2010 Lunar Planting Dates

Good morning, Pumpkinistas!

A quick consultation of my 2010 The Old Farmer's Almanac by Robert B. Thomas, http://www.almanac.com/moon/full reveals the following planting dates for pumpkins by the Moon's phase(s):

Favorable planting dates:

April 23-28, 2010

May 13-27, 2010

June 12-26, 2010

The Old Farmer's Almanac also recommends planting vegetables that bear crops above ground, like pumpkins, from the waxing of the Moon, to the day it is full.

The full moons for April-June 2010 and their names, follow:

Wednesday, April 28, 2010, 8:18 a.m., Pink Moon

Thursday, May 27, 2010, 7:07 p.m., Flower Moon

Saturday, June 26, 2010, 7:31 a.m., Strawberry Moon

So, it's time to start thinking about your planting preparations!

Good afternoon, Pumpkinistas!

Two of the things that I have recently learned from Linda Slupsky of The Epoch Times are:

1) The 2009 Pumpkinmania! Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off & Contest also received press coverage in Indonesia, the link is: http://erabaru.net/internasional/35-internasional/6448-labumania-lomba-labu-raksasa-terberat

2) The Indonesian word for 'pumpkin' is labu.

So no matter if it's pumpkin or labu, giant pumpkin cultivation is going global!

Have a great afternoon!

A Visit to The American Military Museum

Hello, Pumpkinistas!

One of the more interesting aspects of giving giant pumpkin workshops is the interesting and sometimes very unique opportunities to visit out-of-the-way, local and little known attractions that I would otherwise completely miss. This was definitely the case on the way to Mae Powell's home in Pasadena, CA, on Sunday morning, March 21, 2010. My Google maps' route had me heading north on Rosemead Boulevard from the West 60 freeway. After exiting the freeway, just past the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, I saw a sign for the American Military Museum. I made a quick mental note to stop in on the way back home.

So I did. The museum is located at 1918 Rosemead Boulevard, El Monte, CA 91733, at the corner of Rosemead and Rush and their website is: http://www.tankland.com/ . Visitors can take a self-guided tour, Friday-Sunday, 10:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.. Adult admission is $5.00, and a bargain considering the sheer fun and unique historical experience.

From their website: The American Military Museum has been collecting, preserving, restoring, and sharing the largest inter-service collection of military equipment in the Western United States for over 57 years. The museum is all outdoors and therefore will be closed on rainy days.

Fortunately, the weather was perfect for a stroll around the grounds of the museum. The museum exhibits are marked by concrete blocks with numbers on them that correspond with a written description organized inside of a binder that's provided with your paid admission. It's a simple and effective way to organize such a large number of vehicles, armament, and other military-related objects. Plus, greater detailed descriptions are possible using this method as opposed to having signs in front of each exhibit. It also allows the collection to be better appreciated since there is less visual clutter without having signs in front of each tank or landing craft. Walking around the museum is very much like being on a battlefield. It's not surprising that the museum has been involved in many movie and television productions.

If you're a military buff or have ever wondered exactly what a Huey helicopter or Sherman tank look like up close, I highly recommend visiting the American Military Museum next time you're in El Monte.

Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and go on a sunny day!

First Workshop of the 2010 Season:

Off to a Great Start in Pasadena!

Good evening, Pumpkinistas!

Mae Powell, veteran giant pumpkin grower and gardener extraordinaire and her dog Checkers, graciously hosted the first giant pumpkin growing workshop of 2010 at her home in Pasadena this morning. The intimate gathering was treated to a tour of Mae's garden and perhaps even more important as giant pumpkin cultivation is concerned, her compost bin! Because of a lemon tree that was removed and not replaced, Mae has a new spot in her front yard for her 2010 efforts. In fact, she has already prepared her mound and can be seen above, chanting for a monster this season. Workshop attendees were treated to ice tea and an assortment of cookies, and even had an opportunity to be interviewed by Linda Slupsky, the reporter from the Epoch Times who covered the 2007 Pumpkinmania! Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off & Contest and was present to begin her coverage of the 2010 season.

Extreme Gardening:

How to Grow a 500 Pound Giant Pumpkin Workshop
2010 World Tour

Hello, Pumpkinistas!

I am happy to announce this year's workshop schedule. Please mark this page as a favorite, since there will be additions and more information posted as it becomes available.For specific details, reservations, and directions, please contact each workshop venue directly.

Saturday, April 17, 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.-Yamagami's Nursery, 1361 South De Anza Boulevard, Cupertino, CA 95014, (408) 252-3347 http://www.yamagamisnursery.com/







Sunday, April 18, 11:00 a.m.-Van Winden's Garden Center, 1805 Pueblo Avenue, Napa, CA 94558, (707) 255-8400 http://www.vanwindens.com/









Sunday, April 18, 3:00 p.m.-Harmony Farm Supply & Nursery, 3244 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastapol, CA 95472, (707) 823-9125 http://www.harmonyfarm.com/








Saturday, April 24, 9:30 a.m.-Scenic Nursery, 1313 Scenic Drive, Modesto, CA 95355, (209) 523-7978 http://www.scenicnursery.com/

Saturday, April 24, 2:00 p.m.-Sierra Nursery, 3985 Douglas Road, Roseville, CA 95661, (916) 791-7077 http://www.sierranursery.com/

Sunday, April 25, 11:00 a.m.-Westurf Nursery, 1612 Claus Road, Modesto, CA 95355, (209) 576-1111 http://www.westurf.net/

Saturday, May 1, 10:00 a.m.-Bethany Nursery, 5905 NW 185th, Portland, OR 97229, (503) 439-0707 www.bethanynursery.com

Saturday, May 1, 2:00 p.m.-Bird’s English Garden and Nursery , 1296 South Dolan Road, Ridgefield, WA 98642, (360) 887-3270 www.birdsenglishgardens.com

Sunday, May 2, 10:00 a.m.-Tsugawa Nursery and Water Gardens, 410 E Scott Avenue, Woodland, WA 98674 (360) 225-8750

Sunday, May 2, 1:00 p.m.-Shorty’s Garden and Home, 10006 SE Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver, WA 98664 (360) 892-7880 www.shortysgardenandhome.com  

Saturday, May 8, 10:00 a.m.-Cedros Gardens, 330 South Cedros Avenue, Solana Beach, CA 92075 (858) 792-8640 www.cedrosgardens.com

Saturday, May 15, 10:00 a.m.-Farm Supply Company, 224 Tank Farm Road, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406, (805) 543-3751 http://www.farmsupplycompany.com/

Sunday, May 16, 10:00 a.m.-Santa Barbara Home Improvement Center, 415 East Gutierrez Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, (805) 963-7825 http://www.sbhicace.com/

Sunday, May 16, 1:00 p.m.-Island View Nursery, 3376 Foothill Road, Carpinteria, CA, 93013, (805) 684-0324 http://www.islandviewnursery.com/

Saturday, May 22, 11:00 a.m.-Orange County Farm Supply, 1826 West Chapman Avenue, Orange, CA 92868, (714) 978-6500 http://www.ocfarmsupply.com/

Sunday, May 23, 10:00 a.m.-Batavia Garden, 1730 North Batavia Street, Orange, CA 92865, (714) 637-2360

 

Sunday, June 6, 10:00 a.m.-My Garden Nursery, 17414 Bothell Everett Highway, Mill Creek, WA 90812, (206) 300-1816 http://www.mygardennursery.com/

Sunday, June 6, 1:00 p.m.-Bellevue Nursery, 842 104th SE, Bellevue, WA 98004, (425) 454-5531 http://www.bellevuenursery.com/

Mae Powell and her 2009, 287 pound effort!

Seating will be limited.

First Stop:

How to Grow a 500 Pound Giant Pumpkin Workshop
Sunday, March 21, 2010, 11:00 a.m., in beautiful, Pasadena, CA

Good afternoon, Pumpkinistas!

This year's workshop season kicks off with something a little different.

Mae Powell, veteran giant pumpkin grower, and international media darling, will be graciously hosting the season's first workshop at her home in Pasadena, CA, Sunday, March 21st, 2010, at 11:00 a.m.! Seating will be limited, and reservations will be required for this very special event.

To reserve your seat(s) and to get directions, please call Mae at: (626) 795-7661.

More workshop dates and times are being finalized for the 2010 season, so check back here over the next week or so.

Hope to see you soon!

Stuart