Tomato Size?

[Starlight]

While out scouting this morning I was looking over my tomatoes to see if I had any new fruits starting to show. I did, on Basinga.

I also noticed that on Amazon Chocolate and Brandywine OTV that I had these huge and I mean huge blossoms opening up. Never seen blossoms on a tomato so big before. There was so many petals I couldn't even try and count them.

On Amazon Choclolate it looks like one bloom, but it has two anther cones in it Is that normal? Brandywine OTV had just one giant anther cone. Am I going to get two tomatoes or one giant fused one, that is if it even gets pollinated?

Are these huge blossoms normal or should I pull them off, so they won't use up all the plants strength? I have no idea how these tomatoes should grow or look like.

Ahhhhhh the joy of trying and learning about new varieites.

First pic is Amazon Chocolate. Sorry four trips out and best pic I could get. Bloom is in middle of pic.

Second pic is Brandywine OTV, tried to get a pic of huge amount of petals, but darn plant is being too shy this morning, but you can see how wide it is.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Starlight

While out scouting this morning I was looking over my tomatoes to see if I had any new fruits starting to show. I did, on Basinga.

I also noticed that on Amazon Chocolate and Brandywine OTV that I had these huge and I mean huge blossoms opening up. Never seen blossoms on a tomato so big before. There was so many petals I couldn't even try and count them.

On Amazon Choclolate it looks like one bloom, but it has two anther cones in it Is that normal? Brandywine OTV had just one giant anther cone. Am I going to get two tomatoes or one giant fused one, that is if it even gets pollinated?

Are these huge blossoms normal or should I pull them off, so they won't use up all the plants strength? I have no idea how these tomatoes should grow or look like.

Ahhhhhh the joy of trying and learning about new varieites.

First pic is Amazon Chocolate. Sorry four trips out and best pic I could get. Bloom is in middle of pic.

Second pic is Brandywine OTV, tried to get a pic of huge amount of petals, but darn plant is being too shy this morning, but you can see how wide it is.

What you see with those large many petaled blooms are called megablooms, the olderword was fused blossoms. Those who encourage them usually are growing them for competiton size fruits.

Are megablooms normal? Yes, I think almost everyone has seen them from time to time, usually the first blossoms and then after that normal blossoms and usually seen on varieties that have large beefsteak shaped fruits.

If you do a search here you'll find many links having to do with megablooms, but I chose this one:

http://tomatoville.com/showthread.ph...ght=megablooms

Carolyn

[flgatorguy87]

I've got megablooms on my Brandywine, Hillbilly, Flame, Aunt Gerties Green, and Omars Lebanese. All were just like Carolyn said the first blooms on these plants. They do seem to be taking longer to set fruit than the other smaller blooms around them.

[pauldavid]

Looks good Star! Good luck with them.

[PA_Julia]

Very nice!! As a weight competition grower mega blooms are what I want to see.

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

What you see with those large many petaled blooms are called megablooms, the olderword was fused blossoms. Those who encourage them usually are growing them for competiton size fruits.

Are megablooms normal? Yes, I think almost everyone has seen them from time to time, usually the first blossoms and then after that normal blossoms and usually seen on varieties that have large beefsteak shaped fruits.

If you do a search here you'll find many links having to do with megablooms, but I chose this one:

http://tomatoville.com/showthread.ph...ght=megablooms

Carolyn

Thank you Carolyn! Wow! What a link, seeing them huge tomatoes.

Originally Posted by flgatorguy87

I've got megablooms on my Brandywine, Hillbilly, Flame, Aunt Gerties Green, and Omars Lebanese. All were just like Carolyn said the first blooms on these plants. They do seem to be taking longer to set fruit than the other smaller blooms around them.

Thanks for your input. That way now I won't worry to much if they take time to try and grow.

Originally Posted by pauldavid

Looks good Star! Good luck with them.

Ahhhh shucks. I'm trying. I feel like all my tomatoes have TV folks as relatives. So far not doing too bad by following folks advice. Just hope I can keep it going. They looking good thanks to all the help. So far prettiest foliage I ever grew. Now just to get some tomatoes.

Originally Posted by PA_Julia

Very nice!! As a weight competition grower mega blooms are what I want to see.

Oh Julia! I was looking at your pics on the link Carolyn sent. Them some fascinating looking tomatoes you grow. If the tomato stays on and doesn't abort, I'm thinking about maybe giving it a try just to see what one looks like. I think it would be fun to see another whole different side of tomato growing. If I decide to do it, will need your help, please.

Out of curiosity, is there a group of you mega growers that have some sort of competition and like meeting place to show of your big babies?

[carolyn137]

Starlight, I just want to clarify a few things

When someone says large blossoms, it's not just ONE blossom, it's several individual blossoms that are fused together which is why until recently they were called fused blossoms and not megablooms, mega meaning large. And you mentioned seeing some stigmas poking out and those would be stigmas from individual blossoms.

And NEVER but never save seeds from those large misshapen fruits that can result from a megabloom and that's because you have no idea of which individual blossoms might have been cross pollinated, so in one fruit you could have a delightful mix, unfortunately, of all kinds of seeds with different origins/

Insect pollinators are drawn to large yellow megablooms.

Carolyn

[Starlight]

I appreciate the additional information. Always good to know. Thank you! : )

[Gardeneer]

I have had the impression that mega blooms occur in early, colder seasonn.
But in AL, in late May ? Hmm. I must have had the wrong impression.

Right now some of my dwarf varieties developing mega blooms. I,ll take a picture when they open. It is fun to watch them grow. BTW, not all MBs become catfaced, me thinks.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

I have had the impression that mega blooms occur in early, colder seasonn.
But in AL, in late May ? Hmm. I must have had the wrong impression.

Right now some of my dwarf varieties developing mega blooms. I,ll take a picture when they open. It is fun to watch them grow. BTW, not all MBs become catfaced, me thinks.

They tend to show up earlier but I think it is because they usually appear on the first couple of trusses when you get them. I have mega blooms on several plants that weren't even set out until the third week in April so the first blooms didn't even show up til way into May.

Bill

[feldon30]

I tend to pick off megablooms. They produce overly large deformed tomatoes with lots of scars and connective tissue and little actual usable flesh.

[flgatorguy87]

Feldon, I hate to pick off anything that will be fruit, but that does make sense. Is this common for a lot of people?

Still learning a lot. This is my first year with tomatoes in the ground, and I've gotten multiple megablooms that have formed. I've noticed that none of these blooms have set fruit yet on any of the plants despite being the first blooms on their respective plants. The fruit has set around them, so that seems to agree with your thinking.

[Starlight]

Hummmm. Interesting. I'll have to take a close look at mine and watch and see what happens.

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by feldon30

I tend to pick off megablooms. They produce overly large deformed tomatoes with lots of scars and connective tissue and little actual usable flesh.

I've been considering doing this as well. To me it seems that when I leave them, the plant sets fewer and smaller fruit. And as you say, the resulting tomatoes are a mis-shapen mess!