Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 31 Entries. Saturday, April 24 View Page Here's the new patch for 2010 Saturday, April 24 View Page After some wheeling & dealing (to get rid of the camper), A LOT OF WORK,5yds of composted horse manure,25 lbs of Alfalfa pellets,15 lbs of bone meal, 20 lbs of Kelp meal, 10 lbs of Dehydrated poultry waste,30 lbs of Gypsum & a bucket of sweat, I have a decent sized pumpkin patch. Sunday, April 25 View Page Looking back the other way. Other veggies to grow in the background. Sunday, April 25 View Page Compost pile to the right, potatoe box in the foreground (supposed to add boards & soil as the plants grow up). The article I read about them said you have the potential to get up to 100 lbs of spuds from the 2'x2'x3' box...we'll see. Sunday, April 25 View Page This is where my 2nd plant will grow, out onto the lawn. Same amendments in smaller portions.It will be a modified Christmas tree pattern, grown outside of the veggie garden. Sunday, April 25 View Page Here are some peppers & tomatoes growing nicely, I'm going to have a little plant sale in a couple of weeks. Sunday, April 25 View Page More peppers, some flowers that were started later & a few repotted tomatoes. Sunday, April 25 View Page My lowtech germination box, an old cooler with a seedling heat mat in the bottom. It's full of watermelon seeds here, stays right about 90*. Sunday, April 25 View Page After a couple days in the box here's the watermelon seedlings moved under the light, just more "lowtech", a 40 watt shop light, works great! Sunday, April 25 View Page Another shot of the "melon patch". Sunday, April 25 View Page Here are some of my test germinations from my '04 crop, the one in the middle is a hoss! I may give it to my neighbor who has shown some interest in growing. Sunday, April 25 View Page Now for the NITTY GRITTY, here's my seeds for this year. The 1283 Grande from The Biz (Colorado state record) & the 1166 Mohr from Longmont Pete (2nd largest ever grown in Colorado), both were grown last year in some iffy conditions...cool wet weather with TOO MANY hail storms! I hope this good stock will give me a chance to GROWZ EM BIG!!! Sunday, April 25 View Page Seeds are soaking in liquid seaweed/warm water mix for a few hours(3 1/2). Sunday, April 25 View Page Then it's into the pro mix in the custom made containers &... Sunday, April 25 View Page "INTO THE BOX"...Let the real growing begin!! Sunday, April 25 View Page I'd like to thank all the good people who gave me seeds; Mellow pumpkin,the Cooks,Minnesota Melon Man, the RMGVG club. I thought long & hard about what to grow & just had to go with the 2 BIGGEST since I can only grow 2 plants.Thank you all & hey,there's always next year. Sunday, April 25 View Page Here's my little patch protector/squirrel chaser Gunner the Rottwieler. Sunday, April 25 View Page Let's not forget the other 1/2 of the "squirrel patrol" Hank the fetching machine! Sunday, April 25 View Page Got the hoop houses up today, here's the frame;PVC anchored with some rebar... Sunday, April 25 View Page Covered with some 6mil plastic, should warm the soil up nicely. Sunday, April 25 View Page Hoop 2 in the new patch,ground is still WET from 2 1/2" of rain last week...& it's raining AGAIN! Got the houses up in time to hopefully keep my mounds dry. The weatherman says this rain could turn to snow over night...ah springtime in the Rockies!! Sunday, April 25 View Page OH yeah, Happy Birthday to me! OUCH!! Oh well, you're only as you feel...right?? We went out for a really nice dinner & I got the "senior" vitamins, a big bottle of Advil, big tube of Icy Hot, Ha!...all good stuff for a gardener anyway!!! Nice day, thanks Hon! Sunday, April 25 View Page Here's a compost tumbler that I built, actually made 2 & sold 1 to my friend, so I got this 1 for free! I'm trying to sell a few of these in the neighborhood...put it out in the front yard with a sign. I can make 2 in about 3 hrs...what the heck, make a few extra $$$! They work just as well as the fancy $300.00 ones in the gardening catalogs. Wednesday, April 28 View Page They're here! Both of my #1 seeds have sprouted...YAHOO!! The 1166 was 1st,but the 1283 is right there too...YES!!! Now it's under the lights for some color & awaaaay we go! Wednesday, April 28 View Page Here's my homemade compost brewer. An aquarium pump & some PVC pipe & fittings. Looks like it's going to work. I went with the pump for an 80 gal aquarium - $19.99 @ Petsmart. Tuesday, May 11 View Page Planting day! Mother's day! Here's the 1166 Mohr in the ground, ready to take off! Tuesday, May 11 View Page Another shot of the 1166 all tucked in the hoop house, ready for the crazy Co. May weather, they are predicting rain changing to snow tonight & tomorrow. Tuesday, May 11 View Page Here's my 1283 Grande in his heated hoop house, ready to grow big! Tuesday, May 11 View Page The 1283 with it's soaker hose in place...heat,running water...talk about pampered plants! Tuesday, May 11 View Page 1st batch of compost tea brewing nicely! I will spray this batch in the garden as a soil conditioner. I'm using a 1 gal paint strainer for my tea bag & a scaled down version of Starrfarms recipe. Tuesday, May 11 View Page Here's the 1283 on his 1st night in the hoop, the 90 watt Halogen spot light bulb keeps it right about 60* over night.