From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Oak Grove, Mn

With 20 days left to to grow. My list of growers that have weighed something already is : Dan Sutherland 3.06 pounds, Bnot 2.65 pounds, Farmer Brown .70 pounds(11.18 oz) and Weird Wint at .59 pounds(9.5 oz) . Did I miss any weights so far. Who still has one on the vine? I still have 3 that I am trying to push just as hard as I can. Tomato entries will have to be submitted by 11.59 pm your local time on March 20th to count for this years contest. Ribbons have been ordered..should be receiving them in the next two weeks. Awarded to 3 places. The same ugly colors as last year....but we grow ugly tomatoes. This years weights will be the highest ever top 3 average.

2/28/2018 6:53:22 PM

Virginia

Good job guys. I'm still trying to get a blossom!. Oh well. Looking forward to spring time. Right around the corner. Got a trip to the Bahamas then come back and start pumpkins and tomatoes.

2/28/2018 7:45:02 PM

Newcastle, CA

I still have 3 to weigh. only one will be heavier than the one I weighed (I think).

2/28/2018 8:38:09 PM

Newcastle, CA

what the heck is dan doing?

2/28/2018 8:39:47 PM

Newcastle, CA

Bnot - have you ever thought of doing a plant in soil and grafting an additional rootstock to it that was in hydro? then you could have stability of soil with nutrient control on the hydro side. I was thinking about that the other day... thought id bring it up since I probably wont do it.

2/28/2018 8:42:33 PM

Colorado

I'm out unless some magic happens lol

3/1/2018 12:22:50 AM

Oak Grove, Mn

Austin, I keep trying to figure out what Dan is doing right. I know he does his winter grow in soil. I can get his volume numbers, but I can't get the weight. He goes so heavy in weight to volume. His tomatoes outdoors have the same tendency. He runs a bit over .0006 mFactor as compared to my average of .00048 mFactor. I have never tried to graft any plant. It looks difficult to me. I am sure some year I will give it a try..you probably will be doing your experiment before I will.

3/1/2018 6:20:33 AM

Southeastern Illinois

Still green and growing slowly at 50 DAP will post when weighed.

3/1/2018 8:11:32 AM

Mn

I got a 10lber going

3/1/2018 9:06:26 AM

Southeastern Illinois

Man that's great QTip two 10 lb winter tomatoes from QTip seed line. Too bad mine will hit 10 before yours does.....

3/1/2018 12:10:39 PM

Southeastern Illinois

I wish lol be lucky to get a pound lol.

3/1/2018 12:11:44 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

I saw your diary Qtip..I was trying to decide if you meant 10 inches or 10 oz. Decimal places are important too 1.0 pounds? It could be a good finish to the end of the of the season. I think there are still more tomatoes growing out there.

3/1/2018 12:59:44 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

I’m with you Evandy.
I’ve been staring at the same blossom for almost 3 weeks now.
Gets a little bigger everyday.
But not much.

3/1/2018 8:04:47 PM

Johnston, Iowa

Still have two on the vine

3/2/2018 11:10:22 AM

Hot West Tennessee

Have two small ones. Maybe 50 cent size. Will take pic and post tomorrow.

3/3/2018 10:52:13 PM

Southeastern Illinois

Ok weighed my tomato at 1.2 lbs have it pictured in my diary. Enjoyed the winter contest thanks everyone was fun.

3/6/2018 3:48:29 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

Great Job Virtual Veggies..the picture has not shown up yet but the new leaderboard is: Dan Sutherland 3.06 pounds, Bnot 2.65 pounds, Virtual Veggies 1.2 pounds, Farmer Brown .70 pounds and Weird Wint .59 pounds. Growers keep posting your weights even if they are not going to be in the top 3. I would like to see ten growers that have something to weigh by the end of the competition. Already I think it is a record for weights achieved in the winter grow.

3/6/2018 4:44:41 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

I see the picture now virtual veggies...those sections must have been pollinated at quite a distant period of time. The way one is completely red and the other completely green. Excellent result for your first year. I am impressed.

3/6/2018 5:38:43 PM

Southeastern Illinois

Thx bnot appreciate the kind words. There is another picture in the on the way showing it from the bottom. I kept buzzing it for several days so they must have been forming separately and were pollinated over a 2-5 day period. But the top green one still doesn't make sense. It was showing before the smallest last one I noticed. The bottom pic shows it well. I would have expected the top green one to turn before the small last one which is turning also. If you run through my diary you can trace it from bloom stage. I thought it was two at the time and pollinated between Jan 10-11th. But there was some pollen falling before and after that as well. The two bottom red ones together measured 14 inches and the top green one was 7 1/2" and the smallest one was around 3". So I will go with 24 1/2 lol.

3/6/2018 6:33:56 PM

East Carbon, Utah

I still have a couple growing, one ripening, but it has not been quite challenging. Grower diary to be updated shortly. Not expecting anything over 8



Ounces that is...

3/11/2018 1:20:23 AM

Eastern Shore of VA

I’m out.
I thought I had a set,but it didn’t take.
It was fun,but i have to upgrade my lights.

3/11/2018 9:06:31 AM

Oak Grove, Mn

I am measuring my tomatoes twice a day...only nine days to go. The are measuring close enough to required daily gains that I am thinking there is a chance they might go over 3 pounds. Maybe if we extend the cutoff date by about two weeks :)..nah I made the rules and have to stick to them. Should be over two pounds with all three of Jan 1st seed starts. Next year..I won't accept someone saying Nov 1st is too late to start.

3/11/2018 5:30:19 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

I have received a picture of Pumpkinman Dan's tomato on the scale. Congratulations Dan, you have moved into third place at 1.31 pounds. I think you picked it a bit too early..it is still all green. New leader list: Dan S 3.06, bnot 2.65, Pumpkinman Dan 1.31, Virtual Veggies 1.2, Farmer Brown .70, and Weird Wint .59.

3/12/2018 4:06:25 AM

Oak Grove, Mn

Congratulations Austin Murphy...Weird Wint. I see your diary pictures of weighing the 5.24. That is one ugly tomato..wonder where that seed came from :). It looks like you might have had a struggle with BER on it...if so great job to get it dried up. New leaderboard:

Dan S 3.06, bnot 2.65, Weird Wint 1.64, Pumpkinman Dan 1.31, Virtual Veggies 1.2, and Farmer Brown .70.

Still a few growers yet to weigh. 8 days left.

3/12/2018 4:32:21 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

hmmmm..looking at the picture closer...should we make Weird Wint trim a few more leaves? Would GPC accept it as an early tomato entry. You guys that know the GPC regulations let me know. I have only sent in two early entries to GPC. I don't know how particular they are.

3/12/2018 4:48:30 PM

Wixom MI.

I wonder if i should have called my crosses Mega ugly !!! Lol...:-)

3/12/2018 4:49:49 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

Yes Wixom..you are the guilty one...the orginal source of the MegaMutt line...They may be ugly..but they can grow PB's.

3/12/2018 5:00:31 PM

Newcastle, CA

I think those "leaves" may be mutated Sepals. never seen one do this before with the leaves in the flower. I will have to trim het stem down a bit and see how much more there is past the 1/2" mark. thanks for bringing it up before the big tomatoes this summer Robert.

3/12/2018 5:09:04 PM

Wixom MI.

Those leaves add charactor but they would have to come off for gpc official weight !!!

3/12/2018 5:25:26 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

I have had one email reply so far. This could be some new territory.. I have not seen leaves so close to the base of the stem..If the leaves are within the 1/2 inch GPC stem height..and it could be verified with pictures...would they still have to be removed? You grew a weird one Austin.

3/12/2018 5:30:17 PM

Newcastle, CA

Yeah!
My tomato is like "leaf hair, don't care"

3/12/2018 5:54:51 PM

Newcastle, CA

I submitted new pics for yall to look at.

3/13/2018 12:16:14 PM

Wixom MI.

that would have probably been a 5 pounder outdoors !!!

3/13/2018 12:42:35 PM

Wixom MI.

looks like the leaves had little to no effect on the finnal weight ! the tomato lost more weight by sitting overnight ?

3/13/2018 12:48:20 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

I sent an email to the GPC for clarification on what to do if there are leaves within the 1/2 stem that they allow. Since you grew one Austin with this strange characteristic there surely will be another to be grown sometime. Leaves or no leaves you are solidly in third place right now. Wixom, you might have help me..what should Weird Wints official winter weight be?

3/13/2018 12:49:18 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

Austin, if my math is correct your official winter weight is somewhere between 1.59 pounds and 1.64 pounds.
I am wondering what Qtip has growing...can he take over 3rd or better?

3/13/2018 12:57:49 PM

Newcastle, CA

I am wondering what he has going as well. I still have two on the other plant in my tent. but they wont be this big. still they are a solid handful.

3/13/2018 1:02:01 PM

Wixom MI.

Since the first weight was 1.64 and the leaves were only 0.01 i would go with 1.63 lbs

3/13/2018 1:28:14 PM

Mn

heard that QTip guy has a BIG one going...what does 28 inches circumference equate to on the tomato weight chart?

3/13/2018 2:03:34 PM

Mn

and I say give Weird Wint the 1.64lbs - nice mater WW

3/13/2018 2:04:08 PM

Valencia Spain

Do u have pic of 5.24 flowering Austin

3/13/2018 3:38:10 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

I will go with what you said Wixom. I think that a bit of stem might have been trimmed too. This is a for fun competition..so 1.63 will the the number.

Remember next summer Austin, when you send in to the GPC your early entry for the next California state record to make sure the pictures clearly show that the stem is the proper height. You don't want to take the chance of an important entry like that being disqualified.

Qtip,are you using that metric tape measure again :). 28 cm should be about 1/2 pound I think.

Wixom, see what you did...MegaMutt(D) is going world wide...Westham has a 5.24 growing too.

3/13/2018 3:46:31 PM

Valencia Spain

Looked at Weird Wints diary seen the flower as mine are outside extremely slow

3/13/2018 4:07:06 PM

Newcastle, CA

okay, so my PB is now 1.63

the biggest one I've ever grown was indoors. I am sure that will change this summer though. :)

I think we all want to see Q-tips 10 Pounder now.

3/13/2018 4:38:36 PM

Ely Mn

Congratulations wint!
Good idea with the drill!

3/13/2018 4:44:48 PM

Newcastle, CA

Thanks!

3/13/2018 4:56:29 PM

Wixom MI.

I think 2.8" qtip is about 1oz.

3/13/2018 5:13:44 PM

Wixom MI.

I think 2.8" qtip is about 1oz.

3/13/2018 5:13:51 PM

East Carbon, Utah

Ugh -

I've harvest my biggest little tomato for this competition:

Domingo, 0.548 lb.

Pictures at my grower diary. Blossom end rot was my biggest challenge. I corrected that by using straight tap water, rather than filtered water. Also, metal halide lights were too intense and too close.

Don't count on me being last place for the summer-grown giant tomato competition! :-)

3/19/2018 2:42:35 AM

Oak Grove, Mn

Glad you gave it a try Dale. You are not in last place for the winter grow..you have a tomato. The majority of growers that have tried it for the past 3 winter challenges did not even get one to scale. Your weight this year would have put you in 4th for the past two grows. This year, everyone has improved greatly..biggest weights we have yet achieved and most tomatoes weighed.

I use RO water, but have been adding both CalMg and Calcium Chloride to it. I discovered something this year....my plants were suffering from Chloride deficiency. Between the RO water and the nutrient solutions I was running, the plants had zero chloride. The symptoms look very similar to Mg deficiency. I kept trying to solve a Mg problem when just a bit of Chloride cleared up the chlorosis within a few days. Still much to learn.

3/19/2018 5:31:41 AM