1000 Pound Pumpkin or a Pie

In their quest for the world’s heavyweight champion, some pumpkin growers will do almost anything. Don Black lives a four-room house in upstate New York, only a few miles from the Canadian border. To say his House is a bachelor pad is to be polite. Don’s walls are bare – except for a few world-champion pumpkin plaques. Don used to […]

Why we plant a trees

We plant trees for their beauty of leaf, whether green in Summer or red in the Autumn; for their bark which becomes particularly fascinating. We plant trees because we love them. Some trees linger in our memories as old friends, from whose branches we have swung and “skinned-the-cat”; under whose cool shade we have rested from play or work. Some trees seem to have moods, changing […]

Biggest Pumpkin Growing Books

We were fortunate to win at Half Moon Bay, California this year. The competition was intense with 80 entries, 10 of which were over 1,000 pounds. The weigh-off is always on Columbus Day. The winner stays until the following weekend to participate in the HMB Pumpkin Festival. Over 250,000 people descend on the small coastal community for the parade, music, […]

Common to Botanical Names Bu-C

A-Br A-Br Bu-C D-Go Gr-J K-O P-R S T-Z 172k 190K 160K 123K 145k 120K 158k 169k   Buchu Agathosma betulina Buchu Barosma betulina Buchu Barosma crenulata Buchu Barosma serratifolia Buck Parsnip Lomatium triternaturm Buck’s Horn Plantain Plantago coronopus Buckthorn Rhamnus catharticus Buckthorn Rhamnus frangula Buckthorns Rhamnus   Buckwheat Fagopyrum esculentum Buckwheat Bush Eriogonum   Buffalo Gourd Cucurbita foetidissima Buffalo […]

South America Hardiness Zone Map

A hardiness zone is a defined geographical area in which a specific category of plant life can grow, according to the climatic conditions, including its ability to withstand certain minimum temperatures of the zone. For example, a plant is described as “resistant to zone 10” which means that the plant can withstand a minimum temperature of -1°C (30 F). A […]

Decorative bark and good foliage color

Broad-leaved ACER CAPILLIPES Young bark striated with white; young growths coral red, leaves turning crimson in autumn. A. davidii, young bark shiny green, striated with white; leaves usually turn yellow and purple in autumn. Long chains of keys striking. A. griseum, paper bark maple, the outer bark peeling in papery flakes to show the copper-colored inner bark; opening leaves bronze […]

Columnar or Fastigiate trees

Columnar or Fastigiate trees To the botanist, the word fastigiate means ‘with parallel, erect, clustered branches’. It has become more widely used in a more generalized sense for trees with narrow crowns. All those mentioned are derived from natural sports and do not come true from seed (if that is produced). They are propagated as cultivars. They generally need careful […]

The World Pumpkin Confederation – History

The World Pumpkin Confederation – History Giant Pumpkin Growing first attained international acclaim at the turn of twentieth century when the late William Warnock of Goderich, Ontario, Canada, sent a 400 pound specimen to the Paris World’s Fair in 1900. This first ever 400 pounder was awarded a special bronze medal and diploma from the French government. Mr. Warnock’s previous […]

Giant Pumpkins

If you would like to know who grew the largest pumpkin this year, or learn how to grow a giant pumpkin that even your dad can’t pick up. This pumpkin patch will provide you with all the answers. Just look at the links below for all the great information you can find about pumpkins.