May 7th,
The last of the pumpkins will be planted into the patch later today. It is the 981 Zunino planted as a backup for the 1048 Companion which came up deformed with only one cotelydon. So far it seems to be doing okay so it is too early to tell.
The line up is as follows. 670 Daigle, 1233 Reiss, 1101 Northrup, 1225 Jutras, and the 1048 verses the 981. My daughter has an 689 Sandercock, and my son is growing the 848 MacKenzie (which got a little touch of frost damage the first night out) and the 823 Gadberry (which is to be planted out later today as well).
Time to start the long gourds, and other pumpkins.
May 17th
All pumpkins are in and doing well. The winds were brutal last week but the hoophouse functioned perfectly. The plants are growing nicely. Its time to start fertilizing on a regular basis. Will begin with Miracle Grow and Nepture Harvest seaweed extract.
The long gourds are up and waiting to be planted. I worked on the new trellis system for them today and need to amend the soil with manure and compost and with luck get them planted tomorrow.
The 5 day forcast is for 80's everyday. Great weather!! It will probably freeze next week.
I need to revive the old digital camera. The new one is broken and is off for repairs for the foreseeable future.
May 19th,
I went to take pics with the old camera last night and realized I can't. The old camera takes 3.3" floppy disks. I had to replace my computer during the winter and it only runs CD disks. Sorry no pics for at least 5 weeks is what they are saying at the repair shop.
Fertilzied the first time yesterday with Miracle Grow and Seaweed.
The 670 is a little ahead of the rest with 7 leaves. All of the rest have 3-5 leaves.
58 degrees for the low last night. That is unheard of in May. I will usually get 2 (two) nights that warm all summer but not in May.
May 21st,
The warm weather continues. Eight days in a row now of 76 degrees or higher. The last three days the lows have been in the high 40's or better which is incredible for May. Realized yesterday that the ink I had written on the plastic marking which plants are which is worn off. Fortunately I've been able to piece the information back together. The only one's I can't figure out yet is the one site that is double planted with the 1048 and 981. I just have to go look at the plants as the 1048 only had one cotyledon leaf so I'll be able to figure it out. So I learned another lesson this year.
The following is notes for me so I can remember this
North West 1233 Reiss 1225 Jutras
South West 1101 Northrup 670 Daigle 1048 Companion/981 Zunino
504 Christensen/689 Sandercock
May 30th,
Just returned from vacation and I escaped the big freeze. I was gone for 4 nights. I had no one to open and close the doors so I left them down. It got cold (35 degrees for two of the nights) but the plants were fine.. Then yesterday I get home and put the doors up and last night had a good freeze. It froze everything in the garden that was not covered. I'm feeling lucky at this point. The plants are growing. A couple of them are beginning to vine and starting to lay down. My daughters 504 Christensen is ahead of all the plants. This is supposed to be a backup plant as it is planted with the 869 Sandercock. Not sure what she is going to do. The 1101 Northrup is the next best grower in the patch right now.
Just checked the journal entries for the past few years and now I am discouraged. I am significantly behind my better years. I'm even behind last year which was a slow year. Not sure what to be done about it at this point. Just hold the course and see what happens.