D Clement diary 2017

Congrats on a great year. The light ones sting for a few days but hauling in almost 3000 pounds to a weighoff is pretty special.

The winter wheat is up in next years patch I grew a cover crop of buckwheat in this patch over the summer and tilled it in before it went to seed along with 700lbs of calcium sulfate, 500lbs of black earth humic and 4 large square bales of chopped wheat straw

It was a great day in Wellington the rain held off and the sun came out for a bit. The 1803 weighed in at 1476 it was 9% lite to the chart but good enough for 2nd place and a new PB

All loaded and looking forward to a good nites sleep, I hope the rain holds off tommoro and it's a great day good luck to all and safe travels

It's so nice to have great neighbors

Both the1585 and 1803 were crossed with the 1756 H/J I pulled the 1756 plant in early August because I couldn't get a pollination to take

thats two nice fruit Dan. ive always liked that 1585 Werner as its usually nice orange and can be quite heavy. you have nice colour coming through now on the 1585.

did you cross both the 1803 and the 1585? should be sure fire orange on the next generation if you did.

Anyway, great season, and good luck in the next couple of weeks. hope they weigh well for you.

1803 Hoelke today

1585 Werner today

Both fruit are down to about 1 inch a day which I'm happy with the 1803 has finally stopped cracking with 3 fans going 24/7 all look to be healing so far , it has a circumference of 202 inches today

Hi Ryan, i have been doing regular foliar and drenches all along the only thing I stopped doing on the 1803 is the cal max drenches it usually cracks after the cal max drench I have been covering with extra blankets most of the summer at nites I still water every morning and nite I don't moisture test just keep soil good and moist gardens are on a old tile drained field,I thought the 1803 would have been done long ago so what ever happens I don't worry too much about it yet maybe a week or so before Wellington I will lol,the total size of this plant was 570 sq ft. I am down to about half of that now for good leaves,I wish I could have given it more room it's a great orange seed good luck to you Ryan and hope to see you in the county.

nice fruit Dan. Whats your plan with the 1803? Have you been pushing it with feed and water or taking it easy with the water and all of those crazy cracks. im curious what your mental state is at every morning when you check under the blanket lol. Still pushing it?

It defintely wants to keep growing but the skin certainly doesnt feel the same way. do you put blankets on the fruit during the cold nights? may help keeping the skin more soft and willing to move at night.

1585 Werner day 61

Dap 65 and 1803 averaging 17 lbs last 8 days, if it makes it to weigh day it will for sure be the most battle scarred I have grown

The bad news another split in the stem that has gone up the fruit. The good news it's still growing.

it will either be wellington or woodbridge. wellington is the closest and travelling with a baby has been a chore so far, not sure you you guys did it lol. the wife has family in toronto so woodbridge is an easy 20 minute commute in the morning of the weighoff.

we havent even talked about it to be honest, but we'll have to soon. id love to see yours in person. nothing better than a big PB. thats what its all about. hope it finishes strong for you. you deserve it.

It was 1094.5 Ryan the one I weighed at pembroke 2 years ago, do you think you are going to Wellington? Due to work commitments it's the only weigh off I can attend

What's the old personal best Dan?

Good info and pics John

Sorry, didn't see this post til now. Here are a couple pictures of ones that were saved by cutting the stem to relieve the stress and by also cutting across the crack when it is ripping into the pumpkin. This will usually stop it from continuing.