This one is 55′ long by 14′ wide and is modeled after this “Low Cost High Tunnel” design:
http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1296&context=extension_curall
With these modifications:
• Ribs are spaced 2-1/2″ apart, rather than 3′
• Rebar anchors are 3-1/3′ long, rather than 2′, and protrude 15″ out of the ground
• Purlin is made of 1-1/2″ PVC pipe, rather than 1″
• Purlin is supported every 8-10′ with 1-1/2″ PVC pipe, anchored 2′ into the ground
• Junctions are made with PVC pipe tee’s, knotted baler twine and Gorilla tape
• Tie-down twine is doubled so plastic can be held more securely against ribs
Hopefully these design improvements will help the tunnel withstand high winds and heavy snows without adding much additional cost. Total cost for this tunnel was around $850. Assuming, of course, that labor costs are $0.00 per hour.
See prior blog posts for the varieties of tomatoes and peppers that are being grown this year.
Based on advice and very positive results from world-class giant tomato growers, I started seeds for my giant tomato project on May 1st. Here is a list of varieties (including lineage) in the primary batch:
Big Zac (6.88 MacCoy 2014)
Bigzarro (3.754 DT 2014)
Domingo (4.647 DT 2014)
Domingo (4.938 Lai 2016)
Domingo (5.95 Konieczny 2016)
Megadom (5.61 Konieczny 2016)
MegaMarv (4.08 Khilenko 2016)
MegaMutt (D Konieczny 2016)
Megazac (6.13 Konieczny 2016)
Megazac (6.23 Konieczny 2016)
Michael’s Portuguese Monster X Delicious (6.51 Meisner)(F2)
Russian Oxheart (4.66 Spaziani 2016)
Slammer (4.80 Konieczny 2016)
These I started in 6″ (“Gallon”) pots with my usual blend as potting mix, including a 1/2-cup sized depression to which I added mycorrhizal fungal spores and fine seed propogation mix.
The secondary list for the giant tomato project:
Anzhela Gigant Ukrainskaya (1.292 DT 2016)
Belmonte X Big Zac (2.962 DT)(1.982 DT 2016)(F2)
Bezrazmernyi (3.364 DT 2014)
Bezrazmernyi X Big Zac (4.57 MacCoy)(1.720 DT 2015)(F2)
Big Zac (2.130 DT 2016)(6.16 Foss)
Big Zac (2.784 DT 2015)(8.41 MacCoy)
Bill Bean Select
Brutus Magnum (2.976 DT 2014)
Brutus Magnum X Big Zac (4.57 MacCoy)(1.470 DT 2015)(F2)
Chilo della Garfagnana (3.560 DT 2014)
Chudo Sada (Shlomin 2013)
Church (3.36 Perry 2008)
Delicious (2.868 DT 2014)
Delicious (3.205 DT 2014)
Domingo (3.016 Schielke 2014)
Domingo (3.69 Johnston 2015)
Domingo (V. Domingo 2014)
Donskoi (3.108 DT 2014)
Gigantamo (M. Johnson 2016)
Hoy X Delicious (6.51 Meisner)(F2)
Ispanskiy Gigant (1.632 DT 2016)
Krupnaya Grozd’ (Khilenko 2015)
MegaMarv (2.332 DT 2012)
Michael’s Portuguese Monster (2.610 DT 2012)
Michael’s Portuguese Monster X Delicious (6.51 Meisner)(F2)
Michael’s Portuguese Monster X MegaMarv (2.030 DT 2015)(F2)
Rebecca Sebastian’s Bull Bag X Big Zac (4.57 MacCoy)(1.724 DT 2015)(F2)
Russian Oxheart (1.95 Spaziani 2015)
Shuntuski Velikan X Big Zac (3.75 Catapano)(2.174 DT 2014)(F2)
Smith’s Southern Star (M. Johnson 2016)
Wes X Big Zac (4.57 MacCoy)(1.542 DT 2014)(F1)
West Virginia Sweetmeat (3.312 DT 2014)
Zaczilla (1.832 DT 2016)
These I started in 3-1/2″ pots using the same method and ingredients.
Problem is, I still don’t know where I will be growing these. It’s rather late in the game to be deciding this, but I am an itinerant farmer, after all.
And this morning I went to the local hardware store to pick up a lost part for the tiller; I could not resist purchasing yet another tomato variety, Buffalo (a hybrid):
I was likely in the middle of moving when the seed was planted which produced this large seedling!
Delectation of Tomatoes, etc. 