Spokane Update

You know, I really envy all you retired growers or ones that are married
to your plants and have understanding second wives.  I'm behind on the 
garden as usual, including the AGs and my update, but better late than
never...

I chose four seeds to germinate for my two spaces.  I won one of the last
seed auctions and had some others I wanted to try, so it was a tough choice
but I finally settled on:

974 Mettler 1998 (seed from heaviest pumpkin in my collection)
909.5 Lloyd 1996 (second heaviest)
819 Stephenson 1998 (third heaviest plus great looking pumpkin--I really 
    want a nice big orange one!)
734 Marcellus 1998 (Bob(?) sent me a few of these on the condition I grow
    one out and report back as a second year grower so I am keeping my
    promise...)

I sanded the edges, stuck them in milk cartons full of potting soil, and
put them on a heating pad ($10--all I can find is those damn Sunbeam ones
with Hi-Med-Lo rather than a temperature setting, grrrrrr) and under a warm
light. 

Three days later both the 974 Mettler and the 734 Marcellus were up.  The
others never germinated.  

Today I planted those two out--they are hardened off, each has one true
leaf and is working on the second but the 974 Mettler is already pulling
ahead.  Later in the day I transplanted the first 15 of my 100+ heirloom
tomatoes so you can see I have a busy season ahead but I'll keep you posted.
This year as last I am growing 100% organically.  Last year this resulted
in a 321 pound pumpkin from a 730(?) Eaton on my first try--and perhaps 
more interestingly absolutely no disease or pest problems other than 
a few tomato hornworms on the tomatoes and cabbage loopers on my broccoli.
I don't know what to say to you guys and gals with all the pest problems
except it isn't worth it for me to grow a monster if the fertilizers and
pesticides are going to leach into my well water and I'm going to have
to drink them.  Good luck to everyone this season and may the mightiest
pumpkin win!

Shaun in Spokane

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