Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 43 Entries. Friday, January 14 View Page It's snowing outside but the '22 prep is on its way. First investment is some new mill fabric. Thanks, Mark, for going through the trouble of making the stuff available!   Saturday, April 9 View Page Winter has been pretty slow to release its grasp on us in the north. I think we're thaw down to about 3 or 4 inches and it's frost yet. The spring has been wetter than normal as well. I suspect its going to be a very tight turn around for the start. Still, happy to have the hoop up.   Saturday, April 9 View Page Growing two proper (1000 sq ft) plants for the first time plus and am going to see whether there's anything true about the new dirt magic. Bringing the big guns out of the freezer.   Tuesday, April 12 View Page 2 for 2 successful germination. Will start a backup this weekend, but the seeds are our of baggies and in dirt now.   Sunday, April 17 View Page Happy Easter! Plants are both up! 2283 has some less than ideal cots, but that was expected. Both of my seeds were a touch immature. Long as the leaf looks good still plan to roll with it. Starting a 1937 werner as a backup.   Sunday, April 24 View Page Frustratingly slow start to the season. Snow is gone, but it's cold, wet, and windy. Giving up on trying to amend the patch all at once and rather do everything I can to get the hot house footprint dialed in + cables in the ground. We're forecast to be dry (if cool) till Friday I'm hoping to get things done Wednesday, heat for a few days, and get the plants in next weekend. The starts are not thriving, which may be a good thing considering the conditions. 1885 looks fine, 2283 I think has been suffering from it's bad cot. Hopefully they both pick up speed when they're able to get more natural light and are in the ground. I may need to replace my grow light next season. The 1937 backup hasn't popped up from the ground yet, and I started a 1935 Ford 2021 as one final backup (thanks for sharing the seeds in the WGPG exchange, Jim).   Friday, April 29 View Page Cold, wet spring persists. Only about 85 sq ft amended so far. It may get nicer next week. Still, opted to plant out today. Both cables are working and the planting sites were up to 65 degrees. Maybe i will be able to get the rest of the patch finish next weekend. I also forgot how nice it is to have a patch where the big rocks are mostly gone.   Wednesday, May 4 View Page Looks like we may be in for a stretch of decent weather. Hope to get the broadforking done and till in the rest of the amendments on Saturday. Perimeter of the patch is forked out so far. Sure is easier when you don't have to break sod.   Saturday, May 7 View Page Patch forked, tilled, and amended today. The week has been dry and it's actually feeling like spring. Hasn't rained in about a week.   Saturday, May 7 View Page 1885 is off to a solid start, maybe a touch of N deficiency, but gave both plant a shot of CaNitrate yesterday.   Saturday, May 7 View Page 2283 Barlow needs to figure it out. Will get time, but a backup is going in next door Tomorrow.   Saturday, May 14 View Page Hut down. Keeping the base in place for a bit just in case the weather turns. Put my shade cloth up over part of the garden, but it's not covering any plants just yet. Plants still look N deprived and growth is slow. Hope full sun helps kick start the growth.   Thursday, May 26 View Page Weather has been pretty mediocre, had to put the hoop back up before I went away on a work trip. Thankfully my better half kept an eye on things while I was gone. Cut the 2283 ribbon before I left, no final decision on it vs the 1937 alternative yet. 1885 is the best start I've had, probably 6 ft vine, secondaries starting but the plant needs sun and warmth that we're forecast to really start pushing.   Monday, May 30 View Page 1885 Werner. Star of the patch, removed first couple of secondaries. Secondary growth is strong, need to start burying vines soon.   Monday, May 30 View Page Second plant is almost certainly going to be the 1937 Werner. Plant has touched down and is vining. First couple secondaries also removed. 2283 B/J had its ribbon vine cut off but the secondaries that would be the main aren't 100% normal and I don't particularly trust the stump. Will likely remove soon.   Monday, May 30 View Page Optional 3rd plant is the 1935 Ford. Less than ideal position in the garden (near some trees) and behind the others by a week planting. May let it have 200-300 sq ft.   Tuesday, May 31 View Page Memorial Day update. It's been wet, windy, and oscillating between cooler than normal or stormy. Patch needs final till to be finished and drip to be installed.   Tuesday, May 31 View Page Option #1 on the Werner. Unlikely to be large enough to support the plant at pollination but we'll see. The wind is killing me, lost multiple nice mature leaves today (snapped clean off) and much of the rest have been shredded. Thursday may also be windy, but at least the sun should be making an appearance the next few days and it may be calming down.   Saturday, June 4 View Page Final till is done and drip line installed--looking like a real patch suddenly. Also buried my first nodes on the 1885. We need warmer temps and calmer weather. My oldest leaves have been shredded by the wind or been snapped off and growth has stalled out badly. I'll make a final call on the 2nd plant tomorrow.   Friday, June 10 View Page 1885s first female flower. No males available to pollinate, probably only about 10' out. Lots of options available down the vine.   Monday, June 20 View Page Coming in at the wire for a June 20th pollination! 2283 B/J X 1885 Werner. Too bad it's forecast to be 100 degrees today. There's one more down the line that'll probably open late this week/this weekend that is probably the keeper, but we're not far off schedule for having to retrain a new main. 1885 hopeful keeper is opening tomorrow, I think, and it'll be 10 degrees cooler.   Tuesday, June 21 View Page Reached a high of 101 yesterday before storms rolled through and dropped about a quarter inch of relief and the temp to hopefully below 90 today. The favored 1885 prospect opened and was self pollinated with 7 males. Position is great on this flower with 20+ secondaries behind it. Vine training has begun as well.   Friday, June 24 View Page 2283 X 1885 Pollination today. Used 6X males. Highs around 90, but hopefully this will be the keeper. Plan to cut the main on this plant once it's clear she's taken.   Tuesday, June 28 View Page Culled this beautiful set at DAP 13 for a DAP 7 that looked good and was further down the trained vine. 1885   Thursday, June 30 View Page Saddly the 6/21 pollination on the 1885 looks to be going down. Pics from 6/28 and 6/30 are shown. Little or no growth apparent. June 26th pollination is the next main vine option.   Monday, July 4 View Page Storms to start the day. 2283 X 1885 14 DAP.   Monday, July 4 View Page 1885 X Self, 8 DAP. Nice long shape so far.   Wednesday, July 6 View Page Perfection. 1935 Ford X 1885   Sunday, July 10 View Page Santa Ana @ 20 DAP (2283X1885). 160" OTT. She's a bit of a wheel. Secondaries on the "main" have slowed down a lot, 1st two secondaries still growing strong and they and many of their tertiaries are getting terminated this week. Still plant is smaller than I wanted and hope it'll fill in nearer the kin as the vine tips get cut.   Sunday, July 10 View Page 1935 Ford X 1885 Werner. 4 DAP keeper?   Sunday, July 10 View Page Gustov at 14 DAP (1885 Werner X self). Plant should come close to filling up its space this week. About a week behind but hopefully it'll have more pushing power.   Sunday, July 10 View Page The south salad is great, north has catching up to do.   Saturday, July 16 View Page Gustov @ 20 DAP. 1885 Werner X Self. 168" OTT. Star of the patch. Nearly filled out all available space, most secondaries are terminated now, up to 30' each. Time to PUSH.   Wednesday, July 20 View Page Meet Gayle. 14 DAP. 1935 Ford X 1885 Werner. Last kid to the party, but growing OK so far.   Wednesday, July 20 View Page Santa Ana at 30 DAP. 93" cc, 227" OTT. Average of 17 lbs/day for the last 10. Plant is by far the weakest in the patch, leaves are small, putting everything it can into the fruit right now.   Monday, July 25 View Page Santa Ana 2283X1885 at 35 DAP. 246" OTT. The problem child. Still very much a wheel shape. Plant is the outlier in the patch, looks like it has some deficiency. Still growing, bur the leaves aren't much to look at. May give a shot of some GROW.   Tuesday, July 26 View Page Gustav 1885Xself at 30DAP. 220" OTT. This one is a head scratcher. Plants been kicked around by the wind all season but has filled its allotted space and is growing massive tertiary vines left and right. Yet fruit growth isn't where I wanted it to be. Too much N? There are some main vine issues near the stump (early season split, borers got in). HD contender?   Tuesday, July 26 View Page Gayle at 20 DAP 1935 X 1885. The dark horse? 192" OTT, 2nd largest I've grown for the date.   Friday, August 5 View Page Gustov at 40 DAP.. 256" OTT. Still growing tertiaries everywhere but only managing about 10lb per day of fruit growth. Still better off than Santa Ana that was only 252" at Dap 45 and a sickly looking plant.   Friday, August 5 View Page Gayle at 30 DAP. 269" OTT. 30 lb/day and a PB for the DAP for me. Too bad she's a bit of a later set but she may be a bit of a contender.   Sunday, August 28 View Page Gayle got a proper inspection today. Steady gains of 20+ per day, less than 55 DAP, healthy foliage. Should cruise past my PB this week. Can she go the distance?   Saturday, September 24 View Page "Gustov" is officially the 885 Bierle 2022 (1885 Werner 2019 X Self). 6th place at Nowthen, 3rd in the HD voting. Thank you to Chris Brown for organizing an excellent event--it's a great place to host a weighoff.   Saturday, October 8 View Page Was looking through the diary and realized I didn't post a proper end to my '22 season. My 1935 Ford went to Stillwater, became a personal best, and got dropped from a crane (deliberately). It was an ideal day for the harvest fest and great to get a fruit properly weighed at the biggest show around here.