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Saturday, August 22, 2020

The Pumpkin is Coming Down the Stretch!

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Pumpkin Gordo Gato Five weeks from today will be the first giant pumpkin weigh-off of the year.  My pumpkin is currently 77 days old.  So I...
Monday, August 3, 2020

1325 Johnson (aka Gordo Gato) Pumpkin Pic

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About two weeks ago I came to the conclusion that if this pumpkin was going to get into the acceptable range it would have to meet a certain...
Thursday, July 30, 2020

Keeping in Cool When Things are Hot in the Pumpkin Patch

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Forecast here is for 5 days of 100 degrees.  That is very hot for Midway.  We usually don't see those temps at all in a year.  I often h...
Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Gordo Gato Pumpkin Report

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The pumpkin keeps growing, but not at any incredible rate.  Still signs that this one could flatten out the growth curve and if it does that...
1 comment:
Friday, July 3, 2020

This is the Pumpkin Named Gordo Gato

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I've named the 1325 pumpkin Gordo Gato, in honor of our cat named Fat Kitty who passed away earlier this year.  Gordo Gato is slugging...
1 comment:
Tuesday, June 23, 2020

1325 Pumpkin first Measurements

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Today I put a tape on the 1325 pumpkin for the first time this year.  This is the latest I've ever done that.  It is ahead of last yea...
Monday, June 8, 2020

Tent City in the Pumpkin Patch: Brrrrr

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For the 2nd year in a row I'm dealing with freezing temperatures in June.  The 2051 plant, which my son is now going to take over, is ...
Thursday, June 4, 2020

Yea! I'm a Pumpkin Grower Again

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Did the first pollination of the season at about 11 feet today on the 1325 Johnson plant.  I'm going to see if another female will come ...
Monday, June 1, 2020

Vine Growth, Pollination & Pumpkin Growing

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Today I gave the plants some blood meal.   Part of the regular nitrogen fertilization I've been doing. The difference is that blood meal...
Sunday, May 24, 2020

Which is the Best Fertilizer for a Pumpkin?

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Which fertilizer is best to grow a giant pumpkin?  I hear that question a lot.  The answer that any good grower will tell you is that it is ...
Saturday, May 23, 2020

How to Use Plants in Your Yard to Help Your Pumpkins Grow

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From time to time I find issues in the yard that can be canaries in the coal mine for the pumpkin plants.  For example, my lawn over the las...
Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Vine Burying for a 1,000+ Pound Pumpkin

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I talked a lot about it in the spring seminar, but I think the one thing that most growers can improve upon to get a 1000, 1500 or 2000 poun...
Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Pumpkin Flatvine (Dang!)

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The 2005 Haist plant has gone flatvine (AKA flat vine).  That is really too bad.  Probably won't be able to grow this plant now, which i...
Sunday, May 10, 2020

1325 Johnson Pumpkin Plant

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Yesterday we finally got all of the plants into the ground.  I'm hoping the 1325 in the outdoor patch shapes up as nicely as the one t...
1 comment:
Friday, May 8, 2020

A Little Fertilizer for the Plants & Plant Protection

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I'm really pleased with the two plants in the greenhouse.  They've transitioned perfectly to the soil and haven't seemed to slow...
3 comments:
Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Some Nice Plants & Growing in a COVID-19 World

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2005 Haist (left) & 1325 Johnson (right) Finally got plants into the greenhouse today.  Will probably do the other plants tomorrow. ...
1 comment:
Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Sunbathing the Seedlings

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Usually I try to get the plants some late morning sun as often as I can to help them adjust to the outdoors.  Even good indoor lights and a ...
Sunday, April 5, 2020

Getting the Pumpkin Patch Soil Prepared for 2020

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So this last week I took soil samples and sent them into Western Labs so I know what I have in my soil and to get recommendations on what I ...
Friday, March 20, 2020

How to Make Best of the Corona Virus by Growing Giant Pumpkins as a Family

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Spring has sprung.  We'll according the calendar it has, but it is snowing here as I write. And being stuck inside because of the Corona...
Sunday, March 8, 2020

How to Grow a 1000+ Pound Pumpkin

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This is a video I put together that came from a presentation I did for the Utah Giant Pumpkin growers spring seminar.  I figured the present...