The Pumpkin House

While I was in Kansas helping Corey move into his new apartment, Herbie and son #3 built the pumpkin house (as Corey calls it). The netting is to protect the pumpkins from hail and deer.

Giant Pumpkins - Strizich Edition - Part 3

Nicholas and Jack helped Dad today!

And now the Strizich Pumpkin Patch is complete!

Giant Pumpkins - Strizich Edition - Part 2

YAY!  We have baby pumpkins!  #1 sprouted this morning and #2 is really close to pushing through its bed of soil.

Now it's time to make a proper outdoor home for these babies!  Brian has cleared a perfect spot in the backyard and we had a ton of dirt delivered today for the Strizich Pumpkin Patch!

Now all that's left is to create a barrier for you-know-who:

Giant Pumpkins - Strizich Edition

We are growing giant pumpkins this summer!  It's been an exciting adventure so far.  We have become connected with a group of giant pumpkin growers in Colorado Springs.  We are linked in a unique way.  One family, I had the privilege of getting to know this year as their son was in my class.  The other is a co-worker of Brian's.  We were invited to this elite group this week and are really excited to begin.  With some really specific instruction from Brian's co-worker and a bit of encouragement from the student in my class we began our adventure this week. Here's our baby pumpkins, germinating under their grow lamps.  In a week we should see little sprouting pumpkin plants!

Forsyth Pumpkin Patch

I was trying to think of a clever story for the reason we built such a fancy pumpkin patch. I thought I could write that since we adopted a plant this year, we wanted to make sure it knew where it came from so we mimicked the home it would have been in if it weren't adopted. The only difference is we didn't want the adopted plant to get lonely in its new home so we put it in the same greenhouse "room" as it's new sibling.
Matt said I should just write "just keeping up with the Adams'!"
Take your pick...

Now we just need a sign that says "Forsyth Pumpkin Patch - Beware of old guard dog!"


Here is the adopted pumpkin plant. I named it Cinerbie after it's original parents...

Here's our plant. I named it BPF (Baby Pumpkin Forsyth).



Their finished home...

Monument Pumpkins Planting Day 10 May 09

The 6 Monument pumpkins before transplanting to the new pumpkin garden. We chose to plant a 1000 lb, 800 lb and a 500 lb orange and beautiful. We will be donating an 800 lb and two 600 lbs.







The new garden: 1.67 tons of rock (not all used), 5 yards of dirt with manure, 2 working days, 2 sore bodies (mostly Herbie's), 3 pumpkin plants, 1 old dog, 3 temporary green house tops. Results: Hopefully Priceless and winners!!!

Six for Six !!!!

Herbie planted the six winning seeds on Sunday 26 Apr 09. On Thursday (30 Apr 09) while moving the pots to the RV for the trip to Kansas we had 2 seeds pushing through the soil. By Saturday 02 May 09, all seeds had germinated. They are now back in Monument in their specially created environment. We will only be planting two so four are up for bid!

Getting worried...

The Forsyth pumpkins were planted (inside of course) on April 15th. Maybe tax day is a bad omen... They haven't germinated yet. I'm getting worried!!!

Monument Pumpkins Planted 26 Apr 09

Last weekend we had about 28 inches of snow and most of it has melted. This Sunday Herbie planted our 6 pumpkin seeds (inside of course). We decided not to do the hot house effect this year thinking maybe the seeds were getting to wet. Herbie did go out and buy a heat lamp and thermometer so we will be able to monitor the temperature while the champion pumpkins are germinating. Herbie also measured out a 16 x 16 foot area which will be prepped for a raised bed growing area with a lot of good soil brought in. Herbie wants to use railroad ties but of course I want to build a nice decorative rock wall. This morning when I woke up to go to work we had about 2 inches of snow! We were a little concerned about planting the pumpkin seeds this weekend since we are leaving on Thursday for 4 days to go see Corey and watch the K-State Spring game. We thought waiting until next Monday would be too late. I guess we could always take the pots with us.

Getting Ready for 2009

It's that time again... time to think about growing giant pumpkins.