What's the biggest fruited variety you've grown?

[cleo88]

For 2012 (how can I be thinking about next year? But I am), I'm contemplating giving one of my precious 20 spots in the garden to a variety that will grow a really big tomato (or, hopefully, several big tomatoes). It doesn't have to be especially productive, but I would like it to be decent tasting in addition to big, and the other requirement is that since I live in New England, it can't be a large DTM. For example, Delicious comes to mind, but that's a late variety. Maybe Giant Belgium?

Red or pink, please. Thanks!

[nctomatoman]

Thinking back over the years, I've grown monsters using the following varieties: Tennessee Britches (biggest tomato I've ever grown in a pot), Mortgage Lifter, and some of the red/yellow bicolors such as Ruby Gold. I don't usually aim for the biggest, so these just decided to get that way on their own decision!

[b54red]

If you want to grow some large varieties then there are several that will produce big fruits. The ones where I have had really huge tomatoes came from plants that I had pruned to two stems and kept all suckers removed and all forks cut so only one remained. I have never gone to the extreme of keeping the plant to just one stem and then removing all but one or two set blossoms per truss though I have heard that will result in some occasional monsters.

The varieties that were mid season or earlier that have produced really huge tomatoes for me are Omar's Lebanese (not very productive), Neves Azorean Red, Donskoi, Gildo Pietroboni, Hungarian Heart. I have also made some big ones from Akers West Virginia, Brandywine Sudduth's, KBx, and Milka's Red Bulgarian; but they were all later producers for me. I think if I was only going to plant one plant and try to produce large tomatoes in a shorter time span that I would pick Neves Azorean Red because it is very productive, fairly early, and best of all makes a really good tasting big slicer. If on the other hand you are looking for something huge to fill up the sauce pot then both Gildo Pietroboni and Hungarian Heart produce numerous large fruits but their flavor is milder.

[rsg2001]

The biggest tomato I ever grew was Mammoth German Gold (available thru Tomato Grower's Supply). It was a very late season tomato and I got several big ones that first time I grew it. Now I prefer to go for more plentiful tomatoes and prefer not to depend on very late season varieties in a short-season zone. I have tried a couple of times to grow Giant Belgium from seed, and both times (last year and this year) the seedlings got diseased before I transplanted out so I didn't bother. I have also gotten gigantic tomatoes out of Hillbilly (bicolor), Brandywine Sudduth and Mariana's Peace.

[Tom C zone 4/5]

I'm not going to urge you to depend on Carolyn's (male) seed box, but her devotion to, and willingness to grow heart shaped tomato, might lead to some fun trials of this too often overlooked shape for you.

Hearts can be underperformers for total yeild per plant. Oh, but the tomatoes that grow can dwarf a tomato sandwich.

If I could get ripe fruit (on most years) in the lakes region in NH-USA, I bet you can too.

Grightmires Pride might be one...

[ContainerTed]

Chapman, African Queen, Giant Tree, Toedebusch Pink, and Climbing Trip-L-Crop come to mind as some of the larger ones I've grown. Chapman was consistantly over a pound each and plenty of them.

[Aphid]

last year I grew a bonnie "brandywine pink" (yeah I know ....booo, but it was a last minute emergency replacement).it was quite the producer ! with great flavor

it produced many what I call whoppers and several of them broke 2+lbs.

I saved some seed but didn't have room for it this year, but will grow again

[Michael]

I have had a couple Brandyboys at 3lbs. Most consistently large for me have been Aussie's.

[camochef]

Having grown thousands of varieties over the years, I would have to say there is no consistant winner in size. What does great one year, not so hot the next.
Some of my largest over the years have been: Mr. Underwoods Pink German Giant, Limbaugh's Legacy Potato Top, Rose, Brandywine-Glick's, Cowlick's Brandywine, Shannon's South African Mystery Black, Indian Stripe, JD's Special C-Tex, Ed's Millenium, Tarasenko6, Liz Birt, and a few others that slip my mind right now.
The following year they weren't near as impressive in size, but most remained impressive in taste and production. Too many factors contributing to size every year. Most of them are planted again this year, so we'll see how they compare. Right now the largest tomato out there is a Cowlick Brandywine-R.L. from Jon. It's nearest competitor is Kukla's Portugese Beefsteak. Patiently awaiting the first ripe one no matter what the size.
Camo

[darwinslair]

For large fruit production the only consistent heavy producer for me has been Terhune, but I have not played around with a lot of the big ones because the vast majority of my tomatoes are processed down into red sauce.

But 3 fruit trusses of Terhune will go over 6 pounds for me on a regular basis, even in a poor year.

Tom

[BigdaddyJ]

Without any special pruning or fert tricks, tomatoes that are just genetically big:

1. Portehouse the winner!
2. Big Zac second place

Nothing else has ever come close to these giants and I have grown most of the varieties listed above.

[kerry.heafner]

Without question, so far, the largest 'maters I have grown have been The Dutchman and Omar's Lebanese. I'm also getting some Better Boys this year that are about the size of a softball. But The Dutchman has thoroughly impressed me with its productivity and size. Now..next year? Who knows.