Information and Guidelines

Art and I are extending a challenge to any who wish to participate
in this year's Broc2K1 Challenge.  Last year it was just us, and we
had a blast exchanging information, horror stories, shop talk, and
much trash talk.  This year, we invite you to join us in seeing who
can grow the best crop of hydroponic broccoli.  This document
contains information and guidelines for participation, but let's be
real, this isn't a very easy competition to pick a clear, standalone
winner.  There's no money involved, so don't bother placing calls
to Vegas or anything.  :)  We're doing this just for sh*ts and giggles.
 Enjoy!


Planting Dates

Since we all live in different climates, it's difficult to set a planting
date that would accommodate our respective growing seasons
Limitations of excess heat, excess cold, excess rain, whatever,
will have us each planting our seeds according to our own schedule.


Cultivars

Art has offered to send seeds to whoever wishes to embroil
themselves in this match.  If we all grow the same variety, then
the criteria for judging a winner is tighter.  However, if you decide
you prefer growing 'De Cicco' over whatever Art's got, then so be it.
Email Art for details.


System Requirements

It must be hydroponic.  Media based, NFT, Ebb/Flow, Aeroponics,
Aquaponics, Bioponics, Wick Systems, Leaky Systems, AlgaeFarms,
and Unreliable Backyard Contraptions are all permitted.  Imagination
is what's most fun here, so get creative.  Who knows, maybe someone
can grow the most broccoli using heavy-duty, zircon-encrusted tweezers,
suspending the plants from hired chimps inside a Panda-Film gully
suspended upside down beneath an Olympic swimming pool, blowing
nutrient solution at high pressure through swirly plastic drinking straws.
There is no limit to the absurdity of your system, so have at.


Judging Criteria

Winners will be judged in early Spring, because growing season varies
for everybody.  Highest values for the following measurments will be judged
the winner:  yield per square foot, yield per plant, and yield per day.
Quality is not an issue, mass is.  Heads and shoots must contain no more
than 2" of stem (the usual cut-point).  I *think* all variables (season length,
planting date, size of your garden, etc) are accounted for in these measurements.

New Criteria Suggested by Adrianna
1. Days to harvest for first head.
2. Weight of first head.
"A great way to see who's ahead."

*******************************
Please note:  Photographs of the grower standing beside their
crop/harvest must be produced either as scanned images or
mailed prints.  Otherwise, we won't believe you.
*smile*


Those Involved

Chris Gkikas (Gainesville, Florida)
Art Smith (Boaz, Alabama)
Dave (Birmingham, Alabama)
Ron Gerritsen (New Zealand)
Joel (location unkown)
Ray Sneider (Alexandria, Virginia)
Paulo Baptista of Realface Hidroponia (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Wayne Fugitt (somewhere in Missisippi)
Kevin Smith (Johannesburg, South Africa)
Michael Parker (Santa Barbara, California)
Steve Spring (location unknown)
Elaine (location unknown)
Tess (location unknown)
Juan C. Bobeda (Miami, Florida)
Dale Robinson (Davenport, Iowa)
Adiranna Gutierrez (Florida)
Dudley LeRoux (Kwazulu-Natal, South Afrida)


" Broc2K'n around the Globe "

To Become Involved

Email Chris with your location, and get to growin' that broccoli!
Competition is fierce, tempers run mild, and good pHun is
to be had by all.  Thanks for participating in Broc2K1.


Pictures of Chris' results in last year's Broc2K Challenge

Back to Chris' Homepage