Message Board - BigPumpkins.com

Oak Grove, Mn

this is looking close..If my numbers are correct Carlo is at 13 inches 22 DAP and Orangeneck is at 14.5 inches at 24 DAP. You both are doing great in first year of winter growing. Keep those babies growing...and keep us posted. I think I might have to step it up next winter to try to keep up.

3/23/2020 6:09:47 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

She cranked it up to 15.25 today.

3/23/2020 8:55:58 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

I think Carlo's tomato is much younger. I am pretty sure mine is around 30 DAP right now.

3/24/2020 2:29:40 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

Orangeneck, from the diaries, I have yours set somewhere around Feb 24, and Carlo's somewhere around Mar 1st. Less than a week younger. I took my numbers from the last diary post where size was listed. For yours, it was March 19th and Carlo was March 22nd.

You both should be proud...it is an accomplishment. Unless you have tried it, you don't realize how difficult it is to grow giant tomatoes indoors.

3/24/2020 4:43:45 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

I’ve got a picture taken 21 FEB where that mega is about the size of a fingernail. I don’t know how long it takes to get to that size from pollination. That is also the day I sent an IM to Wixom with a picture of the single and he confirmed that it was a pollinated tomato. So I’m thinking 30 days. It is too cool in there for optimal growth so it is going slower but hopefully longer than average.

3/24/2020 9:25:34 PM

Torino, ITALY

The picture on my march 1st post shows a single which was about the size of a fingernail, and the little monster already much bigger, but mainly because of being a multi instead of a single.
I have no idea how many DAP it was at that time.

3/25/2020 2:54:35 AM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Hi Carlo I was wondering what temperature you are able to keep the air around the plant and also the food medium? It looks like you have a good growth rate. I think the main error I made was a lack of calcium in my mix, which hopefully you are able to address on the fly. I think the calcium is causing more problems than just the early threat of BER. I think it is affecting the uptake of other nutrients and therefore growth rates. Just a theory for my particular situation.

3/25/2020 9:54:44 AM

Torino, ITALY

Hi Orangeneck, I keep temperature between 65 and 70 F.
As for food I'm gowing in deep water, so not sure how it compares with ground; I basically mix a bit of this and a bit of that, including a lot of "bio"stuff, and bacterias too.
I didn't get any BER, but I was aware of the problem, so I added some calcium (I have no idea if it had any effect)

3/25/2020 11:37:59 AM

wixom grower

Wixom MI.

I think that both of your tomatoes may have more growing time than outdoors because of your cool growing temperatures.
Three years ago my winter tomato took 70 days to grow from flower to red. That was because my bacement temperature was 63° day and night ! Bnot would have some tomatoes turn 35 days after flower because his grow would be over 85° so just keep up what you are doing and i think that you will probably get around 50 growing days after flower.

3/25/2020 12:01:59 PM

Torino, ITALY

actually my previuos tomato took about 50 days (jan 26 - march 15) from fruit set to red :)

3/25/2020 12:49:00 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

That is encouraging Carlo! Has anyone ever thought about shading the tomato like a pumpkin? My light is really, really bright and I have the plant cut back so it can be very close to the plant.

3/25/2020 1:55:36 PM

wixom grower

Wixom MI.

Shading can help outside from sun scorch and maybe help delay the ripening so it can't hurt !!!

3/25/2020 4:55:54 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

I have wondered if part of the reason that the plants grow and ripen so fast for me is not just heat. I am wondering if is a combination of daily degree days and daily light integral. This year, I dropped temps from 85 to less than 77 on average. I still had the same growth curve and ripening time. I do have powerful lights. If I neglect the light adjustment, I get the top canopy with light toxicity. I am watching what you two do, and trying to learn from it.

I am curious Carlo, when you boosted calcium in your deep water, what level did you boost it. For the past few years, I have been running about 10 ml/gallon of cal-mg in my hydro system. This has 5% Ca. This is in addition to the normal nutrient feeding schedule that has a bit of Ca in it. I still have issues with indoor BER.

This is so cool, you both have good sets going...and you are willing to share info. The next few years of winter growing are going to be interesting.

3/25/2020 6:39:23 PM

Torino, ITALY

I didn't measure, I just bought a product called "liquid calcium" and added maybe 2-3 spoons in 70 gallons of water, (and then refilled a bit while changing a bit of water).
Maybe the bacterias helped to balance the solution, or more probably it's just beginner's luck.

3/26/2020 3:42:23 AM

Oak Grove, Mn

Orangeneck, I just saw your diary post...16 inches in a 2 1/2 gallon pot is awesome. And it is a 4 lober. From looking at the dates of your measurements..you are still getting good daily gains. Hope it keeps going at this rate.

Carlo, It looks like your calcium is less than mine. I have never tried any bacterials. Maybe that is the secret, that winter growers need to solve this BER issue.

3/27/2020 10:13:05 AM