Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 39 Entries. Friday, April 5 View Page @ 24 hours, I have 85% germination with the pill box method. This includes the 811 Gerhardt, which is a 2011 seed. Only the 2118* jutras and 680 Gerhardt have not popped yet but hey it hasn’t even been two days yet!   Sunday, April 7 View Page Optimal weather continues for spring prep in eastern Pennsylvania. 15 to 18 yards of well aged cow manure was tilled into the patch and two of four cables are buried with the pits dug for two more. The plants are already poking out of the 8 inch pots, temperature in the chamber is dialed in at 88 degrees and they are loving it. Little Jimmy and I continue to soar ahead in our gamble to produce big pumpkins before the mid August nightmare diseases overcomes us.   Friday, April 19 View Page 1701 jutras. The plants have overstayed their welcome. Need to transplant soon, was making some mods to the hoop houses, took a major beating from the windstorm on Monday. If they had been out then, I’d be starting over.   Thursday, May 2 View Page Hoop 1- 811 Gerhardt and 1146 Snyder. Hoop 2- 1701 jutras and 1146 Snyder. Hoop 3- 1969 haist and 2112 skinner. Hoop 4- 725 Gerhardt and 681 Gerhardt. Hoop 5- 1146 Snyder and 1146 Snyder. Hoop 6- yet to be planted but plants are ready 689 Donahue and 689 Donahue. Everything is well except a little burn due to negligence on a hot day last week.   Wednesday, May 8 View Page Jimmy and I put the 1146 Snyder plants in hoop 5 last week. They are about on the ground and ready to run. Still on track to beat the late summer diseases.   Thursday, May 9 View Page At this pace, it is certain that I will beat Ned this year. Just imagine the look on his face when I show up at his private little tomato contest in nowhere, PA this year and beat him.   Wednesday, June 19 View Page There was a major setback due to either 2-4d spray drift or from fertilizer overload. Most plants are getting back on track now with the exception of the 689 Donahue. That plant will probably be designated for several blossom down pumpkins if it ever turns around. Looking forward to pollinating this 811 in a few days. The main tomato bed can be seen against the house. Good plants but no megas. Will take what I get. Second batch of seeds are just popping up now.   Thursday, June 20 View Page For. The. Third. Year. In. A. Row. It. Never. Stops. Raining.   Tuesday, June 25 View Page Pollinated the 735 Gerhardt with 811 Gerhardt today. Controlled crosses continue to elude me on the 811 and 1969 due to flooded flowers and flowers that open early. Very frustrating. Pulled the 689 Donahue. The chemical damage was too much. Need to make a decision about cutting some of the haist out as well, since the new growth is not coming out of the damage as well as the other plants. Very frustrating indeed.   Saturday, June 29 View Page Pollinated the 811 with 1969 haist yesterday.   Saturday, June 29 View Page Cut off about 150 square feet of the 1969 yesterday due to the chemical damage leaving about 200 square feet remaining and pollinated a female on the new main with 811 yesterday.   Saturday, June 29 View Page Pollinated the 1146 Snyder with 811 Gerhardt this morning. Plant is behind due to the chemical damage but is beginning to turn on the juice. Couldn’t hold off on pollinating any longer.   Sunday, June 30 View Page Pollinated the 1701 jutras x self and #2 on the 735 Gerhardt, x 811. Neither are the strongest plants I’ve ever had that’s for sure. Will have to see how large I can go with what I have to work with here.   Sunday, June 30 View Page I was trying to get a picture of the tomato plants but they don’t come out good in photos. Kinda like me lol. So here is a pic of a mega on the 5.95. These are long overdue. Up to third or fourth trusses on my earliest and at least 4 ft tall. More like 5 for some of them. After checking with Chris I am looking forward to fruit set and deadheading these plants then enjoying the ride. Second wave of plants is ready for transplant. Hope the timing is good to bring them to the weigh offs.   Monday, July 1 View Page Here is what the chemical damage did to the 689 Donahue. Sorry Kevin, it was obviously pulled from the rotation. In other news, I pollinated another 811 with 1969 haist today. So on the 811 I’ve got one that was destroyed by a flood, one that was a day early and open pollinated, and two good ones x 1969 haist. Hope that the first good one takes since the position is great. If I go with the second one I’ll be terminating the main at the pumpkin out around 22 to 25 ft.   Wednesday, July 3 View Page Pollinated a second 1701 x self yesterday July 2. Here is a pic of the first one, which is 2 DAP in the picture.   Wednesday, July 3 View Page Here is the 1701 plant. Limping along in its recovery.   Wednesday, July 10 View Page I got the 1146 Snyder about 80% positioned. Need a little more forward tilt. It was very difficult since it was growing on its blossom and pinned by tap roots at the stem and in all directions down the vine. Also having a 2 year old means nighttime operations, which adds an additional layer of complexity.   Wednesday, July 10 View Page Jimmy with the 735 Gerhardt pumpkin (D14).   Wednesday, July 10 View Page Blown up 1701 squashes   Monday, July 15 View Page Our pumpkin on the 1146 Snyder was 69 inches circumference on D20.   Monday, July 15 View Page Our pumpkin on the 735 Gerhardt was 75 inches circumference on D20.   Monday, July 15 View Page The patch is pretty full, except for the vacant spot left by the 689 Donahue. It’s good to be this deep into the season with 5 of 6 plants still hanging in there. For what seems like the first time in 3 years, we are having a stretch of nice weather and the plants are really responding. It hasn’t rained in about five days and I can’t remember the last time that has happened.   Tuesday, July 23 View Page Both the 811 and 1701 were 68 inches circumference on day 20 yesterday. Definitely not the best shaped 811 I’ve ever had but we’ll see what she grows into.   Wednesday, July 24 View Page My 1146 Snyder is the first to day 30 and my weakest plant for sure. Today I begin OTT. 100-72-67 for 239, estimate 308 pounds. Tomorrow the 735 is up and I’ll look for bigger numbers. I have 5 pumpkins and plants still alive at the beginning of the D30s which is one more than I even started with last year. So looking good to finish the season with something, at the moment.   Thursday, July 25 View Page D30 for my 735. 115-70-70, 255 OTT.   Saturday, July 27 View Page Here you go DJW. Sorry I forgot to post earlier.   Sunday, July 28 View Page D30 for the 1969 haist. 107-71-69, 247 OTT.   Monday, August 5 View Page Kevin Donahue gave me this 811 seed and the stem’s already broken off the pumpkin. What a ripoff! And of course it’s just over 30 days so I can’t even return it. Luckily my other models are still operating well.   Monday, August 5 View Page Day 40 for my 735. 136-82-81, 299 OTT. It’s getting shiny and orange.   Friday, August 9 View Page   Saturday, August 10 View Page Jimmy and I have a new personal best! We blew my old 3.88 out of the water with this 4.56 pound single! Team scammer should be glad I can’t get any mega blooms or they’d be done for!   Sunday, August 18 View Page The 1969 haist chugging along at D50, 312 OTT. Gains are down due to a week at the beach with no water system on and very little rain. I’m okay with that though. Family first, pumpkins second, always.   Sunday, August 25 View Page Not a breakout year here but chugging along and just finishing will be an improvement over last season. The 735 Gerhardt is D60, 335 OTT. Good color and very wide.   Wednesday, August 28 View Page 1969 Haist D60. Jimmy behind the pumpkin sure makes it look huge. But it is only 325 OTT.   Thursday, September 5 View Page Continuing in my study of perspectives, here is Jimmy with the 735 D70. He does a great job making the pumpkin appear quite large yet only 341.5 OTT.   Sunday, September 22 View Page Our first pumpkin went as expected. Grown off the 1969 haist and pollinated with the 811 gerhardt. Now the 931 gerhardt, it was 4.5% heavy. Really happy to have one on the scale again after not finishing with anything last year.   Friday, October 4 View Page We decided to take the 735 to Altoona tomorrow.   Monday, October 7 View Page The soft spot didn’t get us DQ’d but knocked us out of the HD competition. 965 pounds, 735 Gerhardt x 811 Gerhardt. Thanks to Dustin, Jay, Larry, Gerry and all of the PGPGA for a great event. I weighed my very first pumpkin here in 2006 and it was nice to be back.