Megablooms!!!

[motheralb]

Growing my first Big Zac this year and already have a mega blossom...can't wait to see what forms!

[PA_Julia]

Originally Posted by heirloomtomaguy

That thing is a beast. Do you grow them organically or with a whole lot of super thrive?

Hi, sorry about the delay in answering.

In order to get to sizes considered giant, 4.00 LBS or above one simply cannot use a strictly organic approach.

I use very large amounts of synthetic and natural fertilizers in which to boost the overall weight of a large tomato.

Since these tomatoes are not for eating there is no fear of consuming pesticides or other products that one might find in trace amounts in the tomatoes.

[PA_Julia]

Originally Posted by motheralb

Growing my first Big Zac this year and already have a mega blossom...can't wait to see what forms!

Excellent!! Remember to pick your one tomato then remove all others and prevent any other tomatoes from forming on the plant.

[AKmark]

I have 3 Big Zac's that are producing huge perfect blooms, and nice tomatoes, but no darn megablooms yet, I finally got a double from Delicious though. One thing for sure, those big Zac's are vigorous, and really produce the tomatoes, nice ones, but for this adventure, I want a big ugly tomato.
I will be patient Julia, maybe it will be perfect timing for a fall display at the State fair.

[Rfdillon]

Julia, would you be able to suggest a feeding schedule and advice on frets to achieve large tomatoes? I haven't gardened in 15 years, and as such, I'm quite rusty, and am looking for some kind if process for achieving tge maximum yield for each of my 92 plants this year. Thanks!

[AZGardener]

Julia- Wow what a beautiful tomato! I think the more ruffled and ugly they, the prettier and more yummy they taste. Yum!! I definitely understand the method behind your madness and I can appreciate growing those babies for size. Tomorrow morning I am going to inspect my tomato plants for this megabloom everyone is speaking of! I have a huge Cherokee Purple forming and it could have definitely been a megabloom bc its huge!!

[parah]

Is there a record for largest edible tomato from a single blossom?

I like pretty things that I can eat!

[parah]

Originally Posted by PA_Julia

Hi, sorry about the delay in answering.

In order to get to sizes considered giant, 4.00 LBS or above one simply cannot use a strictly organic approach.

I use very large amounts of synthetic and natural fertilizers in which to boost the overall weight of a large tomato.

Since these tomatoes are not for eating there is no fear of consuming pesticides or other products that one might find in trace amounts in the tomatoes.

I am really glad you shared this.
So when see a pretty picture like this one... it is pure marketing fertilizer?
I guess that is a plastic tomato in the picture? The real tomato would look very different and maybe poisonous?

[efisakov]

Parah, I think you are correct. The scale at less than a pound, it can only be plastic.

[JohnJones]

Originally Posted by parah

I am really glad you shared this.
So when see a pretty picture like this one... it is pure marketing fertilizer?
I guess that is a plastic tomato in the picture? The real tomato would look very different and maybe poisonous?

This is Gordon Graham and a replica of the former world record tomato. This one was displaced by Julia's friend last year as she indicates in this thread.

Here is an interview with Gordon (who has passed away) from the 1990's...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4GynGTDlpc

[PA_Julia]

Originally Posted by Rfdillon

Julia, would you be able to suggest a feeding schedule and advice on frets to achieve large tomatoes? I haven't gardened in 15 years, and as such, I'm quite rusty, and am looking for some kind if process for achieving tge maximum yield for each of my 92 plants this year. Thanks!

Yes I can; After transplant into the ground and acclimation by the plant to it's new home I begin a weekly feeding of Miracle Grow's Bloom Booster. Not the Bloom Booster that is carried by big box stores like Home Depot, Lowes and Walmart but Miracle Grows bloom booster that is formulated as 10-52-10.
You can find this at most independent garden centers.

The large load of phosphorous pushes the plant to create notably more blooms at a faster rate than regularly formulated fertilizers.
Your concern is the formation of mega blooms and not the amount of salts that will be building up from the use of this product.

Since you won't be eating the tomato this frees you to apply products such as fungicides and pesticides in relatively large amounts to ensure that the tomato you have selected will grow to fruition.
After you have obtained a megabloom or two you would like to see produce a tomato the use of an electric toothbrush to move a sufficient amount of pollen in which to pollinate the bloom will be in order.

Once pollinated , remove all other blooms from the plant and switch your fertilizer to a more balanced 20-20-20 or similar in which to promote plant and root growth.
Use this for the amount of time your tomato is in the growth phase.

Remember to prune your plant to one or two main stems only and to top your plant at the time of successful pollination of the megabloom regardless of the height of the plant.

The world record of 8.41 LBS was grown on a plant that was only four feet in height.

The idea is to channel the plants energy into that one tomato growing on the plant and not to waist it's energy growing the plant itself.

[PA_Julia]

Originally Posted by parah

I am really glad you shared this.
So when see a pretty picture like this one... it is pure marketing fertilizer?
I guess that is a plastic tomato in the picture? The real tomato would look very different and maybe poisonous?

Miracle Grow sponsored Gordon Graham to act as an ambassador of sorts for the company. He traveled across the U.S. and Canada promoting Miracle Grow.

The tomato you see in the photograph is made out of resin.

The world record tomato was not perfectly round but extremely misshapen as are all tomatoes that are grown from very large multiple fused blooms.

[PA_Julia]

Originally Posted by AZGardener

Julia- Wow what a beautiful tomato! I think the more ruffled and ugly they, the prettier and more yummy they taste. Yum!! I definitely understand the method behind your madness and I can appreciate growing those babies for size. Tomorrow morning I am going to inspect my tomato plants for this megabloom everyone is speaking of! I have a huge Cherokee Purple forming and it could have definitely been a megabloom bc its huge!!

Thank you!! I hope you grow one!!

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by efisakov

Parah, I think you are correct. The scale at less than a pound, it can only be plastic.

What happened to the original that they had to come up with a replica ?
Hmmmm

All the record tomato pictures that I have seen before have been fused cat faced.

[JohnJones]

Cherokee Purple #2

Cherokee Purple #2 - 4 11 2015 - MegaBlossom.jpg

Better Boy

Better Boy - 4 11 2015 - MegaBlossom.jpg