Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 29 Entries. Friday, January 1 View Page Happy New Year. A new diary for a new year. After harvest last fall, I added an inch of compost/manure and 5 lbs of elemental sulfur to the patch and worked it in good. I then immediately sowed a cover crop just to keep the myco going.   Friday, January 1 View Page New weather station installed for next year.   Friday, January 1 View Page Photo for last post.   Wednesday, February 24 View Page Unseasonably warm last fall. First week in December and I took advantage of the unfrozen ground to do some subsoiling in a unique way. I had developed a plow pan layer after over 20 years of tilling the same depth so I took a 2 inch soil auger and drilled 16 inches deep holes every foot in a checked pattern. I will fill what's left of the holes with overwintered leaf litter from the shelterbelt. Planning to try a giant watermelon this year and this should dramatically increase my drainage capacity. Planning to add about an inch of coco coir to the watermelon grow to help loosen up my soil structure. Not growing a pumpkin this year, instead I will be growing a giant marrow, long gourd, giant cantaloupe, giant tomato, and the giant watermelon. Don't have a lot of sq ft, but I think I can make it work. Pondering a 10X20 greenhouse for the watermelon. Wanting to get an official entry for each class to get in on the Master Gardener contest.   Wednesday, February 24 View Page Photo   Sunday, February 28 View Page My long gourd seed selection for 2021. I bought some new seed this year at the Ohio Valley Growers Seed Sale because last year I had 0% germinaton. May have very well and most probably grower error. I had them on a seed germ mat, but I don't think it was hot enough. This year I am digging out my old chicken egg incubator and try germing them in there with regulated 90 degrees. Not sure If I should pump up the humidity in the incubator or if that would cause seed to rot or catch something before it germs. Hope it works better and I get at least one plant as that is all the room I have.   Sunday, February 28 View Page My one an only marrow option at this point. If someone has some good marrow seed they would share, please email me and I will send bubble mailer. lancej@siouxvalley.net   Sunday, February 28 View Page Here is my watermelon line up. I had these seeds given to me from a friend who quit growing.   Sunday, February 28 View Page My tomato line up. Again if someone would part with some good seeds, much appreciated. lancej.siouxvalley.net   Sunday, February 28 View Page long gourd   Sunday, February 28 View Page Broke down and purchased a seasonal greenhouse. 10x20 ft. I've wanted one for a long time. I will be using it to grow the watermelon. When it gets summer, I will pull the cover and leave the frame to makeshift into a trellis so the watermelon vines can climb up one side, and the marrow and cantaloupe will share the trellis on the other side. Shade fabric can easily be added if needed. I purchased 33 lbs of coco coir that I will expand and add to the watermelon patch. Should be the equivalent to 1/2 in deep. Will add an additional 1/2 inch of composted manure and work in. I will also be adding humic , myco, kelp, worm casting, alfalfa pellets, and leaf litter. Worm casting tea will be used religiously. I have my own worm farm, African nightcrawlers. I will run my drip lines over the top of the soil, then cover the whole patch with cheap landscape fabric, then cover the fabric with straw blanket. Sounds like a good setup, hope it works good.   Monday, March 1 View Page Got my cantaloupe seeds   Tuesday, March 9 View Page The season begins. Watermelon will be grown under the new greenhouse.   Wednesday, March 24 View Page Been a while since updating. I planted my watermelons too deep and had some difficulty. These four have survived and are in my grow tent under two COB LED 3500K grow lights. Survivors include 318.5 Kent, 315.5 Kent, 304 Mudd, and a 290.5 Terry. I have them potted up in 12 liter pots which I plan to leave them in until transplanting into the greenhouse.   Wednesday, March 24 View Page Soil test is back. I will use these AG recommendations for my watermelons, as I have not found any specifics on watermelon fertility requirements.   Wednesday, March 24 View Page Here is a shot of my patch. The worked area, I added 1/2 inch of Coir, 1/4 inch of composted manure, and 1/4 inch of compost, then turned it over with a potato fork. I have some more amendments to add in the next few days, then will shallow till with the Mantis. This is where the greenhouse will be erected. The area with the leaf liter covering the surface will be a giant cantaloupe, and the remainder is yet to be decided. I will cover that area with leaf litter too. Amendments yet to be applied include: 20 lbs humic, 25 lbs kelp, 5 gallons worm castings, 25 lbs alfalfa pellets, and 2 lbs myco. I will use some ammonium sulfate at test recommended rate and balance out the N with urea. I have the boron and manganese on hand and will slurry and apply in a gallon of water over the entire patch. A little triple super phosphate and of course elemental S will also be added. Going with a landscape fabric and straw blanket as an artificial mulch. Drip lines will be put down under the mulch before covering.   Sunday, March 28 View Page We have tomatoes!! This was just a test run, but going to use for the 5 gallon bucket challenge.   Sunday, March 28 View Page Watermelons really cruising along.   Monday, April 5 View Page Watermelons are two weeks old and are growing like crazy. Tomatos are potted up and growing.   Monday, April 5 View Page All amendments applied and incorporated. Going to try to get heating cables buried today, my son is coming over to help put the skin on the greenhouse after work today. Got rain coming in, so may leave the greenhouse off and take advantage of the spring rain.   Tuesday, April 6 View Page Ground ready for heating cables.   Tuesday, April 6 View Page Cables ready for the ground. Had to buy new cables this year, the little snap switch thermostat got damaged and no more snap.   Tuesday, April 6 View Page Cables meet ground.   Tuesday, April 6 View Page Covered and ready to start raising my soil temp. A little extra peat just to get it out of my shed.   Monday, April 12 View Page Watermelon on right 315.5 Kent, on right the 318.5 Kent. Watermelons are 3 weeks old. The two tomatoes to the front are 6.32 Borgers and the two toward the rear are 7.66 Hills. Tomatoes are 2 weeks old.   Monday, April 12 View Page Top/Left watermelon is 304 Mudd, to the bottom/right the 290.5 Terry   Wednesday, April 14 View Page Irrigation drip lines ready to be hooked to the trunk line as the plant grows.   Wednesday, April 14 View Page Landscape fabric down. I will cover this with straw blanket for the watermelon tendrils to grab onto and stay in place..   Thursday, April 15 View Page Cloche on, heating tape on, soil warming. After the melon outgrows the cloche it will be removed from the greenhouse. Way easier to heat a small cloche rather than the whole greenhouse early in the season.