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

Good News Bad News

Good news- solid growth

Good news- already fruiting (but will pinch these for a while longer)

Bad news- snap on the main line... it was a heaftier vine than any past year's, and underestimated the amount of support it would need as it grew.  Lesson learned.  Hopefully it's still viable-  the vine is growing out in all directions, so maybe it will compensate...

Early growth, temps warming

A little wilty while I was in England... but Mark took care to give it extra water.

Mark's plant doing well, about twice as long.