Zion

Here's one from Zion last year... click on the image to see a large version.

San Diego

For all of us in the northern half of the continent, here is a break.

My 12 year old son Bryce enjoyed the nice scenery. To keep this pumpkin related, Bryce has no interest in giant pumpkins.

Blizzard

Just got back Saturday from a trip to San Diego with the family. Wow, it's tough to come back here. This spring really hasn't arrived yet. This morning we have snow and high winds... I suppose it should be classified as a blizzard. I could take a picture, but who wants to see another boring white photo of snow?

Normally the beginning of April ushers in all the things I love. Baseball starts up, warmer temperatures show, and I'm already in the garden with cold crops planted, and working tirelessly toward getting things in place for the giants. But right now it's hard to believe that I'd like to have plants out there in 3 to 4 weeks from now.

Still winter here.............

A year ago yesterday, it was 75 degrees in my town. Yesterday it was 40 with snow on the ground.

Orange bonanza

I don't know how many people noticed, but my good friend Brian C. grew 8 fruits between 744 and 1071 last year, and all of them are true orange-orange crosses. These are crosses between the 869.5 Calai, 1101 Northrup, 500 Northrup, 857 Christensen, and 670 Daigle. I think one of these is going to do well for me this year.

Two plants from one seed?

Well, here is an idea that might be worth writing about.

We talk a lot about cloning, which perhaps isn't technically "cloning", but simply keeping a plant alive all winter and growing it out the next year. Why not try propagation?

I've got a plant going in a gallon pot, which I don't intend to actually put in the patch. I'm just experimenting. We have an old container of rooting powder. I decided to take a cutting and see if I could make a new plant.

So, I cut the first true leaf, dipped in the rooting powder, and planted it in very moist soil, planting a good portion of the stem and firming it in well.

I don't know if this was a wise choice of plant part... that is it might make a whole lot more sense to propagate a portion of a vine rather than the leaf. Well, at least I can see if I can keep it alive.

Remember, you can click on the images to see a larger version.

This once was a 400 pounder...

Here's my neighbor's ~400 pounder from last year. It's still there, in front of the house..... ;-)

Fun squash

This is going into the garden this year along with the giants and all the other stuff. Should be interesting.