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79 Entries.
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Friday, March 8
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Soil cables going in - aim to increase temps for quick establishment. Power on now, and all seems to be up and work. Will see what temps it gets to as no thermostat. Currently suggest 20 degrees c
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Friday, March 8
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Pic now attached!
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Saturday, March 9
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Running a trial compost tea; took out the brass regulator and upped the diameter of the pipe over winter for more air. Got some air leaks reducing output - hunted out some PTFE tape and jubilee clips to Inc efficiency. Darn cold in this garage this time of year, so now some insulation under it. I think I’ll fit a home brew heat band and link to an inkbird to put some temp control on to aid microbial growth. Diff temps favour bacteria / fungi - fungi like it warmer.
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Saturday, March 16
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More compost tea brewer mods; now a home brew heat belt...
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Saturday, March 16
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...rigged to a thermostat & insulation. Running with some adj. water as a second season run, and will see where the temperature lands. Still in the garage which is darn cold, but mess here is preferable to the house. I’d like to get to 70, but sure if that’s possible in this room at this time of the year.
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Sunday, March 17
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Even with the home brew heating belt, I just can’t get the temperature in the compost tea brewer to hit target temps. Room temp is 55 f currently, but belt can only get it to 64 f. Going to try a 50 w aquarium heater.
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Sunday, March 17
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Started a few test run tomatoes for an experiment with myco, a week or two ago. Transplanted into 9 cm pots during the week
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Sunday, April 14
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Put an electric fan in the small greenhouse this year, which is a long standing project. I’m often at work during the hottest parts of the day, so it’s linked to a thermostat.
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Sunday, April 14
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Thermostat screen idea from YouTube - it’s hidden down the bottom of the white tube. Which is linked to the black tube - Duc Taoe in my case! Aim is the black tube heats up and draws air up from the bottom to ensure a passive ‘flow’ of air over the thermostat. Never tried it, but giving it a go.
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Monday, May 6
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Prepped and ready to go. Back from recent hols. Ground watered, compost tea added, soil heating cables back on, and a sprinkling of kelp meal and chicken pellets applied so they can start being broken down and absorbed. And the white plastic cover from last year washed. Need to wash greenhouse to as seems to be covered in layer of dust. First seeds will be sown later this week; tomatoes in pots in pic are just stand ins. Nearly there!
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Friday, May 10
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Seeds started. Fingers crossed!
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Sunday, May 12
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My greenhouse is within WiFi range, so I’ve been tinkering with some kiddie technology as a proof of concept
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Sunday, May 12
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It currently monitors greenhouse temps, humidity and calculates the VPD - and sends it to an app on my phone.
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Sunday, May 12
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There’s a snapshot of ‘current’ greenhouse status (at any given time)
Not sure the ‘target’ figures are correct as such, but it’s interesting to see.
Wishful thinking on the buttons - they don’t actually do anything at the moment. But theoretically they could, from my phone which I’m investigating!
:)
...you can tell I’ve been itching to go for a while so been looking at other projects, but night temps only just starting to rise from 5C (40f) here...
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Friday, May 17
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4.22 Daho and 5.175 Hill are up after being planted when seeds had a few mm of radicle showing a few days ago.
Sadly, my 5.95 Domingo didn’t germinate, but I popped another on. Some backups in pots if needed, but I’d like 2 Domingos in the mix of my 7 plants. My own seed of the 5.95 has germinated and transplanted - fingers crossed.
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Wednesday, May 29
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Looks like we’re off.
Plot 1 (GH)
2 x Smith 5.27 (Domingo)
1 x 4.28 Spaziani (BZ x Domingo)
1 x 4.22 Daho (MegaMarv it turns out, checking latest Mendi diaries)
1 x 4.72 Meisner (Delicious)
1 x 5.175 Hill (BZ)
1 x 6.02 dmg Smith (BZ)
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Wednesday, May 29
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Tried 2 of the 5.95 Domingos, but neither successfully germinated, so opted for two of my own Domingos descended from the same seed
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Wednesday, May 29
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Plot 2 (Farm)
2 x 4.74 Wiesli
1 x 5.175 Hill
2 x 6.02 dmg Smith
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Sunday, June 9
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Awesome drone shot of the farm plot from today. A few giants in here: 4.74 Wiesli (2) 5.175 Hill (1), 6.02 dmg Smith (2)
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Thursday, June 13
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Not my megabloom - but someone else’s grow off my 6.02 Smith seed. Fingers crossed it’s a whopper - great to see, I’m growing a few plants off the same seed.
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Sunday, June 16
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Life has had a few turns of late which mean I’ll need to take a sabbatical on the commercial salad growing. Unfortunately that means that my farm plot (rented) is being pushed to see if someone else might take it on by owners.
Be hard to see it go, having built it from scratch - but I don’t have time to run the salad sideline, and it isn’t my main income.
So...maybe losing access to the farm plot giant plants as a result including: 4.74 Wiesli (2) 5.175 Hill (1), 6.02 dmg Smith (2). Ah, pants.
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Monday, July 8
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Well I can confirm - I moved off the farm plot at the end of June, so my collection of giant tomatoes is halved.
The ones who won’t make it further include: 4.74 Wiesli (2) 5.175 Hill (1), 6.02 dmg Smith (2).
That’s a real shame. Focus will shift to giving what I can to remaining plants.
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Monday, July 8
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Plants are staggered in age so it’s not a direct comparison.
But the 4.22 Daho so far does seem to be a beast. Nothing better than a double yet in blooms tho, so I’m holding out.
The 6.02 Smith a lot younger than the other two - would have been interesting to see vs the Hill. A double forming on the Hill, but I’d like 3+.
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Monday, July 8
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Marv’s Delicious is coming along - by comparison to the Domingos, BZ and MegaMarvs; it’s a super compact tower of tomato - narrow and column like in appearance, super dark green foliage. No blooms of note yet tho.
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Monday, July 8
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Across the path, a few Domingos - a quad is forming in the middle, not at pollination stage yet.
Rick - I’m sorry - the Big Marley has really struggled as an ant colony set up shop at the base of the plant. I *think* I’ve managed to shake them with countless soakings of water. But it’s really set it back and it’s struggled alongside them for over a month - but looking a lot better this last week. Fingers crossed, I really like the idea of this cross.
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Tuesday, July 16
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Not the biggest mega, but looks like a triple forming on my 4.72 Meisner (Delicious)
Still early days for the flower
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Sunday, July 21
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Plants looking super healthy, Daho still an aggressive growing plant - nothing really pressing ahead on the megabloom front, a few small doubles that I’m passing on.
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Sunday, July 21
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Starting pollinating the Delicious megabloom today, I think it’s a modest looking triple. Let’s see if it takes, and see.
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Sunday, July 21
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I’ve been pollinating the older middle Smith - but I’m not convinced it’s pollinated fully and is fully joined.
There is a good looking bloom on the left starting to form.
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Sunday, July 21
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Forming nicely on the left hand Smith Domingo. Unfortunately tho, I’m having to travel away soon for a few weeks in just a few days. This is really not good timing!!
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Wednesday, August 14
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That 5.27 Domingo sadly didn’t live up to hopes - didn’t pollinate in the middle, grown as two and the stem split out.
I’ve removed it, and will just have go with whatever is on offer on the plant
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Wednesday, August 14
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I also picked off an earlier pollinated Domingo on the 5.27 Smith - just such irregular growth, it was only going to a fraction of the megabloom potential.
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Wednesday, August 14
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The Delicious tho, pollinated well and has started growing.
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Wednesday, August 14
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Had a few choices on the 6.02 Smith BZ - this 10 sepal double...
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Wednesday, August 14
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...and a 15 Sepal 2.5 double on the same plant 6.02 Smith BZ
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Wednesday, August 14
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This was a number of weeks ago; super heathy plants, now bigger still but a poor season for megablooms larger than doubles here - a hot spell when I was away, and pollination despite best efforts hasn’t had 100% of the few large ones about at that time. But a few pollinated now, so we’ll see what comes should weather pick up. There should be some weights in for the team competition before the season is out.
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Sunday, August 25
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All plants 6ft + now (!); can’t complain about growth & health of plants this year, just late on meaningful blooms. Earlier blooms, successfully pollinated would have seen me top them off.
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Sunday, August 25
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4.72 Meisner (Delicious) has crept over 17 inches
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Sunday, August 25
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Another shot of the same
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Sunday, August 25
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On the 6.02 dmg Smith
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Sunday, August 25
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On the 4.22 Daho I’ve pulled off an earlier growing tomato, which was multi-bloom but growing very irregularly - some parts of the tom just not swelling, so I’ve decided to go with the attached as a gamble. Late in the day tho.
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Sunday, August 25
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Two options on the 5.27 Smith Domingo; lower older, yet to choose. (Correcting photo, earlier posting)
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Sunday, August 25
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My entry for the Big Marley- this is off the 4.28 Spaziani (BZ x Domingo) - this particular plant is on the diminutive side vs a number of my other plants which includes both Big Zac & Domingo.
It had a rough ride at the start of the season, and now is shaded by surrounding plants unfortunately. Don’t think I’ll win this competition but will aim to keep it going. :)
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Sunday, August 25
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That leaves the Hill & one of my 5.27 Domingo which have yet to have anything to show for themselves- I’ve been hanging on for successfully pollinated blooms that were 3+, but no joy.
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Saturday, August 31
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Yes - it’s all very late here! A domino here, 2.5x blossom I think.
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Saturday, August 31
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And a BigZac...
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Saturday, August 31
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...Delicious...
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Saturday, August 31
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And a super fun looking MegaMarv caterpillar megabloom.
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Saturday, September 14
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Still all super late, so at the mercy of what Sept / early Oct weather will bring
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Saturday, September 14
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Big Zac
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Saturday, September 14
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Mega Marv
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Saturday, September 14
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And the biggest - a Delicious...
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Sunday, September 15
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Peeking under the plastic - lots of surface roots and plethora of worms getting on with the job
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Sunday, September 15
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Struggling to get in & out of greenhouse now; excess humidity this time of the year is a big concern. Cold nights.
Started the soil heating cables - but one looks to have melted and broken off at a point that it te surface.
The rest of it is buried - i'm not digging it up now, is it even possible to fix in situ?
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Sunday, September 15
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Tomato sexy time. On what are clones off my most aggressively growing plants, tho they won't ness be the biggest for me this year. but it's been a funny old year, and I think these have some great potential: Cross 1 = 5.175 Hill x Daho 4.22. Cross 2 = Daho 4.22 x Smith 5.27 (5.95 line). Cross 3 is reverse of the above = Smith 5.27 x Daho 4.22. Given lateness of season, these will have to be finished off inside and only result in small tomatoes.
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Saturday, September 21
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Different angle..
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Sunday, September 22
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4.72 Meisner Delicious, over the top
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Sunday, September 22
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Big Zac..
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Sunday, September 22
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MegaMarv
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Friday, September 27
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Harvested the 4.72 Meisner, Delicious.
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Friday, September 27
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Across the top....
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Friday, September 27
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Side...
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Friday, September 27
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Unofficial weight first thing this am (commercial scales but no independent witnesses) - 2.776 kg (6.12 lb).
UK record is 2.88 kg. 104 grams in it.
I went down the local shop - blast, no one there!!! Off to work now, going to have to try again later.
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Friday, September 27
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Went back at lunch. Officially submitted GPC weight - 2.772 (6.11 lb).
Lost 4 grams over the am. Guess the stem is drying out. It’s a new PB tho - last year I managed 5.32 and 6.02 dmg.
Taking it to a UK show this evening (Malvern).
Thanks for the seed Marv, growing it’s been a blast! This one will be contributing to Team SaladGreenSandkins. Go team!!
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Sunday, September 29
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Results in - she came in second place at the Malvern Autumn show, just behind a new UK record at 2.9kg (6.39 lb). First time at one of these shows. Great to meet a few folks at the show too - thanks all!
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Monday, September 30
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Still a few tomatoes left; I'm keeping these going for the benefit of the team competition, likely until 12th Oct which is a UK pumpkin GPC weigh off..
Nothing to beat what has already got the scales tho - not enough light / warmth now.
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Monday, September 30
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There's a Domingo in there somewhere..
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Monday, September 30
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MegaMarv; a cracking bloom, just too late in the season
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Friday, October 11
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My Big Marley effort (1.38 lb). Sorry Rick - this plant has had a rough time of it, right from the get go. The seed has much better potential, but this plant had ant colony set up at it's base holding back growth, before quickly being pushed into shade by plants that took advantage. Love the idea of the cross tho, will grow another year.
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Saturday, October 12
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Southampton weigh off today!
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Saturday, October 12
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Daho 4.22 (MegaMarv) has been a super vigorous grower here - blossom just too late tho to reach it's full potential
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Saturday, October 12
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Brought a couple of tomatoes to the Southampton weigh off; many thanks to Ian & Stu Paton for arranging for suitable scales - 5.1 & 5.2 registered today!
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Saturday, October 12
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On the board! Both grown off my own seed, from a few different toms
5.1 Smith was off the 5.27 Smith (Domingo) and the 5.2 Smith off 6.02 dmg Smith (Big Zac). Both green still but it's the last chance of a GPC listing, and there isn't the light or warmth to push them on now.
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Sunday, October 13
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Pics of the toms post competition, now back
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Sunday, October 20
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About to collect seeds from the 3.47 Smith, MegaMarv off the 4.22 Daho. Spot the issue? Er. No seeds. At all. Not one so far!
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Friday, November 1
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Really aught to have cleared the greenhouse by now! ;) don't think it's ever going to be 'not green' unless picked and it comes into the house. Domingo var, will weigh light
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Sunday, November 10
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Really? Seriously? There’s ice on my car, but frost hasn’t yet killed off this Domingo plant in the greenhouse. Night temps down to 37 f at times now..
There’s a big hollow in the centre by the stalk (so it will weigh light) but I’m trying to keep it on the plant until frost kills it in the hope that seeds might mature further as I’m low on Domingo seeds generally.
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Friday, November 22
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Harvesting last of the tomatoes I kept going for seed - 4.95 lb off the 5.175 Hill.
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Friday, November 22
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And this! A monster Domingo in inches (27)- but a huge hollow off the 5.27 Smith (off 5.95) - in at 5.57 lb.
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