Annual Giant Pumpkin Growing Contest
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| First full day outside the nursery, ready for planting... |
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| 953 gets a mix of organic material around the base, and organic surestart to the planting hole, then covered |
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| 76.0 MT gets some space to spread out, on top of the old compost pile... maybe the best way to beat Mark... is to use his own pumpkin... hmmm... |
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| Look who Sorrel found poking around in the raspberry bed... is it a cucumber, squash, or pumpkin?? |
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| 953 up top, and the volunteer, prizewinners, and 76 Timby's down the right side... will be raining all week here |
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| Genealogy of the big one I planted - it's sprouted, but I'm waiting for 3 leaves until moving it to the pumpkin patch |
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| Mark's birthday present... it goes to 330, so hopefully that's at least another 2 years of contests. |
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| Mark's starts are well on their way |
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| Supposed to germinate at 80-85 degrees, so a frost advisory (in May again this year...) brought the big ones inside under the heat lamp for a couple nights. |
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| Worked through the rainiest March on record to devise a new pumpkin patch, better sun positioning (plus the reflection of the new bank of windows on the house... most expensive pumpkin patch heating project ever...) |
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| Mixed in some good dirt/compost, and topped with organic 4 way later on from Mt Scott Fuel. Also cleared another 4 feet at the end of the turn, moving the compost bin... planning on one plant at each end, then letting them cross and expand over the lawn |
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| Mark is rocking an expanded bed, heat-absorbing bricks, root enhancing xtreme pumpkin additives, and a lucky troll. |
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| He's already got a couple sprouts- seeds from his pumpkin last year, and some others |
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| Just finished my cold frame with other plant starts in there. Ordered seeds from Hester Farms last week: will either go with the 953 Hester 2007, or 1286 Hester 2010... maybe both. Plus a Prizewinner in front for carving. |
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| New bed with upgraded soil this year |
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| Ditto for Mark, but limited space for him |
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| Sewing my starts outdoors this year... 6 of them... perhaps too many =) |
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| Popped up in a hurry, ready to rock |
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| They look so harmless and innocent |
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| Until they start taking over the yard |
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| With major construction abound, space was limited |
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| Got a solid one on right away with decent shape |
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| Tried a new system for slug/rot prevention... |
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| Up to 50" in a hurry, should be a new personal record |
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| But Mark was well ahead and stayed that way |
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| The final weigh off... Mark came in a little light at 76 lbs and 62.5" around, but easily besting mine at 58 lbs and 49.5" around (8 lbs heavier than last year at same circumference). Mine had a little spot of rot on the back, but not all the way to the core... scraped it away, and filled with candlewax to keep it fresh for carving. |
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| Too cute not to include- Mark with his big pumpkin... and a little pumpkin |
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| And a new dog tag for the trophy |
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| Then we went to Bauman again to see the real giants - new OR state record |
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| Nothing left to do, but carve. We went for Tiki Bar theme this year |
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| Mahalo for another great year. I owe you a case, Mark |
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| Had to up the game with some better seeds |
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| Incubating in the sun... on a heating pad |
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| A modest start in the backyard for the Atlantic Giant |
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| The front yard got in on the action with an Atlantic Giant, Prizewinner, and a volunteer |
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| Which took over the whole front yard... |
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| Backyard Giant had some space to grow |
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| And with a little pollinating help |
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| We soon had about 20 pumpkins growing |
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| Mark and I would chart the most promising ones |
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| But splitting... |
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| And rotting... |
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| Got the best of several of them |
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| Harvested the one on the left after finding rot (and likely cross pollination with an ornamental), and the prizewinners on the right for carving |
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| Mark's was growing quick, but also succumbed to rot before it's time |
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| A latecomer started growing on the wall after my biggest split |
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| Final 2010 Chart |
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| And topped the scales at 50 lbs |
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| Thus, the trophy is passed on... |
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| And the dog tag is added |
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| Then we go to Bauman Farms to see the real giants... |
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| Some day... if one of us has a farm with unlimited space and full sun... |
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| In the meantime, it made for some fun carving (Super Mario is the 50 pounder) |
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| And we had the block help us carve a total of 31 pumpkins for Halloween =) |
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| Then composted them for next year |
