The very large tomato thread - Page 21

biscuitridge · November 11, 2017

Pmcgrady-not sure why your mega seeds are duds, I'd be happy to try to help you if you give me some details of your growing techniques, you should have mega blooms all summer, all the way up the plant, the last two 7 lbrs. were 6 to 7 feet up the plant. And most all of them take and produce tomatoes, then you need to know what to look for for size potential and cull the rest.

pmcgrady · November 11, 2017

The mega seeds from a mega bloom Mushroom Basket I grew last year were planted and grew beautiful plants with no tomatoes, one plant did produce one small tomato. The plants didn't bloom or flower. I had given some of the plants to friends and they had the same results. Weird...
The only plants that I have gotten mega blooms on were planted early in the ground and went thru a cold snap in the weather.

**carolyn137** · November 11, 2017

Dan, another question I'd like to ask you and this is it.Big Zac,which was your winner, was originally released by Minnie Z as an F1 hybrid.She was asked to come to the original Garden Web b/c one of the websites that Wayne Hilton still owned had said to rogue out any off types,which doesn't happen that often with F1 hybrids. But several who were at GW at the time had had the same experience.

What Minnie said at GW was that one of the parents of Big Zac F1 had been lost,apparently by someone who was doing the seed production for it. Some seed sites were still calling it an F1, Reimer's did so.

I know that one of the parents of BZ was Minnie's own family heirloom variety and that she had won many contests with it in NJ where she lived at the time, but I don't think she said anything about the other parent.

Here's Tania's link for it

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Big_Zac

Now the above is dated, that is true.

So did you have access to any original F1's or did you grow the OP version.

If there are any F1 seeds still around I think it would be interesting to try to dehybridize it.I tried to dehybridize Burpee's F1 Big Boy one time,with the help of Dr. Oved Shriffress who bred it, but for some reason I didn't continue with that project.

Just curious about your winner,as in F1 or OP.

Carolyn

dmforcier · November 11, 2017

"Officially Amazing"

Yep.

pmcgrady · November 11, 2017

Great job!

oakley · November 12, 2017

Cool. Wondered what that would look like. (fixed the pic so those
on a phone could see it as phones keep turning the pic sideways)

Dan posted almost a year ago that he had the record, and is not
a new member, just probably not interested in other postings on
the forum. Many here just never saw that posting. Hence the
confusion?
Interesting that there is a Winter grow challenge. I'll follow that
one for sure. I grew toms all last Winter so it will be interesting what
techniques are used. (not looking for big, just want to keep them
alive)
It wasn't at all necessary to 'prove it' but thanks for posting

oakley · November 12, 2017

I actually looked around the home yesterday for a similar object
with that weight. Wow is that a big tomato

biscuitridge · November 12, 2017

Oakley, you should join us in the winter winter grow, sounds like you have more experience than a lot of them, come on over and join the fun!

Natertom92 · January 22, 2018

I love very large tomatoes.

mensplace · January 29, 2018

Back before these fool diseases kicked in and I had a few hundred varieties growing as an experiment, I had grown one PERFECT tomato!

That beauty easily filled the breadth of both hands, was a light red in color, small stem end with little depression area where the stem was connected, almost a perfect circle around the circumference, slightly flattened, no mars or ridges.

Inside, the segments were well defined with plenty of seed and NO mushy pulpiness. The flavor was not terribly acidic, but a full, rich tomato flavor that was well balanced. I don't have a clue what it was, but maybe we're only allotted one perfect one per lifetime.

Any ideas?

Itoero · February 1, 2018

My Big Zac has often dry, white meat, around the cracks...what can cause this?

Rajun Gardener · February 1, 2018

It looks like uneven watering to me.

biscuitridge · February 1, 2018

Looks like a lack of nutrients.

pmcgrady · February 1, 2018

Looks like a Big Zac!
They crack like that (at least the ones I've grown) I'm up to F5 this year. Though no monsters, most are around 2 lbs...
I think sun has a lot to do with it as does uneven watering, had good luck last year wrapping white sheets around the tomato cage for added shade. It seemed to reduce the cracks on a couple varieties ( George Detsika's, Pineapple Pig, Goldman's )

pmcgrady · February 1, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmcgrady

Looks like a Big Zac!
They crack like that (at least the ones I've grown) I'm up to F5 this year. Though no monsters, most are around 2 lbs...
I think sun has a lot to do with it as does uneven watering, had good luck last year wrapping white sheets around the tomato cage for added shade. It seemed to reduce the cracks on a couple varieties ( George Detsika's, Pineapple Pig, Goldman's )

Big Zac with shade

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

November 11, 2017	#302
pmcgrady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 1,836	The mega seeds from a mega bloom Mushroom Basket I grew last year were planted and grew beautiful plants with no tomatoes, one plant did produce one small tomato. The plants didn't bloom or flower. I had given some of the plants to friends and they had the same results. Weird... The only plants that I have gotten mega blooms on were planted early in the ground and went thru a cold snap in the weather. Last edited by pmcgrady; November 11, 2017 at 11:03 AM.

November 11, 2017	#303
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Dan, another question I'd like to ask you and this is it.Big Zac,which was your winner, was originally released by Minnie Z as an F1 hybrid.She was asked to come to the original Garden Web b/c one of the websites that Wayne Hilton still owned had said to rogue out any off types,which doesn't happen that often with F1 hybrids. But several who were at GW at the time had had the same experience. What Minnie said at GW was that one of the parents of Big Zac F1 had been lost,apparently by someone who was doing the seed production for it. Some seed sites were still calling it an F1, Reimer's did so. I know that one of the parents of BZ was Minnie's own family heirloom variety and that she had won many contests with it in NJ where she lived at the time, but I don't think she said anything about the other parent. Here's Tania's link for it http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Big_Zac Now the above is dated, that is true. So did you have access to any original F1's or did you grow the OP version. If there are any F1 seeds still around I think it would be interesting to try to dehybridize it.I tried to dehybridize Burpee's F1 Big Boy one time,with the help of Dr. Oved Shriffress who bred it, but for some reason I didn't continue with that project. Just curious about your winner,as in F1 or OP. Carolyn __________________ Carolyn

November 11, 2017	#304
dmforcier Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 3,825	"Officially Amazing" Yep. __________________ Stupidity got us into this mess. Why can't it get us out? - Will Rogers

January 29, 2018	#310
mensplace Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: USA Posts: 1,013	kicking myself for giving away all my seed stock years ago Back before these fool diseases kicked in and I had a few hundred varieties growing as an experiment, I had grown one PERFECT tomato! That beauty easily filled the breadth of both hands, was a light red in color, small stem end with little depression area where the stem was connected, almost a perfect circle around the circumference, slightly flattened, no mars or ridges. Inside, the segments were well defined with plenty of seed and NO mushy pulpiness. The flavor was not terribly acidic, but a full, rich tomato flavor that was well balanced. I don't have a clue what it was, but maybe we're only allotted one perfect one per lifetime. Any ideas?

November 11, 2017	#301
biscuitridge Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: washington Posts: 498	Pmcgrady-not sure why your mega seeds are duds, I'd be happy to try to help you if you give me some details of your growing techniques, you should have mega blooms all summer, all the way up the plant, the last two 7 lbrs. were 6 to 7 feet up the plant. And most all of them take and produce tomatoes, then you need to know what to look for for size potential and cull the rest.

November 11, 2017	#305
pmcgrady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 1,836	Great job!

November 12, 2017	#307
oakley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: NewYork 5a Posts: 2,303	I actually looked around the home yesterday for a similar object with that weight. Wow is that a big tomato

November 12, 2017	#308
biscuitridge Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: washington Posts: 498	Oakley, you should join us in the winter winter grow, sounds like you have more experience than a lot of them, come on over and join the fun!

January 22, 2018	#309
Natertom92 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Kansas Posts: 12	I love very large tomatoes.

February 1, 2018	#311
Itoero Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Belgium Posts: 186	My Big Zac has often dry, white meat, around the cracks...what can cause this?

February 1, 2018	#312
Rajun Gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Tomato Cornhole Posts: 2,550	It looks like uneven watering to me.

February 1, 2018	#313
biscuitridge Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: washington Posts: 498	Looks like a lack of nutrients.

February 1, 2018	#314
pmcgrady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 1,836	Looks like a Big Zac! They crack like that (at least the ones I've grown) I'm up to F5 this year. Though no monsters, most are around 2 lbs... I think sun has a lot to do with it as does uneven watering, had good luck last year wrapping white sheets around the tomato cage for added shade. It seemed to reduce the cracks on a couple varieties ( George Detsika's, Pineapple Pig, Goldman's )