Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 40 Entries. Sunday, March 19 View Page Ok I am going to attempt to grow a large tomato again. It has been more then 20 years since my last attempt. Thanks to all that sent me seeds over the winter. I have more that I can use for may small plot and have shared some with friends. I am challenged in 2 ways. 1. It is quite hot here in 95628 and 2. I have limited grow space. I grow in a 20x20 community garden spot that supplies my home vegetables as well. I have always wanted to grow a 4 pounder so that is my base goal. My normal salad/sandwich tomatoes do quite well with many over 2.5lbs so I think this is achievable. Let the games begin.   Monday, March 20 View Page Ok this is my community garden plot. In November I put in 2 yards of fresh compost, 2 yards of crushed leaves, 5 lbs of hand harvested and dried seaweed, 1 yard of alpaca manure, 3 lbs of powdered egg shell (yes I ate all of those bad boys) and 15 lbs of pelletized chicken manure. Mega worms when i turned it last week. Remember only a portion will be used for my large tomato attempt. My wife says we have got to eat! ??   Monday, March 20 View Page The Kiddos   Saturday, April 22 View Page Ok first planting got wiped out by a late frost while I was in Italy. I had a few extra plants in the nursery so planted those yesterday. Again my goal is a 4 lb fruit so I think I have some good genetics. I have 6 plants for my prize winning tomato. I have the following….2 Pork Chop 8.64’s, Sutherland 8.48, Sutherland Mega Marv 5.57, Greene 5.25, and a Greene 5.48.   Saturday, April 22 View Page Forgot the picture in the previous post   Saturday, April 22 View Page There is some serious spring happening in the back yard   Saturday, April 22 View Page There is some serious spring happening in the back yard   Sunday, April 23 View Page 5 gallon bucket challenge. To tell you the truth I have never grown a vegetable plant in a pot before. The one on the right is a Green 5.54, the one on the left is a Sutherland 8.48, the one in the milk carton is a Green 5.54 in training.   Friday, May 5 View Page Ok the bucket challenge lives. They are getting larger and appear to be happy. Just fertilized with some 10 10 10   Friday, May 5 View Page The girls are doing as well as can be expected. This funky weather is a challenge. We go from low 40’s to 90’s and back again. Throw in a viscous hail storm and I am surprised they are doing as well as they are. Tomatoes are some pretty tough plants. We are due for more rain and high 50s tomorrow then mid 80’s come Wednesday. My onions are bolting since they cant figure out what season it is.   Monday, May 15 View Page Ok I failed to post on Friday. Ran off to the beach for mothers day. From the picture you can see the girls are doing well. I have them all trained to two leads and am removing flower clusters that do not have mega blooms. The weather is starting to become summer like in the 90s so I hope they still pollenate when the time comes. We made some cream roasted leaks from the plants you see in the background and we will get our first squash harvest in a few days.   Monday, May 15 View Page Elder moment. I failed to attach the picture.   Monday, May 15 View Page The 5 gallon bucket challenge is coming along. I partially insulated the buckets (thanks pg3j and they are off the ground to promote airflow. They appear to be doing well. The white spots on the leaves are from hail damage but looks like they will be fine. Mid 90’s for the next 7 days.   Sunday, May 21 View Page Finally started to open. I have been tapping a bit each day to see if i can get it to pollenate.   Sunday, May 21 View Page New addition to the 5 gallon bucket challenge   Sunday, May 21 View Page One of my production tomatoes decided it wants to play the game as well. I currently have 3 of these on a single plant. I have no idea what type of tomato it is since I bought it for salad at the farmers market a few years ago and have been growing the seeds. I don’t even give it extra care.   Sunday, May 21 View Page One of my production tomatoes decided it wants to play the game as well. I currently have 3 of these on a single plant. I have no idea what type of tomato it is since I bought it for salad at the farmers market a few years ago and have been growing the seeds. I don’t even give it extra care.   Tuesday, June 13 View Page Had a few that didn't do what I wanted so am pulling them. i will replace with these three once they get their deep roots. Should be about a weak.   Tuesday, June 13 View Page Based on the article I posted on the message board I am going to stress the heck out of this plant to see if it produces megas right off the bat. It is a clipping from a Greene 5.54. The mother never produced a mega so I am replacing her. I hope I still have enough time. We will see. Going in the refrigerator every night for a weak and then I will plant.   Friday, June 23 View Page Out of the refrigerator and into the bucket. This is definitely not the happiest looking plant   Tuesday, June 27 View Page This is not looking good. The 5 gallon challenge may go the way of the compost pile. 10 days will tell.   Monday, July 3 View Page Odd observation that may be able to help others. We just went through a wicked heat wave. 108 two days in a row with hundreds on either end. I did not have shade cloth so i covered my plants with row cover. I pulled the row cover tonight since it will drop into the 90’s tomorrow. Every clipped tip had growth shoots and flowers. There were even a few megas. I really thought the plants were going to fry but they appeared to have fully enjoy the sauna bath. I kept one mega and clipped everything else. As far as the fruits go, I am starting to get some pigs!! I truly believe I will have a new PB this year. I measured one at random and it was 20” in circumference.   Monday, July 10 View Page Ok this bad boy showed up today. I didn't see it coming. We’ll see   Monday, July 10 View Page Here it is   Monday, July 10 View Page Whats in the there. Mmmm. I was going to harvest tomorrow but looks like friday is the day.   Tuesday, July 11 View Page Update on the abused child. Looks like nightly refrigeration for a week then a three days of 108 degree weather may have had an effect. Remember this is a clone from a plant that produced no mega blooms so it was culled. If you look closely at the pic the one flower looks like it could possibly be a mega on the way.   Tuesday, July 11 View Page Yes I always forget the attachment. It’s an age thing.   Tuesday, July 11 View Page Yes I always forget the attachment. It’s an age thing.   Monday, July 17 View Page Harvesting this one tomorrow   Monday, July 17 View Page This one as well. Neither are very large but I am hoping to beak 3 pounds. These are cherry tomatoes in comparison to Mr Sutherland but I do have a new PB. Next post is of my most anticipated tomato.   Monday, July 17 View Page I found out tomatoes don't like 110 plus degree weather. The entire south side of this plant failed under the weight of this tomato. If I have any chance for my 4lb goal for the year this is it. I tied the plant back up and re wrapped the fruit in cloth. 104 and 105 forecast for Thursday and Friday. I was thinking about uprooting all of my plants but PM me if you guys go for a second tomato on experienced plants. Pollination may be difficult due to the heat but i am in the garden early while it is still below 75. These are all grown in my local community garden. It is kind of a trip since whenever I harvest one of these the coordinator brings her friends to witness the event. If she only knew what large tomatoes looked like.   Tuesday, July 18 View Page I see sandwiches in my future. New PB   Thursday, July 27 View Page Sandwich time   Thursday, July 27 View Page Found this this morning. I didn't even know it was there. A new PB for my first year growing.   Thursday, July 27 View Page Not a farmers size but not bad for my community garden plot. Seed is from the seed exchange. I dont know who donated them but thank you very much.   Friday, July 28 View Page Coming along   Friday, July 28 View Page That is my big one for the year. There are some recent pollinations but they aren't the best megablooms. What the heck I’ll simply pump them up.   Friday, July 28 View Page Ah what do do with many a pound of Domingos. Wild boar red sauce on the way.   Sunday, July 30 View Page Sutherland 8.48 yielded this 2 pounder for the bucket challenge. I have another plant flowering but i think this may be my submission   Sunday, July 30 View Page I don’t know how to do 2 pictures at once so here it is on the scale