Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 72 Entries. Monday, January 3 View Page Come on spring, I have work to do. 2021 was kind to me.   Monday, January 3 View Page Still going to be a few years to be competitive.I need about 600 more yards of compost.At least I have the tools to keep improving.   Saturday, January 8 View Page Time to rediscover indoor growing…where to start?……Heat…. the bullet heater does not fire. At least it is not 20 below like yesterday.. Forget the barn for location and find a light.   Saturday, January 8 View Page I picked a pinch of seeds trying for ten. Decimal division is easier. What to do for the rest of the day…my 2122 winter grow has begun   Monday, January 10 View Page No tangled roots yet…but there is a sprout.   Thursday, January 13 View Page The roots are growing slow enough, I am having enough time to prepare the grow environment. Just wish it wasnt so cold in the pole barn when looking for supplies.   Friday, January 14 View Page uh oh, I may have to start over…i don’t like the color of that   Saturday, January 15 View Page Restart of the restart…Thanks Greg, for the quick care package.   Sunday, January 16 View Page I feel like I am making progress now. I found the door to where I grew in 2019. After moving all the non growing junk out, I started to move the growing room in. I have been finding pieces everywhere. I even found a humidity controller that has never been used. Once seeds sprout I should be able to grow deep water easily. I am hoping to find enough pieces of the aeroponic tank to give that another try.   Friday, January 21 View Page Looks like greg’s seeds are the winners. Green at a bit less than 6 days from soak. I won’t have time to get one in an aeroponic tank. I would need a new filter and perhaps a replacement high pressure tank. This weekend will be setting up the deep water tanks and maybe a bit more. Limited by the 15 amp circuit.   Sunday, January 23 View Page Weekend grow room progress is about done. Have the two tanks set up. I can not remember what i used in the past for nutrient ratios so this year will be relearning. No one needs to comment about the ten cords plugged into one outlet. I dont like it either. I still need to plug in the dehumidifier, humidifier and controller. I am one spot short. Actually 3 spots short with double fan air circulation system. Next weekend’s problem.   Saturday, January 29 View Page This is the stronger plant 2 weeks after seed soak. Finally it is weekend again. Time to make some more improvements in the grow room environment. First to figure out why the circuit breaker tripped twice last week.   Saturday, February 5 View Page 3 weeks since seed soak. I believe I am seeing the first blossom forming on plant 2. Under my magnifying glass it appears to be a mega. It is about a week earlier than expected. Pushing up the level of P and K will just have to happen sooner.   Saturday, February 5 View Page I have collected enough seeds now for about 1/2 of my planned tomato garden. The remaining spaces will probably be filled with seeds that I grew. On the right is the delicious-megamarv cross that Marv made and sent to me shortly before his passing. They are going in the garden for sure.   Sunday, February 13 View Page There is a bit more plant to support the blossom. i finally quit being lazy and changed the nutrient solution today. I miss having water and drainage in the grow area. 5 gallon buckets get heavier with age.   Wednesday, February 16 View Page The first blossom of the winter is looking promising. I am guessing a triple. Unfortunately the ribbon blossom stem was twisting to point the tomato towards a place that it wouldnt have space to grow. I am trying to nudge it in the right direction with a pipe cleaner. I think I heard from someone about a rule of not touching your blossoms…I cant remember.   Saturday, February 19 View Page Greg, I am not sure what i did or did not do to make this plant more dismal than dismal. I know it wasnt sunburn. I am going to pull this plant and put all my amps on the remaining one.   Saturday, February 19 View Page My remaining plant..I have the blossom pointed in a direction that it will have room to expand. Pollination may be a problem. Today will be moving lights, doing a partial reservoir change and general reorganizing of the grow room.   Sunday, March 6 View Page I did not get the first truss tomato pollinated. Hopefully, I can get this one. I want seeds for the outdoor garden.   Friday, March 11 View Page i give up! My success with Domingo stays intact. I am pulling the plant and saving electricity. I will need these lights for starting plants in a month. Not enough time left to wait for another truss. Will try again next winter.   Saturday, March 19 View Page I drive around minneapolis and see all the yards snow free. Then I come home and look at my garden. My hope for an early spring to get the soil built for 2022 keeps going down. I still have 8 inches of snow on the garden..after a week of 40’s and 50’s.   Monday, April 4 View Page It was a bit warmer on Saturday (upper 40’s) so took the little tractor out of the garage and played in the garden. After a day of digging, I decided that this area wont be ready until at least 2023. It has to be twice as large and 4 times deeper and then refilled. Some year it will be ready for giant pumpkins.   Monday, April 4 View Page Just to grow in 2022 I am going to choose this spot. It is about 3000 sq ft of 90% sand. I will have a four day weekend. Hoping to bring in about 35 yards of compost or more in those days. Should be about equivalent to year two or three at my old house. Probably won’t break 1000 pounds but would like something to bring to the Nowthen and Anoka weighoffs.   Monday, April 4 View Page This section is currently my best soil. Unfortunately it is also the shadiest. I have about 2000 sq ft here to grow. The 150 sq ft plant will go here with giant tomatoes in the rest of the area. I don’t expect much this year but anything is better than the last 3 years.   Friday, April 8 View Page I am about ready to pick up the first of many loads of compost. If I can make enough progress in the next two weeks, I will start these seeds. 2261 Schmit, 2350 Gienger, 2003 Kisamore and in the 150 sq ft area the 1665 MacDonald. Only 120 cu yards of material needed for this years pumpkins. I can do it…maybe   Saturday, April 9 View Page 40 cu yds of compost dumped into the pumpkin patch and it only Saturday. When I till, I will find out how much the 10,000 pound trailer compacted the sand. I did buy a subsoiler for the tractor.   Sunday, April 10 View Page Compost has been rough tilled in. I have moved from 0 inches of growable depth to now about 8 inches. Starting on the next layer today. This layer will be topsoil. The topsoil will take more trailer loads. It is heavier. I will add about 30 yards and then make the determination if I have time for layer 3.   Monday, April 11 View Page non-grower-“what did you do on your vacation days” me- “I drove 530 miles” non-grower-“nice, road trips are fun. Where did you go?” me-“about 10 miles from my house” The last load of topsoil is dropping on my ground. 10 yards are already in the garden and this 20 should be soon. Total for the four day weekend, 72 cu yards of material. Good thing I go back to work tomorrow…I need some rest.   Wednesday, April 13 View Page Since,I will have to wait for soil test results, I did not want to wait for nutrients. Delivery drivers probably have been hating me for the past two weeks. Some of these boxes are heavy. My grow partner has done his best to bark away those big trucks, but they keep coming. I am sure he is thinking “Dad what are in these boxes..some of them smell yummy….”   Saturday, April 16 View Page All 72 cu yards of material is in the garden and mixed. I am hoping for no delay in soil test results. Starting seeds tonight. Will need to build the cold frames soon.   Sunday, April 17 View Page 3 seeds soaking and 32 degrees outside with snow coming. Looking ahead at the weather forecast, I see cold and more cold for the rest of April. i want a greenhouse.   Friday, April 22 View Page Soil test is back. I won’t need as many nutrients as what I have in possesion. I like it…they called it loam. I think that high OM is safer on sand.   Sunday, April 24 View Page I have decided on amendments. It is going to take about 25 pounds per 1000 sq ft. Numbers are as close to balanced as I can get them. Will split the application of boron. I have a total of 750 pounds of various nutrients in storage. Fertilizer inflation will not bother me too much for a few years.   Tuesday, April 26 View Page The clear winner of the first round of seed starting is the 2350 Gienger. It will go into the prime spot in the garden. Started a backup 2261 Schmit and 2003 Kissamore on Sunday. The first round are not perfect. Will pickup an 1824 Poti seed on Saturday. I took Thursday and Friday off from work. The plan is to bring enough compost (about 45 cu yds) to finish the 5000 sq ft south patch. Should have 4 full size pumpkins, a 150 sq ft pumpkin and about 20 tomato plants in 12 inches of growable depth. That is as much as I could get done this year. All that is needed is to get past this March weather. It has been wet, cold and miserable with more of the same forecast for the next 10 days.   Thursday, April 28 View Page 2261 Schmit. The plant on the right was started 11 days ago. One cot was a bit immature and the root to stem is in an S shape. The plant is looking a bit better than 4 days ago when I soaked a replacement 2261. This second seed is starting much faster than the first. It is going to be hard decision.   Thursday, April 28 View Page I liked the cross of the 2003 Kissamore 2350x2593(1875x2005)Paton. I wanted to cross the 2261 into it. Initial start of the seed and then a restart is changing my plans. I am not seeing any early vigor. Thinking about starting my only 1875 Mendi. Final seed soaks..this weekend.   Saturday, April 30 View Page Hopefully final seed soak of this year. I am excited about the 1824 Poti. I picked up the Poti at the grow store. This years starting challenge is to see if I can germinate a seed from 2014 and 2015.I might have to build up another 2000 sq ft of garden.   Wednesday, May 4 View Page Gave the first group of plants getting a bit of real sunshine. Looks like I have been keeping them in the dark at 600 UMols. Current late afternoon Minnesota sunshine is at 1200 uMols. Soil has been amended but it is still cold. I measure it at less than 50. I have Friday off. I hope to get a few heating cables in then.   Saturday, May 7 View Page The first plants are in the ground. Finally, we have some good weather. Hoping to get the 150 sq ft pumpkin area ready today.   Saturday, May 7 View Page 5000 sq ft has been composted, amended and beat into little pieces and then beat up more.. I may never go to no till. Tractor is too much fun. Plans have changed a bit based on early seedling performance. In full size sunny patches (approx 900-1000 sq ft) will be the 2350 Gienger, the 2261 Schmit and the 1824 Poti. The 150 plant will be the 1362.5 Pugh squash. The 1665 MacDonald and the 1912 Carter each will go in about 750 sq ft of shade. I am going to have to expand the area a bit for tomatoes. See you in October….   Sunday, May 8 View Page It was a rainy morning so I soaked this years tomato seeds. Trying new seeds and old seeds and lots of different varieties. Now i just have to find some dirt to grow them in.   Monday, May 9 View Page About 9 am this morning i received a text from my daughter. She said it was a downpour, with heavy winds and big pieces of hail. I looked at the weather channel. It said over an inch of rain in an hour, 60 mph gust and 1/4 to 1 inch size hail. I dreaded the worst all day at work. Finally, I am home and can look. Looks bad but is probable salvageable. PB just got more difficult.   Monday, May 9 View Page Now for the positive side of this mornings storm. The shady section of the garden is now not so shady.   Saturday, May 14 View Page All plants are in the ground. The plants that were hailed on earlier were hailed on again two days later. They are looking quite shredded. I am out of backups so they will stay. After the heavy rains I can see that I still have work to do. The center section has not been retilled. It looks like the sand just rises back to the top. I should name the patch something like ‘Dunes of….”   Saturday, May 14 View Page This is one spot in the center of the garden after the heavy rains. This after tilling in 75 yards of compost. I did not expect this.   Saturday, May 14 View Page 150 sq ft plant. The area measures 11 ft x 13 ft. I havent decided if i am going to try the flag pattern, cross the main pattern or a diagonal S. The 1362.5 Pugh 2014 is this years choice for the challenge.   Saturday, May 14 View Page Baby tomato plants getting their first sun. Up so far: 4 Big Zacs, 3 Domingoes, 2 MegamuttD’s, 2 Big Marleys, 1 Megazac, 1 Megadom, 1 MegaMarv and 1 Yellow Delbrut. Waiting to see if anymore sprout.   Sunday, May 22 View Page Plants shredded twice with hail and now last night freezing temps. I think I can write this year off. New project to occupy my time..remodeling the kitchen.   Tuesday, May 24 View Page Pumpkin plants are growing well without any issues. Looks like I have the nitrogen dialed in…look at the nice dark green leaves and they are not getting oversize. I don’t see a leader in the patch yet..all the pumpkin plants look about the same.   Tuesday, May 24 View Page Squash seem to react to low temps a bit better than pumpkins.This is the 1362.5 Pugh in the 150 sq ft area. The 1701 Jutras in the next spot over looks about the same. No frozen leaves on either. Looks like this is going to be a green year.   Tuesday, May 24 View Page I also lost 1/2 of my tomato plants. I would have time to start new ones but I think I will stay with the 9 plants the survived. Every Domingo that I had started did not make it.   Sunday, June 19 View Page 150 sq ft plant. Finally, after a month of watching the plant do nothing it has started to grow. Pollination will be sometime in July. In the background is where the pumpkins were suppose to be. There is hard white wheat growing now. Hopefully this will hold the soil in place until next year.   Sunday, June 19 View Page I still have a few tomatoes growing. I have to confess..i have not been giving them much attention. Need a nice mega to appear to get me interested again.   Saturday, June 25 View Page I think I have a weed problem. But thinking positively…my weeds have never grown this fast and looked as healthy before. I must have made some soil progress this spring. i am not going to till these in. I need the roots to hold what i added. i am going to just mow.Too much washes into the drive during heavy rains with bare soil. 150 sq ft plant in background.   Saturday, June 25 View Page 150 plant…It has been 4 years since I have had vines to bury. I am looping one side of secondaries around to the other. I will only have access to the center of the plant for a short while. Secondaries will be 6 inches apart. It will be an early July pollination..same as my 150 pb of 797 pounds. I don’t like the 11x13 shape as well as my previous shape. Next year can tweak it again.   Monday, June 27 View Page My interest in tomatoes just went up a bit. Mega blossom (maybe approaching super-mega) from a seed from my .87 clone. This is what I needed to get excited about growing again. Mega’s (two or more fused) are now common. Lets come up with a definition for super-mega.   Tuesday, July 5 View Page 150 sq ft patch. I had a nice 6 lober open this morning. Unfortunately the only male I had was one that I put in the fridge 2 days ago. Fingers crossed but the next female is five nodes down the line on the wrong side of stem.   Tuesday, July 5 View Page 150 plant. The space is about 3/4ths filled. I am a bit behind on vine burying but should be caught up soon. I saw my first SVB of this season two days ago. Trap is out and giving a recharge of merit tonight.   Saturday, July 9 View Page 150 plant- 2nd pollination. It is 4 days later than the 1st. Nice 5 lober with 5 fresh males to do the deed. I will let both grow for about a week and then choose the keeper.   Saturday, July 9 View Page Plant is looking healthy. Wish I was about 3 weeks earlier in pollination. I still think I have a chance to break pb 150 weight. 797 is the number for me to beat.   Sunday, July 10 View Page 150 plant- Can you tell which one I am leaning towards for the keeper. I am thinking 3 extra secondaries behind the pumpkin is greater benefit than 4 days of extra DAP.   Sunday, July 10 View Page Now that the squash is almost taken care of, it is time to see if I can salvage a tomato season. I thought white weed fabric would be good for keeping temps down. Unfortunately it doesnt block any weeds.   Sunday, July 10 View Page After inspection, I pulled three plants leaving me five. Blight is an issue. I have zero tomatoes set naturally. There is also an aphid problem with the tomatoes. I have only one blossom that gets me interested. It is big but I am guessing it is two megas not fused. I have about 3 weeks to set tomatoes for fall weighoffs. I will be digging into my winter supplies to see if I can mix some megaforming solutions. The plants will probably be dead in two weeks.   Friday, July 15 View Page 150 sq ft plant- This was my chosen keeper. That is a season ending split for me. I would have to find a female on a secondary for another chance. It would be an end of July pollination and because of the small space in an inconvenient location. Instead I will spend the rest of the summer getting ready for next year.   Friday, July 15 View Page Plant was looking good. I have read that splits were common with this seed. Both of my sets split. Disaster of a year, but still better than the last three.   Sunday, July 17 View Page I have pulled the whole garden with the exception of two tomato plants. I am hoping to at least have something to weigh for the team competition. Here is the first set.   Sunday, July 17 View Page And the second set. It probably is not fused but I can always hope.   Friday, August 26 View Page The season is winding down. I have lost every plant except for one tomato. On the positive side..it might be the largest I have grown since moving to this house. Next year need to put more effort in.   Tuesday, August 30 View Page My big blossom weighed 5.79 pounds. Unfortunately, it was two separate tomatoes not joined. This did not surprise me.   Tuesday, August 30 View Page The smaller weighed 2.078 pounds.   Tuesday, August 30 View Page The larger weighed 3.712 pounds. I grew larger than that the first year at my old house. Obviously, I still have work to do.I am done growing for this year. I have until snowfall to get something ready for next year. Good luck to everyone at the weighoffs.   Saturday, September 24 View Page I had nothing to bring but still had to visit the 1st GPC sanctioned Nowthen weighoff. It is only 6 miles from my house. Good turnout of pumpkins for the event. Congrats Chris Brown. Excellent job of organizing.