End of '08 Season

Well, it's the end of another pumpkin growing season. While it wasn't a very good pumpkin year, the Forsyth pumpkin weighed in this year at 59.2 lbs which is the biggest one we've ever had. Next year we'll triple that though. It's a weird shaped pumpkin... The plant is destroyed by the recent frosts.
Matt carried the pumpkin and Dante tried to help by chasing the squirels away.
This is the other Forsyth pumpkin. IT grew to be about 5 lbs. And I guess it's falling off the pumpkin holder.

Forsyth Pumpkin :)

Well, this year was a somewhat disappointing year for pumpkins. With so much going on, they got a little neglected! Next year is our year!!! We do have a pumpkin about the size of a volleyball right now with big chunck taken out of it for some reason. We also have a few apple sized pumpkins. We'll see if we get anything measurable. Next year I hope to have more time and energy to grow a giant pumpkin!!!

We got gay plants

As of 19 Aug 08, the Monument pumpkins have yet to produce any female flowers. I don't think we are going to get any pumpkins this year.

Why We Can't Grow Pumpkins in Monument

Here are a couple of deer grazing in our front yard. There were nine total with these two being the biggest. We thought they were leaving our yard until Hawkeye started squawking and we discovered that three of the deer were by the pumpkin green house











So Herbie and I decided to watch from the house
to see what these guys would do and take some pictures. I don't know what the pumpkin guard dog was doing at this time but he wasn't protecting the pumpkins. It looked like they were just getting a drink from the water collected during the rain storm.











We were getting a little nervous when this little guy looked like he was going to climb on the green house. We decided to just wait and see what happened









As you can see he decided to climb on top of the greenhouse




















That's when Herbie had enough and went running outside to save his pumpkins and the deer went running

He was very proud of himself

Here was the damage to the green house

Now I now what must have eaten the pumpkin vine

Something ate my pumpkin vine

Sunday morning, 27 Jul 08, I went outside bright and early before Herbie was even out of bed to fill up the 5 gal buckets and noticed that one of the pumpkin plants had vined to where it was touching the side of the greenhouse. I decided since it was suppose to be hot that day, I would just open up the sides of the green house so the plants to get some fresh air. We then were pretty busy the rest of the day and never even looked at the pumpkins. The plan was to take some pictures so everyone could see how much the plants had grown in two week. Herbie went out to fill the buckets again with a mixture of water and Miracle Grow. He then noticed that the end of one of the vines was chewed off and of course there were little girls flowers on the end. So we closed up the greenhouse and hopefully the plant will survive and produce a champion pumpkin. I did not take any pictures

So at great risk of bodily injury from either Nicole or Cindy (or both), I'm going ahead with this post. Just because my pumpkin seems to be growing a little faster is no reason to threaten my children's safety. So here are a couple pictures taken on the 22nd. There are two plants that are intermingled now, so you can't really see individual plants, but the one orphaned by Nicole is on the left and the one graciously given to me by Josh on the right. You can see how well the one on the left has been growing when given the love and care it deserves. The second picture shows the first female flower on the orphan right after having been hand-pollinated. Next week should tell if it took and we'll be having at least one pumpkin. Since the kids have been out of town for a week and will be gone for another week, Barley the Beagle has had to step in on the fertilization duties...

branchaw/forsyth punkin update

I haven't posted in a long time but here is an update on the Branchaw/Forsyth pumpkin. It's taking off (finally!!!). There are tons of little flower buds. Now we're just waiting for them to get big enough to open up. Hopefully there will be a baby pumpkin before we get too much busier with the wedding. Another strip of hail netting needs to be added this weekend. Wayne, should I put it on a "WE Work Order Form"?

Monument Pumpkins July 14

Updated pumpkin pictures. They are growing!!! Nicole pumpkin is the closest with Josh's pumpkin in the back.

A close up of Nicole's pumpkin

Jerome, the best ever pumpkin guard dog. He keeps the deer away from the pumpkins

Monument Pumpkins June 23

The Monument pumpkins were planted outside on 23 Jun 08. One plant adopted from Nicole and one from Josh P. Herbie has created this nice drip system consisting of two 5 gallon buckets (one for each plant) and drippers at the rate of 1 gal per hour which really takes longer since not pressurized. So far works pretty well except when the drippers get clogged.

This is the new and improved greenhouse for the pumpkins with the 5 gallon buckets. Not as cute as the old greenhouses and definitely not as expensive.

LaRue up and running

LaRue has been in the ground since Friday June 6th. This photo was taken on June 11th. Stand back everyone, she's about to take off!

First Post 2008 - Two in the ground and two adopted

Ahhh the beginning, two have now been adopted - May 18th

Tubby in the ground-May 31st

Miss Piggy in the ground - May 31st

one in the ground...

Our first pumpkin is in teh ground. I also put a drip system in this year. We'll see how well that works.

Here's the "big" pumpkin seed. Brett might be growing this one if none of his seeds germinate... Cindy is growing my other "big" pumpkin seed.

13 May 08 & No Pumpkins

We are getting a little worried because we have no pumpkins in the Monument 'dead zone'. Wayne new favorite term.

They had me worried...

I planted 4 seeds on April 30 and finally today, May 8th, 2 pumpkin plants came through the soil. 1 from each seed packet. One of the other ones has roots coming out of the bottom of the peat pot. Maybe that one will pop up tomorrow... Patience is a virtue.

(the two pots at the top of the picture have green bean seeds in them.)

Wednesday May 7. Eleven days and looking good. Time for the first re-pot then into the ground!

Just because I,m the only one with a pumpkin up is no reason to gloat............

Monument Pumpkins Planted May 4th, 2008

Finally on May 4th, 2008 Herbie planted 5 seeds purchased from Howard Dill. There are 3 seeds that are the same (Big Orange & Beautiful) and two other seeds. We didn't spend a lot of money this year on seeds so hopefully these guys will all germinate. We will be using the Brett Wilson devised hot house to germinate these seeds leave them in Meghan's bathroom far away from Hawkeye. Now all we can do is wait and wait hopefully not as long as Brett and Nicole. Wayne has one of his three seeds up.

2008 Colorado Champion first entry

The seeds (1388 LaRue and others) were planted on Saturday April 26 using the proven Wilson method.

Big "LaRue" pokes her head up. Amazing to think this little plant will probably produce a 500 pound pumpkin!

A picture of the 2008 Colorado winning plot. Close up of the "Hot House", again following the Wilson model with appropriate improvements.

To ensure against sabotage, Pumpkin Guard Dogs are provided.

The seeds are in the soil!

Nicole and Matt's pumpkins are in the soil as of 7pm on April 30. The seeds were purchased from P&P seed company. There are two different kinds (brown 04 1007 and brown 07 847). We took Brett's idea and created a "germination house" to start them in.

Champion0607 off to a strong start!

Tonight the Wilsons set up the germination box and planted 4 purchased seeds and 10 or so seeds from Wilson 07 293lb. Since the Wilson 07 293 seeds were not very well cared for, and had a little exterior mold, we're not expecting much from those. But the new Wilson line of 500lb+ seeds will be available in November 08.

Here's a picture of the "pot tags" we created so we don't forget which pot contains which pumpkin.

Here's a shot of the interior of the "germination box". A total of 8 pots. Depending on germination success, I could have a few choice plants for the highest bidder...

Here's a shot of the germination box with the exterior lights used for heat. We don't have a thermometer, so I've got to pick one up tomorrow. Don't want those babies to get too hot or too cold.

Let the games begin!

The 2008 pumpkin growing contest has officially begun! Wayne was the first to plant over the last weekend. This year we've all purchased different seeds for ourselves. Let the race begin!