Giant pumpkin project REBOOT

So, the 1st set of planted pumpkins

(from a packet that looked like it'd been invaded by bugs)

had a VERY low success rate,

before the Carstens Fire required us to evacuate from our home for 2 days.

View from USFS land about 3 mi north of our house.

Native sunflowers in our yard,

& giant smoke plume, as fire neared our house.

Got to w/in a mile of it. Wheeee!

The evacuation was tough timing for the wee baby plant (1) that had struggled through.

Upon our return it looked decidedly desiccated.

Now it's gone to the giant pumpkin patch in the sky,

free to grow to the giant, sprawling, leafy monster that it hoped to become.

I've heard in heaven the gardening skills are SUPREME.

So, got a fresh packet of seeds, and last night planted another set.

Major concern is raging crop of HUNGRY grasshoppers

we have EVERYWHERE that are eating 

many of our tiny cotyledons.

May need some camo to hide them.

However, I've been listening to a gardening podcast

and they said if you're not trying new things,

working hard, dealing with failures, and trying again,

you're not gardening.

So, giving it another whack. =)

I owe you a photo of the newly tended dirt cube.

xobb