Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 94 Entries. Sunday, March 15 View Page Hello Everyone... Did you know that in Joisey, When they test you for the virus... They also test you for that tick disease!!! Yup...…. true story!!!   Sunday, March 15 View Page cant have Corona without the Lyme!!! LMAO!!! But seriously.... Hope everyone is safe...Hopefully this will not be as bad as the pundits are predicting!! And hopefully team Pilley will be entering a pumpkin in 2020 weigh-offs!!! good luck all!!!   Thursday, May 7 View Page Ok... 2020 season... Here we go.... Lineup change thanks to Covid19... Crazy busy with work... Not sure how much attention will be given overall... Who knows if there will even be a weigh-off... Going with 1806 Sperry and 1921 Carrier.... 4 for 4 on germination.... Let's all hope for the best this year!!!   Friday, May 22 View Page The 'Kins are in... 2020 season is now officially under way... Here is 1921 Carrier   Friday, May 22 View Page The 'Kins are in... 2020 season is officially under way!!!!! Here is 1921 Carrier plants   Friday, May 22 View Page 1806 Sperry plants   Sunday, June 7 View Page My nephew chose which plant to keep in each spot... Here he is culling the other 1806 Sperry... Tough decisions as all 4 plants looked very healthy... But he made them... Now we work with the ones he kept!!!   Monday, June 8 View Page 1921 Carrier.... Starting it's run!!   Monday, June 8 View Page 1806 Sperry... Just about to lay down and start it's run...   Saturday, June 20 View Page 1921 Carrier... Really starting to take off... Gave plants a drench of kelp and NPK grow microbes.... Also foliar of 3 in 1 been oil....   Saturday, June 20 View Page 1806 Sperry... Slower than Carrier... Side vines just starting...   Saturday, June 20 View Page 1806 Sperry... Take 2.... My now 11 yr old nephew.. (turned 11 on Tuesday) Did a phenomenal job putting together the irrigation system...   Tuesday, June 23 View Page 1921 Carrier... Starting to spread it's "wings".... Hopefully will do a pollination in a week....   Tuesday, June 23 View Page Gave the plants foliar NPK Raw... And sprayed Bio-repel throughout....   Friday, June 26 View Page Buried vines this afternoon... Added Azos, Mycorrhiza, and blood meal for nitrogen boost...   Friday, June 26 View Page My nephew working on the irrigation...   Sunday, June 28 View Page Trying something new this year... The last 2 yrs... I was putting out SVB traps by early-mid June... While they worked pretty well by catching a lot of SVB moths.... I still had quite the problem past 2 seasons... Maybe the traps were attracting them? (I did put traps away from the plants themselves).. So this year, I plan on waiting till I see science of them.. 2-fold approach... 1... Checking under the leaves every other day for eggs... 2... Been spraying Biorepel that I bought from Holland's Giants... I have BT and Capt. Jack's deadbug at the ready.... So far, so good... But I am not letting my guard down at all!!!!   Tuesday, June 30 View Page Looks like 1st pollination on 1921 Carrier.... About 12' out...did some vine burying.. also made compost brewer using 1/2" PVC to fit in 5gal bucket...   Tuesday, June 30 View Page Now this is cute... My nephew Knevin Cole inspecting for SVB eggs with his patch dog Jagger... So far, so good still.. But must be ever vigilant   Friday, July 3 View Page Made my first compost tea using W.O.W. compost tea packets... 36 hrs brewing... Then applied foliar on everything this morning...   Friday, July 3 View Page Here is the 1921 Carrier plant... She is really stretching out nicely!! Only problem is just like last year... Starting to get really hot at pollination time... Right now I have my 1st set shaded with 2 ice bottles near it and a wet towel too keep the baby 'kin just a lil cooler...   Saturday, July 4 View Page Happy 4th of July all!!!   Saturday, July 4 View Page 1921 Carrier... 3DAP   Saturday, July 4 View Page My sunflowers are very weird... I started several indoors, with the pumpkins..This biggest one, has a massive stalk.... 3 others have already bloomed... But are now closing back up... 1 of the sunflowers has shot off 4 offshoots... Just gonna let things go and see what happens   Sunday, July 5 View Page Pollination #2 on 1921 Carrier... Perfect 4 lober... Should have 1st pollination tomorrow on 1806 Sperry... Saw 1st cuke beetle today... Time for some Capt. Jack's tonight...   Tuesday, July 7 View Page 1921 Carrier.... Have 2 pollinations on this one... 1st on July 1.... 2nd on July 5... Starting to terminate the side vines that reached the silt fence...   Tuesday, July 7 View Page Pollination #1. 6DAP on 1921 Carrier... Not liking this one as it is really slow growing...   Tuesday, July 7 View Page #2. 2DAP on 1921 Carrier... Already same size as #1... Hoping this will be the keeper.... Will do a 3rd pollination just in case   Tuesday, July 7 View Page Pollination #1 1DAP on 1806 Sperry... Not the best plant as it doesn't have great side vines growing... But otherwise, plant is healthy   Tuesday, July 7 View Page Gave everything most likely last dose of NPK Grow... Most likely switch to Bloom next time.... Here is 1806 Sperry... Not pretty... But she's still chugging along...   Tuesday, July 7 View Page Here is my "MONSTER" Sunflower... Never had one so thick before... Very interested to see how this ends up....   Friday, July 10 View Page Corn took a hit   Saturday, July 11 View Page So. The 1st pollinations on each plant aren't going to make it... But here's 2nd pollination on 1921 Carrier... 6DAP.... Here's hoping!!!   Saturday, July 11 View Page Corn pic   Monday, July 13 View Page Best looking plant I've had in past few years... Just can't get a set to go past 7 days.... ugggh   Monday, July 13 View Page Hopefully 3rd time is a charm...   Tuesday, July 14 View Page 1921 Carrier.... Doing everything right except getting a lil 'kin past 7 days.... Hopefully 3rd times a charm.... Really need this set to take...   Tuesday, July 14 View Page 3rd set... 4DAP.... Looking better than the 1st 2 already!! Fingers crossed!!   Tuesday, July 14 View Page Applied compost tea in foliar... Also sprayed neem oil... Still haven't seen any SVB's.. (knock on wood). Seeing some cuke beetles though...   Wednesday, July 15 View Page Please... Please be the one!!! 5DAP....   Wednesday, July 15 View Page Pic from previous post   Friday, July 17 View Page 7DAP on 1921 Carrier....   Friday, July 17 View Page Put the mill fabric underneath....   Sunday, July 19 View Page 1921 Carrier... 9DAP.... Gonna be almost 100° next 2 days....   Sunday, July 19 View Page 1921 Carrier... Got the pumpkin tent constructed...   Monday, July 20 View Page 10DAP!!!! Didn't have a 'kin make it this far last year... So this feels so much better.... Still a ways to go obviously.... Drenched with WOW seaweed powder....   Tuesday, July 21 View Page 1921 Carrier plant 11DAP.... terminated a few more side vines... Trimmed around the main by the 'kin.... After the disasters of past 2 years... It's really heartening to see hard work starting to pay off a lil... Long, long ways to go... But looking forward to it...   Wednesday, July 22 View Page 1921 Carrier 12DAP... Starting to take off!!!   Wednesday, July 22 View Page 1921 Carrier plant... Sprayed Malathion last night for cuke beetles... Still no evidence of any SVB's....fingers crossed...   Thursday, July 23 View Page And we are now on the OTT chart!!! Measured in at 93" on day 13!!!! Put on 13" in 24hrs!!!   Friday, July 24 View Page 1921 Carrier 14DAP.... 107"OTT... 35lbs est....   Saturday, July 25 View Page Day 15 #'s... 120" OTT... Est... 46lbs... Foliar combo of NPK Bloom and Actinovate...   Sunday, July 26 View Page 1921 Carrier 'kin measurements... 133" OTT.. For Est. Weight of 60lbs... 14lbs in past 24 hrs!!! Sprayed foliar compost tea this evening..   Sunday, July 26 View Page 1921 Carrier 'kin measurements... 133" OTT.. For Est. Weight of 60lbs... 14lbs in past 24 hrs!!! Sprayed foliar compost tea this evening..   Monday, July 27 View Page 17DAP.... Gained Est... 20lbs in 24hrs....WOW!!!! So excited!!!   Monday, July 27 View Page Inevitable to find this.... But...... We did!!! Not gonna let squash bugs rule the patch this year!!!!   Monday, July 27 View Page Pic from 20lb post   Tuesday, July 28 View Page Ugggh.... SVB'S..... Found 6 this evening... Luckily, I got them as they were just starting to burrow in... Sprayed surrounding leaves with BT... Also did foliar of NPK kelp...   Thursday, July 30 View Page 1921 Carrier plant... So exciting to see hard work starting to pay off.... 183"OTT... 144lbs est... 20DAP... 23lbs last 24hrs... So she is still cranking up...   Friday, July 31 View Page 1921 Carrier plant... DAP 21... She is still cranking up the poundage.... Found a few more SVB'S... Again got them before they did any real damage... Foliar of NPK Bloom microbes... Also sprayed Bayer Advanced for the cuke beetles... nephew started brewing WOW compost tea for Sunday application...   Sunday, August 2 View Page Punkelton at 23DAP... 212"OTT.. est weight 220lbs... Put on 160lbs past 7days....   Sunday, August 2 View Page Today foliar sprayed compost tea... Also sprayed leaves with 50% solution milk and water as this is when powdery mildew usually starts to set in...   Tuesday, August 4 View Page Ugggh.... Of course.... Finally get things going right... And Hurricane...... Really frustrating... Hopefully not too much damage...   Thursday, August 6 View Page Punkelton at 27DAP is now 241"OTT... Est.. weight of 323lbs.. after all the rain... Letting the patch dry out a lil... Will go NPK Bloom tomorrow...   Friday, August 7 View Page Punkelton 28DAP... 356lbs est weight... Gained 33lbs past 24hrs... First time breaking 30!!!!   Monday, August 10 View Page Punkelton is 31 DAP and taping 266" for 434lbs est... Patch is still pretty wet, so only doing foliar spraying.. Sunday morning NPK Bloom.. Sunday evening compost tea... Tuesday morning NPK B-vitamins, silica, and potassium..tonight will be milk/water combo and Malathion after   Wednesday, August 12 View Page Punkelton about to push past the 500lb mark!!! 32lbs past 24hrs to 491lbs at 33DAP!!! Tomorrow morning will hit the plant with kelp meal and Actinovate.... Can actually see the top of her from the street!!   Wednesday, August 12 View Page Pic for previous post   Wednesday, August 12 View Page Try #3   Thursday, August 13 View Page DAP34 for Punkelton... Solid +27lbs the past 24hrs to tape at 518lbs est.. Not bad for a crappy day... Need some nice weather to dry things out a bit... Tent collapsed again... will rebuld tomorrow using 3/4" pvc this time   Friday, August 14 View Page Potential stump issue.... Scraped out rot... Cleaned with hydrogen peroxide... Dusted with sulfur powder... Have a fan blowing on it to keep it dry.....   Friday, August 14 View Page New and (hopefully) improved pumpkin tent... Went with 3/4" PVC this time... Punkelton day 34.. (Thurs night measurements). 282 OTT... 518lbs!!!! +27lbs past 24hrs...   Friday, August 14 View Page Friday Night measurements... 287OTT... 546lbs estimated at 35DAP!!! Punkelton keeps chugging along!!   Wednesday, August 19 View Page Punkelton is now 40DAP... Taping 305"OTT... Est weight of 655lbs... Down to 19lbs a day avg... Gonna amp up the nutrients a lil bit... Have to do everything foliar as constant rains are not allowing patch to dry out... Doing the feedings a lil earlier in the evening to allow the leaves to dry before nightfall... Seeing a touch of powdery mildew... But using neem oil and milk/water solution has kept it under control so far... Has also been a lil cooler lately... Going to be warmer and sunnier next several days... Let's see what happens..   Tuesday, August 25 View Page Punkelton keeps chugging along... Now avg. 13-14lbs a day... 727lbs est. weight...   Tuesday, August 25 View Page Only problem is I'm really starting to see the leaves really wilting in the center... Just hoping I can get them to last another month....   Thursday, August 27 View Page 48DAP #'s... 321"OTT... 762lbs estimated.... Think i let the patch dry out a lil too much gaining single digits for first time last night... Even with a lil rain this morning.. I let loose the irrigation this morning... Back to double digits tonight... Really hoping to hit 1,000lbs by weigh-off time   Friday, August 28 View Page "Punkelton" still chugging along... 776lbs est. 49DAP   Sunday, August 30 View Page Punkelton is still kicking along... Having leaf issue now... Really just happening in the past week...Just trying to get her to the finish line in 3 weeks... 50 day #'s... 324.5" OTT... 786lbs... +86 for the week ending Saturday night...will need to work on keeping leaves healthier towards end of growing season next year... Can't wait for Ridgefield!!   Friday, September 4 View Page Uggh... Found a lil hole towards the bottom of the'kin... Probed with a skewer... Fortunately, only went about 1/2" deep... Cleaned it out with hydrogen peroxide and dusted with sulphur powder... Putting fan on it to dry it out... Hopefully that does the trick...   Monday, September 7 View Page Special thanks to Steve Geddes for his expert advice on the cause of a lil hole I found toward bottom of pumpkin... Wound up being SVB burrowed right in... Got the sumbitch though!!!   Monday, September 7 View Page So now the hole is cleaned out... Hit with sulphur powder, and have a fan on it to dry it out... Saturday night #'s for Punkelton... 330" OTT... 826lbs... Can we make 900 at Ridgefield? Fingers crossed!!   Tuesday, September 8 View Page Punkelton may not be a champion pumpkin... But for these parts to have an 800+lb 'kin in a backyard is unheard of.. And friends are stopping by to check it out... So we set up a lil fall scene... It's a pretty cool thing to see the reactions of people that have never seen a giant pumpkin before...   Tuesday, September 8 View Page Also tilled out the other half of patch that held the 1806 Sperry that yielded no fruit...   Friday, September 18 View Page Tomorrow is the 1st (hopefully) annual "Great Pilley Pumpkin" lifting party... Will be using a lifting ring purchased from "The Ring King" (thanks Kyle). And very grateful for the help of Russ from Redwood Tree Service for bringing his Cherry Picker over and my brothers high school football teamate Mike of FFP fire protection for helping us out by not only providing use of his pickup.. but also driving us up to Ridgefield on Sunday.... Really hoping Punkelton goes heavy and tops 900lbs... Would be a phenomenal thing... Thanks also to my brother Doug (Knevins dad) for posting pics of Punkelton on his Facebook page which has since gained a "cult" following among friends and family... It may sound a lil weird... But a pumpkin really became a beacon of hope for people... That even in the toughest of times, to be able to follow along the growth of a pumpkin really cheered people up.... So much negativity in this world... And to be able to escape that... Even for just a lil bit... Is an awesome feeling... Many thanks also to the other growers on here... This really is just an awesome community!!! Good luck to everyone who still have 'kins to weigh off... (Except for Steve Mayden... May you come up just 1lb short of me!!!!! LMAO!!!!!). And with that last bit... Another special thanks to all the people in charge of all the weigh off sites... That despite Covid-19... You still found a way for us to get these pumpkins to a scale safely!!!   Saturday, September 19 View Page Successfully loaded up for Ridgefield !!   Saturday, September 19 View Page Great crowd here for send-off   Sunday, September 20 View Page Weigh-off day at Ridgefield!! So now we officially have the 861Pilley!! Even with the Covid restrictions... To still be able to put this on a scale was awesome!! Thanks to Steve Mayden and the Ridgefield crew for putting together the weigh off... Fitting end for our most successful growing season, and also personal best!!!   Thursday, October 1 View Page After being on display at the hardware store for a week.. Punkelton is now in her final display spot at home... Sent off soil samples to Western Labs for fall amendments... Hopefully can improve on things next year...   Saturday, October 24 View Page Cut her open!!! 13" thick!!! NOICE!!!!   Saturday, October 24 View Page All geared up... Redneck style!!!   Saturday, October 24 View Page Knevin is going in!!   Saturday, October 24 View Page Knevin is in the pumpkin!!   Saturday, October 24 View Page Jack-o'-lantern