Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 62 Entries. Saturday, April 8 View Page Let it begin!!!!   Friday, April 21 View Page It’s time for an update!   Friday, April 21 View Page The plants are in the hoops as of last weekend! Get ready for this…   Friday, April 21 View Page My 1197 from last year is on fire. At just 16 days old she’s really taking off since I planted her! By far the best start I’ve had with it only being April 21st. She will be getting a full 800-900 SF to grow in!   Friday, April 21 View Page she’s cruising. A 6” vine already. Super aggressive just like the 1184.5 that she was grown from. I crossed her with Norm Ganserts 1223.5 so she should hopefully be a nice heavy,Orange beast! The 1184.5 went 9 % heavy and 1197 (this plant) went 11%. Heavy is in her genetics   Friday, April 21 View Page Currently building a mini hoop inside the bigger one. Chilly temperatures and lots of clouds next few weeks.   Friday, April 21 View Page Now onto the other hoop house. I went with 3 plants again this year. My 1197 2234 Noel 2480 Graham   Friday, April 21 View Page As shown in the last picture. Here are the 2234 Noel. Looking fantastic! Just 2 weeks old. I double planted and will choose the better looking one in a few weeks. Right now they are literally twins. No difference between the two. Going to be a hard decision!   Friday, April 21 View Page These two are from the 2480 Graham. Another two that are identical. Another hard decision coming in a few weeks!   Friday, April 21 View Page The 2234 Noel and 2480 Graham will be growing back to back. There will only be two plants here going in opposite directions once I make decisions in a few weeks. 2234 Noel are the ones closest to me   Friday, April 21 View Page I’m building a mini hoop house inside the larger one to keep the plants warmer with this chilly weather next few weeks. This will significantly improve the temperature and keep the plants nice and warm! First year doing this.   Friday, April 21 View Page Doing the same thing to the others as well in the other hoop house   Thursday, May 25 View Page It’s been awhile since I’ve done an update! What a start to the season. By far the best start I’ve ever had. Let’s hope that continues. Shown here is my 1197. Just a perfect plant that is really starting to get that Christmas tree shape to it! It’s 15 feet long and 12 feet wide   Thursday, May 25 View Page Stump view of my 1197. Couldn’t be any happier! Biggest plant I’ve ever had for late may!   Thursday, May 25 View Page Here’s my hopeful keeper on the plant. Would be 16-17 feet out with 18 or so secondary’s behind it! 10 days away or so would land me the earliest pollination I’ve ever had by 3 weeks.   Thursday, May 25 View Page Here is the 2480 Graham! This plant is a beast with a huge main vine and massive leaves! 10 feet long and secondary’s just a few days away from popping out of the canopy   Thursday, May 25 View Page Secondary’s popping out on the 2480   Thursday, May 25 View Page Here is the 2234 Noel. Leaves got hit hard with heavy rain a few days ago but they are looking better. secondarys on the move. About 8 feet long. Overall a nice plant so far. A fantastic start on all 3 plants this year   Thursday, May 25 View Page Another picture of the leaves on the 2480! I can’t wait to see what this beast produces. It’s beefy!!   Thursday, May 25 View Page One thing to note my 1197 was started 7-10 days earlier than the 2480 and 2234. Therefore why it’s bigger but it’s definitely the king of the patch right now!   Tuesday, May 30 View Page I came back from a 4 day vacation and wow is all I can say about my 1197…. She grew nearly 3 feet on both sides! What a perfect plant so far   Tuesday, May 30 View Page Stump view of my 1197! Nothing else to say. It’s the perfect plant.   Tuesday, May 30 View Page Here’s my keeper on my 1197! 16 feet out with 19 strong secondarys behind it! On track to open in about a week which would bring me to about a June 7th pollination. Earliest pollination ever by 3 weeks. With soil disease in my patch in late July,early aug every year I feel an early pollination will significantly increase my weight in the end… I will fight the disease the best I can this year!   Tuesday, May 30 View Page She looks perfect! I crossed the 1197 with the 1223.5 Gansert last year so she should be a big orange heavy pumpkin! Already very yellow! I’m excited.   Thursday, June 1 View Page We are "this" excited for the season   Saturday, June 3 View Page ‘‘Twas the night before pollination… Sometimes you have to think out of the box. The earliest pollination I’ve ever had in the patch is hopefully going to open tomorrow. The problem? 40s for the low temperatures and cloudy/rainy weather and males (to pollinate it with) that will only open tomorrow and not on Monday. The hopeful solver? A mini hoop house with a space heater and grow light to speed up the process of this pumpkin to open tomorrow instead of Monday. Let’s hope 5 hours of driving today to pick up male flowers will pay off!   Saturday, June 3 View Page Cmon 1197! You can do it   Sunday, June 4 View Page A historic morning in the pumpkin patch. Pollinated my 1197 this morning with the 2365 Wolf at 16 feet out with 19 secondary’s behind. A gorgeous 3 lober. This is my earliest pollination ever by 2-3 weeks. The 1197 was pollinated on June 27th last year. With disease in my patch I feel an earlier pollination will significantly increase my weight with more time to grow the pumpkin. Let’s do this!   Sunday, June 4 View Page Gorgeous!   Sunday, June 4 View Page A perfect plant to get the pumpkin started. Chilly weather this week but expected to warm back up by next weekend.   Sunday, June 18 View Page Time for the knife on the first 1197. This is 14 days old and incredibly small for its age. Night temperatures have been in the upper 40s, low 50s which is likely the reason for its size. Horrible shape as well. Was a nice early pollination but the weather just didn’t cooperate   Sunday, June 18 View Page Time for the knife on the first 1197. This is 14 days old and incredibly small for its age. Night temperatures have been in the upper 40s, low 50s which is likely the reason for its size. Horrible shape as well. Was a nice early pollination but the weather just didn’t cooperate   Monday, June 19 View Page Pollinated the definite keeper on my 1197 today. 22 feet out with over 20 secondarys behind it. I expect a slow first 5 days with night temps in the low 50s but by Friday night low temperatures will be 65-70 for the next few weeks!   Monday, June 19 View Page Pollinated the definite keeper on my 1197 today. 22 feet out with over 20 secondarys behind it. I expect a slow first 5 days with night temps in the low 50s but by Friday night low temperatures will be 65-70 for the next few weeks!   Thursday, June 22 View Page The 1197 Swenson is an incredible plant   Thursday, June 22 View Page Perfect leaf color   Thursday, June 22 View Page 1197 approaching 700 SF   Thursday, June 22 View Page Here’s a look at the 2234 Noel. This plant has made such a huge rebound over the last 2 weeks. It was really lacking vine growth but it’s not filling in big time and starting to look like a giant pumpkin plant. Perfect leaf color as well   Thursday, June 22 View Page Here’s the keeper in the tip of the 2234. Close to 20 feet out and will have 20 secondarys behind it   Thursday, June 22 View Page Here’s a look at the 2480 Graham. A very thick vined plant with big leaves! Secondarys finally getting going on this one as well. The weather has been cold at night with a huge lack of sunshine and it’s been wet!   Thursday, June 22 View Page Here’s the keeper on the 2480. This is the only pumpkin that the plant has produced! 20 feet out on the Main vine and no other pumpkins in the tip. Crazy how there have been no other pumpkins before. This absolutely has to be the keeper   Thursday, June 22 View Page The vines on the plants have been sticking straight up into the sky due to all the water in the patch and cold night temps. I’ve never had vines go like this before which is making it difficult to get on the ground!   Monday, June 26 View Page Pollinated the keeper on the 2480 Graham! A perfect 5 lober   Friday, June 30 View Page Pollinated the 2234 Noel today with the 2480 Graham. All 3 pumpkins are now pollinated in the patch   Sunday, July 9 View Page Horrible news coming in from the patch this morning. This is my 8th year of growing these giants and I’ve never seen this happen. Both the 1197 and 2480 have significantly slammed on the breaks in growth last 48 hours. This is the opposite of what should be happening right now. They should be ramping up. 1197 was 20 days old today and weighed 12 pounds. 2480 is 13 and hasn’t grown in several days. I have cameras and have been tracking the growth night to night. the pumpkins are getting a bit less shiny which means they are aborting and also a bit soft. I’m blaming the WEATHER! The sudden 90 degree temps likely shut them down. A huge punch in the gut with the biggest and healthiest plants I’ve ever grown! But there’s hope.. A few pollinations coming up tomorrow on the 1197 and a few days on the 2480 and 2234 plant. There is still time to grow a beast! I am not giving up!!!!!   Sunday, July 9 View Page As if today couldn’t get any worse!! The 2234 noel plant is GONE after disease was found in the main vine and the roots! After such a strong start this is extremely painful   Sunday, July 9 View Page Disease on 2234 and rot was in the main this is really painful   Sunday, July 9 View Page 2480 Graham was 13 days old and didn’t grow in a few days! What a horrible day   Sunday, July 9 View Page I haven’t been posting much this season. This has been one heck of a start for me. Some of the best plants I’ve ever grown in the 8 years of growing these things! The weather took a turn for the worst with nearly a foot of rain in the last month with very high humidity and I have disease issues to begin with but I’ve been on top of the fungicides this year. It is absolutely gut wrenching to have this happen today after an epic start. This sucks!   Sunday, July 9 View Page One thing I will absolutely never do is give up! You can not give up in this hobby, I’ve had the struggles over the years and I’ve fought them. Some I’ve won and some I’ve lost but you gotta give it your all after putting all the work into growing these! I have two pumpkins opening tomorrow on my 1197 on secondarys at the end of the plant. It’s a BIG plant, 1,000 SF all terminated. It won’t be easy with this weather but I’m gonna try my best to get one set! There’s still time   Sunday, July 9 View Page Here’s 2480 on a secondary. Opening this upcoming week   Sunday, July 9 View Page 2480 Graham plant. A good sized plant.   Sunday, July 9 View Page This picture was taken a few days ago of the 2480 before she got dull and stopped growing. Ugh she was in such a good spot as I opened up the fence to fit her in. :(   Sunday, July 9 View Page Another option on 2480. I’m pollinating everything   Sunday, July 9 View Page I know my 1197 has it in it to make a comeback! She’s massive and can really push if I can set a pumpkin   Monday, July 17 View Page Comeback time has been ignited in the patch. 1197 is 7 days old today and the biggest I’ve ever had at this age. 1,000 Square foot plant to push this thing!   Friday, July 21 View Page Just the biggest 11 day old pumpkin I’ve ever had with a monster 1,000 Square foot plant behind it. Ohhh this is going to be a wild ride as I attempt to make a big comeback from what happened 2 weeks ago!   Friday, July 21 View Page A monster 1,000 SF plant to push the pumpkin!   Monday, July 31 View Page Wow. Just wow. Can’t seem to catch a break in the patch this year! My 1197 somehow completely split during the day yesterday. This pumpkin was off to a great start on trying to make a big comeback. This plant that I put over 8 hours a day working in the patch the last few months is over. 2023 is toast. These swings in the temperatures and heavy rainfall are likely the cause! This burst seemed to happen in SECONDS as I caught part of this on camera. Unbelievably frustrating to see this happen in a year of trying to break records and what was off to such a fantastic start. I still have one pumpkin left on the 2480 plant but with significant stem issues this year is pretty much a dud. Onto next year…   Thursday, September 28 View Page It’s been awhile since I last updated about the patch! It’s been a very challenging year with all the rain New England has seen. I lost two plants but somehow the 2480 Graham was the survivor. One of the smallest pumpkins I’ve ever grown (325.5) so hopefully I can beat that tomorrow at the Topsfield fair. I’m very happy to have something at least! Estimated at 340 pounds   Thursday, September 28 View Page An interesting shape!   Friday, September 29 View Page In such a tough growing year with the weather I’m happy to say that I got a pumpkin the scales for the 5th year in a row! It may not be my biggest but was NOT the smallest pumpkin I’ve ever grown 325.5 pounds (back in 2021). I can’t wait to get back at it in the spring and crush my PB from last year of 1197 pounds. Thank you all for the support over the summer. My mentality is to never give up and it paid off!