Tuesday, June 15, 2010

The Pumpkin Cometh

My apologizes for not getting pictures from the very beginning of the process of "The Man and the Atlantic Giant Pumpkins." Brian has been hard at work since April growing the two pumpkin plants.

Here's the main pumpkin plant where he grows the "BIG ONE!" She's been slow and steady in growing. That's a good sign! She's already got a pumpkin on the main vine.

Notice the "chicken" fencing protecting the great pumpkin! The girls and Joe have no access to it per Brian's instructions...so they don't eat the plant!! They are really pigs, not chickens.

Brian has the sun shade up. That Tennessee sun has been already hard on the plant this year. Brian also started putting wheat straw down which helps the dirt stay moist and cool.

Here's the second pumpkin plant. That one was like a race horse out of the gate... it grew very fast. The main vine is not as thick at the other pumpkin but it's a good plant. It also has it's own shade from the peach tree above.

They both look like good plants this year.

4 comments:

  1. Is this for a personal best or will it be entered into a competition that we'll get to watch one day on PBS?

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  2. Don;t know who crunchydad is but he hijakced my comment? What's up with that?

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  3. CrunchDad!! Kirsten!!

    Did you guys every see the PBS Special "Lords of the Gourd: The Pursuit of Excellence?" I had to buy that for Brian on DVD. People who grow these pumpkins are very passionate about them, Brian included. He grows them more for a personal best. Brian's pumpkin last years weighted in at 450 pounds (look at October 2009 "Pumpkin Weigh In" in the Seehafer blog.) I believe he's personal best was 600 pounds a couple of years ago. The Tennessee summer heat does not do well with these Atlantic Giant Pumpkins plus where we are at, we don't have enough land to let it grow properly. Brian's big dream is to enter the fair with it... some day. He loves the challenge of growing these creatures!! I find myself naming them and getting attached too!!

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  4. We did see that PBS special. Those pumpkins were just amazing!!!!!!
    How does Brian weigh them?
    Heck...the way I feel about my cukes and tomatoes and all the other things we have growing...I completely get the naming thing...

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