Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 42 Entries. Friday, October 16 View Page Test - My happy little strawberry   Friday, October 16 View Page I'm trying the "Indoor Tomato Challenge" put on by Catond. Here is what I plan on growing two plants in. I have never grown giant tomatoes outdoors, let alone indoors, but here goes nothing. Please shoot me an email with any suggestions, tips, advise, criticism (good or bad I can take it) on growing these bad boys.   Friday, October 16 View Page Here is where the grow house is going to go - Hope the kids don't mind that I took over a little spot in the toy room - My wife wouldn't let me put this in family room :)   Friday, October 16 View Page and here she is - I still have to add the doors - I am going to be using 2 dual spectrum LED lights - one over each plant - I figure with the combination of the natural sunlight from the two windows and the two grow lights it should be sufficient - I also have a little fan and space heater that will go in the grow house - I am not sure what to keep the humidity at but I am thinking I will shoot for around 70%   Monday, October 19 View Page This is my garden progression over the coarse of 3 seasons. This makes me laugh for several different reasons and thought I'd share. This is my first garden in 2014. Yes - you're seeing that correctly, it is a 5 x 3 garden with 9 sunflowers, a cherry tomato, pepper plant, and cantaloupes. haha I probably could have snuck a couple more things in there..... It all started because my daughter wanted to grow sunflowers.   Monday, October 19 View Page So this year - I stepped it up a little and built a 24 x 8 garden. In one season I grew my garden size by 12 times - ha- If you look close you can make out the 8 or so pumpkin plants in there. PLENTY of room for all of them but this is what got my hooked on growing pumpkins and when I found the AG world and BP - I have been doing a lot of research on AG's and gardening in general and realized how terrible I was doing - HAHA - if you cant laugh at yourself who can you laugh at   Monday, October 19 View Page and this will be the 2016 patch - approx. 2100 square feet - this garden is only ten times the size of my last one :) - I fear what 2017 will bring - I have been prepping the patch this year for my first stab at AG's next season - and don't worry there is a cover crop over this now, the photo was taken several weeks ago - Just thought I would share the progression of this hobby it makes me laugh - and now I am trying to grow giant tomatoes in my house -haha   Monday, October 19 View Page Doors are on the grow house   Monday, October 19 View Page Just received some seeds from Caton and they are officially in the dirt. 5.75 Domke & 5.16 Domke. Thank you Caton! I am just hoping I can get one to germ, as I have never done this before. Also, I have a couple "sleeper" seeds coming that I should be getting in the mail shortly. Getting excited!   Wednesday, October 21 View Page Happy Day! Received these babies in the mail yesterday. Thanks Porkchop!   Wednesday, October 21 View Page Thanks Scott!   Monday, October 26 View Page First two practice pumpkin seeds popped up in about 3 days. Pretty exciting - sanding, soaking, soil moisture level, heat - everything learned from people before me. thanks everyone!   Monday, October 26 View Page Grow lights came in the mail - TaoTronics Plant Grow Lights E27 12w (660nm and 630nm Red and 460nm Blue) Me: "Those lights are pretty romantic, huh?" Wife: "We are not having sex next to your tomatoes in the kids play room." Me: :( Sounded reasonable to me :)   Wednesday, November 4 View Page Grandmas Sweet Tea! Attempting compost tea for the first time. How do you like this jimmy rigged set up? :) I added about two tablespoons of molasses, couple caps of neptunes harvest fish & seaweed, 1 teaspoon of Greengro ultrafine myco and a large tea bag full of earth worm casting, compost, and happy frog potting soil. I didn't have the air pump to blow oxygen from the bottom but I have this pump that drops water from the top. I think it should work just fine but we will see what happens......   Wednesday, November 4 View Page Here is the 5.16 Domke & 5.75 Domke both Big Zacs - They are just starting to get their first true leaves. I will let them grow for another week or so and pick which one to keep. The 5.75 is my guess. I damaged one of the cots pulling a seed coat off the 5.16 but it is still growing.   Wednesday, November 4 View Page This is the 5.55 Porkchop Domingo. This is my best looking little guy so far. I have another one going that just popped up a couple days ago as a back up. I was 2 for 2 on the 5.55 PC Domingo. Unfortunately, I was 0 for 2 of the germinating the 7.10 Porkchop. Sorry PC I was bummed, but am really excited to grow your Domingo. I did the exact same thing for all the seeds so I am not sure what I did wrong. I still have one seed left from the 7.10 that I will try and grow in the spring.   Wednesday, November 4 View Page Here is a peak inside the grow house. I am using straight Happy Frog potting soil to grow the PC domingo and a combo of compost, Promix, earthworm castings, bone meal, & some garden soil to grow the Domke Big Zac. I added about a dozen worms to the Domke soil mix, so fresh worm poo should be readily available. I am not sure if that was a good idea or not, but I thought it made sense.   Wednesday, November 4 View Page My complex pulley system for raising and lowering the lights. :)   Saturday, November 7 View Page Testing the app for posting - This is why I put the plywood in front - :)   Saturday, November 7 View Page 5.55 pc - they are starting to kinda look like tomato plants - ha   Saturday, November 7 View Page The domke twins - and a little baby backup hiding in there   Thursday, November 12 View Page Oh I will Josiah!   Friday, November 13 View Page There is only one real "Top Dog" in my book.   Friday, November 13 View Page Mr. Tomato Head aka 5.55 porkchop Domingo - kids named and made signs for the plants   Friday, November 13 View Page And "Bullet" the 5.75 domke big zac   Sunday, November 22 View Page Mega bloom??? 5.55 porkchop Domingo   Sunday, November 22 View Page Here's another pic 5.55 pc   Sunday, November 22 View Page 5.55 pc Domingo aka mr tomato head - I have been removing suckers or at least what I think are suckers :)   Sunday, November 22 View Page 5.75 domke big zac - just starting to get a blossom as well - not sure if these are mega blooms are not but I am excited either way   Sunday, November 29 View Page 5.55 porkchop starting to open up - hoping she'll take!   Sunday, November 29 View Page Hero's in a half shell, turtle power - hope the kids don't mind dad stealing their toothbrush for a couple days.   Sunday, November 29 View Page First one on the 5.75 domke -   Thursday, December 3 View Page 5.75 domke big zac - I think it's a double - really not sure though - hope she sticks   Thursday, December 3 View Page This one has really got me excited - I have no idea how many this one is on the 5.55 porkchop Domingo - it's just one big hot mess of yellow :) - really hoping she takes - been shaking it like a crackhead with an electric toothbrush   Monday, December 7 View Page Here's the big hot mess of yellow.... I might have to leave work early to go stare at it some more! I think she's taking...   Wednesday, December 9 View Page 5.75 domke big zac has set! Woohoo! Still waiting on the big hot mess of yellow on the 5.55 porkchop Domingo to fully take. I think it's about 3/4 set I'll post a pic if and when it is fully set. I still don't know how many this is - I am guessing 2   Wednesday, December 9 View Page What did the right side of the tomato say to left? Ketchup - little laffy taffy humor for you :) but seriously catch up! This is the 5.55 porkchop Domingo. This thing is so cool - I topped both my plants - not so much because I am confident it was set but because I am running out of room in the grow house   Thursday, December 17 View Page Here's the hot mess of yellow off the 5.55 porkchop Domingo - you can see a small brown spot on the bottom right - It got a BER spot from grower error - I blame Obama - I am all in on the mater so we will see what happens hopefully dries up - she is still growing   Thursday, December 17 View Page Here's the 5.75 domke big zac - she's starting to take off - I am also all in on this little bad boy now - she's so pretty - sorry I forgot to put something in for size reference but it is about the size of a golf ball maybe a little smaller   Thursday, December 17 View Page Just got an early Christmas present from a friend!!! Is it spring yet...a big thank you to the gentleman that sent me this bundle of happiness   Monday, December 21 View Page Merry Christmas to all! Parents of small children will appreciate this post. 5.75 Domke big zac   Monday, December 21 View Page And the 5.55 porkchop Domingo with the elf