Wallnmayer Jr. falls but survives

The sunny and warm weather was good for Junior's growth. Too heavy for the vine tendrils though, as they broke away from the deck rail netting and Junior fell to the ground. He's fine and this will be his resting spot for the remainder of the growing season.

It just keeps growing

Four photos: August 8 - one of the many fruits that have survived, August 6, August 2, July 23 - the monster just keeps growing. We finally decided that enough was enough and on August 6, I pinched back all the runners. Probably won't win the contest since I didn't have the heart to cut off any of the dozens of fruit that have formed and survived...but they were so good to eat last year, that any way you look at it, we'll win...yum - barbecued pumpkin, pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins.

The good one, a Wallmayer seedling

Here's the good one, a Wallmayer adoptee. The vines are nicely growing up to the netting attached to the (wobbly) deck railing. Three pumpkins have emerged with one noticeably bigger as you can see in the middle. Should I pinch the other two, so the bigger one grows bigger? Hmm.

The Survivor

Can you believe it? This plant was a (supposedly) failed seedling from last year's competition. It managed to survive last winter and surprisingly sprouted in mid-June. I thought annuals weren't suppose to survive.

I think this plant deserves some special nurturing.