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Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 69 Entries.
Tuesday, June 9 View Page
Hey everyone! Been almost a year since I've posted, a LOT has changed in my life. Last winter, I worked my butt off and saved enough money to move out of my grandparents house. Since then, I've got my own place with some community garden space. With covid-19 and my job in healthcare, It was impossible to find time to get any pumpkins going. (Pictured is my Japanese Maple Bonsai)
 
Tuesday, June 9 View Page
Although I'm sad I can't grow much this year, I did start some 9.65 Porkchop seeds. Aka some ReAl sLaMeRs.. This plant is 24 days old. Soil sucks here so I made my own with promix, perlite & fox farms, growing in trashcan. Is 5 lbs even possible in a trashcan? Stay tuned
 
Tuesday, June 16 View Page
At 31 days old, I have a 1st truss megablossom on both of the 9.65s
 
Tuesday, June 16 View Page
One of my 9.65 plants this evening
 
Wednesday, June 17 View Page
Both of the 9.65s in buckets, I also have 2 in the ground.
 
Friday, June 19 View Page
The tomatoes are now protected from rain, and get watered strictly through capillary action in the soil from the bottom-up
 
Sunday, June 21 View Page
Getting close!
 
Monday, June 22 View Page
Trashy looking plants this morning ;) weird thing I noticed: the branches of these plants sometimes get super twisty and flip upside-down at night, righting themselves with the morning sun. Why do they do this? I don't think I've been overwatering
 
Tuesday, June 23 View Page
9.65 beginning to turn yellow
 
Wednesday, June 24 View Page
Someone decided to say hello this morning
 
Wednesday, June 24 View Page
Truth
 
Friday, June 26 View Page
Never had a 1st truss like this...
 
Saturday, June 27 View Page
Rain in the forcast today, hoping the flower is protected enough. She's a sexy lil thing
 
Saturday, June 27 View Page
Loving the color this year
 
Sunday, June 28 View Page
So if I'm counting right this flower has been in bloom for 5 going on 6 days? I really just want the petals to fall off already ... Apologies for all the posts, I only have 4 tomato plants so I have way too much freetime
 
Monday, June 29 View Page
9.65 at 44 days old. Lifted up because of all the thunderstorms
 
Monday, June 29 View Page
Right side up?
 
Thursday, July 2 View Page
11 days of growth in the buckets
 
Thursday, July 2 View Page
Per the advice of porkchop, I gave the plants a 2.5 gallon drench today. I also foliar fed some calcarb under the leaves. Up until this point, I have only watered less than a gallon. I will let the pots dry out over the next 5 days and see what happens
 
Friday, July 3 View Page
Big stem.. I must be compensating for something
 
Friday, July 3 View Page
I pick my petals off as they lose color, so I think this is what most growers would consider 1-2 DAP? I don't mind if I get crap for picking the petals off, my logic is after 5 days of blooming, pollination either occured or didn't, airflow to the stamen must be good like it is with pumpkins?
 
Sunday, July 5 View Page
The 9.65 seems to be all fused... this is the only tomato I have growing so far, I have some nice blossoms on the other trashcan plant.
 
Tuesday, July 7 View Page
So yesterday I named this 9.65 "Cartman" . He looks beautiful.But... alas.. there is already trouble in paradise.. stupid trashcans lol
 
Tuesday, July 7 View Page
So yesterday I named this 9.65 "Cartman" . He looks beautiful.But... alas.. there is already trouble in paradise.. stupid trashcans lol
 
Tuesday, July 7 View Page
So yesterday I named this 9.65 "Cartman" . He looks beautiful.But... alas.. there is already trouble in paradise.. stupid trashcans lol
 
Tuesday, July 7 View Page
Trouble with my wifi too.. oops..
 
Tuesday, July 7 View Page
Let's play I spy... "do you see what I seeeeee"
 
Tuesday, July 7 View Page
It was about now that I emergency Facebook spammed Rick Spaziani and Scott Marley. Both were very fast to reply (I love cell phones) and gave great advice. Rick, unfortunately I had no sulfur on deck so I had to roll with Scott's advice of making a paste out of calcarb and treating all questionable areas. I also sprayed some of the foliage with calcarb. REALLY hoping this works. Cross your toes for me.
 
Tuesday, July 7 View Page
There wasn't much on cartman's front side, but I applied the same amount for all areas of concern because I'm taking no chances.
 
Friday, July 10 View Page
I think cartman wants to live?? Had to remove the main vine to make way for the fruit, but growing 1 sucker to replace lost growth. BER appears to only be on 1 fused area and it hard to the touch. Idk
 
Saturday, July 11 View Page
BER seems to be under control now. Cartman is 12" in cc
 
Sunday, July 12 View Page
Oh I'm growing a trashcan sunflower too. From Henry's 18 footer
 
Monday, July 13 View Page
Cartman at DAP 12. This plant is ridiculous looking and that rot is SO ugly but man do I want that PB... I like his personality anyway the 9.65 (B) plant (kept this one more under wraps) has a few monster megas forming, potentially bigger than cartman's was. Those are still 1-2 weeks away from blooming - hope there's enough time it gets cold here in late August
 
Monday, July 13 View Page
Right side up? I gotta remember to crop these pictures more often
 
Thursday, July 16 View Page
Addiction is a demon I pray no family has to experience, my uncle mike lost his battle with substance abuse yesterday morning. I love you bigguy. Fly high and find peace in stillness.
 
Thursday, July 16 View Page
9.65 aka: "Cartman"
 
Sunday, July 19 View Page
Cartman day 18
 
Tuesday, July 21 View Page
"Cartman" Day 20. 17.75" x 15.25 x 16"
 
Tuesday, July 21 View Page
Another angle, BER sure is ugly
 
Wednesday, July 22 View Page
1 hour before surgery. Yuck.
 
Wednesday, July 22 View Page
1 hour after surgery. Cartman is a little loopy from the anesthesia but I hope now he makes a full recovery. Still growing good as of this a.m.
 
Thursday, July 23 View Page
Weather for the next week. Hope the tomato likes the heat!
 
Friday, July 24 View Page
Day 23. Surgery went well. Cartman gained 1.2" since he went under the knife
 
Friday, July 24 View Page
Photo
 
Saturday, July 25 View Page
Cartman's 4 day average growth is .56" per day, but what excites me is over the last 2 days it has jumped .30" in daily average. This means: tomorrow or the next day he should tape the same as my PB!! (3.90 lbs). Sunny daysssss are a godsend
 
Saturday, July 25 View Page
To say I'm bummed is an understatement. The 9.65 is flashing red at 24 days old! Never even heard of that... It's flashing on the BER side, meaning all my hacking away was a bust. But. I hope and freaking pray I can still squeeze a PB out of it.... 3.91 lbs would be a godsend.
 
Sunday, July 26 View Page
Welllllllll I couldn't save the tomato. Rot kept going and I had to keep cutting sections of tomato away. Saw some fruit flies today and threw in the towel. Taped 3 lbs. Almost taped what my pb taped. Flashing red at 25 days old too. Bummer.
 
Sunday, July 26 View Page
When I picked it I knew right away. Not a PB. didn't know by how much...big stem tho
 
Sunday, July 26 View Page
What oh what was the weight? Could It be 3.5 lbs? 3? 2.5???
 
Sunday, July 26 View Page
When I first sized her up to the scale I was a little more excited
 
Sunday, July 26 View Page
I mean, it makes sense when you look at how much is missing. Still a bummer and a half. I was hoping for 40+ days. I couldn't make it stretch that long.
 
Sunday, July 26 View Page
One last snuggle... lol...RIP cartman
 
Tuesday, July 28 View Page
Sunflower update. Who woulda thought they could grow decently in 20 gallons? No head yet...
 
Friday, July 31 View Page
I originally had a goal of 10 feet, now I think 13 feet would be really cool!
 
Sunday, August 2 View Page
Setup my phone on the ladder
 
Thursday, August 6 View Page
Smile says all... in a trashcan!!! Named this flower "oscar"
 
Sunday, August 9 View Page
Oscar, you look ridiculous, happy to report steady growth still.
 
Monday, August 10 View Page
20 feet of pole. Minus 2 feet for the attachment points. Minus 11 inches in the bucket. If the sunflower gets to the top of the pole, it will be at 17 feet.
 
Monday, August 10 View Page
Photo with my friend Josiah (he is 5 foot 10")
 
Wednesday, August 12 View Page
Apologies if this sunflower nonsense is getting annoying, it's the only real shot at a personal best anything. Last year was my first time growing sunflowers and I got one to 12 feet. Very excited to see this one continuing to grow upward. Photo is 36 hour change in height
 
Friday, August 14 View Page
Approaching 17 feet. Not there yet
 
Friday, August 14 View Page
Right side up - I do this a lot
 
Friday, August 14 View Page
An old friends grandma stopped by to check it out! Kinda neat
 
Sunday, August 16 View Page
Henry brought his drone
 
Tuesday, August 18 View Page
Henry and I took the drone flying off Mt. Sugarloaf in south Deerfield, took it almost a mile out! Super cool Henry.
 
Monday, August 24 View Page
Blooming :) We should start a Trashcan Sunflower challenge (Would anyone do it?) 20 feet in 20 gallons next year?
 
Wednesday, August 26 View Page
Using anything I can for support..I knew growing trashcan tomatoes would come in handy! I wonder if the sunflower is rootbound yet lol
 
Sunday, August 30 View Page
17 feet, 1/2 inch! Thank you guys for the support. Next year: 20 feet in 20 gallons.
 
Wednesday, October 14 View Page
Made my season. Big things coming in 2021.
 

 

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