Home What's New Message Board
BigPumpkins.com
Select Destination Site Search
 
Garden Rebel (Team Rebel Rousers) - 2019 Grower Diary Point your RSS aggregator here to subscribe to this Grower Diary.

Show Entries in

Grower Diary Menu
  Back to Previous Page
List Other Grower's Diaries
Submit to Your Own Diary

 
Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 233 Entries.
Friday, February 22 View Page
This is what I've been doing all Winter when I'm not working. Riding my mountain bike uphill then downhill. It's all about getting in shape. Commitment and routine. I haven't felt this good in 25 years. My garden budget has turned into a bike and bike gear budget. Don't give up in whatever you do. Always give 100% or don't do it at all!
 
Friday, February 22 View Page
My photo didn't make it. Let's try again.
 
Saturday, March 23 View Page
Kodiak mustard cover crop coming along after a long winter. Finally starting to grow. I left 5 of the largest Alisa Craig onions I grew in the ground last year in the ground to produce seed this year. They are coming up and look good. Also, two months ago today I started another batch of Alisa Craig onions from seed and transplanted the largest in the ground today.
 
Sunday, April 21 View Page
Thanks Porkchop! What a surprise! First place trophy, 24 WOW season long starter paks, a nice hand written note, and $100. All for last seasons tomato team competition. Rebel Rousers will rise again!
 
Friday, May 10 View Page
Just a reminder how big these Domingo megablooms can get. This was last September off of the 8.22 Porkchop (from 5.95 Konieczny).
 
Friday, May 10 View Page
..being late in the season I put a greenhouse around it in the garden. It pollinated. A week later the heat got too high and cooked the whole thing. Need to figure how to get these started earlier! Currently, my seedlings are a couple of weeks old. Transplant to the garden by the first or second week of June. 20-30 plants this year. Work out of town. Without looking all my Domingo starts were killed due to dry soil except the 5.95 Konieczny. At least I have one Domingo. Sorry Glen "Clayton", sorry Porkchop.
 
Friday, May 10 View Page
I'll grow Kodiak Mustard anytime for the flowers. Seeded in October, this is what it looks like in the spring. Will till in real soon. I got this from Ron Wallace's WOW Organic Wonder Site.
 
Saturday, May 25 View Page
Not much going on in the garden yet so showing something from last year. I took the largest onions and reburied them for seeds this year.
 
Saturday, May 25 View Page
The big onions from last year turned into seed producers this year.
 
Saturday, May 25 View Page
The rest of the onions I started from seed in January are doing well.
 
Saturday, May 25 View Page
Just tilled in the mustard. Added 16 cu/ft. of Perlite, 50 lbs of kelp meal, and some Borax. Thanks Marv for the idea to add some boron.
 
Saturday, May 25 View Page
Larry came over for a visit and brought over a baby goat he just acquired. My dog has never seen another dog like this one.
 
Saturday, May 25 View Page
Tomatoes are 35 days old. Bob's DelBrut cross tomato seeds arrived today! Better late than never. Immediately threw them into soil and onto heat. Also, started a few 6.06 Schmit's. The ones I started last month were accidentally murdered.
 
Saturday, May 25 View Page
A few more tomato plants. The amount I'm going to put in the garden has been steadily increasing. I'll be pushing over 30 than the planned 20. Included are the Big Marley's, 4.10 Sherwood, 5.96 Treece, 7.10 Foss, 5.56, 6.06, 6.02 Spaziani, 4.45 Spaziani MegaMutt Z, 4.41 Spaziani MegaMutt D, 7.19, 6.52, 6.93, 5.13 LaRue, 5.95 Konieczny, 4.0 Marley (5.03 Boudyo), 4.70 Spaziani Zacheart F2, 4.12 Spaziani MegaZac, DelBrut, 6.06 Schmit. I had some Domingo's but they dried up when they germinated. No Porkchop, no Clayton Domingo's.
 
Thursday, June 6 View Page
If you want to be in the top 10 for tomatoes, it is imperative (vitally important) that you put the extra time in. This work from a tilled garden to this point took me 12 hours. I still need to make another row tomorrow, then I can plant my seedlings. We are talking about 1 pound from the top 10 to top 30. You cannot just depend on your good seed. Prepare you garden in the Fall, add amendments in the Spring and till in. I spread a good organic tomato fertilizer then used a broadfork to mix in. The broadfork goes deeper than the tiller. Then I laid down the solar mulch. It heats up the soil 8-10 degrees down deep but weeds won't grow. You have to have loose, fluffy soil. Put down boards to walk on. Producing a 5-6 lb tomato is no problem. It's the 7-10 lb I am working on. After good luck with the weather THEN the proper seed will get me there.
 
Wednesday, June 12 View Page
Thirty three competition tomatoes in the ground. Here in the first row are two 18 day old Delbrut's and 6.06 Schmit's. In the middle is a 3.72 Henderson (5.96 Treece Delicious) started by Mr. Henderson and given to me. What a great way to spend my B-Day in the 95F heat!
 
Wednesday, June 12 View Page
Big Marley row (8). Biggest and baddest of the bunch.
 
Wednesday, June 12 View Page
All the Big Marley's have their first big flowers starting, but not too worried about these. You can't grow a big tomato with a root system the size of a big tomato! "Nipple High" as Chops would say is the sweet spot!
 
Wednesday, June 12 View Page
Both seeds started at the same time. The Big Marley on the right was planted in regular seed starting soil. Nice and loose, but I ran out of this soil and had to use some old potting soil because I didn't want to run into town to get more. The 6.06 Spaziani on the left was planted in the old potting soil. It was more compact. You can see the difference in the two! The 30 I transplanted in the seed starting soil were big. The 10 I transplanted in old potting soil were stunted. Needless to say they didn't make it to the garden. Transplant this thinking to your garden. Do what it takes early to make sure your soil is nice and loose. Use a shovel if you have to if you don't have a tiller. The extra work will pay off.
 
Saturday, June 15 View Page
Alisa Craig giant onions doing well.
 
Saturday, June 15 View Page
Bushel Gourd (384.5 Terry) was the only one out of 3 I was able to germinate. One week in the ground transplanted. Hope to do better this year now that I know how and when they pollinate!
 
Saturday, June 15 View Page
Drip lines installed with timer and deer fence to keep the critters out, especially a few turkey's that have taken up residence here. Hopefully they don't discover that they can fly over it. The weather is perfect and not too warm. As the usual pattern goes, very little rain from here to Oct. 1st so the plants will depend on my well and stored water. Couldn't be happier with my tomato plants.
 
Saturday, June 22 View Page
Delbrut at 28 days.
 
Saturday, June 22 View Page
Giant onion seed heads. I left the largest Alisa Craig giant onions in the ground last year to make seeds this year.
 
Saturday, June 22 View Page
My tomato plants are 60 days old. Most are producing nice first truss megablooms. Whether the flowers pollinate and take off is up to the plant. I think it's a little early personally but the big flowers are cool anyway!
 
Saturday, June 22 View Page
Just a big flower sampling. This is from one Big Marley at 60 days since germination.
 
Saturday, June 22 View Page
This is the 5.95 Konieczny Domingo. A nice ribbon vine trying to form on top of the plant.
 
Saturday, June 22 View Page
Big Marley row.
 
Saturday, June 22 View Page
Brandon, you were asking about spindly plants vs bushy plants. I am thinking good loose soil, solar warming of the soil, and a good mix of ferts in the planting hole will have a great affect on side branch growth. My eating tomatoes the same age do not have the solar warming but everything else. Their side branches haven't even formed yet.
 
Saturday, June 22 View Page
All my plants are mid shin to knee high. The first and second branches are about half the plants length. Soon they will be as big around as the main. They will produce big megablooms like the main. By then the plant will be established enough to produce a viable tomato. These are the one's I look forward too. The white stains on my plants are from an application of Lithovit.
 
Saturday, June 22 View Page
Another nice Big Marley megabloom.
 
Friday, June 28 View Page
Rebel sticker on my buddies freezer in his shop. It's a sign.
 
Friday, June 28 View Page
Went to the store to find ingredients to barbecue a chicken. Thought I would use this rub...another sign..a good sign.
 
Friday, June 28 View Page
A young Delbrut starting to get some legs.
 
Saturday, June 29 View Page
Rebel the pollinator. Tomato flower pollination time with a sterilized electric toothbrush!
 
Saturday, June 29 View Page
6.02 Spaziani
 
Saturday, June 29 View Page
Big Marley. This one has a bunch of flowers crammed in this megabloom.
 
Saturday, June 29 View Page
Another Big Marley. They all have nice first truss megablooms.
 
Saturday, June 29 View Page
4.41 Spaziani Megamutt D F2. Another good cross by the future legendary Chris Konieczny.
 
Saturday, June 29 View Page
Sunflower on top of a 4.12 Spaziani Megazac. Yet another fine cross by the infamous Chris Konieczny that doesn't disappoint. Now can it grow me a big tomato!
 
Saturday, June 29 View Page
Now this is worth losing sleep over. A cobra slowly waking up to take over the garden. A big ball of flowers rising above the rest on this 5.95 Konieczny.
 
Monday, July 1 View Page
Rise of the Kraken !! 5.95 Konieczny Domingo.
 
Monday, July 1 View Page
5.95 Big ball of flowers that go down below and behind also. Took the toothbrush out of the suitcase to give it another shot and the pollen was flying! Now I need to focus on Alaska and not my tomatoes.
 
Saturday, July 13 View Page
Just came back from my favorite place in the world. The place I grew up, Juneau, Alaska. This time I took my wife and two boys for the first time. Here we are perched on a rock after a 4 hour hike way above the glacier I grew up by. It is sure receding and a lot small than I remember!
 
Saturday, July 13 View Page
A couple of days later we hiked down in front of Mendenhall glacier and into an ice cave.
 
Saturday, July 13 View Page
Inside the ice cave. It is hard to get a good perspective on how big it is. Here the ceiling is at least 100' across. Looking through the blue ice.
 
Saturday, July 13 View Page
Caught a bunch of halibut and salmon, got bitten by the largest mosquitoes in the world, ate a lot of food, until next time...now back to the garden, enough of vacation stuff...
 
Saturday, July 13 View Page
Came back to a garden all out of control ! Needs attention. I didn't trim my tomato plants this year. My philosophy is the leaves convert the suns energy into giant tomatoes! Cut them off and you have smaller tomatoes. That simple. Energy is never lost, it just changes places.
 
Saturday, July 13 View Page
On July 1st I used an electric tooth brush on 6 first truss megablooms. Didn't give it much thought since my largest are always later in the season. If you flower looks like this after 12 days, it didn't take!
 
Saturday, July 13 View Page
Here is another. No worries. There is always a next time.
 
Saturday, July 13 View Page
This one took! It's from the 4.12 Spaziani Megazac. Lots of rub marks from stems and leaves. I will say everything pollinated on July 4th so it'll be 9 dap. I just started trimming all the tops and branches but not too heavy of a trim.
 
Saturday, July 13 View Page
Big Marley. It was buried in the middle of the plant grown up against a stem, hence the scratch mark.
 
Saturday, July 13 View Page
Here is a chunky monkey on the 6.02 Spaziani at 9 dap. Most of the flowers took in the megabloom. A couple were not pollinated.
 
Saturday, July 13 View Page
It was nice site to see the 5.95 Konieczny had pollinated! At 9 days since pollination. A few in the megabloom didn't take but I think I'll fly with this one! One part is pushed up against the main stem and I'm still not sure what I'll do. I don't want to cut the main or mutilate the plant too much. I may coax the tomato to the left side slowly. Don't want to snap it off!
 
Saturday, July 13 View Page
Giant onions doing well and ahead of last year. Added drip irrigation this year.
 
Saturday, July 13 View Page
Onions are one of my favorites things to grow. Never an issue and they taste good!
 
Saturday, July 13 View Page
Onions are one of my favorites things to grow. Never an issue and they taste good!
 
Saturday, July 13 View Page
I agonized about what to about the main stem being in the way. In the past I would cut the main below the tomato, but that usually makes the tomato stop growing in my experience.
 
Saturday, July 13 View Page
One of the best inventions for the garden is the pool noodle. I cut it to shape and gently fit it between the stem and tomato. Do it later in the day so you have less of a change of snapping your tomato stem!
 
Friday, July 19 View Page
This is why I don't cut the side branches off the tomato plants anymore. The first truss of each side branch has the same potential to grow a large megabloom just like the main stem, except the plant and root system are farther along. My largest come from these. The main plant is to the right and the side branches are as large or larger than the main stem. This one is from the 7.10 Foss. Once it is pollinated and starts growing I will cut the tips off each branch and top of plant. Later in the season, like the last half of August, tertiary branches will grow which leads to more megablooms for the Fall weigh-offs.
 
Saturday, July 20 View Page
An early big blossom on the Delbrut.
 
Saturday, July 20 View Page
One of the largest blossoms this year in on this other Delbrut. It has the shape I like with four symmetrical tomato flowers attached all the way around!
 
Saturday, July 20 View Page
384.5 Terry bushel gourd starting to run now. Hope to pollinate something in the next week or so. This is the second year growing these. Very little issues and low maintenance with thick leaves that seem to defy disease or insects.
 
Saturday, July 20 View Page
The tomato plants are about tall as me now. This is the first year I haven't had curled leaves. Plants have been the best they have ever been. It's got to be the WOW mustard I tilled in this spring. Also, the 3 WOW starter paks under each plant. The plants are growing loads of flowers also, but that isn't translating in many large megablooms. Just many many singles and doubles across the board. There are some triples though. I guess I'm getting greedy and impatient.
 
Saturday, July 20 View Page
The only Big Marley going from the first truss.
 
Saturday, July 20 View Page
4.12 Spaziani MegaZac at 16 dap
 
Saturday, July 20 View Page
6.02 Spaziani. This one gets my heart pumping! A fully successful pollinated megabloom on the first truss. Five full shaped tomatoes arranged perfectly all around so they have room to grow to their full size. This is where the heavy ones come from. At 16 dap and nearly that many inches around.
 
Saturday, July 20 View Page
Not to be out done is the 5.95 Konieczny, trying to prove that it is indeed worthy of the world record title! Also, 16 dap and nearly as many inches around.
 
Saturday, July 27 View Page
It's a jungle in there! Letting the plants grow until I have one set on a plant does have it's drawbacks. There is too much to go through! It takes lots of time to find big flowers or the ones that took. I grew tomatoes instead of a pumpkin because they take "less time". That didn't work out!
 
Saturday, July 27 View Page
There are too many tomatoes have starting growing within the last week so here is a few. This Delbrut is at 5 days after pollination. I really like the placement of the three fruit in a triangle. Give each individual tomato room to grow! This would be an example of each individual tomato in the megabloom pollinating on three different days. The smaller one was the last to pollinate. The largest maybe a day or two earlier. This would be considered a first truss on this late start seed. The plant is not super huge so we will see.
 
Saturday, July 27 View Page
A nice set on the 4.0 Marley (5.03 Boudyo). Not the Porkchop Marley, a different Marley who works behind the scenes.
 
Saturday, July 27 View Page
I always get excited about any megabloom that pollinates on a 7.10 Foss because for me that means at least 5 lbs. This one is 5dap. It is on the first truss on the first secondary. I have topped every thing else.
 
Saturday, July 27 View Page
OK, on to the older generations. This 4.12 Spaziani Megazac is 15.75" at 23dap. It's been a real struggle to find any other large megablooms beyond the first truss. Singles, some two's, maybe a three here and there.
 
Saturday, July 27 View Page
Here is a 6.02 Spaziani at 14.50" at 23 dap. Not super huge but a lot there all around. Included is a little tomato bling sticking out that I didn't expect.
 
Saturday, July 27 View Page
A Big Marley here at 15.50" and 23 dap. Again, not super huge but a nice fruit none the less. With my 5 Big Marley plants I am seeing Domingo plants in that they are huge! Nothing like the 7.10 Foss they came from. Not seeing Domingo type fruit yet. I have a couple of other Big Marley's set that are just a few days old so more on the way.
 
Saturday, July 27 View Page
OK, this one I'm losing sleep over! The Kraken is on the move! The Kraken you may of heard about in all that Scandinavian folklore! This healthy beast from the 5.95 Konieczny is currently growing at 1.25" per day that last 2 days, 1" per day in the week prior. It is 19.75" at 23 dap with at least 20 more days to grow!
 
Saturday, July 27 View Page
Last Fall I planted 4 Ailsa Craig onions that I grew that were 20" in diameter. This year they produces thousands of seeds from these seeds heads.
 
Saturday, July 27 View Page
Onions are doing well. Ailsa Craig onions. Currently 18" in diameter. I have 30 about this size.
 
Friday, August 2 View Page
First truss tomatoes in progress. All four are at 29 dap. Approximately 20 (I would call round 2) are all around 7 dap. This is the 5.13 LaRue I would call round 3.
 
Friday, August 2 View Page
These are from the 2016 Spaziani 4.69 that I grew the 6.02 from. Just like that plant, I had to pick off one's that would of been perfectly fine. Difficult to choose. Right on track to grow another 6.02 with the chosen one!
 
Friday, August 2 View Page
Delbrut with added Dunkles tomato turbo flavoring.
 
Friday, August 2 View Page
The largest in my garden the last two years was from the 7.10 Foss line. This 7.10 is around 1 week since pollination and on track to grow big.
 
Friday, August 2 View Page
Big Marley first truss at 20" and 29 dap.
 
Friday, August 2 View Page
6.02 Spaziani first truss at 29 dap.
 
Friday, August 2 View Page
4.12 Spaziani Megazac at 19.50" at 29 dap.
 
Friday, August 2 View Page
Will have to get a hold of the GPC police on this one. 5.95 Konieczny at 29 dap. Currently at 24.50" and slowed growth to .50" per day. Hope to pull another 15 days out of it. Who calls in sick from work once getting there then drives 95 miles back home to tend to a tomato? Me. It's all part of the sickness.
 
Friday, August 2 View Page
I have treated the blossom end rot with sulfur and is now hard as plastic and under control. I about threw the towel in.
 
Friday, August 2 View Page
Top view. Just the top part by itself is 21.00" and would of been a nice tomato in it's own right. It's all the tomato down below that brings on the weight.
 
Friday, August 2 View Page
Side view. It is by far the largest tomato I ever grew, especially at this stage. We have three days of mid '90's temps coming up. Hold on!
 
Friday, August 2 View Page
Side view of the 5.95. Didn't see it posted with the others so posted again. It may appear twice.
 
Tuesday, August 6 View Page
Oxheart F2 for those interested. It’s about 10 dap. This is the first photo ever to BP from my phone do don’t know how it’ll be.
 
Tuesday, August 6 View Page
What a confused old man I am...getting my own cross mixed up. Zacheart, not Oxheart.
 
Wednesday, August 7 View Page
Working in the garden is a full time job, nitpicking every little thing. What ever happened to working in the garden for relaxation? There are about 30 or so smaller tomatoes growing I'm watching and keeping track of.
 
Wednesday, August 7 View Page
Giant onions are starting to show their age.
 
Wednesday, August 7 View Page
They are approaching last years size. I think I can get another couple of inches out of them. Then I start giving them away.
 
Wednesday, August 7 View Page
I have a nice crop of Japanese sweet potatoes growing. Thought I would try some. They come in a small package and are pretty expensive for what you get. Really dark red, orange and sweet. The best I've ever eaten. So I put about 10 potatoes in the ground and this is what I got so far. They grow differently than regular potatoes. There are vining out and the leaves are different. I have regular colored potatoes behind.
 
Wednesday, August 7 View Page
Got a really nice bloom on the 5.13 LaRue. Probably the 2nd largest I've seen this year. Good timing for the Fall weigh-offs.
 
Wednesday, August 7 View Page
Looks like this one just took on the Big Marley. All the rest have been 2's and 3's. Look like I got a couple more in this one.
 
Wednesday, August 7 View Page
Speaking of Big Marley, this one just passed 20" at 33 dap. Nice looking tomatoes. Most of them have been this shape.
 
Wednesday, August 7 View Page
This is the 4.69 Spaziani that grew my 6.02. Growing pretty fast and should produce one of the larger one's I grow this year.
 
Wednesday, August 7 View Page
This one won't let me down! From the 7.10 Foss, growing at the fast speed it only know how to do.
 
Wednesday, August 7 View Page
This is one from the 4.12 Spaziani Megazac. Right at 22" and 33 dap. Should make it to over 5 lbs.
 
Wednesday, August 7 View Page
What can I say? The 5.95 Konieczny is still Krack'n, growing .50" per day. Currently at 26.50" and 33 dap. Should get another 10 days out of it. We have cooler weather coming up so it helps. Obviously, there is a healed BER that will have to be scrutinized the by the GPC. I am treating it daily with sulfur that will be washed off when harvested. The rules state, "All tomatoes must be healthy. A healthy tomato must be free of significant soft spots or leakage." "Skin can be cracked but not leaking". Sure it is an ugly spot, but it is not soft or leaking. It has healed over and is like leather. I work 100 miles from this tomato and have driven home almost every day to treat it and check up on it. The lengths I go to save a tomato. I need help and cannot wait for this tomato to be finished, however it turns out!
 
Saturday, August 10 View Page
We got our first dose of rain today. First that I can remember since early May. My tomato plants have never looked better. A combination of a mustard cover crop and WOW starter paks I'm thinking.
 
Saturday, August 10 View Page
Bushel gourd 384.5 Terry. My second year growing them. Took me a long time, like until last week, to finally get a couple pollinated.
 
Saturday, August 10 View Page
Another view of the plant. Really easy to manage and take care of, much more easy than an AG. I wanted to grow something that I didn't have to spend all summer in the garden maintaining because I had other things to do. That didn't work! The sickness took over. If I'm going to compete in the the bushel gourd I'll have to do a little more work I guess. Like vine burying and plant organizing, which I did.
 
Saturday, August 10 View Page
I guess it took? The many others just turned yellow and fell off. This one is hanging on after 5 days and seems to be growing. I'm a little past due on these.
 
Saturday, August 10 View Page
...and another one. Pretty sure this took after 5 days.
 
Saturday, August 10 View Page
Ok, on to the tomatoes. This is the 3.72 Henderson (5.96 Treece) Delicious. Like the layout of the fruit. There is a third fruit in the back corner of the set that was the last to pollinate. This thing will get huge!
 
Saturday, August 10 View Page
Another big hopeful for the Fall is from this 5.13 LaRue. It was suppose to get attacked from my toothbrush today but we had rain!
 
Saturday, August 10 View Page
This Big Marley is the largest set I've had this year! Right at 6 dap.
 
Saturday, August 10 View Page
Speaking of Big Marley, this one is not spectacular but nice looking at 21.00". Still have about 10 days. I have a lot of sets on my 5 plants.
 
Saturday, August 10 View Page
A 7.10 Foss fatty.
 
Saturday, August 10 View Page
Robert Borgers Delbrut at 19 dap. Plants are short and bushy and in great health.
 
Saturday, August 10 View Page
Here we go! Still in grow mode. Put on 0.75" in the last 24 hrs. 37 dap. I'll still give it 10 more days to grow. The cooler weather should delay ripening but doesn't appear to delay the growing.
 
Saturday, August 10 View Page
So I'm working with my tomatoes and I hear this little sound. I wasn't coming from in my head after all.
 
Thursday, August 15 View Page
This year I can say for certain that all the largest megablooms I see on a plant comes from the first truss on the main, secondary, or here on a tertiary. You can see here I cut a secondary when I topped that plant and a tertiary is growing with it's first truss megabloom. There currently is a 25.00" tomato that'll be cut in a week or so. This one should be pollinating about that time just in time for fall weigh-offs!
 
Thursday, August 15 View Page
Here is another example. Believe it or not there is a big ball of flower jammed in the top. Should be pollinating this one in a week also. This one is on the 4.12 Spaziani Megazac. It also has one that will be picked in a week and all the energy will go to this beast of a bloom.
 
Thursday, August 15 View Page
Oh boy! I've watching this one closely on the 5.13 LaRue. A big ball of wrap around flowers and tomato. Starting to take off.
 
Thursday, August 15 View Page
Mark my words. This will be the biggest Big Marley! I'll call it Big Marley #5. All my five Big Marley's are loaded up. I am impressed with this one the most.
 
Thursday, August 15 View Page
This is the 3.72 Hendersen (5.96 Treece) Delicious. About a week old.
 
Thursday, August 15 View Page
This Delbrut is the shiniest tomato in the garden. That's a good thing and means its growing fast. Currently it is 18.00".
 
Thursday, August 15 View Page
This 4.69 Spaziani '16 (that grew my 6.02) is at 15.25". This is a great seed! I had to cull several nice big one's off of it, just like when I grew the 6.02. I have a lot of these seeds left. If you want a few shoot me an email and I'll get you on my seed list for the spring. rickspaziani@yahoo.com
 
Thursday, August 15 View Page
Here's another flower. It'll be a big caterpillar that will wrap around like a big doughnut when it's all said and done. This is on the 6.02.
 
Thursday, August 15 View Page
Speaking 6.02 here is one at 21.00" Not super big but entertaining with the tomato bling!
 
Thursday, August 15 View Page
Here is the largest Big Marley I have going at 22.00" At 42 dap and should pull another week out of her.
 
Thursday, August 15 View Page
Here is the 4.12 Spaziani Megazac. Also at 42 dap. Should get another week and hopefully over 6 lbs!
 
Thursday, August 15 View Page
Here we go! Reached 30.00" at 42 dap. Still green. Would like to get 7,8,9 days more? Is that too greedy? That old blossom end rot has been cleaned out and is dry. Kind of reminds me of Wixoms last year. I could put a golf ball in there. Basically, a small tomato rotted away, I removed the old stuff with a spoon, and it dry. The walls of the neighboring tomatoes can be seen all around so it won't get any deeper. No leaking, dripping, or active rotting.
 
Thursday, August 15 View Page
OK, here is the first view of the blossom side. What a beaut! No issues here. I'm sure there are stresses and strains going on with the stem but so far so good. All the empty spaces are filling up. For the measurement junkies here are the 3 way measurements: 30.00" x 21.00" x 28.00". I'm not sure what M factor to use. I'd be happy with 0.00050. I'm guessing I can get another .50"-1.00" on each of those three measurements. For comparison, a regulation basketball is 29.50".
 
Friday, August 23 View Page
First entry this year. 5.14 Megazac from the 4.12 Spaziani.
 
Friday, August 23 View Page
My second entry! And it's finally over! Not as heavy as anticipated but the largest I've grown non the less. A big thank you to Jim Sherwood and Jack LaRue for driving many hours to witness it. Now on to less stressful 4-6 pounders.
 
Friday, August 23 View Page
Just after it was cut free. Took one hell of a pair of scissors to cut that massive stem. Almost had to bring out the chainsaw. Seriously, it reminded me of delivering a baby when my sons was born. After this I put it on the table and cut the stem down to legal size.
 
Friday, August 23 View Page
Just for reference. That is a regulation 29.50" basketball.
 
Friday, August 23 View Page
Milking it for all it's worth.
 
Sunday, August 25 View Page
Just a few last minute pollinations for our mid October weigh-off. From the 6.02 Spaziani.
 
Sunday, August 25 View Page
Hoping for a winner from the Big Marley. Suppose to be 101F in two days. Not sure if it’ll take.
 
Sunday, August 25 View Page
This beauty is from the 4.12 Spaziani Megazac.
 
Sunday, August 25 View Page
Here is the Big Marley photo.
 
Sunday, August 25 View Page
Here is a nice Delbrut pushing 23.00”.
 
Sunday, August 25 View Page
This Big Marley still going at 51 dap.
 
Sunday, August 25 View Page
My garden looks more like a Halloween display. There are 35 tomatoes in hammocks, most 10-30 days old. After this pic I got a bunch of umbrellas to put over several blossoms to protect from the 101F sun that’s on its way. It won’t be enough.
 
Sunday, August 25 View Page
It’s hard to see but this 7.10 Foss bad boy is a three fused. I don’t expect anything less than 6 lbs from this one!
 
Sunday, August 25 View Page
Aahhh, no photo.
 
Thursday, August 29 View Page
Mmmmm. 12.78 lbs! I mean what if?
 
Thursday, August 29 View Page
Beat my best from last year. Now what to do with 30 of these things! I'll plant a few of the largest again this Fall again for seeds next year.
 
Thursday, August 29 View Page
This is a cull from the 384.5 Terry. The other one I left on the plant is the exact same shape. I'm impressed with those large veins growing from the stem to blossom. Pretty cool.
 
Thursday, August 29 View Page
Thought I'd represent the 6.06 Schmit sometime. This fatty wins the award for a big one grown on the smallest plant. Waist high plant. Knee high tomato. Young, couple of weeks left.
 
Thursday, August 29 View Page
And Bob Borgers Delbrut. I'd give it 24.00". Still nice and green, super smooth triple on n a small bushy plant.
 
Thursday, August 29 View Page
My only representative from last years 4.70 Zacheart cross. This is an F2 measuring around 21.00".
 
Thursday, August 29 View Page
Way too many nice tomatoes to throw up at you guys. So I thought I would just go down Big Marley row. Here I though I planted 5 plants but it was 6. This one is really down low, resting on a pool noodle held up by rocks. Got to be creative. This is from Big Marley #1. Almost 22.00". My goal is to get a 6 pounder out of these this year!
 
Thursday, August 29 View Page
Big Marley plant #2 has been the best plant. I have two on it and cannot bring my self to cut one. Plus it has a HUGE blossom on top that I'll pollinate for the October 18th weigh-off.
 
Thursday, August 29 View Page
Here is the other on the Big Marley #2. Both are around 25 dap and 20.00".
 
Thursday, August 29 View Page
...and here is the flower on top. What a friggen beast! When I cut back the plant for the first two tomatoes, this tertiary grew and this is the first truss flowers. The secondary I cut was a large diameter. I am noticing the largest flowers have been growing out of tertiary's after I cut back a plant. I've been experimenting with this this year. You guys just keep this in the back of your mind for next year. First truss flowers on the main, secondary's, tertiary's. That's where these things come from.
 
Thursday, August 29 View Page
Here is another example. A sight to behold. Love these things! This is from the 4.12 Spaziani Megazac. Last week I had picked my 5.14 from it. When the 5.14 was pollinated and took, I cut back the plant. Cut big secondary's in half. This tertiary with flower grew out by the cut had started emerging a couple of weeks ago.
 
Thursday, August 29 View Page
Close up of the flower. Plenty of stem to provide all the tomatoes with what they need. Just started the toothbrush program and will continue for the next week.
 
Thursday, August 29 View Page
..and yet another. From the 6.02 Spaziani. It was a flower last Saturday, went through 2 days of 99F. I'd give it 3 dap.
 
Thursday, August 29 View Page
Here is the flower up close. Again, I was growing a first truss tomato down low, cut the plant practically in half. Cut through large secondary's. This tertiary grew out near the cut. I cut the original tomato last week as it developed a rot spot. This is why I don't cut secondary's (suckers) off like I used to. Let the plant grow.
 
Thursday, August 29 View Page
Got off track there. Back to Big Marley row. This is from Big Marley plant #3. First truss tomato. I will pick it tomorrow. That would be 57 dap! Not too terribly big at 23.50". Hope to get a decent weight out of it.
 
Thursday, August 29 View Page
Big Marley plant #5. Plant #4 only has some small one's. I had to cull these two 2-3 pounders in favor of a larger one.
 
Thursday, August 29 View Page
..continuing with Big Marley #5, I cut the two smaller one's in favor of this one. Nice size at 22.00' with a long ways to go. Nice, big, solid, fat!
 
Thursday, August 29 View Page
I've been pretty excited about this Big Marley since it was a huge megabloom. Plant #6. The youngest of the bunch. I'm gunning to pass your 5.58 Cindy Tobeck! I don't count in my own competition. I'll just put an asterisks next to my weights.
 
Friday, August 30 View Page
My first Big Marley at 4.97. Very solid at a tad less than 23.00" around.
 
Saturday, August 31 View Page
Well look who I just woke up from a nap.
 
Saturday, August 31 View Page
Impressive now, but I don't feel real confident that these big one's will take. From what I understand super high heat kills the pollen and the she parts. With two days earlier this week of 99F, I don't know. Time will tell. From the 4.12 Spaziani Megazac.
 
Saturday, August 31 View Page
Another from the Big Marley. I'm not seeing pollen fly. Was banking on these for the late Fall weigh off.
 
Saturday, August 31 View Page
Now this one, just made it before the heat wave. Only 5 dap. In a week both ends will be touching and it will be a donut. Not a super fan of this caterpillar shape as lots of potential problems can occur down the line...might as well chop it now. From the 6.02 Spaziani
 
Saturday, August 31 View Page
Again, those ends should be touching in about a week. Plenty of wide stem to feed everyone. Just won't like being all bent up and twisted.
 
Saturday, August 31 View Page
A real beauty going on the 5.13 LaRue.
 
Saturday, August 31 View Page
Nice one on the 4.0 Marley (5.03 Boudyo). The other Marley.
 
Saturday, August 31 View Page
..and on the 6.06 Spaziani. Hope to beat that with this one. There is nothing scheduled to be weighed for at least another 10 days. I'm in big tomato paradise this year. Just living the dream.
 
Saturday, August 31 View Page
I don't know if I'm more excited that the newest TOOL album just came out or how big my onions are!
 
Wednesday, September 4 View Page
This 7.10 Foss is approaching slammer territory. When I uncovered it I bumped the stick and it fell right out its hammock! You know, the sound "crack" is the worst ever. The stem broke half way through. I taped it up, straightened it up, but in another hammock. We'll see if it continues to grow. I looked back at my diary. It's at 44 dap. Could have another 10 days but I don't know.
 
Wednesday, September 4 View Page
Big Marley #6 plant at 30 dap. With 20 days left to go, this WILL be the Big Marley!
 
Wednesday, September 4 View Page
Big Marley #5 plant. This big "single" is at 23.5". Don't know how old it is. All the plants grow and look like Domingo plants. For me, they are more disease resistant here in Oregon compared to the Big Zacs. It's pretty cool to see the pollinating male Domingo part of the cross come out in the plants. Will definitely grow these next year. Each plant throws all kinds of megablooms.
 
Wednesday, September 4 View Page
This is from the 4.0 Marley (the other Marley) from the 5.03 Boudyo. Not sure how old it is but definitely a brick!
 
Wednesday, September 4 View Page
From the 6.06 Spaziani.
 
Wednesday, September 4 View Page
Should of planted more of my own cross with only 1 plant. This is from the 4.70 Zacheart F2. Currently at 22.25". Would really like to weigh heavier than the 4.70 parent. A really nice looking tomato.
 
Wednesday, September 4 View Page
Just a sampling of the many hammocked tomatoes growing. This random one is one of the nicer Delicious tomatoes I have going, from the 3.72 Hendersen (5.96 Treece). Currently 21.50" and 30 dap. Have at least 20 more days to go! A little scary as the one stem is split down the middle, one half going to one side and the other half going to the other. As the tomato grows the split keeps splitting down the middle. The tomato is totally fused.
 
Wednesday, September 4 View Page
A nice one going on the 6.06 Schmit at 23.50" on a little scrawny plant.
 
Wednesday, September 4 View Page
Of all the tomatoes going, this one is the largest! This fat slob is on the Delbrut. Nice cross BNOT! Currently a beef cake at 44 dap and nearly in slammer territory. No sign of blushing. I'd give it 10 more days and 6 lbs+. Everything is attached. With all these tomatoes, no signs of blushing anywhere. I feel I'll be really busy in the next two weeks picking and weighing. Haven't fertilized in a month. Better get on that today.
 
Thursday, September 5 View Page
In the Spring I planted a 5 lb bag of gold, red, and purple potatoes. Today this is what I got, about 20 lbs! After rinsing off this evening these are their colors. Really cool.
 
Thursday, September 5 View Page
Who needs drugs when you can grow potatoes that look like this. OK, a little Oregon pinot noir red wine might of helped here.
 
Thursday, September 5 View Page
Stormy and Flash thought they hit the jackpot with lots of new toys. Flash on the left ended up getting in there and running off with one of them.
 
Thursday, September 5 View Page
Next up for the potatoes are Japanese sweet potatoes. If you've never had them and like sweet potatoes, I'd highly recommend them. Really dark orange and sweet. Anyways, I planted a bunch and dug in there for a test. They are packed in there. Not sure when to dig them up. They are not like the regular potatoes. More like a sprawling vine that roots in the ground and growing like crazy. Probably introduced an invasive species that I won't be able to get rid off.
 
Thursday, September 5 View Page
As predicted from last week, this 9 dap 6.02 Spaziani caterpillar bloom has grow around into a donut. This thing is going to be a rock! Fall weigh-offs in 31 and 44 days.
 
Thursday, September 5 View Page
The absolute last pollination's of the year are these crazy huge blossoms. This one is from the Big Marley. Once again, how I get these things: I let the plant grow, no trimming. I set a tomato. I cut the large secondary's and main down like in half right above a leaf. Out of the stem cut grows this tertiary. If the timing is not too late you can pollinate one for the Fall weigh-off. This is not magic. You also have to make the right soil and use the correct amendments. I experimented with this last year and have been planning on these this year. I have around 10 like this. These are the largest.
 
Thursday, September 5 View Page
This is the other side of the Big Marley. Most of tomatoes in this blossom are swelling so I will call this 1 dap.
 
Thursday, September 5 View Page
Here is another from the 4.12 Spaziani Megazac. The tomatoes are also starting to swell so I will also call this 1 dap. At this point it looks like they made it past the heat spell. Not sure if all took in this one but I see quite a few. Will know in a couple of days if all of them took. Crazy.
 
Saturday, September 7 View Page
It was nice to do something else besides work and garden. Here, She-Rebel and I are preparing for an Iron Maiden concert over the Portland sky line. We are not the city type so it’s always an adventure!
 
Saturday, September 7 View Page
There is no truer fan than a person who irons his shirt before the show. Some may call me an Iron Maiden.
 
Saturday, September 7 View Page
Ahhhh, She-Rebel all decked out in her garb. The real Iron Maiden. Great show. Not the rowdy group of drunken kids from 30 years ago. This was the first concert I’ve been to where the only tickets allowed were barcode scans from your phone. No hand carry tickets for souvenirs. Can be intimidating for the middle aged technically challenged.
 
Thursday, September 12 View Page
Just a quick update. The garden took a hit this week with cold rain. The great Fall slow down in progress. A deer found its way into the garden. No real damage. Ate tips of leaves. I have a motion detector sprinkler that seems to work....in a 25 ft. radius only. This Big Marley will be the nicest for me at 38 dap. Hoping to get into the mid 5 lbs with this one. Most of my mature tomatoes are currently 23-25" with a week to 10 days left.
 
Thursday, September 12 View Page
The stem side of the same Big Marley.
 
Thursday, September 12 View Page
Here's another Big Marley, 24.00".
 
Thursday, September 12 View Page
4.70 Spaziani Zacheart F2 at 24.00. Really like this tomato and plant. Will pick on Saturday.
 
Thursday, September 12 View Page
4.41 Spaziani MegaMutt D. Big single at 24". The fastest and most aggressive plant. There a couple of tomatoes on the same plant like this.
 
Thursday, September 12 View Page
The only flower in the whole garden, unless the deer gets it. Just for fun. Too cold to really grow into anything. Also from the MegaMutt.
 
Thursday, September 12 View Page
Need some heat to keep this thing going. From the Spaziani 6.02. Fast grower at 17.25" and 16 dap.
 
Thursday, September 12 View Page
The big Delbrut ready to go on Saturday. Hard to get a good measurement. Hoping for over 5 lbs.
 
Thursday, September 12 View Page
What the......! Where did that come from? I turn my head for two minutes! Need to get another hammock for that bad boy.
 
Saturday, September 14 View Page
Delbrut 4.88. Nice cross you made BNOT! I’ll grow it again next year.
 
Wednesday, September 18 View Page
Some 3 and 4 pounders. The garden came to a screeching halt with days of cold rain. Real happy with the Big Marleys. Most over 4 lbs. Still have a couple on the vine.
 
Wednesday, September 18 View Page
Weighed a few today. Here is a 4.93 Megamutt D cross. Another fine cross by Chris Konieczny.
 
Wednesday, September 18 View Page
Finally cracked 5 lbs again. From the 6.06 Spaziani that was from the 7.10 Foss. This seed line always puts out for me.
 
Wednesday, September 18 View Page
Speaking of the Foss 7.10, it gave me a 5.41 today. Would of been bigger but two weeks ago the stem snapped in half and I “grafted” it back together so it gained more inches. Thought it was a goner.
 
Wednesday, September 18 View Page
What! No photo! How’d that happen? Will try again..
 
Wednesday, September 18 View Page
4.93 Megamutt D
 
Wednesday, September 18 View Page
Ok, here’s the photo. 5.04 from the 6.06
 
Thursday, September 19 View Page
384.5 Terry gourd
 
Thursday, September 19 View Page
Still trying to crack 5 lbs with the Big Marley. I'll pick this one tomorrow. Hard to measure but its over 24.5".
 
Thursday, September 19 View Page
This Big Marley is 25" + and 45 dap. Really hopes it stays together for the Bauman Farms weigh-off Oct. 5. Sixteen more days. Green and solid. This will be the Big Marley poster child.
 
Thursday, September 19 View Page
Still looking into the future we have a late weigh-off October 18th. This 6.02 Spaziani might make it. Hard to plan for these things. It's cold and wet. You know how your old tomato plants get this time of year.
 
Thursday, September 19 View Page
Sandbag Thursday! Another Bauman Farms contender off the 3.72 Hendersen Delicious (5.96 Treece). Currently 45 dap. This plant was an afterthought, given to me by Andy Hendersen. He had many of these scrawny foot tall plants he was giving away at his feed store for a "local competition". He asked me to grow it just to see what I could do. I told him it wouldn't be fair for me to join his customer competition. It'll be fair at Baumans! Jef, Jack, are you bringing anything you have to carry with two hands!
 
Saturday, September 21 View Page
Finally picked the Ailsa Craig onions. I had several about this size, 5.32 lbs. These are so fun and easy to grow. I start seeds in January and they are in the ground by the end of March.
 
Saturday, September 21 View Page
Larger than last year by an inch. I put a WOW starter pak under each one this year.
 
Saturday, September 21 View Page
What am I going to do with 37 of these guys! Give some away at work, blooming onion...I guess that's deep fried? Freeze some, burgers. I just have fun growing them.
 
Saturday, September 21 View Page
I've used that regulation basketball quite a few times this year. Goodbye big onions. You did good this year. Until next year. I'll bring a few to show and tell at the weigh-off. If anybody wants to give these a try, you have to be diligent and start them Dec-Jan. Just for normal big eating. I don't know how the British competitors do it. Email me rickspaziani@yahoo.com. I have a ton of seeds I grew this year.
 
Saturday, September 21 View Page
This is what I do with my left over tomatoes 2-4.5 lbs. I smoke them in my Traeger barbecue until they are 50% dehydrated, freeze them, then use them in making pasta sauces. They are sweet and smoky, the best use for them in my opinion.
 
Wednesday, September 25 View Page
Big Marley. Nice and green. Cold weather ahead. Will have to bundle it up.
 
Wednesday, September 25 View Page
3.72 Hendersen delicious. Pretty excited about this one. The brown spots are left over "flavoring" that got sprayed on it.
 
Wednesday, September 25 View Page
5.21 from the 6.06 Schmit Big Zac.
 
Friday, October 4 View Page
384.5 Terry. Over 200". The goal for me is 200 lbs. On the chart for this seed over 200" seems to go over 200 lbs. We'll see. My PB is 142 lbs.
 
Friday, October 4 View Page
The big Big Marley taping over 27". It grew .50" in two days after pouring liquid steroids at its base. It still wants to grow and is totally green. I can't believe that today it is 60 days since pollination! I'll risk it and wrap it back up and keep it going until the Terminator Weigh-off on Oct. 18th. The long range forecast calls for '40's and '50's so I'm safe from freezing.
 
Friday, October 4 View Page
I have no other choice than to bring this 3.72 Hendersen Delicious to the weigh-off tomorrow. It still is growing and green.
 
Friday, October 4 View Page
Here is the 3.72 Hendersen again. Frost has killed most everything. That is a 23" Delbrut in the background I'll pick tomorrow also along with a few others.. Big day tomorrow! Looking forward to seeing everyone at Bauman's weigh-off here in Oregon! After the weigh-off I will dig up, probably a ton, of Japanese yams. They have taken over the north side and grow like vines along the ground. Probably invasive and I'll never get rid of them!
 
Monday, October 7 View Page
Here is the 6.66 evil Big Marley.
 
Monday, October 7 View Page
Here is the 6.66 evil Big Marley at Bauman Farms weigh-off. Good enough for a $264 first place! For a tomato! We are generous in our weigh-offs. It was 62 dap and green as a bean. Grew .50” in the last two days. It would of gone on and on but I had to bring something.
 
Thursday, October 10 View Page
With our first hard freeze last night (29F) all the plants died. I was able to look through the plants and find tomatoes I hadn't noticed. How I didn't see this hiding? A cluster of Rob Borgers Delbrut tomatoes were lying on the ground. How they didn't freeze, I don't know. All these were on one truss and weighed 8.5 lbs.
 
Thursday, October 10 View Page
Another view.
 
Thursday, October 10 View Page
I was just trying to find something for our next weigh-off on the 18th. From the 6.02 Spaziani. Nothing super huge and not enough sun and heat to grow to its full potential, but a survivor none the less. Mostly for the spectator people that walk by the table. Although I'm spoiled with big tomatoes, most people that walk by are super astounded, ask questions, ask if they can hold it and get their picture taken. That's whats it's all about for me.
 
Thursday, October 10 View Page
The Big Marley's keep hanging around. This one is over 65 dap. Didn't grow to the biggest size, but it was on the same plant as the 6.66 so will enter it for the weigh-off and keep it for seeds.
 
Thursday, October 10 View Page
The last Big Marley. By the time I pluck if for the Oct. 18th weigh-off it'll be 75 dap. Insane! Cool temps in September kept them going. Plants are dead and tomatoes are just wrapped in towels so don't expect any growth.
 
Friday, December 6 View Page
Tis the season! Spread some holiday cheer! Ignore any pressure to buy buy buy another useless gift. Make something, it means more. Smile more when you are out and about. At least try. Give a $20 to the same old homeless guy you see day in and day out in your small town. Give to your local soup kitchen. Let bygones be bygones. Give without expecting anything in return, anonymously.
 

 

Top of Page

Questions or comments? Send mail to Ken AT bigpumpkins.com.
Copyright © 1999-2024 BigPumpkins.com. All rights reserved.