Engel's Great Pumpkins and Carvings

06/22/2026

Look at this odd mutant, the flower had no stem and is fused with side vine. When it opened it had female parts. These pumpkins are full of recessive traits.

06/21/2026

Pollinated another 515 Engel (869.5 Calai 2000 x 2453 Sherwood 2024) with 1454 Engel 2021(896 Engel 2020 x 359 Foss 2013) today. Yesterday pollinated 855 Engel (507 Engel 2024 x 2453 Sherwood) x 1454.

05/25/2026

Shannon Engel Planted the Dunn County Jail Pumpkin and Squash and then watered them in well with two gallons each of this special fertilizer, and bam two days later we have the area filled in and a pumpkin and squash set. 🤣

05/22/2026

A quick reminder for new growers: the word “-cide” means “to kill.”
Whether an insecticide is labeled organic, natural, or synthetic, its job is the same — to kill insects. The real differences are how they work, how long they last, and how often you need to apply them.

🌿 Organic Insecticides
Organic doesn’t mean harmless. Most organic products are broad‑spectrum, meaning they kill good insects (bees, ladybugs, lacewings) right along with pests.
They also break down quickly, so they must be applied every few days and after every rain.

💦 Contact Insecticides
Contacts only work when they touch the insect.
They don’t move inside the plant, and rain or sunlight breaks them down fast.
Expect to reapply weekly or more during heavy pressure.

🌱 Systemic Insecticides
Systemics — like Imidacloprid — are absorbed through the roots and move into the plant’s tissues.
They target chewing and sucking insects and can provide weeks of protection from a single early‑season application.
Timing matters: systemics should be used before bloom to avoid exposing pollinators.

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All insecticides have trade‑offs. The goal is smart timing, minimal spraying, and protecting beneficial insects while keeping your plants healthy.

05/19/2026

Yes, We have made the draft and were picked in the 1st round to carve pumpkins October 16th, 17th and 18th at Titletownfor the Green Bay Packers

Jodi Vasey Engel
https://www.packers.com/photos/packers-fans-carve-pumpkins-at-titletown -89f7-4afe-8b99-eab5ca2cd7ec

The free, family fall extravaganza Pumpkin Palooza took over Titletown on Oct. 12-13. Visitors were able to carve pumpkins to help create a one-of-a-kind pumpkin spectacle that will remain on display at Titletown this fall.

05/17/2026

How to stake your pumpkin vine to the ground, using a plastic coat hanger.

04/18/2026

It's alive. 24 hrs and the Cotyledons are up. Watch the pot expand and contract when the air warms and cools.

04/18/2026

It is germination time :)

04/11/2026

Here is a seed starting tip. Before we had a thermostatically controlled grow tent, seeds were started in the oven with just the oven light on, which maintains a consistent temperature of around 85 degrees. Place a note on the oven to inform others.

04/04/2026

Let's talk about Pollination. Pollination of a giant pumpkin does not affect the size, shape, or color of the current year's fruit because the fruit itself is developed from the maternal plant's tissue, while the pollen only impacts the genetics of the seeds inside. This separation of fruit development and seed fertilization ensures that the pumpkin’s physical characteristics are determined solely by the mother plant’s genetics and environmental factors.

So basically unless your are planting the seeds next year you can pollinate with any C. Maxima.