Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 76 Entries. Tuesday, March 18 View Page March 18 th and the ice is finally gone in Northeast PA. It has been a real old fashion winter around here and spring will be a welcome sight. I have been slacking on my Florida pumpkin growing buddy Tim so I better give an update. Long story short Tim had a one two gut punch last fall in his hometown of Cortez Florida. The west coast fishing village got pounded with not one but two Hurricanes. Helene was bad but Milton followed with devastating results. Tim was unable to return to his residence. But a fortunate turn of events Tim found a new place and was able to relocate not far from his old spot and with permission to til up a spot, soooo he is back in action for 2025. We pumpkin growers can surely persevere and a bit of gardening is good for the soul. I will be rooting for you Tim. The soil looks pretty good after 3 foot of salt water had trashed the area.   Tuesday, March 18 View Page Some compost added.   Tuesday, March 18 View Page Time to til it in.   Tuesday, March 18 View Page Looking pretty good Tim !   Tuesday, March 18 View Page I supplied Tim with some of my seeds and the season began.   Tuesday, March 18 View Page Up they came and it's Grow time !   Tuesday, March 18 View Page Put them all in Tim and may the strongest survive. In are my 839 , 421, 977 and 1321   Tuesday, March 18 View Page They like the warmer Florida temps.   Tuesday, March 18 View Page Tim saved his portable greenhouse panels. I like that idea.   Tuesday, March 18 View Page Looking pretty good, that looks like a fine spot to have a beverage and keep an eye on the patch.   Tuesday, March 18 View Page And they are off.   Tuesday, March 18 View Page Grow Time!   Tuesday, March 18 View Page When Tim gets down and dirty he gets down and dirty. Checking for kinks in the main vines.   Tuesday, March 18 View Page They are starting to stretch out and time to start culling soon.   Tuesday, March 18 View Page Tim had a tough choice as the 839 was always gonna be the front runner but a pretty good kink in the main vine and Tim had to reconsider.   Tuesday, March 18 View Page Ok the winner and survivor for 2025 will be my 977. It is the 839 x 2365 Wolf so how can you go wrong with those genetics.   Tuesday, March 18 View Page It's gonna happen soon as baby is showing!   Tuesday, March 18 View Page And boom she opened on St Patrick day.   Tuesday, March 18 View Page Well that about does it. Good luck Tim. May the luck of the Irish be with you and may the Gods give Cortez a break this year. It is one of my favorite places to visit.   Friday, March 28 View Page Florida Tim reports his cloche is filling up fast.   Friday, March 28 View Page His first pollination attempt didn't take but number 2 looks to have a baby bump on the way.   Friday, March 28 View Page Tim sent a pic from his office window while in the Gulf of America. Not a bad view Tim.   Sunday, April 6 View Page Florida Tim reports he has been busy with fish and work. His enclosure is full and needs to expand or remove.   Sunday, April 6 View Page The pumpkin is growing and has quite the long stem which will help with any stress issues   Sunday, April 6 View Page The stem is getting a pretty good split in it that he will have to watch   Sunday, April 6 View Page Not much pumpkin news in Pa yet. Val and I finished up our maple syrup project.   Sunday, April 6 View Page It was tedius work but something to help pass the time.   Sunday, April 6 View Page Success. !!   Sunday, April 6 View Page Nothing like the real stuff !   Wednesday, April 9 View Page Day 20 approaching for Tim's 977. It's grow time Tim. Pedal down now.   Friday, April 25 View Page Tim has passed the 30 day mark.   Friday, April 25 View Page The 977 sandercock is a good cross. The 839 x 2365 wolf. It has proven to throw some lighter colored pumpkins. This one has a nice shape and may be one of those lighter colored ones, we shall see. It has been doing 20 plus a day and ramped up to 25 a day the last few. Tim is battling some Powdery mildew in the Florida heat. Keep it rolling Tim.   Friday, April 25 View Page On the home front we are getting a nice heat wave. I have seeds popping up and did a til today with the BX. I should be getting in the ground next week.   Tuesday, May 6 View Page Val and I made it back from our Kentucky trip. Alex was a great host and we saw quite a bit. Cincinnati zoo was a hit   Tuesday, May 6 View Page Louisville slugger factory was on the list.   Tuesday, May 6 View Page Oh yeah had to stop here.   Tuesday, May 6 View Page They have some BIG Turkeys in Kentucky !   Tuesday, May 6 View Page Thanks for the hospitality Alex !   Tuesday, May 6 View Page On the home front I had been on schedule with a May 1 planting day. The weather had been cooperating   Tuesday, May 6 View Page Today we had tornado and flooding alerts. Ugggh just when things were looking good. The freshly tilled soil is a bit on the muddy side now.   Tuesday, May 6 View Page There is a 839 Sandercock in there somewhere. I will have some work to do. Mother Nature better change her ways soon. 3 inches of rain today is not a good thing.   Tuesday, May 6 View Page Florida Tim is having some better weather as his 977 is on the downside of its growing season. Tim says she is over 500 lbs now and he is happy with the growth in the new patch location. Florida growing certainly has its own challenges.   Tuesday, May 6 View Page We will be back to visit Alex, Averi and Kentucky another day!! Had to get a pic with their mugs in their for historical purposes, lol. Now another gardening season is here. Lets GROWWW !   Wednesday, May 21 View Page Tim says his season is winding down and picking plans will be underway soon. He reports some minimal growth is still going on despite the weathered plants. He is even getting some new growth past the pumpkin.   Wednesday, May 21 View Page Florida growing has its own challenges and Tim is happy just to get one to the finish line. A few more days Tim !! It looks like he is planning to get this one out with his boat somehow.   Wednesday, May 21 View Page It won't be a State record but Tim is chasing his own tail anyway with his 1039 still in the books as the Florida record. The 977 did produce a nice pumpkin for him.   Wednesday, May 21 View Page With Tim winding down it signals I should be well on my way here in Northeast PA. Unfortunately Mother Nature is stuck in neutral around here. Her cold and wet weather pattern is here again. I haven't been able to get in the patch lately. I have trenches from the last down pours that I will need to address. I don't have heating cables but going with old school lights and a small heater.   Wednesday, May 21 View Page The forecast is not very promising.   Wednesday, May 21 View Page Despite the crappy weather the plants are hanging in there. I had straw in there to soak up any water that may find its way inside. The 839 wants to grow. Come on already it is almost Memorial Day.   Wednesday, May 21 View Page I had better than usual germination with the tomatoes this year. I have plenty of Giants and eaters in different stages. I may have to transplant again to wait for the sunshine and heat to return to Pennsylvania. Lets growwwww. Rumor has it there is going to be a Tomato Challenge again this year.   Wednesday, May 21 View Page Hey maybe my luck is changing ??   Tuesday, May 27 View Page The big day came for Tim this weekend. Time to pick the 977 and see what she weighs. You don't see many big pumpkins growing in the sunshine state so Tim's backyard giant drew some local media buzz.   Tuesday, May 27 View Page Time to gather some friends and get it loaded. The homemade lifting ring works great.   Tuesday, May 27 View Page They got it loaded all in one piece. Off to the scale.   Tuesday, May 27 View Page Looking good   Tuesday, May 27 View Page Ok, drum roll.   Tuesday, May 27 View Page Tim is more than happy with a 702. He was happy to be able to til a spot at his new place after having to relocate after last years devastating hurricanes. Atta boy Tim.   Tuesday, May 27 View Page Pumpkins always draw a crowd who want their picture taken.   Tuesday, May 27 View Page Thats it Tim... find the pretty girl and get her phone number so you can send it to her. You Ole Salty Dog!   Tuesday, May 27 View Page Tim said it's time to relax now.   Tuesday, May 27 View Page Good job Tim , happy fishing.   Tuesday, June 17 View Page Tim sent me a final photo of his 702 off of my 977. It had some nice thick walls.   Tuesday, June 17 View Page It has been the most challenging growing year for me. The Pennsylvania weather has been a wet mess this year with record rain levels and no sunshine along with cold temps. The patch and plants are suffering. The weather man just reported we have had measurable rain for 35 of the last 42 days. This plant is doing the no secondary thing.   Tuesday, June 17 View Page This is my 421 where I grew a 1300 last year. It pretty much has been stuck in the mud.   Tuesday, June 17 View Page My 839 is fairing a little better. I keep thinking they just need a little sunshine bit it doesn't happen.   Tuesday, June 17 View Page My best plant is in the rockiest section of my patch with the poorest soil. Go figure ! The 2018 Hazletine.   Tuesday, June 17 View Page My weed cover crop needs to be mowed and tilled if it ever dries up enough.   Tuesday, June 17 View Page My straw bale garden is loving the cool wet conditions.   Tuesday, June 17 View Page Lettuce is looking good   Tuesday, June 17 View Page It looks like the tomato challenge is going to happen after all. I needed to do some work on my tomato alley. I added some minerals.   Tuesday, June 17 View Page I bought this little beauty to do a light til.   Tuesday, June 17 View Page I love it. It's a beast.   Tuesday, June 17 View Page It's grow time. I wasn't sure if my timing was going to be good but I had to get them in the ground.   Tuesday, June 17 View Page I am going to try Dan's string em up approach again this year. I am hoping for some PB sized ones. I am going to give them a little more space this year.   Tuesday, June 17 View Page After a week or so they seem to be wanting to grow.   Tuesday, June 17 View Page The tomato ally drains better than the pumpkin patch so I am hoping for big things. But aren't we always hoping for big things. We finally have some summer like temps coming our way so the maters should take off. I will be ready to string them up.