My Biggest Of The Season - Page 2

Elliot · August 13, 2012

awesome

deerhunter · August 13, 2012

i don't know but it is big but green and is not round. if i was going too save seed it would my biggest best looking tomato and would leave it on the plant too over ripe before i pick it. bigs not always best .

WVTomatoMan · August 16, 2012

PA_Julia,

Congratulations and welcome to the club! Unfortunately this may lead to a compulsion (obsession?) to grow big tomatoes (2+ lbs) every year going forward. At least that's what happened to me. You already know that Big Zac consistently throws out big ones and is part of my rotation. Other varieties that consistently throw out big ones are Neves Azorian Red and Aker's West Virginia. There are others. Also, although they don't do it consistenly any of your old beefsteaks (Brandywine, Brimmer, Ferris Wheel) can throw out a big ones. The attached pictures are all from this year.

BTW, I've broken the 3 pound barrier, but not the 4 pound barrier.

Good luck.

Randy

p.s. Unfortunately, I am at work and don't have a picture here of the Aker's West Virginia.

PA_Julia · August 16, 2012

Randy,

Thanks!! Those are impressive indeed!!

I communicate with Marv Meisner who authored the book Growing Giant Tomatoes.
I've come up with a list for next season based on his and other's recommendations like yours.

Delicious (current world record holder)
Church
Big Zac
Brutus Magnum
Mega Marv ( Marv Mesiner's cross)
Aker's West Virginia

I currently have another one growing that I previously was unaware of but now am babying in an attempt to reach the three pound mark this year.

Thanks for sharing some photo's. I would love to see your Aker's when you post them!!

Julia

Quote:

Originally Posted by WVTomatoMan

PA_Julia,

Congratulations and welcome to the club! Unfortunately this may lead to a compulsion (obsession?) to grow big tomatoes (2+ lbs) every year going forward. At least that's what happened to me. You already know that Big Zac consistently throws out big ones and is part of my rotation. Other varieties that consistently throw out big ones are Neves Azorian Red and Aker's West Virginia. There are others. Also, although they don't do it consistenly any of your old beefsteaks (Brandywine, Brimmer, Ferris Wheel) can throw out a big ones. The attached pictures are all from this year.

BTW, I've broken the 3 pound barrier, but not the 4 pound barrier.

Good luck.

Randy

p.s. Unfortunately, I am at work and don't have a picture here of the Aker's West Virginia.

WVTomatoMan · August 20, 2012

I hope you don't mind, but I want to prepare you for some things that might come up.

When taking a big tomato to a public setting like work, club meeting, etc. the first thing people will ask is if they can pick it up. The warning is a lot of handling will bruise the tomato. I tend to use tomatoes that are bruised like that in salsa.

The second question they'll ask is if it will taste good. You already know that they still taste just fine. The reason they ask is because when a lot of veggies get big they lose their flavor and/or become tough. The tomato in the picture is from last year and that tomato was knock your socks off good.

I know you're growing Big Zac this year so you probably won't save seeds, but for the heirloom/OP varieties you probably will. You can save seeds from the big ones if you want to, but you don't have to. Go to the plant that produced the biggest tomatoes and save seeds from any tomato on that plant. The plant gives you what you're looking for NOT the individual tomatoes. Livingston proved that a long time ago.

Some of the big fruit will be from fused blossoms. I recommend NOT saving seeds from those fruit. The nature of the blossom makes it more susceptible to crossing.

BTW, I've saved seeds from Big Zac. None of the F2s that I grew threw out big ones, but I only grew out a few plants. I did get a vigorous plant that threw out some fine tasting tomatoes though. I'll get back to that project eventually...I hope. I have too many projects not enough time and space.

Hope this helps.

Good luck.

Randy

WVTomatoMan · August 21, 2012

Oops I forgot one. If you lay your big tomatoes on the counter overnight or for a day or so make sure it is blossom end down. If you lay them on the counter blossom end up the shoulders can't support the weight and either the sholders will be damaged or it will start to colapse under it's own weight.

Randy

PA_Julia · August 21, 2012

Thank you Randy!

Right now I have what appears to be a seven flower mega bloom up on the top part of one of my Big Zac plants that has begun growing a fruit.

The other Big Zac plant has a fruit that is approx 2 LBS and growing at this time.

I hope the one that has just begun holds out through next month or even into Oct.

Granite26 · August 21, 2012

I harvested my first tomato from Red Barn. It came in at 2.24lbs and all the tomatoes on the plants are getting huge. This may be another one to add to the big tomato list. I purchased seed from Carol (Wi-sunflower on the board) and links to her site are under seed sources.

kevn357 · August 22, 2012

I'm growing big zac for the first time. I have barely pruned it and it has some monster fruit on it. I'm not educated on growing big tomatoes but letting that monster plant grow without pruning isn't hurting it grow huge fruit. There has to be 3 or 4 fruit in the 2-3 pound range.

My question is pruning vines as well as fruit really helping to grow a bigger tomato? It seems the larger the plant gets the larger all the fruit get in my limited experience of growing tomatoes.

bitterwort · August 22, 2012

I agree with you about Red Barn, Granite. I got a 3-pounder from it the first time I grew it, from seeds I got from Carolyn. That was also the first year I grew heirlooms, and it has been a slippery slope, as Randy suggests.

deerhunter · August 22, 2012

got an oxheart just over 3.

deerhunter · August 22, 2012

check out this one. what causes this?

sicily · August 22, 2012

Gorgeous tomato. My biggest was a Gildo Pietroboni that weighed in at 2.27 lbs. I'll have to try Big Zac next year!

2nd Foundation · August 23, 2012

Wow, that is a HUGE tomato in your picture, deerhunter!

TightenUp · August 23, 2012

deerhunter

no clue what causes that but i had an early brandywine from croatia with a similar protuberance

August 21, 2012	#22
PA_Julia Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Princeton, Ky Zone 7A Posts: 2,208	Thank you Randy! Right now I have what appears to be a seven flower mega bloom up on the top part of one of my Big Zac plants that has begun growing a fruit. The other Big Zac plant has a fruit that is approx 2 LBS and growing at this time. I hope the one that has just begun holds out through next month or even into Oct. __________________ Personal Best- 4.46 LB Big Zac 2013

August 22, 2012	#25
bitterwort Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MN Zone4b Posts: 292	I agree with you about Red Barn, Granite. I got a 3-pounder from it the first time I grew it, from seeds I got from Carolyn. That was also the first year I grew heirlooms, and it has been a slippery slope, as Randy suggests. __________________ Bitterwort

August 23, 2012	#29
2nd Foundation Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Central North Carolina 7b Posts: 71	Wow, that is a HUGE tomato in your picture, deerhunter! __________________ "If there was any race other than the human race, I'd go join it." ~Thomas Gore "The good thing about science is that it is true whether or not you believe in it." ~Neil deGrasse Tyson

August 23, 2012	#30
TightenUp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Jersey Posts: 1,183	deerhunter no clue what causes that but i had an early brandywine from croatia with a similar protuberance __________________

August 13, 2012	#16
Elliot Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Hicksville, New York Posts: 503	awesome

August 13, 2012	#17
deerhunter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: hopkinton ma. Posts: 70	i don't know but it is big but green and is not round. if i was going too save seed it would my biggest best looking tomato and would leave it on the plant too over ripe before i pick it. bigs not always best .

August 21, 2012	#21
WVTomatoMan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: West Virginia - Zone 6 Posts: 594	Oops I forgot one. If you lay your big tomatoes on the counter overnight or for a day or so make sure it is blossom end down. If you lay them on the counter blossom end up the shoulders can't support the weight and either the sholders will be damaged or it will start to colapse under it's own weight. Randy

August 21, 2012	#23
Granite26 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Western WI Posts: 359	I harvested my first tomato from Red Barn. It came in at 2.24lbs and all the tomatoes on the plants are getting huge. This may be another one to add to the big tomato list. I purchased seed from Carol (Wi-sunflower on the board) and links to her site are under seed sources.

August 22, 2012	#24
kevn357 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Parma, OH Posts: 147	I'm growing big zac for the first time. I have barely pruned it and it has some monster fruit on it. I'm not educated on growing big tomatoes but letting that monster plant grow without pruning isn't hurting it grow huge fruit. There has to be 3 or 4 fruit in the 2-3 pound range. My question is pruning vines as well as fruit really helping to grow a bigger tomato? It seems the larger the plant gets the larger all the fruit get in my limited experience of growing tomatoes.

August 22, 2012	#28
sicily Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Indiana Posts: 192	Gorgeous tomato. My biggest was a Gildo Pietroboni that weighed in at 2.27 lbs. I'll have to try Big Zac next year!