Delectation of Tomatoes - Taste Test Results

[lubadub]

Please allow me to attempt a clarification of the situation with Big Zac. Big Zac is a hybrid. Repeat, Big Zac is a hybrid. It is a cross made by Minnie Zaccaria (Karolyn, please learn to spell her name....lol.) using two large heirloom varieties as the parents. Minnie went on to win the New Jersey Tomato Contest 6 or 7 times growing BZ. Later Totally Tomatoes was given the exclusive right to make and sell the seeds, which they continue to do. Anyone else offering these seeds is selling BZ F2 or whatever. Several years back, the seeds were apparently being made incorrectly. One of the parents may have been lost. This has been corrected. I grew BZ seeds obtained from TT alongside some gotten directly from and made by Minnie this last season and they were similar in all ways, big plants, big roots and big tasty tomatoes.

Some growers have been growing out Big Zac. Timm Brandt grew a 5.58 pound tomato using a BZ F3 and Nick Harp grew a 7.18 pound tomato using seed he got from the Timm tomato. I have grown these seeds and have gotten plants that were smaller than those from BZ F1 and which tended to wilt in hot weather. The root systems were small. I got one tomato over 5 pounds growing 14 of these plants. I will not be growing them this next season but will be observing how others do.

I hope this clears the air on whether BZ is a hybrid. I will ask Minnie to read this post to make certain I got it right. Marv

[carolyn137]

Dearest Larvin ( sic) you got it right, or almost right.

Please look at my post 10 and you'll see where I talked about one parent being lost, Minnie coming to GW to explain that, and the fact that BZ F1 was sold by other places when it wasn't a hybrid.

You'll also see in that post 10 that I linked to the threads at GW where someone else reported what size one you grew most recently and I asked you a few questions about the backgrouond of your seeds and you answered me quite clearly.

I also said that once TT as owned by Wayne Hilton was sold to Jung's that I was pretty sure that the BZ F1 they were selling was correct.

I don't think anyone doubts that the original BZ F1 WAS an F1, where the confusion comes in is what then happened at the old TT when they were selling F1 seeds that weren't and the same was happening at a few other places as well.

Also, confusion comes in when folks save seeds from the F1, whether it initially be F2's, make selections, F3's, etc., and still refer to it as an F1, when it is not an F1 at that point.

To date I don't know of anyone who has taken it out to whatever generation and then compared it with the F1, which I assume they were growing at each generation as a control, to say that they have an almost exact OP Big Zac. But you'd know that better than I would since I don't hang out with the big tomato growers as you do.

Glad to see you here and when you become as perfect as I am in all ways, please do let me know, lest I misspell something, or forget a comma, etc., which of course you never do

[lakelady]

Well, since Big Zac was "born" in NJ it's only fitting I should grow one . Would be fun to see what the hybrid is like compared to the F7's. I can only "hope" mine yields anything even close to Minnies!

I have Marvin's book and read all about some of those people who have grown some pretty amazing tomatoes and Minnie is a local legend around here. I just wish they still held those giant tomato contests here in NJ because I'd love to go to one.

I'm growing for flavor to find the tomatoes that grow the best in my soil, but how fun would it be to have a few "big boys" to show off to the neighbors

[lubadub]

Carolyn, you have way too much free time on your hands. Now that I have gone back and reread your post, you are absolutely right, as far as you went.

[Too Tall Toms]

Originally Posted by lakelady

I'm growing for flavor to find the tomatoes that grow the best in my soil, but how fun would it be to have a few "big boys" to show off to the neighbors

That's primarily why I would grow a giant tomato....for the WOW factor

[Skaggydog]

sorry