Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 39 Entries. Wednesday, June 5 View Page Late start for a diary. Growing 7 plants this year, 2 of which are small, only about 300 Sq ft. I ended up with keeping 2 -1321 Sandercock plants for those small plots. Growing 4 main competition plants. (around 850 Sq ft): My 2315 dmg from last year 2144 Barron 1965.5 Rodebaugh 839 Sandercock Also doing a 1838 Jutras squash. ( 600 Sq ft. )   Wednesday, June 5 View Page Plants are all around 8 feet - 16 feet long. The 2144 is the biggest plant, should be pollinating in 10- 15 days.   Tuesday, June 25 View Page The 839 Sandercock pumpkin at day 10. About bowling ball sized. Very nice plant behind the fruit, except for a woodchuck eating the main 3 foot past this pumpkin. We will make it work to fill in the plot.   Tuesday, June 25 View Page 2144 Barron pumpkin at day 13. Not happy with this shape, so it may get cut off in a while. Also a very nice plant behind it.   Tuesday, June 25 View Page 839 Sandercock plant on the right. Left plant is the 1965.5 Rodebaugh. Patch treated the same when amended. The Rodebaugh looks to be a little pale. I gave it some N a few days ago. It has a day 8 fruit on it with a beautiful shape. It is also going to be a nice sized day 10 in 2 days. This plant has a lot of double roots out the bottom if nodes.   Friday, July 5 View Page Day 20 for the 839 Sandercock. Beautiful plant and pumpkin. 206.5 inches ott, about 204#. 2nd biggest ever out of my patches.   Tuesday, July 9 View Page Day 20 on the 1965.5 Rodebaugh, measuring 205.5 " ott, about 195 #. No complaints with this plant or pumpkin.   Thursday, July 11 View Page Overhead patch shot. Plants are beautiful this year.   Monday, July 15 View Page Day 30 for the incredible 839 Sandercock, 309" ott, 681#. That's a new Zappa patch record.   Monday, July 15 View Page Pretty low pumpkin with a big cc, 143 inches.   Monday, July 15 View Page Finally got one set on my main vine, on my 2315 dmg from last year. Day 14 today I believe. Big beautiful plant behind it but stump won't last too much longer.   Friday, July 19 View Page Day 30 for the 1965.5 Rodebaugh, 282" ott , about 518#. Forgot a pic.   Saturday, July 20 View Page Pic for yesterday's day 30 , 1965.5 Rodebaugh .   Saturday, July 20 View Page 839 Sandercock aka " BIG C". Big C is at day 35, and really seems to be putting on record weight gains in the Zappa patch. 951 # est. On track to be 1200 # at day 40.... We will see in 5 days.   Sunday, July 21 View Page Day 20, 2315 Zappa dmg, around 180#.   Monday, July 22 View Page Day 20 for 2144 Barron, 190" ott about 160#. Side vine pollination.   Thursday, July 25 View Page Day 40 for BIG C, ( 839 Sandercock ), 372" around 1161# estimate. 48# average last 10 days. 42 last 5 days. She's coming down a little earlier than I had hoped. Still a pb day 40. It's 137# ahead of my 2315 dmg from last year. Still the healthiest plant in my patch.   Wednesday, July 31 View Page 2315 Zappa dmg day 30. Good news is it's around 546#. Bad news is I finally cut the stump off last Friday. When I cut it about 12 inches up, not 1 drop of water came out, yet it was pouring water at ground level, gallons a day I'm sure ! My hole I dug at the crown would fill up in 15 minutes. The stump started leaking way back at the end of June. I cared for it for 3.5 weeks ( what a pita !! ) So I really don't think the stump was working at full capacity throughout this pumpkins life, as it was pollinated on July 1st, the same time I did stump surgery. It grows a very aggressive plant like the pollinator last year, the 2405 Gunstrum. Gains are down to 26# a day. I am very curious if this pumpkin will be heavy to chart because of the next entry   Wednesday, July 31 View Page These are open pollinated babies from my 2315. Comparing them to the other 5 plants babies in my patch, they are much thicker ( smaller seed cavity), than all other plants except the 1321 Sandercock. It is also producing VERY thick walled babies. And yes, I used 1321 pollen on this 2315 Zappa.   Sunday, August 4 View Page Day 50 for " Big C", the 839 Sandercock, 410", estimated around 1510#. 34.5# a day average past 10 days, around 30 a day the past 7 day average.   Sunday, August 4 View Page Pic from several days ago. The 2315 Zappa has been stumpless for 9 days now. Amazingly, it's growing 43# a day the average the past 7 days. Plant size is around 800 Sq ft. Pretty healthy plant for now. I'm loosing my evening sunlight, but cut a few trees to gain some back.   Sunday, August 4 View Page I measured the 1965.5 Rodebaugh today. The plant responded well to some calcium nitrate and k mag. Unfortunately. This pumpkin just doesn't want to grow. My fault for not fertilizing a few weeks back. The ureamate did nothing for it. Probably watered it too much also which would contribute to locking up nutrients. Good to know for the next time I have a plant in that spot. Day 46. Est weight around 829#, gains in the teens, not ideal.   Sunday, August 11 View Page Not a good day in the patch.... I noticed a wet area at the base of the 1321 Sandercock pumpkin. I touch it and smell it. Yep, rotting pumpkin. So I took a quick measurements and it is about 715# on the chart. I weighed it and it went right to chart. It had a soft spot on the bottom. I may have scuffed the bottom sliding it out 2 weeks ago. Going forward, I better use a tiny bit of sand on the plywood if I'm out if mill fabric . This was not a competition pumpkin .   Sunday, August 11 View Page Found that my 1965.5 Rodebaugh stump was full of water. Looks like I caught it early so hopefully it lasts a few more weeks.   Wednesday, August 14 View Page Day 60 for BIG C, the 839 Sandercock. Averaging 25.2 # a day for past 10 days, for an estimated weight of 1758#. She is a low rider !! Cc is approaching 18 feet. Plant health is fantastic, and still growing to fill in alloted 850 Sq ft. Almost there. Only concern is a rib split, especially on the underside. It's getting very ribby down there in the middle.   Wednesday, August 14 View Page 839   Tuesday, August 20 View Page 2315 day 50 today, est around 1200#. Found that main vine is about rotted through just past the pumpkin. I have a lot of vines rotting from the inside, out. No way to tell they are rotting and turning to mush, until the leaves at the nearest node starts to wilt. By that time it's way to late. Seems to be only on one side if patch. The pumpkin growth is surely to come to a hault very soon. :(   Tuesday, August 20 View Page On a good note, the 839 continues to grow and be worry free. It has surpassed my pb as of a few days ago. Gains are below 20# now, but atleast she's growing and there's a long way to go.... Hopefully. :)   Tuesday, September 3 View Page 2144, estimated about 1k. Pulled all the plant except the side vine with the pumpkin. I suppose it won't be growing much now. Main vine was totally rotted out, gave up on it several weeks back.   Tuesday, September 3 View Page 2315 dmg, day 64, still doing good with gains about 20 a day the past week. Around 1440# est. Have a good shot at a pb if the gains keep up.   Tuesday, September 3 View Page The 839 has finally surpassed the 2k barrier at day 80. Lost the entire back half of plant last week to possibly phytophthora. I acted fast with the pocket knife and stopped it. Gains are in single digits now, but she's still growing!!   Tuesday, September 3 View Page 1965.5 Rodebaugh, not sure the day but slowly growing still. Estimated around 1100.   Tuesday, September 3 View Page Sunflowers   Monday, September 9 View Page I finally started putting drainage under my front yard patch. Rented a walk behind trencher, ( not fun and incredibly sloooow ).   Monday, September 9 View Page Putting in 7 lines about 65 feet long all tied in at the bottom, then run the main down to the road. Over 500 feet of 4 inch drain pipe going in.   Sunday, September 29 View Page What a great photo I got of my parents the day before I harvested the awesome 839 !! Next entry   Sunday, September 29 View Page What a great photo I got of my parents the day before I harvested the awesome 839 !!   Monday, October 7 View Page Front yard patch. New drainage installed is definitely doing its job. No standing water after we get rain. Got it tilled and winter rye sowed a few hours before the rain came through. Will be growing here in 2025.   Monday, October 7 View Page Pic from last week. My 2315 dmg is still growing. Not huge but hoping she weighs a little heavy next Saturday. Taping around 1650 last week.