10 September 2024

 

Amazing how a pumpkin develops. Same pumpkin in time lapse. I love this hobby.

8 September 2024

 

Only 2 more weeks and the 2131 Wuersching goes to the Gartenschau weigh off. Then we finally get the real weight, I'm guessing between 750-850 lbs. impossible to get an accurate estimate because of the shape. I hoped for more but still the biggest I've had in 5 years.

5 September 2024

 

Over 14.5 feet. Crazy. If you've never grown tall sunflowers I can only say it's low stress, low maintenance and lots of fun.

2 September 2024

 

Tell me you're an optimist without saying your an optimist. This was a pollinator plant, only on a 2 meter trellis. Grew 6.5" overnight.

25 August 2024

 

LGs are growing slow but steady, gonna take a lot of luck and a long growing season.

24 August 2024

 

Sunflowers is now at 425 cm plus. Head is starting to form but I still think I can get another 20-30 cm. 

22 August 2024

 

2037 Crews starting to get some nice color.

16 August 2024

 

472 olsen 24 EST/DMG (2319 Stoeckl x 2131 Wuersching) Blossom End Rot

15 August 2024

 

Tallest sunflower is pushing towards 3.6 meters which is so cool. only 40 cm away from a state record.

15 August 2024

 

Field Pumpkin plants A and B left to right are both doing great, a new PB is only 1 day away.

10 August 2024

 

FP plant A and B left to right at DAP 20 are 61" and 59.25".

7 August 2024

 

Tallest sunflower I have ever had. Preparing for winds...lol

7 August 2024

 

2131.9 Wuersching, this is taping as the biggest pumpkin I've had for 5 years. Sure hope it holds in there.

7 August 2024

 

2037 Crews, really like the shape and color.

31 July 2024

 

FPs are at DAP 10 and doing very well.

28 July 2024

 

2037 Crews is turning into a perfectly shaped pumpkin.

28 July 2024

 

2131 Wuersching starting to get some nice color, but I just don't see how it can continue to grow without having serious issues.

26 July 2024

 

Appears like both my main FP plants have a set pumpkin. The plants look great.

24 July 2024

 

The first melons are finally ready, only 66 days till Weingarten they need to grow fast.

23 July 2024

22 July 2024

 

Craziest shaped pumpkin I have ever had.

18 July 2024

 

Pollinated the 2037 Crews with the 2319 Stoeckl on 13 July. So far so good.

10 July 2023

 

2131 Wuersching 2023 and how it has developed.

10 July 2024

 

2319 Stoeckl 2023 and how it has developed.

 

10 July 2024

 

It's here! Sprayed Fungicide active ingredient tebuconazole, repeat every 7 days.

21 June 2024

 

2319.3 Stoeckl 23 x 2131.9 Wuersching 23, looking good. This is exactly the cross I wanted, getting some 1707.5 Caspers genetics into a selfed 2365 Wolf genetics.

18 June 2024

 

2131.9 Wuersching DAP 15, everything is okay, side vines are starting to fill in.

15 June 2024

 

Now I need the side vines to finish filling in the patch. This is the problem you get when you've snapped the main vine right after the pumpkins.

15 June 2024

 

2131.9 Wuersching is definitely set. 

10 June 2024

 

This is how I train the first 4-5 secondary vines. I only have about 12' left and right but training them back I can get them over 20' long.

10 June 2024

 

2131.9 Wuersching 23 x sib, DAP 6, I am thinking this is a successful set.

10 June 2024

 

2319.3 Stoeckl x 2131.9 Wuersching, 5 lobes, the plan behind this cross is to get the 1707.5 Caspers genetics into the 2365 genetics hoping to get seeds that will go heavy.

3 June 2024

 

2131.9 Wuersching 23 x sib, 4.5 lobes.

1 June 2024

 

The Stoeckl plant is coming along just fine. A very aggressive plant with a female at about 13 feet that should open in about 10 days.

1 June 2024

 

My Wuersching plant was doing outstanding then I broke the MV 3 days ago, it's still doing good but I am disappointed. I have a female at about 11 feet, not what  I wanted but I will pollinate it and wait to see if I can get one on a secondary later.

26 May 2024

 

L to R my LGs, Stoeckl and Wuersching are doing well. LG plants look really healthy, Stoeckl leaves and vine are thick lots of potential, Wuersching MV is getting longer and SVs are starting to spread out.

18 May 2024

 

Transplanted 2 each BGs and 2 each FPs today.

16 May 2024

 

FPs/BGs are ready. My intention was wait till June cuz they don't need 3 months and early planting means getting them to the end, but, the weather has been very good and they're ready. Saturday they get freedom. That means 3-AGs, 1-Melon, 4-LGs, 2-FPs, 2-BGs. What was I thinking?

15 May 2024

 

Expecting about 100 liters of rain per square meter which means cloud cover and 8C degrees. So I have decided to turn the heaters back on. They don't heat the entire GH, but directed at the plants it's like a blanket over their heads. I know, weeds and perlite! What am I doing?

 

 

10 May 2024

 

 

The LG transplant appears to be successful. The FP patch and BG patch are next. I have put more preparation into all patches this year than ever. Now or never.

7 May 2024

 

Doing a Urea test. Teaspoon of Urea to plants in 2 weeks I will evaluate and see if another teaspoon is needed. I always pollinated at 8-12 feet, this year I want longer side vines and not pollinate till at least 15-18 feet. Goal is to pollinate no later then 15 June.

3 May 2024

 

Pumpkin plants are doing well.

15 April 2024

 

Transplanted my 2 main plants today. Used the carefully open method to remove grow bag. I have never used myco and azos together, the root system is the best I've ever had. I used 1 teaspoon of each.

15 April 2024

 

Amended and tilled new BG patch today. For 15 years this area was grass and weeds. No soil test so I amended with kelp, humic acid, perlite and soil activator.

 

12 April 2024

 

Watermelon green house, 400 liters perlite before tilling and after. Looks like I need to till again to get better mixture.

11 April 2024

 

1,800 liters of horticulture grade perlite arrived today. This should be the final addition/amendment to my patches.

2 April 2024

1 April 2024

 

Two pumpkins and four watermelon have germinated. Transferred to 2 gallon grow bags with myco and azos added.

Over the winter I bought a John Deere tractor built in 1968. In great condition for 56 years old and the front loader can lift 3000 pounds. I bought it for one reason.

20 February 2024

 

Started jalapeno seeds a week ago and 8 from 8 have germinated. A good sign. Maybe I should stop while I am ahead?