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Location

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Date Posted

Oak Grove, Mn

This weekend I will be starting some seeds for my winter indoor tomato grow. I had fun last year with it..and want to do it again. Since Catond needs a break from watching over the competition, I will watch over it. The rules are simple....grow the biggest tomato you can indoors over the winter. Starting date is October 15th and the tomato must be weighed by the first day of spring 2017. I will send out ribbons for 1st, 2nd and 3rd. If you wish to participate and do not have any seeds (I was is in this position last year) I can send you some from my summer plants...I only grew them to 3 pounds but they have good genetics. If you are growing indoors this year, please let me know here..so I know to keep an eye on your diary. Lets have fun this winter!

10/14/2016 5:59:14 PM

Lebanon, Oregon

Oh I suppose I will give it a shot.

10/14/2016 11:31:48 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Does time zone matter? Hope not, as 10/15 started 25 minutes ago. Peace, Wayne

10/15/2016 1:25:58 AM

Oak Grove, Mn

plenty of time for growing...nearly 156 days to go until first day of spring. Looks like they list the official time for the first day of Spring as March 20, 2017 at 6:29 am EDT. I wish you success Rick (Garden Rebel). Hoping to see a 4+ pounder this year indoors.

10/15/2016 7:45:57 AM

Vernal, Ut

how do I sign up for it?

10/15/2016 9:04:41 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

just tell us that you are going to try to grow an indoor tomato....and you are in
You will need to post a result in your diary by the first day of spring so we can reward the winners. More posts during the grow season would be even better. It is fun to see how everyone is attempting this challenge.

10/15/2016 9:22:18 PM

Lebanon, Oregon

If you could have one great growing tip for indoors, what would it be bnot, or anybody else? I will have the usual heating pad for starts, transplant to good soil, and a good grow light.

10/16/2016 2:48:00 AM

Oak Grove, Mn

Last year I grew my first indoor tomato in a 5 gallon bucket with a 150 watt LED light. Over the past year as I realized that I could have complete control over the grow environment my setup has improved. I now have multiple lights, temperature control and humidity control. I also have the option of adding CO2 which I have never used since our indoor air quality is high in ppm without it. Last year many growers had difficulty in getting the plants to flower. This is solved easily by making sure your grow light has sufficient red spectrum light. Metal Halide is great for vegetation but is missing the red required for good flowering. Once the plants flower, there are no bees so it is up to the grower for pollination. Some growers used an electric toothbrush to shake the blossom, others just shook it with their fingertip. I use a device made just for the purpose of pollination- the VegiBee available on Amazon. A fan also helps with the pollination plus it has the added benefit of circulating the air around the leaves. This summer I had some issues with root aphids so now I use a systemic pesticide on the plants. I am not done learning new things about indoor growing. I have noticed some occasional bumps on leaves. With research, I have determined that this is called intumesence. It is a condition more predominant in greenhouse growing. I have just ordered a T5 florescent bulb that is uv light spectrum only. As an experiment, this bulb will be placed in an old fish aquarium light fixture and hopefully the addition of UV-B light will solve the problem.

Hope to see many more join in and post what they have found works and what your problems are. In theory, we should be able to get the same potential size indoors as outdoors.

10/16/2016 6:22:03 AM

Lebanon, Oregon

Thank you bnot for the info. If I can get them to flower, take, and get them mature enough for seeds, then it will be a success.

10/16/2016 9:14:52 AM

Wixom MI.

i will most likely be doing it, but i wont be starting till mid November probably ?

10/16/2016 10:57:31 AM

Wixom MI.

nice set up bnot,looks like you are completely hooked on the indoor growing season now !!! lol..(o: should be fun to watch your progress this winter. i will send you some of my seeds from my tomatoes this year to see what you can do with them. good luck.

10/16/2016 11:08:39 AM

Mn

I'm like wixom - as of right now I am not planning of growing one but that could change once I get bored in a month or so :)

10/16/2016 12:04:38 PM

Wixom MI.

bnot are you done with your summer tomatoes yet or do you still have one left ?

10/16/2016 1:31:44 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

i still have one on the vine..but don't look for me to have anything competitive. I think it will be lucky to go 3 pounds....the temps just havent been there for it to grow. Go ahead and award the winners...I am just trying to keep it on the vine to get seeds from a 7 fused blossum.

10/16/2016 1:41:44 PM

Wixom MI.

ok, thanks.

10/16/2016 1:51:05 PM

Walla Walla Wa.

I may try it again, it will be a little later if I do,I would encourage everyone to try it,I think that you can learn a lot from going through the process, and there's much that can be applied to your outdoor growing as well,I truly believe that a record fruit can be grown indoors.

10/16/2016 4:05:24 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

I've completed my 2x2x2 grow box, now am starting on my 4x2x2 box. I am about ready to go!

10/16/2016 6:27:48 PM

Nampa

Im planning on growing tomatoes anyway and Im in a post pumpkin funk. Id like to formally announce my intentions on growing a big one, to try anyway. Mr bnot, can I hit you up for a few seeds? I don't want super special ones because this is my first attempt. Thanks! djsteffler1@gmail.com

10/17/2016 3:38:10 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

welcome everyone...of course i will send you seeds...email sent

10/17/2016 4:16:30 PM

Wixom MI.

Bnot, Dan Sutherland wants to donate his winning seed from the slammer contest and give it to your winter contest !!! (o: now we have prizes !!!

10/17/2016 6:07:33 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

I like it...more prizes is better

We are going to have to work hard to grow bigger than Dan though...last year he won with 3.4 pounds ?. This year I think we will see over 4 pounds.

10/17/2016 7:06:29 PM

Wixom MI.

well if dan wins again, then he would win his donated seed again !!! LOL.. (o: we might have to do something about that ?

10/17/2016 7:13:32 PM

Walla Walla Wa.

I think it was 3 lbs 11oz.

10/17/2016 11:17:49 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

sorry, i rechecked the diary's. Last year the official winning weight was 3 pounds 11 oz...3.69 pounds by Dan Sutherland. I know why the 3.4 was in my mind...he had an earlier weight of 3 pounds 4 oz. Dan,as lasts years winner do you have any good tips for the first year indoor growers this year?

10/18/2016 5:39:28 AM

Walla Walla Wa.

Plenty of light,and the right kind of light,proper temperature,right amount of moisture, and good ventilation,and of course good genetics.

10/18/2016 11:00:44 AM

Hamilton Nj

can we grow more than 1 plant??? you guys got me thinking lol i think im gona try this i got a 250 watt light i bought for 10 bucks ,pizza

10/24/2016 2:01:26 PM

Wixom MI.

you can grow as many as tou like !

10/24/2016 4:00:44 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

I don't have the room or lights to grow as many as I would like, but I will have 8 plants going for this winter.

10/24/2016 4:08:50 PM

Hamilton Nj

okay gret im inn im only doing 2 plants and gona try to cross them and then ill try to clone them to grow this summer wat would you guys cross with 7.33 hunt??? pizza

10/24/2016 9:15:25 PM

Wisconsin

I'm in, just started my plants yesterday, be tough to catch up, because time is a big factor.

12/21/2016 4:15:22 AM

Mn

I started some seeds on Monday too - Gonna come down to wire and I don't even have any soil yet.... Bnot, can you bring me about 4cuft of quality soil? :)

12/21/2016 9:28:24 AM

Oak Grove, Mn

I started my hydro tomatoes on sunday...Looks like we might have a few entries coming in at the deadline. Qtip -you wouldnt like my soil..it isn't magic.

12/21/2016 10:13:04 AM

Wisconsin

I got a tub of this at the thrift store for a dollar, so watch out, lol https://www.amazon.com/Proven-Winners-FERTWTS101HF-Soluble-Fertilizer/dp/B00H9H1PLA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482489299&sr=8-1&keywords=proven+winners+fertilizer

12/23/2016 5:37:39 AM

Valencia Spain

Anybody know when early weighoff counts

12/24/2016 11:14:37 AM