2000 Growers Log - June
As you can see in the photos above and below the cold frames are off the pumpkin plants. I took them off a few days ago, but had to rush to cover them up again last night when the weather office forcast a risk of frost. The Lloyd 935 (above) is now about 6 feet long and growing well. The boards on the ground are my "walking boards" I have them scattered around the garden to walk on to avoid compacting the soil too much.
The Mombert 800.5 is only about 3 feet long, mostly because I had a little "accident" with the end of the vine while removing the coldframe and lost a foot. I was in a similar situation a few years ago and the secondary just behind the break took over as the main vine and I didn't find it to be too much of a setback.
We had a close call this week with severe thunderstorms and hail. Out at work there were 60 windows smashed with golf ball size hail, not to mention broken out car windows etc. There was some hail at home but the damage to both plants was minor. The Mombert 800.5 (above) is recovering from its main vine break and the secondary behind the break is now a foot long and growing well.
The Lloyd 935 plant is now 7 feet long. A male flower opened up today about midway along the vine. The secondary vines are starting to grow as well.
I didn't get a chance to do an update last week. My daughter Zoe was hospitalized with a kidney infection on Saturday (June 17th) . She is out of the hospital now and doing fine. I'm busy trying to catch up in the garden. The Lloyd 935 is now 13 feet long, with the biggest leaves spanning about 14 inches. I pollinated a female flower at the 11 foot mark (circled in photo above) on the 21st. I already have it sitting on some styrofoam and shaded under a box with side cutouts for the vine and some ventilation. The Mombert 800.5 (no photo today) is 6 feet long and coming along nicely.