Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 114 Entries. Wednesday, April 10 View Page Started my seeds on April 10th. I'm growing 2 plants this year. One 2480 Graham. One 1832.5 Graham.   Wednesday, April 10 View Page Started 4x 2480 Graham. The best two will go in the greenhouses. I didn't manage to grow anything big on this seed last year, but Brian Bassett grew a 2098 UOW on it in his first year growing. It was harvested due to a split at 74 DAP still doing ~24lbs a day. And it was orange. That's good enough evidence for me to grow it again.   Wednesday, April 10 View Page Started 3x 1832.5 Graham. It grew my 2480, Steve Sperry's 2198, and had a really nice one going last year for MattD. Hoping to emulate the same success again. The best two will go in a greenhouse.   Saturday, April 13 View Page Got the soil amended and tilled. Soil test was done in March with Logan Labs and figured out the amendments using worksheets from the Intelligent Gardener book. Amendments included: Urea, Alfalfa Pellets, Sulfate of Potash, Borax, Molybdenum, Manganese, Cobalt, Greensand, Rice Hull (for Silica), Kelp Meal, Agricultural Sulfur.   Monday, April 15 View Page The seeds all sprouted Sunday evening / Monday morning. Here they are on Monday evening in the grow tent   Tuesday, April 16 View Page I've been building a bigger temporary greenhouse. It's 13ft x 24ft.   Wednesday, April 17 View Page Seedlings are 4 days old and now in 1 gallon pots   Friday, April 19 View Page Got a mini greenhouse up inside of the bigger greenhouse. It has a 4'x4' planting hole with 48' of heating cable   Saturday, April 20 View Page Bigger greenhouse got plastic. It's 13ft x 24ft.   Sunday, April 21 View Page The seedlings are 6 - 7 days old since emerging from the soil. My goal is to get them transplanted next weekend or before (once they're hardened off and some below zero nights are passed)   Wednesday, April 24 View Page Plants in the grow tent   Saturday, April 27 View Page The 2480 Graham in their mini greenhouse (no larger greenhouse)   Saturday, April 27 View Page I'm trying CO2 on the 1832.5 Graham plants   Sunday, April 28 View Page The 1832.5 Graham plants in the mini greenhouse in the larger greenhouse   Friday, May 10 View Page Today is 30 days since the giant pumpkin seeds got started. The 1832.5 plants in the greenhouse with lighting and CO2 are my fastest growing ever. The main vine on one of them is almost 4ft long. They're starting to crowd each other so will have to select a keeper soon.   Friday, May 10 View Page The 1832.5 Graham greenhouse   Friday, May 10 View Page The 2480 plants in the simple greenhouse are just over 2ft long and looking much healthier than the co2 plants.   Wednesday, May 15 View Page The 1832.5 outgrew the mini greenhouse so it was removed to give it the space of the bigger greenhouse. The main vine is just over 7ft long and I think the secondaries are the most advanced I've had at this main vine length. I put some end walls up within the big greenhouse, but not taking the full length yet. The greenhouse is 24ft long and the walls currently give 16ft in length. The plant is on a 17:7 light cycle (off at 10pm, on at 5am) and co2 is given to 1200ppm whenever the greenhouse can be closed. However it has to stay open most of the day due to high temp and humidity. The co2 and lights are working out so far.   Wednesday, May 15 View Page Outside view of the 1832.5 greenhouse   Wednesday, May 15 View Page The 2480 plants are doing well and are quickly outgrowing the greenhouse too. This one doesn't have lighting or co2. Still double planted as the vines are really difficult to get laying down. One's main vine twisted and split on the way down, so I think I'll be selecting the other one in a couple of days or sooner.   Tuesday, May 21 View Page The 1832.5 Graham is 11.5 feet long and has some good secondaries that I've started to trench and bury in a pitch fork pattern. It's getting hot here, 84 degrees today and in the 90s tomorrow so I'll have to remove the greenhouse soon. I'll see if I can get a few more days of co2 out of it.   Tuesday, May 21 View Page Weirdly long internode spacing on this secondary on the 1832.5   Tuesday, May 21 View Page First main vine pumpkin on the 1832.5 (not a keeper)   Tuesday, May 21 View Page 1832.5 plant   Tuesday, May 21 View Page The 2480 Graham is 8 feet long and got taken out of the greenhouse today. I planted a backup plant next to it because the flowers look a little weird.   Saturday, May 25 View Page Last photo with the greenhouse before disassembly   Saturday, May 25 View Page I decided to remove the greenhouse today. The main vine was too long for it, it was getting difficult to bury secondaries, and the number of hours I could supplement with co2 was minimal due to the heat in there (having to keep the ends open). But the co2 and lighting were a huge improvement and the 1832.5 plant is way ahead of previous years.   Saturday, May 25 View Page Back side of the 1832.5. I also put up wind fence around the patch today.   Thursday, May 30 View Page The 1832.5 Graham had been in the big greenhouse but it was getting too big and too hot so was removed last weekend. It's been rainy and cold for the past 2 days but the weather should get better. First main vine pumpkin is at around 16 ft. The one issue on the plant is that all older male flowers have wilted before maturing. Theory is the cause is environmental from heat and humidity of the greenhouse. The newer flowers are looking better.   Thursday, May 30 View Page A wilted 1832.5 flower   Thursday, May 30 View Page An 1832.5 pumpkin at about 16ft   Thursday, May 30 View Page Backside of the 1832.5   Thursday, May 30 View Page The 2480 Graham is a good amount smaller (no CO2 or lighting), but is acting weirdly with multiple male flowers at nodes, and a couple of random nodes with two tendrils or flowers. I don't know whether it's ribbon vining -related or something else. I had planted a late backup beside it just in case and may have to resort to it. With my upcoming 1832.5 pollination I may be phoning a friend for male flowers... But things are good.   Thursday, May 30 View Page Too many leaves on this 2480 node   Thursday, May 30 View Page Too many tendrils on this 2480 node   Monday, June 3 View Page Tomorrow it's pollination day for the 1832.5 Graham. The main is around 19ft long, and the pumpkin's at 17ft with 19 secondaries behind it. It'll be a self-pollination because at the moment the 2480 Graham plant is still showing weird behavior, and I'm cautious about the genetics. I was having male flower problems but they just started blooming a day or so ago (rather than shrivelling), and there will be 3 flowers for tomorrow. I'm excited!   Monday, June 3 View Page 1832.5 Graham with tomorrow's pollination in the lower left   Monday, June 3 View Page 1832.5 from the back right   Monday, June 3 View Page 4 of the 1832.5 secondaries have been terminated   Thursday, June 6 View Page (photo from June 4th). The 1832.5 Graham was pollinated 2 days ago. The lobes weren't great - not very symmetrical. But it may still be the keeper as there aren't more pumpkins showing in the main vine, except maybe a speck of one. So may have to take a risk with this to maintain the early pollination date. This morning (48 hours later) I applied Anthesis to extend the duration of cell division. It's also been under a Styrofoam cooler with iced bottles since pollination to keep it cool in the heat.   Thursday, June 6 View Page The 1832.5   Friday, June 7 View Page 2480 Graham x 1832.5 Graham set June 7th   Friday, June 7 View Page 2480 Graham x 1832.5 Graham set June 7th   Sunday, June 9 View Page Having trouble with the main vine on the 1832.5. Didn't seem to be growing much, and so the 2nd pumpkin wasn't either   Monday, June 10 View Page The 1832.5 main vine self terminated   Monday, June 10 View Page This is the main vine area of the 1832.5   Monday, June 10 View Page I want a second pumpkin on the 1832.5. with the machine vine self terminated this pumpkin is my best hope. On a secondary a couple of nodes down from my first set   Tuesday, June 11 View Page The 1832.5   Tuesday, June 11 View Page The 2480   Wednesday, June 12 View Page I need to ease off on the nitrogen a little!   Friday, June 14 View Page I decided to terminate the main vine on the 1832.5 after the secondary that has the potential second pumpkin   Friday, June 14 View Page 1832.5 from crown down the main vine   Saturday, June 15 View Page The 1832.5   Saturday, June 15 View Page 1832.5 from the back right   Saturday, June 15 View Page The 2480   Sunday, June 16 View Page Set up the 1832.5 first pollination   Sunday, June 16 View Page The 1832.5 pollination #1, DAP 12. Slow growing so far - I think due to nights in the 50s and an application of Anthesis at DAP2   Sunday, June 16 View Page The 2480 is doing a lot better and not showing multiple flowers, tendrils etc. at nodes anymore   Saturday, June 22 View Page The 1832.5 plant   Saturday, June 22 View Page 1832.5 back right   Saturday, June 22 View Page 1832.5 front right   Saturday, June 22 View Page 1832.5 DAP 18   Saturday, June 22 View Page 2480 plant   Saturday, June 22 View Page 2480 plant   Saturday, June 22 View Page 2480 pumpkin #1   Saturday, June 22 View Page 2480 pumpkin #2. Needs a clean but I think this will be the keeper   Monday, June 24 View Page The 1832.5 pumpkin is DAP 20 today. It's 152 inches OTT so not on the chart yet, but should be tomorrow. The growth is a couple of days ahead of my original 2480 (Anthesis treated), but behind the original 1832.5 (not Anthesis treated). This pumpkin was treated, and growth should be slower for Anthesis-treated pumpkins, so I'll be happy if it starts following a similar growth curve as the 2480. I like the color so far and the shape   Monday, June 24 View Page I selected the second 2480 pollination and removed the first. I also set it up on a platform etc   Thursday, July 4 View Page The 1832.5 Graham is at day 30, estimated weight 429 lbs, with a 5 day average of 40.4 lbs a day. The plant has basically stopped growing apart from a few secondaries. I wanted it to fill up the space more, but I guess it had other ideas.   Thursday, July 4 View Page 1832.5 plant. The cage in the foreground is to protect a turtle nest (probably a snapping turtle)   Thursday, July 4 View Page 1832.5 plant   Thursday, July 4 View Page The 2480 Graham is at day 20, not yet big enough to be on the estimating chart, but should reach 100lbs in 3 days I think. The plant is smaller, but still growing a little.   Thursday, July 4 View Page The 2480 plant with the 1832.5 in the background   Sunday, July 7 View Page The 1832.5 developed a stem split. It doesn't go into the cavity so I extended the split with a knife asking the stem to relieve pressure. The same thing happened on my original 2480 and I used the same procedure then (thanks again for the original advice Woody!)   Sunday, July 7 View Page The 1832.5 developed a stem split. It doesn't go into the cavity so I extended the split with a knife asking the stem to relieve pressure. The same thing happened on my original 2480 and I used the same procedure then (thanks again for the original advice Woody!)   Monday, July 8 View Page The stem split surgery is working so far. I also increased support directly under the stem-to-vine connection point   Friday, July 12 View Page The pumpkins are growing well so far. The 1832.5 pumpkin is 38 days old, estimated weight 863 lbs, and is growing at a 5-day average of 54 lbs a day. It has a couple of stem splits that required some surgery but hoping they don't progress further into the pumpkin. The plant had seemed to stop growing but is now making some gains again for some reason.   Friday, July 12 View Page The 2480 pumpkin is 28 days old, 281 lbs, 5-day average 42 lbs a day. It has some scarring from my mishandling when it was younger but they look okay.   Sunday, July 14 View Page 1832.5 Graham DAP 40, 963 lbs, 5-day average 56.4 lbs a day, 10-day average 53.4 lbs a day. Today i used a come-along to move the pumpkin a few inches back and straighten out the main vine. Always a bit scary   Friday, July 19 View Page The pumpkins are doing well I think. Growth has slowed down a little - hopefully only because it was quite hot all week. Thunder Shark is in the lead, but has a 10 day head start. The plants are looking nice too. Leaves are mostly in nice condition apart from some aging in the center and on the big first-terminated secondaries. Thunder Shark (1832.5 x self pollinated) is 45 days old. Estimated weight 1170 lbs (532kg). Average gain per day over last 5 days: 41.4 lbs per day (18.8kg). Stem splits are healing well.   Friday, July 19 View Page Lightning Cub (2480 x 1832.5) is 35 days old. Estimated weight 563 lbs (256kg). Average gain 39.7 lbs per day (18kg).   Friday, July 19 View Page Stem splits either side of the 1832.5 are healing nicely   Friday, July 19 View Page 1832.5 plant is looking good   Friday, July 19 View Page More 1832.5 plant looking from the back   Friday, July 19 View Page Some aging of the big leaves on the 1832.5 on the secondaries that were terminated first   Friday, July 19 View Page Another view of the 1832.5   Friday, July 19 View Page Some of the 2480 plant   Friday, July 19 View Page More 2480 plant. Lots of aging in the center of the plant that's been there for a while   Wednesday, July 24 View Page I feel privileged to have met Pap a few times over the years and lucky to have a handmade trophy from him for ugliest pumpkin. Rest in peace Pap   Wednesday, July 24 View Page The patch is doing well. I'm liking the shape of Thunder Shark, not so much Lightning Cub. Plants are pretty healthy, but the 2480 is showing more signs of age for some reason. All good overall. Day 50 for Thunder Shark (1832.5 Graham) @1375lbs, 41.0 lbs/day 5-day avg.   Wednesday, July 24 View Page Day 40 for Lighting Cub (2480 Graham) @755lbs, 38.4 lbs/day 5-day avg.   Thursday, July 25 View Page Unfortunately I lost Thunder Shark (1832.5 Graham) today due to a blossom end split at DAP 51 ~1400 lbs. I was excited about this one as it was looking to have a chance of beating my 2480. But that's growing giant pumpkins - high risk, high reward. I was gutted about it this morning, feeling a bit better right now, and am sure I'll be gutted about it when I remember tomorrow morning too. I dusted with sulfur, filled the crack with silicone, and will be keeping it growing as long as I can. Lightning Cub is looking okay, not a PB contender, but still a good pumpkin. Down to one!   Thursday, July 25 View Page The blossom end split   Sunday, July 28 View Page The blossom end split in the 1832.5 is growing. On some advice I upgraded my caulk from regular silicone to a more elastic one (Lexel). Hopefully it'll give a little as the splits grow and keep it sealed better.   Sunday, July 28 View Page On the 1832.5 I noticed a wet spot by the crown and investigated. My finger ended up going into the stump due to rot. So some surgery was required. First I dug out easily-parted rot with my hands, as well as soil around the stump. Then I used a paddle bit on a drill and a knife to cut a big slot in the stump and used an old spoon to scrape away rot in the inside. Sprayed with hydrogen peroxide and then put a clear cover over the stump (not pictured). I'll keep monitoring, but I'm not worried about it as the pumpkin isn't going to last long anyways. But good practice!   Sunday, July 28 View Page Another view of the crown   Monday, July 29 View Page The 1832.5 (Thunder Shark) is 55 days old, 1525 lbs, and down to a 30 lb/day 5-day average. She's caulked up at the blossom. Well recovered from surgery on the stem. And doing okay at the crown one day after surgery. I don't think she'll survive too long, but I want to keep her growing a bit longer to see how heavy I can get her.   Monday, July 29 View Page The 2480 (Lightning Cub) is 45 days old, 900 lbs, and down to 29 lbs /day (5 day average). The past few nights have dropped into the 50s which may account for the reduced growth rate.   Saturday, August 3 View Page I love the view of the patch when the pumpkins aren't covered   Saturday, August 3 View Page The older leaves on the 1832.5 are getting aged   Saturday, August 3 View Page Thunder Shark   Saturday, August 3 View Page Thunder Shark   Saturday, August 3 View Page Thunder Shark (1832.5 Graham) is 60 days old, 1631 lbs, and growing 21.2 lbs a day (5-day average). The blossom end split keeps on growing but I've been adding Lexel caulk most days. Its elasticity is helping it stretch and keep the split sealed as she grows. Still planning on keeping her going as far as I can. Also had to remove the crown today due to rot.   Saturday, August 3 View Page Lexel is highly recommended for sealing splits   Saturday, August 3 View Page Lightning Cub (2480 Graham) is 50 days old, 1035 lbs, and growing 27 lbs a day (5-day average). Pulled her back about 6 inches today to straighten out the main vine. Plant is looking tired.   Friday, August 23 View Page 29 days ago Thunder Shark (1832.5 Graham) split at the blossom, but I decided to caulk her up and keep her going as long as possible. She's not growing much, but it's now 80 days old and estimates at 1768 lbs.   Friday, August 23 View Page I also figured I have a plant, why not grow more pumpkins for carving and see how big they get. So I have 5 more...   Friday, August 23 View Page 1832.5 and its 6 pumpkins   Friday, August 23 View Page Meanwhile, Lightning Cub (2480 Graham) is 70 days old and estimates at 1357 lbs. The plants both look rough, but there's pumpkins growing!   Tuesday, August 27 View Page Thunder Shark (1832.5 Graham) started getting squishy, so I decided to get an unofficial weight. She estimated at 1768 lbs and weighed in at 1837lbs. She (kind of) lasted a month since her blossom end split, and it would have been nice to get her to a weigh off, but feels good to get her in the air with a weight. My second heaviest pumpkin ever (unofficially).   Thursday, September 5 View Page The 2480 Graham plant doesn't look great at all, but the pumpkin is still growing a little. At DAP 80 it was 1412 lbs.   Saturday, September 7 View Page Decided to carve the 1837 UOW in the patch. I got it stood up with a new technique of digging a shallow hole in front of it, dragging it into the hole, then upright (with the aid of rebar hammered through the back to prevent slipping). It took on the form of Thunder Shark   Saturday, September 7 View Page Thunder Shark lit up   Saturday, September 7 View Page Thunder Shark lit up