixed-up and used Soluble Aminos on these two guys. Have decided to load up and juice all vine bury mixes this year with Amino Acids. More to come… and GLTA wishing you all good growing. Russ
 
Sunday, April 7 View Page
Big head sunflowers. Logan is still waiting on his to germinate. Three plants on the go with many tall SF too and the boys took home seeds to plant for weigh-off. At LanTerra there will also be lots of patch SF volunteers. Last year we had a beautiful Giant Castor Bean and a 10' tall multi head giant SF strain that I topped early on. Have already gone through two small bags each of Soy and Sun Flower protein powder. Yesterday the main squash plants home planting site was treated with three types of protein powder. So the compost piles and all been layered and treated with these powdered Aminos. Including a hemp protein that was found on Amazon. A recent moron’s research is revealing exciting some exciting outcomes.
 
Sunday, April 7 View Page
Just arrived and on the market. Hope the study proves it’s worth. Welcome Amino13. Have waited since 2017 for a liquid premixed product like this. Since first playing with Glycine mixology was always a problem. So yes, this moron will be testing this stuff out extensively during seed starting. More scribes on the research are on the GVGO FB page. Good luck and Good Growing.
 
Sunday, April 7 View Page
LanTerra Update - Having mostly completed compost additions last fall Patch prep this spring is meager. So Sprayed very early on in Feb with Soap, dormant HC oil and Chitosan. Then earlier this week sprayed 6 gallons on the entire patch and all compost piles with molasses and honey mixed with another very strong Chitosan mix plus Humic Acid and Epsom Salts. The main planting site is prepped now. Added final touches yesterday include. Spread - up to 1" thick each of Worm castings, Coconut Coir, Promix Mix with Myco plus extra Vermiculite. Sprinkled in - WOW Humic Acid Concentrate, Rock dust, Bone meal and some Blood meal. Whipped in - Oyster shell flower and Dematiaceous earth for pest and nematode controls. Dusted over - Moderate amounts of three Protein Powders Hemp, Soy & Sunflower. Broadcasted in - Osmocote combined with Organic MG Fert, Plus Espoma Bio-Tone. Lightly raked in the mixes into the first thee inches of the surface. Covered over the 10 x 10' planting site with fresh old winter surface garden bedding of leaves and organic debris . Watered the entire area with stagnated rain water and a strong Alaskan Fish mix.
 
Sunday, April 7 View Page
Big head sunflowers. Logan is still waiting on his to germinate. Three completion plants on the go with many tall SF too. There will be also lots of patch volunteers. Have already gone through two small bags each of Soy and SunFlower protein powder. Yesterday the main squash plants home planting site was treated with two types of protein powder. So the compost piles and all been layered and treated with these powdered Aminos. Including a hemp protein that was found on Amazon. A recent moron’s research is revealing exciting some exciting outcomes.
 
Sunday, April 7 View Page
New for LanTerra this year is premade compost. Yes, know what your thinking. Ok, Gonna call it what it is "Moron Compost with Coffee grounds" Its got all of the patch prep moron stuff listed in a prior diary entry plus added coffee grounds. Have 5 completed with 2 more batches on the go. Was heating them all winter with seed matts. One of the batches has pre-inoculated clay balls. Certainly love the CEC potential of the organics. Coffee grounds are well composted and hope to provide a patch healthy home for Trichoderma they bring along. Planning to use the "Moron Compost" for planting time and vine burying or as long as it lasts or I run out of bin space.
 
Thursday, April 11 View Page
Soak Time in Water at 83*F and Amino Acid. Filed a back up pollinator 1123.* Sproule and a primary 1500* Tobeck. Using Paper towel method and plastic wrapped in zip lock baggie set at low 80'ish.
 
Friday, April 12 View Page
1123* germinates at 20 hours from starting of soak. Bathed it in Myco and potted up with juiced up Moron seed starting mix with compost.
 
Saturday, April 13 View Page
Since the Linderman days of Niagara Falls > Finally after years of wanting to do this it’s done. Managed to use Myco and a spring Buckwheat crop to pre-inoculate a large area of the Squash* patch. Buckwheat comes from the 1446 Eaton days. At Port Elgin, Dave McCallum turned to me as Eaton's monster approached the stage. He said Buckwheat that's what he uses. Grows prolifically here and deep roots can only help my patch. So after setting up the two hoop houses then Dug and Hand forked to a ten inch depth about 300 sq ft in front of the main Hoop house. Spread Osmocote and Organic Fert with Worm castings and Kelp. Sprinkled the area with Bone meal, Rock Dust, Oyster Shell Flower and Diatomaceous Earth. Covered over with Pro Mix Myco and Vermiculite. Hoed the mixture in. Colonization of the patch has begun. With sowing a spring Green Manure Crop Cover. Fall Rye - Green Peas - Buckwheat - White Dutch Clover. This mixture will be chopped down ahead of vine growth and used for a mulch around the squash plants crown area.
 
Saturday, April 13 View Page
LanTerra Update > Squash hoop house soil temp already at 65*F. No cables needed this year. Promoting the rhizophagy cycle for cover crop roots that benefit in bacteria and fungi > these new roots will be able to get nutrients from them. Initially, microbes grow on plant roots in a zone outside the growing root tips. To cultivate microbes, roots secrete exudates or carbohydrate sugars and other nutrients. As root cells suberize and mature, the microbes are then doused with reactive oxygen (superoxide) they explode then degrade and release nutrients. Key is what components contain Superoxide. This Answered by WR holder Jim Bryson > was end of season maple syrup. Sprayed the spring cover crop and the main planting site in the patch. Soaked the soil with Naphthaleneacetic Acid (NAA) plus a strong Compost Tea blend mixed with lots of Molasses and Apple Cider Vinegar. Added in water soluble Black Swallow Amino Acid, Humic Acid & Fe. Grow Squash Grow...
 
Sunday, April 14 View Page
Seed Starting. Early maters both are estimated & unofficial. They are off of two sibs of the 7.88 Butler. 5 - 5.08 Landry 23. 6 - 5.14 Landry 23.
 
Monday, April 29 View Page
LanTerra Update. In the ground today date was late due to poor starts and cool weather. Even though North winds off Lake Huron kept the chill on pumpkin the patch progress has continued. The 945* Landry 23 was the pure winner. It garnered the top planting spot and will hit lead off to the scales. Back ups & pollinators are 1500* Toebeck, 945 Landry Sib, 1123* Sproule & 1035* MacKenzie. One 1500* failed to germinate. Pictured for memories is my fathers old trowel. It’s likely 80 years old. We used it often in the garden. A young boy remembers digging and scooping handfuls of compressed, encrusted peat moss for gardens many rows and laying our homes foundation bricks with it.
 
Wednesday, May 1 View Page
Sore back double digging new mater sites and Compost Pile Time. Have several yards of compost and piles of vine burying material. Hand moving and turning is often a strenuous chore but the exercise is well needed. Thankfully Last years underground pool house nightmare has not repeated. Pool season is on the pipes are ok. For now! Something about spring makes a guy want to dig. Best not to have leaky pipes though.
 
Wednesday, May 1 View Page
First of the tall sunflowers are set out., The 3” tall sprouts are transplanted using IBA and kept 100% saturated for about an hour just before transplanting. Proudly despite very strong Sun and near 80*F they had no shock at all. Honing in on the use of Root Booster as it works wonders for transplants and vine burying.
 
Thursday, May 2 View Page
LanTerra Mater update. First 5.08 Landry gets dirty Adding another tile at the last minute on the wet side of the patch. On the left the myco inoculated Spring cover crop has started nicely with the Buckwheat jumping into the freedom of the air above.
 
Friday, May 3 View Page
Suds and soak is the washing machine setting for brown toe socks. Got a few of them on this job but as it’s nearly done now nice to see the effort paid off. Rain water drains away into a sump area to the left and finally into a giant dog wood scrub on the other side of the fence line. So yeah… Rain and strong thunder storms expected today. Pic is taken this morning after about 1” rainfall overnight. No standing water is good. Much better than the soggy soft bottom the path was before.
 
Saturday, May 4 View Page
Amazon moisture sensor. This is working extremely well. Been test using it for awhile now. Remarkable how much water and how long clay loam holds onto it. So kinda an eyes wide open light bulb moment. Appears my chief take away is my clay based loamy soil is a net positive for moisture retention. Thinking Moisture levels are also buffered in such soils by subsurface transfer and whicking. Believe this last point helps prevent Summer BES & Dill Rings. Added Key is ensuring Max availability of nutrients in the soil solution. Often tie up issues prevent this. Will be Working all year to continually charge the soils for maximum CEC.
 
Thursday, May 16 View Page
Official planting day. Mother Nature at LanTerra has declared summer has started. A few more 5.08 & 5.14 Landry 23 Maters are set in with hardy amounts of fresh compost with multi types of Myco & Fungi products mixed into each planting hole. Watered in with RootBooster that includes IBA and NAA. Rooting hormones only at the start of the year.
 
Thursday, May 16 View Page
The Ground Crew. These Morons are added staples at LanTerra on planting day. Shannon’s “Proven Winners” all get the same treatment. Prolly the last year here at LanTerra. We are located 5 mins from Port Huron in South West Ontario. So putting on a show this year “Technicolor Dreamcoat “ is the theme. Big this year at home is the early season use of flower meals and Amino Acids. Research points to benefits with nematode control using Oyster Shell Flower and Soya & Sun Flower Meals. Trying all of them in true moron fashion. Good luck to all.,
 
Thursday, May 16 View Page
The back up 945* Landry 23 is a safety pollinator. Main pollinator is hoped to be the 1500* Tobeck. This the second 1500 struggled so will need to stimulate stress to cause early flowering by mid June. First Cut off the main at about 5 to 8’ to remove apical dominance then feed with lots of Phosphites & Chitosan which elicits a SAR response and induce flowers... Yes Sir taking no chances on pollinators plants this year. Last year had to drive two hours to get pollen. Good growing.
 
Thursday, May 16 View Page
945* Landry 23, landed several days ago. Has had severe flagging at times. Removed from hoop house today and buried the first two internode sections while holding down the tendrils with heavy clumps of loamy clay aggregates. Currently have two fans running. Added a phone app light sensor with moisture sensor and have two temp sensors guarding her. She is pinned down nicely and running. Trimmed off three small crappy leaves. Fed her watery diet treated to 5.5 pH with Apple Cider Vinegar. Also mixed into the drench molasses and two rooting hormones IBA & NAA with 5-15-5. Grow Squash* Grow…
 
Saturday, May 18 View Page
Seed Starting, No filing needed Field Pumpkins these two 191 Kapelari's 19 have sprouted quickly after a 12 hr soak in water and 24 hours of damp paper towel warmth.
 
Monday, May 20 View Page
The FP Kapelari twins have pierced the surface. All plants yesterday get first soluble Amino spray. In a few days time might be interesting to observe Amino drench results on these two girls. First application on the early squash plants seamed to have resulted in a very positive outcome.
 
Tuesday, May 21 View Page
Gave the 191 sprouts a tiny moron bit of IBA this morning. Playing with the push. So as soon as first leaf they get Amino’s. Ah nice to see the spring Field Pumpkin cover crop is just emerging now. It is inoculated with promix Myco. All vines burried at LanTerra this year are staring out with a blend of home grown compost mixed with a fresh WOW, Promix Myco and Espoma seed starter Myco. It’s agressive program and provides a very broad but fresh blend of natural tiled nutrients and inoculants spread over two in season growing crops.
 
Wednesday, May 22 View Page
LanTerra Planters Update > Wilma and her Main is out to 8’ now and two side vines past first nodes. Locked down more main V tendrils with soil this morning awaiting the first true vine burring event. Chopped down more very lush green spring inoculated crop cover. This will continue each day just ahead of vine growth. Fish & Elicitor day. Fed Wilma a diet of watery Insect Frass and Chitosan. So yes Chasing the SAR effects early this year. Don’t have a good moron Phosphite product yet. May have to drive to Leamington ON the Marijuana Capital of Canada to get some. Very good grower supply stores there.
 
Wednesday, May 22 View Page
Giant Sunflowers treated just like AGP’s
 
Wednesday, May 22 View Page
The backup pollinator has a fruit bud at 4’. It was 1 gallon pot stressed until five days ago. Tossed it in the ground and the weather went to the high 8o’s and boom. No shortage of Nitrogen and good drenching rain in my patch. Added plus Lightning and thunder bring on the fruit of summer like nothing else…..
 
Friday, May 24 View Page
Yikes, hope shade structure works as a good hail protection. Although very rare here hail does occur occasionally. Thrilled with the use of shade cloth. Black 30% is just about right. My setup allows for quick removal by detaching bungee cords and carabiners overhead then sliding the cloth along the wire & rope canopy.
 
Monday, May 27 View Page
Wobbly sprinkler heads. Installed two with new valves. Prolly won’t need these but nice to have. Setup two zones of over head misting lines and tested. These are plenty worth the efforts to fool with. Fixed some minor leaks and initially had a solenoid valve stuck open but it started working after a couple of minutes. Many many Pots are all set for water and filled with Proven Winners concoctions of all sorts.
 
Wednesday, May 29 View Page
First official Moron Vine burring of the season. Chopping down the cover crop ahead of the main vine is strenuous but very fun. Sprinkled in Osmocote combined with Granular Organic MG Fert with Kelp and Worm Castings, Granular Espoma Bio-Tone Seed Starter, WoW, AZos and Pro Mix Myco active. Buried everything with fresh composted soil. Picked off the first female at about 12ft this morning. All systems go despite very wet conditions lately with several inches of rain in the past 72 hours. The tile is doubled up now and the patch drains really well.
 
Wednesday, May 29 View Page
LanTerra update vines buried reaching 12ft now. Cover crop is mature now. Fresh greens all over and plan to spread over the buried vines as surface mulch then top off with clean fine chopped straw.
 
Wednesday, May 29 View Page
First female opens. On the backup squash plant. Self Sibbed it. This plant will be culled soon and will be a nothing burger but I’m officially growing fruit now. LOL at the calendar. It is saying May 29th.
 
Wednesday, May 29 View Page
This plant is probably going to be a pumpkin. Deep green leaves with a yellow first fruit. Same for its sib sister. The father’s a Port Elgin winner. AGP yellow genes are dominant over green so far.
 
Thursday, May 30 View Page
LanTerra the entrance sign. This picture of heaven past was taken a bit ago. Posting it will bring many memories for family and friends. Had to wait for right moment to post this pic. Shannon painted this well more than 30 years ago. My Dad’s garden was the Original LanTerra to us. The garden was the Landry's Eden to him and my mother and the family of 10 it fed. . . Hope to recreate the inspiring and incredible landscape canvas those two people gave me. Today I am deeply thankful to God... Today it changed... this happened. From far above June, glimpsed out the window at the sharp odd black truck as it was pulling into the yard. June said to Steve “look out in the driveway Russell is home “ YUP, happy and proud to say yes. So After 37 long years of toil at 8 different LanTerra’s the Northern operations are closing for good. Somewhere in the Town of Riverside or in Essex, just outside the city of Windsor in the county may become our new home at seasons end. This morning we are officially moving back home. Opening the Champagne this evening. Details to follow
 
Thursday, May 30 View Page
Oh no. Crap. Frost! 4 am wake up call and the game with Mother Nature was on. Dashed around with warm spray on both Thursday and Friday morning. All ok as the frost was high air born frozen mist. Ground temps were plenty warm enough and the plants did not suffer from damage.
 
Thursday, May 30 View Page
Back label on the Espoma bottle. Easy to like this stuff as it’s bacillus is like having a Garden Genie in a bottle.
 
Friday, May 31 View Page
Two of three 10.46 LaRue and an 8.51 are planted today. 12 is the Tomato Tally this year at LanTerra 3 - 10.46 LaRue 23 3 - 8.51 LaRue 23 3 - 5.14 Landry 23 est 3 - 5.08 Landry 23 est
 
Friday, May 31 View Page
Field Pumpkinatin Update, planted two 191 Kapelari using all prior and then some more, moron methods. Closing the first battle with Cucumber Beatles was easy. Used the pollinator plants as a trap crop.
 
Friday, May 31 View Page
Fish Friday. We drenched everything in the garden and all bedding plants. Ran out of Alaskan this week. So last years TSC or Peavy price was $52 Cdn each. Wonder what inflation has done to its price now. Picked up two bottles of Neptunes Harvest for next use.
 
Saturday, June 1 View Page
Testing out solar USB fans for the Maters. First Tall Sunflowers about 24”.
 
Tuesday, June 4 View Page
Mater Update. Planted two 8.51 and one 10.46 LaRue this morning. The yard has started blooming nicely. Bailey is having good time in the mornings early sunshine. Cucumber Beatles are again out in force. Many blossoms erupting daily now is their main attraction. Was forced to selectively knock them down. Still have two Butler LG’s to get in the ground. Irrigation turned on now. 5AM was the first official Hunter timer on time. An under ground leak in the Gardens main Zone 5 of 6 is a concern. Found The App doesn’t work correctly on a new IPhone.
 
Wednesday, June 19 View Page
Welcome opening of Caleb-3 this morning: Pollination of 3rd Female and very yellow Squmpkin this morning at about 20 ft mark on the main vine at the S curve. 5 Lobes all perfectly shaped with 17 sides behind her. Going back to green with the fast father in 1-Male pollinator off of the 1500* Tobeck. 8 am 78*F. 75% Overcast and 72% humidity. Oscillating fan placed on main vine section. Expected high of 93*F today makes this difficult. Shade cloth and misting also with auto wobbly sprinklers is key today. Noon now and thermometer sits at 88*F with 55% Humidity equates to 94, so not too bad yet. Have 3 fans running now. Radar is clear with brisk south west winds driving straight up lake St. Clair and Huron. The cold front is still several hours away on the other side of Lake Michigan.
 
Wednesday, June 19 View Page
Arrow pattern secondary vines are swung back 45*. Only two terminated so very early. Now in the middle of the June heat wave. Today is day three above 90*F. Need Mother Nature to bring the thunder this afternoon. First Kelp treatment today and Cucumber Beatles have returned for round three. Sprayed and knocked them down.
 
Wednesday, June 26 View Page
This one didn’t survive the heat. Still two days away from the next one. Have lots of FP growth now. Both 191’s are running. Maters look good have several good sized blossoms coming.
 
Thursday, July 4 View Page
Lost all earlier pollinations and main vine fruit to heat last week. Side Vine time today. Plant is 90% full in growth pattern approx 600sq.ft' now. Only 40% terminated while awaiting several ends of the sides to root down before terminating. 2 - Pollinations: 8:25am 73*F Full Sun 72% Humidity. Both appear to be squmpkins. Twix Left : 954* Landry 23 x 1500* Tobeck. 4 - perfectly shaped symmetrical Lobes x 1M. Left Side Vine 20' Down Main -10' on Side vine. Twix Right : 954* Landry 23 x Self. 4 - mostly symmetrical Lobes x 2M. Left Side Vine 22' Down Main -8' on Side vine.
 
Thursday, July 4 View Page
Happy Independence Day with Shannon’s “Proven Winners”
 
Thursday, July 4 View Page
Big Mater first truss set on the 5.14 Landry 23. Really large stem on a single terminated vine. Amino acid fruit influence or something else? The fruit appears to be the only apical growth point. Never seen this before. Have others maters in somewhat similar condition.
 
Thursday, July 4 View Page
Field Pumpkin update. Both 191 Kapelari’s out well past 10 feet now. The main plant will have 400 sq. Ft. Plus will plan to grow two vertical side vines off the overhead trellis. The main pollinator plant has three side vines all with fruit buds. Also Lacking space some of the 191 side vines will grow up instead of out. Planning to grow 3 to 5 vines with vertical segments. So at least two fruit on each plant. Crosses will all be selfs or sibs. Have heard growth rates on the 191 is astounding. Gonna give them my best moron shot. Stay tuned.
 
Saturday, July 6 View Page
They both look good so far. 1/2” Rain & Thunder helps a lot. So thank you Mother Nature. Just back from house hunting and pumpkin patch visiting in Windsor ON. Noticed Wheat crop in Lambton and Essex counties looks to be bumper. Stunning how consistently warm and moist this year. Update on Day 2 Lefty was perfectly shaped but seams to be a slower grower. Huh, Maybe there is a Twix bit of difference. Batting right handed Twix Right is 147 thousandths of an inch bigger. Think that equates to a lot twenty or thirty days from now. All a WAG until the tail gate drops. Plan is to grow both of these out to the end. The slowest will get culled off the main Vine and isolated on its own side vine. Twix Left 1.970” Twix Right 2.117”
 
Sunday, July 7 View Page
Pool noodle for the root nearest the pumpkin node. Later it was filled with potting mix. Pollinated the First Kapelari Field Pumpkin - Tynee 3L x sib 2M 1 minor but partially misformed lobe. 75*F part sun today.
 
Monday, July 8 View Page
Last chores before Beryl. Pool noodles make good root habitat when filled with soil.
 
Tuesday, July 9 View Page
Noodle Filled with soil. Re- Inoculated the entire patch on Monday morning via drench. Had reapplied Fermented Brews drenched in for several days. Then added fresh top dressing of Myco with peat moss and perlite to the crown area. Then drenched everything with Kat bio’s from Amazon just ahead of the rain.
 
Thursday, July 11 View Page
Now two pollinated on the first 191. Tynee on the main is growing. Pollinated another one this morning Bailey Girl, 3 lobes 2m Sib Main Vine and 2 nodes from Tynee.
 
Thursday, July 11 View Page
4” of rain from Beryl. Sun is shinning and the fruit are steamily expanding and pretty in good shape. Twix Left leading ahead of Right Twix by 1/4”. The race to D10. Lefty now on Day 7 = 17.5”CC. Four fruit on the plant now. Main Vine pollination on Tuesday 5L x 1500 Tobeck looks good but prolly not the keeper. Lefty may win.
 
Tuesday, July 16 View Page
LanTerra Update. Twix Left 36.5" on D12. Sad cull day. Twix Right is still on a side vine was cut off from the main with only one growth node rooted. Was 36" also on D12. A very tough choice this year to get down to one fruit. Too much rain. Yesterday 1-1/2" then another 2-3/4" this morning. Makes 8.25" in last six days. The 3 French drains protecting the patch backed up a bit but removed all the water quickly Beginning another round of LAB reinoculation in the patch again this week. Yeast sugar drench blend is going on the maters today. Have plenty of Kavayanna Azos and other bios to use up. So the end of the week another spread of granular MG organic may be the last application needed. The bug battle has continued. Squash bugs are out in Windsor now. Have seen a few Bright Red Vine borers flying about in Sarnia. Japanese beetles traps are set out. Cuc beetles they have not let up yet.
 
Tuesday, July 30 View Page
LanTerra Mater Update: Been awhile, have several good probable's, 5.14 Landry 23 is the best approaching 20". This is a monster dragon fruit that was until recent growing on an astonishing single flower bud at the end of a multiple conjoined severally deformed ribbon vine. Have a couple of smaller similar fruit like growths plus a couple of decent 10.46 LaRue maters just behind. Multiples of daily drenching. LAB followed by Azos followed by high P and K often supplemented and fed by Sugars or Maple Syrup & Neptunes Harvest with Ca, Mag & Fe now moisture level is being maintained above 60% can be challenging on hot afternoons. Used a lot of clean chopped straw mulch this year. Reapplied Granular MG Organic with worm castings. Spread by it by throwing deep under the canopy like casting sideways. Reinoculated the AGP all the Maters and the Kapelari (OMG on split watch) plants several times now with Myco and then top dressed with Promix & drenched in new Beneficial N fixers.
 
Tuesday, July 30 View Page
LanTerra - 191 Kapelari Field Pumpkin Update: The fruits name is Tynee is a sib x self. Tynee Now Day 23 at 64 + 37 + 42 = 143. Note: There is long ways to grow yet. She needs to stay green. This Kappy plant and fruit is still young and started off very slowly on the main vine. Then when the warmth returned last week she kicked into gear recently. Tynee loves water that is treated to 5.5 pH. Irrigation water at home has Ca Bicarbonate tie up issues. This mandates deep cleansing drenches with pH adjusted water. This fruit appears to be the ONE. It is indeed special. Gaining 5 to 6" OTT a day. Several fruit growing and are now set on its plant. Kappy is so happy it may be a double producer like some of the recent past big Field Pumpkin plants. Have a few young ones on the primary plant also. All crosses are selfed or sibbed. Tynee at 10' growing on the main vine of the backup plant. Go figure why? Its growing in a shallow 18" deep 4 foot around pit that was bowled out with compost & good soil. The vines trail off on the grass with only 100 sq ft actually buried. Short of space and material this plant got the daily drenching to make up for its meager home. The plant occupies approx 400 sq ft. but grows vertically in a section with six vertical vine x 7 foot tall. Literally moron solar panels.
 
Wednesday, July 31 View Page
191 Kapelari, FP Tynee update. The Mis-shaped 3 lobed little loved blossom Gains 8” OTT yesterday. Amazing outcome for a haggard outcast backup plant. The growth rate is rather spectacular and it’s Mother went 229” for Steve last year. Thanks to John Vincent for connecting me to this terific seed. Now on split watch Day 24, Tynee is 68 + 38 + 45 = 151” OTT
 
Thursday, August 1 View Page
LanTerra - 191 Kapelari Field Pumpkin Update: Tynee, 191 x Sib. Day 25 - 72 + 46 + 39 = 157. Top dressed in play sand around the stump & crown mixed in with MG granular, Worm Castings and Kelp. Drenched area three times today.
 
Friday, August 2 View Page
LanTerra Update: Rabbit in the patch biting fruit. Dang he took a nibble on Tynee. Not severe but two buck teeth slashes in the stem end.. Very high canopy transpiration day yesterday. Strong Sun with Low 90's all day. The Kaperali and all plants digging for water. Roots appearing at surface are covered over and top dressed this week with play sand. Tried to maintain the main patch moisture sensor at 66 - 70%. Had several 1 to 3 minute overhead irrigation events throughout the day. The Hunter app on my phone was getting a workout. FP and Maters everything is going wonderful except for the rabbit attack... Thinking its cull time. So yes we are going full moron now. after 1/4" or less overnight rainfall... Todays Drenches included. 5.5 pH treated water with Apple Cider Vinegar supplemented by full strength chelated Cal/Mag and 1/2 dose high P & K.
 
Friday, August 2 View Page
Top dressing with a carbon diaper. Layered over with chopped hay, sand, ProMix and inoculated with Fungi then Drenched in Nitrogen fixing Bacteria. Broadcast all under canopy areas with granular organic fertilizer from MG with worm castings and kelp.
 
Friday, August 2 View Page
191 FP — pictured with its vertical vine section. The top leaves are 8’ into the summer breeze. Easy care easy spray. Grow pumpkin grow.
 
Saturday, August 3 View Page
LanTerra Update: (Wilma) Twix Left, AG/Squmpkin - 954* Landry 23 x 1500* Tobeck. Day 30 = 107 + 71 + 71 = 249. Nothing special in those numbers. Was estimating Twix to be only 102" CC by D30. So its a bit of a pleasant surprise that it picked up the growth pace. Though still well behind the CC benchmark. It is a side vine fruit. The plant is (Wilma for its rock dust and Flintstones influence) nitrogen wild and very healthy. Wilma is a salad grower. Amazing the fruit set at all. Twix Left is very round and symmetrical. Surely going to be very Bright Orange. So not at all a Squmpkin like the genetics behind its cross suggests. The fruit has No ribs or dill rings. Thinking this suggests the soil moisture levels have been consistent throughout its 30 days. This is backed up by the data recorded on the moisture sensor. Clay loam is moisture resilient.
 
Sunday, August 4 View Page
The Carbon Diaper: top dressed 191 Kaperali. Today’s drench is Amino Grow13 with a strong Humic Acid carrier and compost tea. Today’s Foliar Spray is Compost Tea with Humic Acid and 20-20-20 plus a spreader and sticker on all “Proven Winners” and giant plants.
 
Monday, August 5 View Page
LanTerra Update: biggest mater is flashing and not yet to size but will need to measure. Powdery mildew creeping back into my patch. Sprayed a heavy dose of Steve Jepson stuff with neem oil this morning. Today’s drench was Humic Acid with Neptunes Harvest with a side of Compost Tea & Apple Cider Vinegar. Barely can see 191 x SS, FP Tynee 78”cc today and its back up side vine fruit in the front of the picture. Three inches gained in CC over yesterday. However there may be a bit of Kirking the tape going on.
 
Wednesday, August 14 View Page
FP - Tynee Update 191 Kapelari fruit. 85 + 47 + 54 = 186. Now Flashing orange. Tynee - Appears to be coolishly Knobbing or Dimpling out like its descendants. Have several fruit growing now on two plants occupying a very rambling 1000 sq.ft.. Only a couple of splitters to date. One each after recent Thunderstorm dumping's.
 
Wednesday, August 14 View Page
LanTerra Update. Your all invited.... Giant Vegetable Growers of Ontario > Patch Tour (GVGO) and local Garden Tour here on August 24th. Theme - "Technicolor Dreamcoat" come and enjoy the coat of many colors! Our garden is filled with "Proven Winners" PW flowers and Giant everything. All fully moron treated. Squmpkin is Bright Orange, Twix Left 954* Landry x 1500* Tobeck is all that remains. Day 40 129 + 84 + 80 = 293 or 581 Pounds. LanTerra Pumpkin & Patch and all is sold. Moving soon to Windsor, Ontario at LanTerra, South West . The Twix factories have been sold. Closing up LanTerra West by months end.
 

 

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