Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 100 Entries. Saturday, February 3 View Page Kicking off the 2024 growing season vlog. https://youtu.be/_4M8m6oE0zg?si=uW3FTt9hNdAbGk77 Ep. 1 covers starting a new patch in a new location. Soil test followed by compost and pH adjustments for the winter. I’m going to try and grow 4 pumpkins this year in 2 patches. I think the off-season ambition has gotten to me.   Friday, February 9 View Page Ep. 2 - it has been wet and cold so this one covers picking seeds and my simple patch prep and planting schedule. https://youtu.be/NqNoaitQAfA?si=kFX_PJF6vuzQnj_p   Wednesday, February 21 View Page Cover crop looks great. Will be cutting and tilling soon.   Wednesday, February 21 View Page Close up of the cover crop in patch 1.   Tuesday, February 27 View Page This is the cover crop in PATCH 2. Rye and vetch. This patch has been much wetter than PATCH 1 and you can really see that in the color of the rye. wont be long and I will cut and till. Then a final soil test.   Thursday, February 29 View Page Ep. 3 chopping and tilling the cover crop. Trying to get the cover crop incorporated into the soil now so that it doesn’t skew the final soil test results. https://youtu.be/WTLm77vZBB4?si=k7RVqFtPq0Nernwa   Saturday, April 6 View Page Episode 4. Starting seeds, mixing soil, transplanting… https://youtu.be/_F5g-tbES84?si=Bq9qfp3WoBU6m2Vs   Wednesday, April 10 View Page All plants are doing great in their new 1 gallon pots so far. Going to transplant to 2 gallon this weekend and then one more week and they go into the mini hoops. Targeting around 4/20.   Monday, April 15 View Page Ep. 5 - Soil preparation, testing and using the soil calculator. https://youtu.be/IpXDRp9zqUk?si=ImAv1ajrG3wOmrcs   Wednesday, April 17 View Page Patch 1 is ready. Planning to transplant in 3-4 days.   Friday, April 26 View Page Ep. 6 Planting the 2560 Gienger and the 2006 Wolf in patch 1 and the 2266 Kisamore and the 2245 Andrusz in patch 2. https://youtu.be/2s70DOycrI8?si=Rk8tSkbzhpyWVc8Z   Wednesday, May 1 View Page Completed the irrigation in patch 2. Always a lot of work on your knees. Glad it’s done, now I’ll watch for leaks and problems before covering the patch with straw to reduce weed pressure.   Saturday, May 4 View Page Ep. 7 - how I setup my irrigation. Drip tape, overhead wobblers and Dosatron injector https://youtu.be/eJQ-Lp1aSwY?si=BEnFk_hG8qH4TQid   Monday, May 13 View Page 2266 Kisamore   Monday, May 13 View Page 2245 Andrusz   Monday, May 13 View Page 2560 Gienger   Monday, May 13 View Page 2006 Wolf   Monday, May 13 View Page Any ideas? This was from my backup plant 18” away from the plant I kept. The plant I kept looks perfect. Both plants got all the same treatment. Very puzzling.   Monday, May 13 View Page Ep. 8 - Culling, Pruning and Starting to Bury Vines. https://youtu.be/QcKUZSLLx6U?si=j6Ae7IHgIj5P_5yF   Tuesday, May 21 View Page 2266 Kisamore - 5/20   Tuesday, May 21 View Page 2245 Andrusz - 5/20   Tuesday, May 21 View Page 2560 Gienger - 5/20   Tuesday, May 21 View Page 2006 Wolf - 5/20   Thursday, June 6 View Page I had to cut the vine tip off of my 2245 Andrusz due to several perpendicular cracks across the main vine. At first I thought it might be due to beetle damage or another insect but after closer inspection I don’t think so. Anyone familiar with this pattern? All secondaries look fine and I’m training one of them as the new main. Hoping this isn’t something more systemic.   Thursday, June 6 View Page Another view   Friday, June 7 View Page New YouTube video. June 5th patch tour. https://youtu.be/nSAaIlhcNHk?si=LMe-2UrJjllZQ1_f   Friday, June 7 View Page 2 weeks of growth on the 2560 Gienger and the 2006 Wolf.   Friday, June 7 View Page Second plant to get a perpendicular crack. Frustrating because I don’t know the cause. Happened during the heat wave where I was watering heavily. I also had recently done some foliar feeding with calcium nitrate and a few other things. Despite the setback, still charging forward!   Thursday, June 13 View Page The 2006 Wolf at DAP 7. Had to cut the main at the split so the pumpkin has fewer secondaries than desired. I will now run a big pitchfork pattern. Should be fine.   Saturday, June 15 View Page 2560 Gienger on the left. I have two pollinated but I really want the one opening in 2-3 days. 2006 on the right. DAP 10   Saturday, June 15 View Page 2265 Kisamore on the left. Pollination should happen in 2 days. 2245 on the right. Pollination tomorrow. 2245 plant isn’t doing great. Not sure why. Pushing on!   Saturday, June 15 View Page June 14th patch tour. https://youtu.be/5LTUnFvQpgo?si=gUEKK-m-xN5LvoTW   Saturday, June 15 View Page This is a first. My 1469 Young plant in the bonus patch was eaten by a gopher above ground. Got him but the damage was done.   Tuesday, June 18 View Page 2006 Wolf DAP14. “Volleyball Size”   Tuesday, June 18 View Page 2006 Wolf landing zone. This took some work as I wasn’t planning to keep this one and I had to dead head the main about 3 feet past the pumpkin.   Wednesday, June 26 View Page Ep. 11 June 21st https://youtu.be/pXy2uoNmJOA?si=b8vNgEVz9zT-Fi47   Wednesday, June 26 View Page 2006 Wolf DAP22. Good color and shape.   Saturday, June 29 View Page True love   Saturday, June 29 View Page 2006 Wolf Day 25 - est. 97lbs. Disappointed by the numbers, happy about the color/shape   Tuesday, July 2 View Page Ep. 12 - July 1st patch tour. https://youtu.be/Nh0OkspojBg?si=KEdwWhyLvo8o5akv   Tuesday, July 2 View Page Top left: 2560 Gienger Top right: 2006 Wolf Bottom left: 2245 Andrusz Bottom right: 2266 Kisamore   Tuesday, July 2 View Page Patch 1 - 7/1   Tuesday, July 2 View Page Patch 2 - 7/1   Tuesday, July 2 View Page July 2nd   Wednesday, July 10 View Page Ep. 13 - July 8th patch tour. https://youtu.be/2IBLuF9zyDk?si=-X5Ud46hptaQEwty   Wednesday, July 17 View Page Ep. 14 - July 15th Patch Tour https://youtu.be/J3epLj1_C80?si=wTuk9n-R4IYkEaPU   Wednesday, July 17 View Page From a few days ago. Numbers ain’t great but plants are healthy so head down and keep going. Upper left, 2006 Wolf, DAP40, 520lbs, gaining 40lbs/day. Upper right, 2560 Gienger, DAP27, 244lbs, gaining 33lbs/day. Lower left, 2245 Andrusz, DAP29, 156lbs, 16lbs/day. Lower right, 2266 Kisamore, DAP28, 187lbs, 19lbs/day.   Tuesday, July 23 View Page Ep. 15 - July 22nd patch tour. https://youtu.be/_C1LsnsnY8A?si=YdttHxT6HIIO6Fj5   Tuesday, July 23 View Page Plants and pumpkins - July 22nd. Clock wise from the top left. 2560 Gienger (Seymour), 2006 Wolf (Tulip), 2266 Kisamore, 2245 Andrusz.   Thursday, July 25 View Page 2560 Gienger, DAP36, est. 617lbs. Been gaining more than 55lbs a day for the last 3 days. But it’s not without drama…   Thursday, July 25 View Page I’ve got a kink in the vine that I can’t straighten. I’ve popped roots on the main, rotated the pumpkin, pulled it forward… and i’ve only slightly improved the situation. I’ve considered dead heading the main but i still think I’ll have an angle problem going back upstream on the main.   Thursday, July 25 View Page View from the other side.   Thursday, July 25 View Page Some more work attempting to address the kink. Raising the main vine further.   Thursday, July 25 View Page Some improvement but still a visible kink.   Thursday, July 25 View Page I don’t have many options left. Based on the way it’s grown I think my only option is to try and get the main even higher off the ground. But I’m out of slack. And I can’t get the pumpkin to go down unfortunately.   Wednesday, July 31 View Page Ep. 16 - July 30th Patch Tour. Big growth, kinked vine, powder mildew, spider mites, YVD. https://youtu.be/l8vnm8rlGcQ?si=3mRMFTKc0cF95woJ   Wednesday, July 31 View Page This is a first for me. It goes deep but doesn’t appear to go into the cavity. It’s on the bottom of the stem. Consulted another grower and the advice was no surgery required. Just sulphur powder and a fan which I have done. This is the 2006 Wolf btw.   Wednesday, July 31 View Page 2560 Gienger. DAP43, est. 939lbs. Averaged 48.3 lbs/day for the past 10 days. It’s growing a lot faster than anything I’ve ever experienced. I hope I can keep it together for another couple of months.   Monday, August 5 View Page 2245 Andrusz - Day 49, 661 lbs., avg 25.8 lbs/day for the last 10. Trying to get to 3 weigh off this year totally to 4300lbs. Just need this one to the finish with modest numbers.   Monday, August 5 View Page 2006 Wolf - Day 62, 1088 lbs., avg 25.9 lbs/day for the last 10.   Monday, August 5 View Page 2560 Gienger - Day 48, 1165 lbs., avg 45.8 lbs/day for the last 10.   Monday, August 5 View Page Ep. 17 - Aug 5th patch tour: big pumpkin growth, stem split, vine growth, 2266 wakes back up and more. https://youtu.be/CXEpBcYjHq0?si=EI5JN1w1AVkM8v0r   Monday, August 5 View Page Ep. 17 - Aug 5th patch tour. Big gains, stem split, vine growth, 2266 still alive somehow and more. https://youtu.be/CXEpBcYjHq0?si=FpZEj4jZmfygAnfw   Thursday, August 8 View Page Looks like it’s going to make contact with the blossom. What’s the recommendation here? Should I let it go or cut the blossom tip?   Monday, August 12 View Page My 2245 has developed 2 stem splits. This one pictured is on the top. There is a smaller one on the bottom. It has grown a bit in the last few days. We don’t get rain this time of year and I turned off my overhead water. Just using g drip now. I am concerned about it tearing further into the pumpkin.   Monday, August 12 View Page I lost 2 plants/pumpkins to what we suspect was CYVD. Matt D connected me with two universities doing active research on this disease so I am sending them plant samples and insects from the patch. One hypothesis that they will study is whether CYVD can be transmitted by cucumber beetles or not (currently this is not known). They will compare pathogen DNA in the insects and plant. I’ll share results as I get them.   Tuesday, August 13 View Page 2560 Gienger - DAP 56 - 1482 lbs. - 9 weeks to go.   Tuesday, August 13 View Page 2006 Wolf - DAP 70 - 1244 lbs - 7 weeks to go   Tuesday, August 13 View Page 2245 Andrusz - DAP 56 - 808 lbs - 8 weeks to go. Stem splits are getting worse. Surgery planned today. Just need this one for my 3 pumpkin total goal.   Wednesday, August 14 View Page Ep. 18 - August 12th Patch Tour. The 2560 hits 3/4 ton, stem crack drama on 2245, 2266 plant pulled, university study on Cucurbit Yellow Vine Disease. https://youtu.be/PddVc3sqUxA?si=rV4VCnTBJWzNGD9V   Wednesday, August 14 View Page I lost my 2245 Andrusz. I can see into the pumpkin cavity. Very bummed because I needed this one for my 3 pumpkin 4300lbs goal this year.   Wednesday, August 14 View Page Maybe I should have done the surgery sooner (thanks Dave C for the guidance) but I think based on what I see this one was doomed regardless. Sad but grateful for what I still have growing.   Thursday, August 22 View Page 2560 Gienger on day 63. Still doing 30s and estimating over 1700 lbs.   Thursday, August 22 View Page 2006 Wolf on day 78. Doing mid teens per day and estimating just under 1400 lbs.   Thursday, August 22 View Page Starting to make solid contact. Still growing in the 30s with 50 days to go.   Monday, August 26 View Page This was from 5 days ago. Ep. 19 - Aug 21st patch tour. https://youtu.be/W4KfptYkvBc?si=gAoV0vrH_QdodvOL   Friday, August 30 View Page My 2245 Andrusz is still growing! Too bad I lost it to a stem split because it’s going to be a deep red orange. This pumpkin would have made earning a growers jacket a lot easier.   Friday, August 30 View Page I still have pretty good plant health! However, PM is starting build a foothold despite my diverse spraying regime.   Monday, September 2 View Page As of this morning my 2560 is estimating 2000 lbs! Not words I expected to write this year. And it’s only 76 days old with a good plant and plenty of time left to grow.   Wednesday, September 4 View Page Ep. 20 - Sep 2nd patch tour, broke 2k!, plant health, still a chance to achieve 4300lbs goal, final 4-6 weeks. https://youtube.com/watch?v=HjjoB_ZPcB4&si=GTlSX2XgPIQool95   Thursday, September 5 View Page My 2006 Wolf is turning into a fine looking pumpkin. 90 days old and still growing at 9.5lbs a day.   Wednesday, September 11 View Page This is the gantry I built last year. Worked great, but I only had to lift 1107lbs. Has anyone lifted 2000+ pumpkins with a setup like this?   Friday, September 13 View Page Does anyone sell this 4 point pumpkin strap or one like it anymore?   Friday, September 13 View Page This thing just keeps growing!   Monday, September 16 View Page Sep. 16th patch tour. Good growth on the 2006 and 2560, which weigh off?, composting the 2245, doctoring the 2266, home stretch. https://youtu.be/wxQYodJfEVA?si=JIUcZGiWqi1L7znn   Tuesday, September 24 View Page Ep. 22 - Sep. 24th patch tour. Plant health, 3 Northern California weigh offs, hopes to earn a jacket, half moon bay plans and more. https://youtu.be/ODzhU58KWVs?si=YnHqFhyRQifCs5-k   Friday, September 27 View Page Two weeks until Half Moon Bay, it’s 94 degrees and I’m out here doing “summertime” stuff.   Saturday, September 28 View Page This pumpkin isn’t big, but it means a lot to me because I need it to earn a growers jacket. I lost its 1000 sq/ft plant minus about 50 sq/ft more than 2 months ago. Amazingly it somehow limped along all this time. It gets weighed tomorrow at the Hard Rock National Pumpkin Weigh Off.   Tuesday, October 1 View Page Ep. 23 - Took the first of three pumpkins to the Hard Rock National Pumpkin Weigh Off. Jacket hopes are still alive. Cool footage of Jim’s 2453 beast. Seriously impressive and good looking pumpkin. https://youtu.be/qSMO2Yc8Xkg?si=AN9zi_VRdQcqZ7xA   Wednesday, October 2 View Page Will it fit in my truck? Hard to get a good width measurement on these things so I rigged a poor man’s giant caliper.   Saturday, October 5 View Page The 2006 Wolf is all loaded up for Elk Grove.   Sunday, October 6 View Page 1713 pounds, new PB and good enough for 3rd place! Final stop HMB   Monday, October 7 View Page Ep. 24 - 2006 Wolf harvest and patch break down, heat wave, scary cracks showed up in the last few days, Elk Grove weigh off, growers jacket in sight. https://youtu.be/9JrlrBchjMo?si=WbuoVCKiKSOl_Yop   Wednesday, October 9 View Page Still going strong. Skin is smooth and everything that I can see looks healthy. Heck of a pumpkin. 6 days from now she gets weighed at Half Moon Bay.   Wednesday, October 9 View Page Really cool article in the local paper about the pumpkins. Even has a plug about the GPC. https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/lifestyle/giant-pumpkin-grower/?artslide=0   Wednesday, October 16 View Page I grew a 2,465 pound pumpkin! I met my goal and earned a GPC growers jacket; twice over! And yet, I still feel a twinge of heartbreak because I missed the HMB win by 6lbs! Wow, what a wild season. Check out my last 2024 season video below. https://youtu.be/4aXthenNH54?si=-1bkFqiVF6QOquNJ   Wednesday, October 16 View Page Everytime I’ve taken my daughter on stage she cries. Next time I’ll give this guy a shot.   Monday, November 4 View Page Carved my 610 with the kids. Lost 90% of this plant pretty early but the genetics are good. 2266 Kisamore x 2006 Wolf.   Monday, November 4 View Page Opened up my 2465 over the weekend. Good seed count; hopefully it will have good germ results too. I will donate seeds to any of the clubs. Email me at bjamesdawson@gmail.com and I can share my address for a bubble. I will also be selling some of the seeds too.   Monday, November 4 View Page First time opening up a pumpkin this big. We could comfortably live in here.