Fused blooms - what to do?

[MrBig46]

I remove all mega blooms if I can find them, especially on Spanish large beefsteaks (over 500g). They are mostly the first flowers on the first inflorescence, the other flowers on this inflorescence are already normal. By removing this mega flower, I will encourage the development of other flowers and I will surely achieve a better harvest.
Vladimír

[SharonRossy]

Waiting to see what this summer will bring. Frankly, I will remove the fused blossoms. Really didn’t like the tomatoes that grew from them, as I missed a few. I didn’t find that there was much to eat after removing all the weird parts. Just my opinion.

[Tormato]

There are no weird parts, if they are all reasonably ripe. Likely the single most complex tasting tomato that I ever had was a close to 2 pound fused blossom Kellogg's Breakfast.

It had parts that were barely underripe, parts that were perfectly ripe, and parts that were almost getting to be overripe. I cut it so that each slice had the different ripeness parts. Out of this world flavor in an ugly package, beats uniformity any day.

[biscuitridge]

What would I do without fused blossoms! They make huge tomatoes!

[ddsack]

Out of this world flavor in an ugly package, beats uniformity any day.

Well said! I have plenty of room to grow as many plants as I want, so don't need to have a lot of production from any one plant. For me, one big early great tasting tomato is worth more than five smaller tomatoes coming three weeks later. I know others that grow primarily for canning will differ. Do what makes sense for you.

[Labradors2]

I remove them. Not only do they ripen unevenly, but they are also corky. I don't need that!

Linda

[b54red]

Originally Posted by Labradors2

I'm very surprised at all the people that leave them. I have no idea why people would want enormous mal-formed, unevenly ripened tomatoes that zap the energy of the plant and have no use. I say "Off with their heads!"

Linda

I agree. It is sometimes fun just to see how big the things get but they are only good for the sauce pot. I would rather have a better slicer and a tomato that ripens more evenly.

Bill

[PaulF]

I have yet to see a fused blossom in my gardens. If there ever is one, it gets to grow and end up however it gets. Are fused blossoms an indicator of certain areas, certain weather, certain soils? Maybe some varieties more prone?

[biscuitridge]

Originally Posted by PaulF

I have yet to see a fused blossom in my gardens. If there ever is one, it gets to grow and end up however it gets. Are fused blossoms an indicator of certain areas, certain weather, certain soils? Maybe some varieties more prone?

Certain genetics are much more likely to throw mega blooms or fused blossoms, my Domingo and Big Zac give many fused blossoms on every plant.

[ddsack]

I may get one or maybe two megablossoms on most varieties of large beefsteaks early in the season. I've always chalked it up to the plants early fast growth spurt and desire to reproduce. Maybe my cold early season nights have something to do with too. Doesn't bother me, it's not an issue later on and I would not give up the earlier ripe fruit.
PaulF -- I think you grow mostly hearts, so I think they are less likely to develop the catfacing problem. In fact I don't remember ever seeing it on a heart, though I could be wrong. Fused sections, yes, but not the hard end scabbiness.

[PaulF]

In twenty-five years of growing "real" tomatoes, my heart fettish has only risen its head in the last ten years and still three out of four plants are not hearts (most years). And still of an estimated 400 non-hearts there have been zero fused blossoms so I guess I have been doing something wrong in two states and three gardens...or is it right?