Click on a thumbnail picture below to see the full size version. 74 Entries. Tuesday, January 2 View Page Only 90-100 more days of loafing remain.   Sunday, February 25 View Page Sand is finished. This should help with drainage and improve soil structure.   Saturday, March 2 View Page Doing some Broad Fork work on the 150sqft patch. Is this the year we will see that magical 10lbs/Sqft grown? Several folks are eyeballing that target and I think the chances are good. Time to think about making things as ideal as possible for while looking for greater optimization. I am really excited about Steve's 150sqft contest and I invite you to join in on the fun if you have not already done so.   Monday, March 4 View Page A few practice starts are now underway. These seeds are from last season's 150sqft 1229.7 Rodebaugh fruit. There is a good chance that it will get a shot itself at the 150 patch in 2024. Lets get these lights dialed in first.   Wednesday, March 13 View Page One more day and I'll be forking done.   Tuesday, March 19 View Page This is a great view of my main patch as it sets currently. The Sand, Broad Fork, and Compost are completed. Up next is balance amend and till.   Friday, March 22 View Page 160 linear foot of gutter cables placed at 14" at the stop sign patch. 4.3 cubic yards of soil moved out by shovel and then back in..... Lets Go!   Monday, March 25 View Page Soil Prep video for the 150sqft patch: YouTube   Tuesday, April 2 View Page Youtube Seed selection video for 2024 is up. Link: YouTube   Saturday, April 6 View Page Soak date 4-6-24, 5:00pm. Just the Wolfs today. Check out that cool mug :)   Thursday, April 11 View Page Check out this Hobo Onset data logger chart of Temps and Moisture. It is easy to see when the soil heating cables were turned on and what operational range I have them set at. Pretty cool stuff. I have 4 of these units deployed in various spots. I love data.   Monday, April 15 View Page April 15th is start day for the 150sqft patch seeds. The 1229.7 Rodebaugh 2023 (1526 Burchette x 1965.5 Rodebaugh) should produce a stone with a small footprint. These ten seeds are in a race to see who makes the cut and subsequently gets a spot in the stop sign patch at the end of this month.   Wednesday, April 17 View Page Traditional melons this year for pops and I.   Saturday, April 20 View Page My main competition plants are in the ground. The 1965.5 Rodebaugh in Hut #1 and the 2365 Wolf in Hut #2. The 150sqft plant should see soil this coming weekend. It is grow time here in the south.   Sunday, April 21 View Page Tomatoes have a new home today. From dixie cup up to one gallon.   Monday, April 22 View Page Temps last night were a little chilly with frost noted about everywhere this morning. The probe labeled "House Lamp" hangs under the eve of my residence from an entry lamp. I find this to be a good place to register true outside ambient temperature while limiting the risk of precipitation interference to the probes functionality. The other two sensors are labeled as such for each respective grow hut. I am please to see that my air column for each hut kept toasty over last night's thermal challenge.   Monday, April 29 View Page Tomatoes are itching to go outside.   Tuesday, April 30 View Page Linked below is a new Youtube patch tour video showing off my new hut automation for 2024. YouTube   Tuesday, May 7 View Page Patch video update. YouTube   Friday, May 10 View Page Desperate times call for desperate measures. Cold nights keep up and I may end up with a full greenhouse Johnny Cash style..... one piece at a time off the line over time.   Monday, May 13 View Page Huts are off and fence is up. Now the real work begins.   Wednesday, May 15 View Page Patch update video. Huts are down! YouTube   Sunday, May 19 View Page 150 patch markers and dimensions. 1229.7 Rodebaugh ... boulder maker with any luck.   Saturday, May 25 View Page Camping on the Gauley River for memorial day. Pop's has a few acres we have enjoyed for years. I try to sneak off and enjoy it every chance I can get.   Saturday, May 25 View Page Radio hung up on that snag alerted me to a heavy weather event headed our way. Of course there is no cell signal to rely on. By the time everything was packed up the large tree just left of the radio rootwalled before our eyes. So is the way of the River and the weather. We hustled home. I was nervous as to what I might find in the patch.   Saturday, May 25 View Page A better look at our slice of the Gauley River. World renowned for its white water rafting. My summers were spent here in my youth.   Saturday, May 25 View Page My daughter Stella loves to jump off the rocks. She is a river rat in the making.   Sunday, May 26 View Page Stop Sign patch took some damage. A few posts were broke off with wind fence torn free in places. The 150 plant was rolled but otherwise not damaged beyond a few leaves. I was lucky.   Wednesday, May 29 View Page We have finally dried out nicely enough to catch up with the general maintenance of burying and weeding. The main Comp plants pictured here are on track with minimal storm damage. All fences have been mended. The goals for the season remain viable and within reach.   Sunday, June 2 View Page Patch Video Update: YouTube   Tuesday, June 4 View Page Field Pumpkin time!   Wednesday, June 5 View Page Nasty weather with a period of hail hit me hard. Some lost leaves, some split secondaries, every leaf is swiss cheese, a few rolled vines, and soil blow out. It is tough not to be discouraged by these sort of events, but I now the power of these plants.   Thursday, June 6 View Page Roots washout ruts   Thursday, June 6 View Page Muck boots, a few leaves removed, and 80 bamboo stakes later I have the 2365 looking presentable again   Thursday, June 6 View Page 1965.5 took the brunt of the storm but still cleaned up pretty nice. Give the patch a week and a couple rounds of Daconil and she'll be fine. Nothing has changed...... see you at the scales.   Thursday, June 6 View Page Early test sets removed from the competition 1965.5 and 2365 plants. In about a week or less I should be pollinating the scale hopefuls.   Saturday, June 8 View Page 1965.5 X 2365 (4 lobes)   Saturday, June 8 View Page 2365 X Self (5 lobes)   Saturday, June 8 View Page 2025.7 X 1965.5 (5 lobes)   Sunday, June 9 View Page All in on the 1229.7 Rodebaugh 150sqft fruit 5 days before pollination. Hail storm forced my hand in this decision but I still plan to make this girl go far beyond 1000lbs.   Sunday, June 9 View Page Plenty of real estate to fill remains. 4x4 scale will go under the fruit at DAP-7ish once I am confident in a set. (June 22nd-25th estimation)   Sunday, June 9 View Page Evening photo of the main comp plants. 1965.5 nearest..... 2365 furthest away. I really enjoy being "caught up" and then just enjoying the grow. Hope to try and do it at least once this season.   Wednesday, June 12 View Page My cat has cobwebs on it's head. Not a great indicator of activity there. Anyway check out the latest patch tour video: YouTube   Thursday, June 13 View Page Lifting up the patch hopefuls. Creating space and my desired vine patterns ahead of scale placement. This is a 2-3 day process of careful positioning and planning.   Friday, June 14 View Page My patch has a little slope to it so a little excavation and a few 8x2's are used to get it right. Being level is very important for weight distribution and growth regularity. The scale is 5x5' which works well for my small pumpkins (sub 450").   Friday, June 14 View Page The completed setup takes up a large footprint but I value airflow in my grow. They weight at this age is irrelevant but getting a scale under a DAP-6 fruit is much easier than a DAP-20. This is the 1965.5 Rodebaugh plant.   Saturday, June 15 View Page 1229.7 Rodebaugh X 1965.5 Rodebaugh (150sqft plant)   Saturday, June 15 View Page Had some issues with getting scale #2 set up. Load cell junction box is properly wired... hmmm. The issue was found in the load cell quick disconnects. I simply removed those and straight wired the system. Problem solved.   Saturday, June 15 View Page Darn wires. I am not an electrician and don't like playing one on my free time.   Saturday, June 15 View Page Scale #2 finished and ready for deployment. The design of my scales is far better than anything that can be purchased. I can move them with relative ease and get everything set up completely by myself.   Sunday, June 16 View Page Grow! Some fruit respond respond to carrot; some stick.   Sunday, June 16 View Page The 150 plant has filled in about 60% of it's allotted real estate. An additional 4x4 (approximately 10%) has been set aside for the fruit to set up shop. Fans are deployed at the crown and DAP-5 hopeful. Soil moisture is being maintained at a steady 28% with soil temps at 16" set at 73deg. With any luck this fruit will get a scale put under it before the next weekend lets out.   Sunday, June 16 View Page Check out this extra stigma segment below the primary bundle on the 150 fruit. Could be a problem later on or could be that extra 100lbs I want. Either way I am pot committed.   Saturday, June 22 View Page Pops and I had the pleasure of a personal patch tour from one of the top Melon growers in the world. Andrew has an amazing grow going this season with his melons and pumpkins. We learned a lot about melon growing and got to see some real nice young pumpkin sets.   Saturday, June 22 View Page Scale #3 is under the 1229.7 Rodebaugh 150sqft fruit. My gut tells me this fruit could end up being special.   Sunday, June 23 View Page New Patch Tour video is up. YouTube   Tuesday, June 25 View Page DAP10 for the scale 150 fruit. She looks to still be in her cell division stage.   Thursday, June 27 View Page 150sqft pumpkin on a scale is looking like solid set. DAP12   Thursday, June 27 View Page Dap-20 tomorrow for everything in the Main Patch (including this lovely 1965.5 Rodebaugh fruit). It is going to be like Christmas morning waking up to measure fruit and run the numbers VS the scale.   Friday, June 28 View Page DAP20 on the main patch comp fruit today. OTT Chart VS Scale are recorded with no major deviations from expectations. Rodebaugh is a boulder and the Wolf is a tad over. Both fruit seem to be average for my grow at this age. Plant health will remain my focus with proactive fungi and pesti applications slated for this weekend.   Sunday, June 30 View Page We made our first melon hammock and ran a few tests.   Sunday, June 30 View Page Solomon had to give it a test as well. I will spare you the photo of my 230# balled up on it.   Monday, July 1 View Page The melon set up. Hammock is made of 2x4 frame, 4x4 legs, and Mill fabric for the tabletop. The hoop structure is a metal frame repurposed from trampoline parts skinned with cheap blue tarp. Dap-8 melon taking a nap.   Monday, July 1 View Page 150 Fruit Dap-16   Wednesday, July 3 View Page 150sqft fruit up close Dap-18. She has good symmetry, size, and skin gloss. Excited to run a tape on her in 2 days to see what she charts vs scales. She is looking small for the pounds she is showing.   Thursday, July 4 View Page Dap19 on the 1229.7 Rodebaugh. 100 pounds on the scale; 1400 to go. Set your goals and bust hump to make them happen.   Friday, July 5 View Page DAP20 131# on the scale. The plant should fill in the full 150 within the next two weeks depending on fruit sink demands.   Sunday, July 7 View Page Not much real estate remaining on the 150sqft patch. The fruit is Dap-22 today. The White lines are patch boundary lines The Blue lines in the photo show the non terminated 4 vines (3 secondaries and main) current lengths. The Yellow lines indicated the planned pattern with the arrow tips being the point of termination. The Red dot and line will be the area I run the tug cable to pull fruit when it is time. It is tough to estimate when the final growing tip will be terminated but I suspect around Dap 35 give or take a few days.   Tuesday, July 9 View Page The most important youtube video I will likely put out this season. YouTube   Wednesday, July 10 View Page DAP25 for the 1229.7 Rodebaugh 150sqft fruit. I have given her the name Platinum. 213" ott with a chart weight estimate of #223. Scale Actual is #247. She is currently10.8% heavy vs chart. 23.2# per day pace Dap 20-25. I suspect she could get into the 30# range soon with any luck.   Saturday, July 13 View Page Tomato plants are getting tall.   Monday, July 15 View Page DAP30 today for Platinum. The 1229.7 Rodebaugh 150sqft plant is looking strong. The fruit is 239" ott with a scale weight of 359# this morning. That puts her at 14% over chart estimation. All veg should be termed out by DAP40.   Monday, July 15 View Page Silver, the 1965.5 Fruit.   Monday, July 15 View Page Gold, the 2365 fruit.