Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 12 Entries. Sunday, January 12 View Page 2025 is the year of the white pumpkin! I think I'll be planting the 1296.3 Akatsuka (Nicolas) which is this 1688 Paton x self. It checks all the boxes for me: genetics, color, and it did well in 150 sq ft. But I also want to grow my 1677 squashkin '23 in an attempt at a big squash. But that project might have to wait. I can only spend an hour a day or so on gardening stuff.   Sunday, January 12 View Page What if I crossed these two pumpkins? No one has ever bred a pumpkin to be a "150 sq ft. winner." Its probably just silly but there's always something new to try. Who really knows what is or isnt going to work.   Tuesday, January 14 View Page Now, for a grand total of $40 I've got seeds from all the top 150 sq ft pumpkins. http://bigpumpkins.com/displayphoto.asp?pid=8013&gid=87   Thursday, January 16 View Page I took a bit of soil out of one area to do a soil test. But I know that with my lack of self discipline I might throw fertilizer on later without measuring it. And this would negate some of the value of a soil test. A soil test would help me be a better guesser but I should decide if I want to stop guessing altogether and start measuring. Hmm. Its possible I could get better results by guessing than by measuring but probably not. The last thing to think about is whether I might ask for the lab's recommendations for potatoes rather than pumpkins... Just to throw another wrench in the machine, because why not, right... Things that make no sense on the surface, might have another lower level where they do make sense. And I want to become a top potato grower even though thats not a real category! Im just endlessly silly... But you just never know. Maybe one thing would lead to another.   Thursday, January 16 View Page This is the soil from 6-10" down. The soil texture in this zone is actually enviable, perhaps very enviable, its a sandy loam with some pumice up to 1" but most of the pumice is 3/4" or less. This combined with the sandy loam gives a perfect airy soil texture. I dont have great soil depth, however. There's nothing of value to the roots deeper than about 12"... its either coarse pumice, or fine pumice or clay, and its different combinations of inpenetrable and/or infertile. I have thought about mixing the clay and the pumice layers deeper than 12" but its possible that would make things worse and sort of wreck what I've already got... Don't try to fix what aint broke. Once I mix it all up I know there's no going back to the way it was before. I could do a small trial, or I can just be thankful for what I've got rather than meddlesome.   Friday, March 7 View Page 2388.5 Liggett and 2459.9 Olsen and maybe another will be in the lineup as pollinators. Might try to cross these kins with each other, also.   Thursday, March 13 View Page Pumpkin seeds are not perfectly bilaterally symmetrical. I forget which side the first leaf usually comes out.   Thursday, March 13 View Page ??? I think 90-95 % the first leaf would come out of the short side of the tip, or was it the long side. After the cots separate? Hmm... I guess I'll repeat the experiment.   Thursday, March 13 View Page I set up an experiment to show leaf direction. Unless they twist a bunch as they sprout, all these should have first leaves pointing the same direction. The 'male' side of the seed is pointing towards the tab that opens the food tray. (Yet another food tray. I have plenty of plant pots, but... I also have plenty of various food containers. I dont see much difference, yet.)   Thursday, March 13 View Page This is also an old seed experiment, will see if the 1195 Kaminski '13 sprouts. Its in the middle. A brief bath in warm dilute h202 then into the miracle grow potting mix that smells like beauty bark than soil. A seed starting mix would be better for starting seeds but nevertheless this stuff might work.   Monday, March 31 View Page Pumpkin diary update. The WR 1448 Bongers x 2. The 3rd died because my terrible homemade potting mix rotted it. Replaced with 1334 Sestak, which is a nice Rodebaugh cross, too.   Monday, March 31 View Page Previous post I meant to mention that the miracle grow potting mix (middle) is outperforming the dollar store potting mix. I'm not trying to prove or disprove anything. I'm just playing around, trying to get a sense for things. Eventually I would like to get acceptable (or exceptional) results from my own home made forest-product-based mix. I probably need to put a bit more care into it to get it to turn out right.