Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 89 Entries. Monday, January 19 View Page Took advantage of this 70-degree holiday to begin the 2015 garden prep. In 2014, the center of this patch hosted the Carolina Cross melons. This year, I'm planning to grow the AGs here, as well, as both the soil and sun are more favorable. Spent about two and a half hours separating all of that hay on the sides from the mix of hay and (horse, sheep, llama) manure from our barn.   Thursday, January 29 View Page Here's the AG and Carolina Cross lineup for 2015. A big THANK YOU to Don Barron, Sue Barber, Lloyd Bright, Bill Edwards, and Mark Clementz. Anyone want to help me build an air-conditioned 'kin cave for our Oklahoma summers?   Wednesday, February 4 View Page Claremoron's 2015 gardens. For the past two summers, I had been attempting to grow the AGs in veggie patch to the east as a means of limiting exposure to Oklahoma's withering summer sun, but they just didn't have ENOUGH sun. Thus, I'm moving them back to a "nearly full sun" locale, where I'll just have to adapt to what the heat throws at me.   Monday, February 16 View Page About five inches of frozen sunshine on the patch today. This is after temps approached 80 dF two days prior. Our late winter is helping to implement some strategies of northern growers.   Thursday, April 9 View Page Received a special package in the mail today as part of my WWGG Bronze Membership. Wow. I didn't know that I would be receiving so many extra seeds! Thanks, Mark! I have room for only about four AGs, but I'll do my best. Today's bubble included 1460 Gehweiler, 1450 Box Est., 1784 Glasier, 1947.5 Clementz, and Lucille (296.5 Barber). Also, a little pouch of Mark's Mix. The 1947.5 and Lucille will definitely be in the garden this year, and I need to consider which others to grow. First seeds may go into pots around 4/15.   Saturday, April 18 View Page ...and so it begins.   Saturday, April 18 View Page The three go into their pots after three hours of soaking. A big THANK YOU to Mark Clementz for the products I'll be using this year.   Saturday, April 18 View Page My ghettofabulous germination chamber in the garage. A dog cage, grow lights on paint cans, a thermometer, and a space heater to keep things at the right temp. A week from now, after I start the melons and others, this chamber should be nearly full.   Sunday, April 19 View Page Just began soaking the Carolina Cross seeds this evening. A big THANK YOU to Lloyd Bright, Susan Barber, and Bill Edwards for providing these! These will be going into their pots before I go to bed tonight.   Sunday, April 19 View Page The eight giant watermelon pots join the party in the germination chamber! Despite the packing blankets as insulation, the temp inside had plummeted to 75 degrees, thanks to the colder weather. So, I added a second space heater to get the temp closer to 90. Hoping to see the AGs poking through the soil by Tuesday evening!   Saturday, April 25 View Page After seven days, the 1947.5 Clementz is the first to break through. Next year, I should probably file the seeds to avoid this type of delay. Still waiting on the 1738 Barron and 1784 Glasier.   Sunday, April 26 View Page Soil amendments have yet to arrive, but with rain likely soaking the patch for most of this week, decided to till the grass and weeds under again today. Plants should go into the ground somewhere in the vicinity of May 10-14.   Sunday, April 26 View Page Three for three on the first round of AG germination (top three). 1947.5 Clementz in the middle, 1738 Barron just pushing up on the left, and 1784 Glazier on the right. Still quiet after seven days in the CC pots, but I'm not concerned....yet.   Sunday, April 26 View Page Managed to get our almost-five-year-old daughter's garden entry arch into the ground this weekend. Now, to add the little white picket fence around it. She'll have about 500 square feet (roughly 18 by 27 feet) for her very first personal garden, and she's excited! Not enough allotment for giants for her, but she'll be helping me out once in a while.   Sunday, April 26 View Page New iPhone 6 creating sideways pics. Will readjust for user error.   Sunday, April 26 View Page Or, would that be software error? Facebook had no problem figuring out which way is up for those two pics.   Monday, April 27 View Page On the left is the 1738 Barron, center is the 1947.5 Clementz, and the disturbing cotyledons of the 1784 Glasier on the right. Based on the appearance of the Glasier, I'm starting a pair of 1641 Clementz tonight as backup. The 1784 Glasier is my intended plant for the 150 contest, but at least I have a few backups.   Friday, May 1 View Page The 1738 Barron and 1947.5 Clementz enter their two-gallon bags. Outdoor planting is still about 10-14 days away, depending on weather.   Sunday, May 3 View Page Checked on the seedlings at 9 a.m. today, and found the 1947.5 Clementz looking like this. It was perfectly healthy at 11 p.m., and just 10 hours later, this. Placed it out in the sun to help revive it, but it still looks this sad this evening. The 1738 Barron, which had been sitting next to the Clementz, has remained unharmed.   Monday, May 4 View Page All 14 Carolina Cross seeds started on 4/19 have failed to germinate. Needless to say, I'm pissed. In 2014, after 15 days, I was 17/20 with germination success. I started 15 backups on 5/1, since I suspected that something like this was happening.   Tuesday, May 26 View Page ...and they're off! A bit late into the ground because of our super-saturated conditions here in Oklahoma. The 1738 Barron on the left, and the 1460 Gehweiler on the right.   Tuesday, May 26 View Page Our garden model poses with the freshly planted 1460 Gehweiler. Maybe I'll get to till our waterlogged soil again some day in June. Nearly 13 inches of rain thus far in May, with more in the forecast.   Tuesday, May 26 View Page Our garden model poses with the 1738 Barron. We keep enduring the constant threat of severe storms, so I have the elements ready to cover these babies when necessary.   Thursday, May 28 View Page First batch of Mark's Mixes arrived today, just in time! Thanks, Bubba!   Saturday, May 30 View Page The second 1460 Gehweiler will be my 150 contest plant. Still need to put up the barrier for the square footage, but that can wait until the patch dries out. After nearly 15 inches of rain in May, there's no rain in the forecast for the next seven days!   Sunday, June 14 View Page 1738 Barron chugging along at about seven feet on the main, with a "friendly secondary" growing in the backward direction. Plucked the first female from the end of the main this afternoon. What's up with the weed barrier and things compressing the soil? Weed barrier will come off this week, followed by a final tilling with amendments, outside the current root zones. Then comes the drip tape, which should arrive on Tuesday, but I probably won't have time to lay it out until next weekend.   Sunday, June 14 View Page The better of the two 1460 Gehweiler. At only 24 days since germination, this one has really taken off, unlike its brother in the next pic. Leaves aren't quite the green that I'd like, but I'm working on it.   Sunday, June 14 View Page The other 1460 Gehweiler, at 27 days since germination. This one is for the 150 contest. Just need to measure and establish the borders before it really takes off.   Sunday, June 14 View Page One of four 196 Bright. All four were very slow to start, but have shown substantial improvement over the past three days. A combination of grower error and horribly wet conditions left me without my Level 1 seeds, so I fell back on the only seeds I still had from the beginning of 2014.   Tuesday, June 16 View Page Put up a wind fence for general purposes, but added some temporary trenching to drain the forecasted 6+ inches of rain from the remnants of Tropical Storm Bill. Will move the fence as needed as the plants grow. Also, the drip tape kit arrived, so as soon as we're done with our flooding situation, I'll be laying that out, and setting up the 40% shade.   Thursday, June 18 View Page Temporary trenches seem to be working well. Didn't take a pic in the wee hours when they were nearly full. More rain coming shortly. Not exactly the catastrophic flooding we were told to expect, but 3-4 inches on already saturated soil still justifies this move. Will have to fill them back in before laying out the drip tape this weekend.   Thursday, June 18 View Page Our garden model poses with the 1738 Barron, now at nine feet on the main. Started out well with spitting out secondaries, but nothing yet toward the end. Now that our flooding rains are over, maybe I can work on greening this up! Will till outside the root zone and lay out walk boards this weekend.   Thursday, June 18 View Page Assumed what the software would do with a portrait pic, and turned it 90 degrees clockwise to compensate. I guess a few bugs need to be worked out?   Friday, June 19 View Page Removed the temporary wind fence, and filled in the temporary drainage trenches this evening. Also, pulled back the weed barrier so that maybe the patch can dry out in time for a final soil amendment and tilling on Sunday evening, keeping in mind to stay outside the current root zones. 1460 Gehweiler on the left; 1738 Barron in the center, and the other 1460 Gehweiler (150 contest) on the right. I'll make the border for the 150 contest tomorrow! Also on the left, in front of the black plastic, is one of four 196 Bright melons.   Saturday, June 20 View Page Finally got around to making the 150 enclosure. This is a 1460 Gehweiler. Chose the least aggressive of my three plants for this, since it's just a fun thing for me.   Saturday, June 20 View Page Assembling the 40% shade netting. This one will be for the 1738 Barron.   Saturday, June 20 View Page 150 plant (1460 Gehweiler) is the first to get the 40% netting.   Saturday, June 20 View Page 40% shade tent over the 1738 Barron. Will finish up with a tent over the other 1460 Gehweiler (foreground) tomorrow!   Sunday, June 21 View Page Put up the third and final screen tent this afternoon (left) for the 1460 Gehweiler. Time for a final tilling, and maybe get started on the drip tape setup this evening!   Wednesday, June 24 View Page Finished laying out 1300 feet of drip tape for the patch yesterday evening. The instructions tell me that I can't use any more than 1200 feet on one zone, but I did it, anyway. Water pressure is still stout at the end of all lines. Might be partly due to the downhill orientation of the irrigation. May even throw in a couple of extra lines where necessary as the plants grow.   Thursday, June 25 View Page The best of the four 196 Bright clan thus far. Vining out in good soil.   Thursday, June 25 View Page The 1738 Barron at 11 feet. Will pollinate this one in case a certain toddler breaks the vine right after it.   Thursday, June 25 View Page The newcomer on the 1738 Barron at 14 feet.   Thursday, June 25 View Page Put up some wind fence this evening. I know that it's not ideal, but it will do for the next few weeks.   Friday, June 26 View Page First bloom of 2015! This is a somewhat deformed four-lober at 11 feet on the 1738 Barron.   Friday, June 26 View Page 1738 Gehweiler at 11 feet, crossed with 1460 Gehweiler. Lucky to catch it right as it opened this morning! No bees around, though.   Friday, June 26 View Page Oops! That should read 1738 Barron above. Where's the Edit button?   Friday, June 26 View Page 1460 Gehweiler at 12 feet on the main. Hard to believe this thing was a seedling in a quart pot just 27 days ago. By far the most aggressive of the three AGs. Only female on the main thus far has been at 7 feet, which I pinched off last weekend.   Friday, June 26 View Page The 1738 Barron at 60 days since germination, and 15 feet on the main. The leaves are smaller than on most AGs, but they're plentiful, so I'm not going to complain.. This morning's pollination is visible at 11 feet, and there's another contender at 14 feet.   Friday, June 26 View Page The other 1460 Gehweiler, which is being used for the 150 contest. Still no females on the 11-foot main, but I've begun the process of turning the main to fit the enclosure.   Saturday, June 27 View Page Buried a new 120-foot hose between the house and the patch today. This is a dedicated line for the misting system, which should be arriving on Monday. With our Oklahoma sun, I can't just run a hose over the yard, or the plants will scald. Maybe I'll have proper irrigation in the patch by 2020.   Sunday, June 28 View Page Found the first female on a 196 Bright plant. Late start, but making up for time! I'll miss the local fairs in September, though. Not enough growing days. Hello, October.   Monday, July 6 View Page Returned from a six-day vacation in Indiana to a pleasant surprise on the 1460 Gehweiler. A friend had pollinated this bloom with the 1738 Barron on July 3, but hadn't been back to our place to give an update. Will provide some kind of cover as protection from the 3-5 inches of rain expected over the next 48 hours.   Monday, July 6 View Page The 1460 Gehweiler at 3 DAP (bottom left), before I cut the adjacent secondary. Set at 14 feet, and nothing else has popped up on the main, which is now to 22 feet. Very nice-looking and vigorous plant that came out of a mere quart yogurt planter just 37 days ago!   Wednesday, July 8 View Page Disappointing start to the day as the baby in the previous diary entry (1460 Gehweiler) appears to have shriveled up at 5 DAP. However, this pretty 2 DAP on the 1738 Barron is giving me new hope! It's at 18 feet on the main, and in a great place not to have to move many things to help it grow. Here's to big and orange! Unfortunately, we arrived home from vacation late on Monday morning, just as the bloom was closing. I went ahead and crossed it with a 1460 Gehweiler, but I think the bees may have beaten me to it, so here's to OPEN.   Thursday, July 9 View Page My $12 premium membership cleared ten days ago. How much longer do I have to wait to enjoy my pics being seen immediately, rather than waiting hours?   Saturday, July 11 View Page Hooked up the Venturi trickle feeder for a flow test for the first time this morning. Manged to get it tuned in to where I want it, and I'll be issuing the first trickle feeding this evening! By the way, those are just my five-year-old daughter's overgrown Baby Boo pumpkin plants around the feeder.   Saturday, July 11 View Page Set up some temporary shading and barrier for the 1738 Barron, 5 DAP, 18 feet on the main. Waiting another day or two before going whole-hog on the setup. Large and pretty 2 DAP on a secondary on this plant, so if this goes sour, at least I have a backup.   Saturday, July 11 View Page 1460 Gehweiler may or may not have anything viable on the main, but this secondary female opened this morning. Overall, it's my best plant by far, so I'm not too bummed if I have to settle for a secondary. I decided to leave this open, as the bees seem to having more luck with pollination than I am. Almost certainly a self, though, since it's well-removed from the other two plants.   Sunday, July 12 View Page Successful transfer of 1738 Barron x OPEN, 18 feet on main, 6 DAP, to a 48x60 pallet with plywood affixed to the top.   Sunday, July 12 View Page Whoops! Forgot to ask for our Garden Model's approval. Good to know that she likes it!   Monday, July 13 View Page Just finished the Oklahoma Giant Pumpkin Growers (OKGPG) tour by walking 150 feet out my back door. Might be grilling this evening to celebrate.   Monday, July 13 View Page I've done such a poor job pollinating this year that I've allowed the bees to take over, and do what they do best. In the foreground is a styrofoam cooler covering a frozen water bottle and a 2 DAP on a secondary; in the background is the same accommodations on a 1 DAP at 22 on the main. Nothing else happening on this pile of lettuce, so I decided to go for broke. Great plant, but too many aborts.   Thursday, July 16 View Page 10 DAP numbers on the 1738 Barron, 18 main: 30 cc, 21 ss, 22 ee, 73 OTT. Thanks to Don Barron for the great seed, and to Mark Clementz for the products! Now, I just have to keep it happy for another 80 days!   Saturday, July 18 View Page The keeper on the 1460 Gehweiler. 7 DAP at 15 feet on the second secondary. The malformed 6 DAP set at 21 on the main aborted in the past 24 hours, so I'm "all in" with this one. Will make for an easy retrieval, since nothing but a temporary fence is in the way! Setting it on its pallet either today or tomorrow.   Saturday, July 18 View Page 1738 Gehweiler at 12 DAP. 39.5 cc, 28 ss, 28.5 ee, 96 OTT. Silly me worked an 18-hour day yesterday, and forgot to leave the valve open on the Venturi feeder, so this one is getting its feeding this morning.   Saturday, July 18 View Page Finally a set on my 1460 Gehweiler plant for the 150 contest? We'll see. Only 2 DAP, but nothing else has lasted this long. I had been neglecting the weeding on this one because it had been a deadbeat, and I was giving it only a few more days to produce before pulling up the plant.   Saturday, July 18 View Page The aforementioned 6 DAP abort at 21 on the main on the 1460 Gehweiler (non-150). Actually happy that this location wasn't the keeper, since I would have been fighting a lot of things to get it set up.   Saturday, July 18 View Page 1460 Gehweiler, 7 DAP, on its pallet for the first time.   Saturday, July 18 View Page Overall accommodations for the 1460 Gehweiler.   Saturday, July 18 View Page Accommodations for the 1738 Barron.   Monday, July 20 View Page Went fishing in a watermelon patch this evening, and located this pear in action. Females have been very late to arrive, but I have several others that appear to have set. Still enough time for an October weighoff, but they're far enough away that I wouldn't go unless I also have a kin that's worth making the trip.   Tuesday, July 21 View Page 1738 Barron at DAP 15, 50 cc., enjoying a morning shower. This one was quick out of the gate by DAP 10, but now seems to be average for DAP 15. Daily estimated weight gain has not slowed, but it has yet to budge from 6-7 pounds per day for the past three days.   Tuesday, July 21 View Page 1460 Gehweiler at DAP 10, 26 cc. Overall plant seems much healthier than the 1738 Barron, with the exception of that sun-scalded leaf on the right, which now has more appropriate shade. The challenges of growing in Oklahoma, even during a coolish summer.   Tuesday, July 21 View Page Well, this is disheartening. Decided to add some more sand to the perimeter of the 1738 Barron, and discovered this on the bottom. Slightly rolled it, propped it up with pool noodles, and now have a fan on it. It's not soft or wet, but I fear this may be the end of the 1738 Barron at just DAP 15. Thoughts?   Wednesday, July 22 View Page Morning update on the 1738 Barron. Brown spot has not spread or become wet, so maybe much ado about nothing. Still gaining at the same rate per 24 hours. Thanks for the brief talk about it last night, Cecil!   Sunday, July 26 View Page This is the tale of two 196 Bright melons, growing side by side, likely open pollinated within minutes of each other. Don't ask DAP. I didn't find them until they were five inches long. Anyway, one has a more symmetric body, but an asymmetric blossom end. The other has a perfect blossom end, but an ever-so-slight pear to it. Which one would YOU keep?   Sunday, August 2 View Page After a greatly delayed start to the season, the melons are finally growing. This is a 196 Bright, DAP 15, 104 OTT. Doing a steady 4 pounds per day right now.   Sunday, August 2 View Page Our garden model poses with the first melon to earn a tent this year, the aforementioned 196 Bright, DAP 15. Excellent shape, and five feet out on a finger vine.   Sunday, August 2 View Page At DAP 27 and only 180 OTT, I'm not liking the size of this 1738 Barron x Self, but I'm loving the orange! Canister in pic is not relevant to what I'm about to say, but no matter how much compost tea and N I throw on this plant, it never gets past a medium green. Contrast that to its neighbor, the 1460 Gehweiler, which is so dark green on its own that it doesn't need any additional N. Quite the disparity between plants that are close enough that they are touching each other now. For reference, the plant in the background of the watermelon tent (previous pic) is the 1460 Gehweiler.   Monday, August 3 View Page Interesting coloring on the 1738 Barron right now. Ten nearly symmetric lighter radial stripes. By the time they reach the stem end, they're a deeper orange than the surrounding skin. This is a four-lober. Anyone know biology and coloring well enough that you can explain ten stripes? Thanks.   Monday, August 10 View Page Our garden model poses with the 1738 Barron at DAP 35. Slow and ignorant growing here in the Oklahoma summer, but it's up to about 200 pounds, and putting on about 10 per day. Still loving the progress of the color.   Sunday, August 16 View Page Some light cantalouping beginning on the 1738 Barron. Skin is still fairly soft at this point, though.   Sunday, August 16 View Page 196 Bright melon at DAP 29, and about 85 pounds. Putting on a little over 3 pounds per day right now. Will have to decide between Rogers County Fair and Tulsa State Fair late in September, since I don't want to drive out of state with only a sub-200 melon.   Sunday, August 16 View Page 1738 Barron at DAP 41. Not measuring again until DAP 45. Just hoping to get at least another 150 pounds out of this one to make it about 400. Realism.   Sunday, August 23 View Page 1460 Gehweiler showing some green at DAP 43.   Tuesday, August 25 View Page Hello, Squampkin. At DAP 38, the 1460 Gehweiler began showing signs of green. Today is DAP 45, and the green continues to spread. A closer inspection also reveals some orange splotches appearing.   Thursday, September 3 View Page Tri-color Squampkin displaying unusual color patterns. Orange on one side, green on the other, and the flat blossom end is still white. Go figure....   Monday, September 7 View Page Squampkin, your colors are a'changin'. What was once a white gourd began turning green near the stem, and as the color works toward the blossom, some orange is filling in. What will be the final coloring on this one?