Hyper Growth Phase, Round 2

Added sun shade to keep the skin tender, growing at 2-3" + per day right now, about a week behind Mark...

Mark's already sailed past last year's record, and is over 90 lbs as of today, 66.25" around.  Should be over 100 lbs by the weekend!

Hyper growth time

Mill fabric under Hester #2... growing a little faster, and on main vine (versus Hester #1, which is off side vine).  A little riskier since it's on a slope and the main vine is cracked, but no risk, no reward.  =)  About 10 lbs here... versus Mark at ~40 lbs.

Vine as a whole looking great, in the pattern I was hoping for, but wanted it to fill in the brown grass area, too.  Still, with 175 leaves on right now, should be able to push out 100 lbs+

Cast-off island coming along nicely- good MT pumpkin on the vine already, pollinated another, too.  Backup in case Hester fails.

Hester #1... might be the last photo of it, as it's getting culled tonight to focus on Hester #2.  Both are about 28" and 13 pounds right now.  Warm weather on the way, into the 80's and 90's.  Applied first anti-powdery mildew spray this morning.

Remote update - Mark's photos while I'm in MN

Solid vine growth while away in MN - fun with the sunflowers, too.  Two candidates on... will cull one soon

Hester #2 seems to be growing faster.  Mill Fabric has arrived, so will be putting that under my pumpkins soon.

Updates from Mark's garden

Helped Mark while he was back east, spacing a couple of hit set pumpkins

He had 2-3 really good ones set... and as of this week, is already over 50" (our best is about 60"), so well on his way heading into another warm week.

The new scale being put to the test on Mark's culled pumpkin

Hyper Vine Growth and First Pollination

The break hasn't slowed growth... new watering system has been great for burying several taps along the side and main vine.  Hopefully the break in the main vine holds- scarred over pretty well.

First open female flower- six segment.  Is that a good thing?  Need to read up... yeah, 5-6 segments are the best, but also just read that EVERY segment needs to be pollinated, so it can cause 6 segment flowers to abort more often.  Hope I got enough pollen around in there.  Good info here:  http://www.bigpumpkins.com/nepga/ViewArticle.asp?id=20

Got to the pollen from the only male flower just in time- the bees move in early on these hot days.  Mark has pollinated two so far, at about 8' and 10'.

Paved a new runway for the MT 76 off the Island of Misfit Plants- could be a solid backup to the 953.. but hopefully just extras for carving