The very large tomato thread

[biscuitridge]

Originally Posted by DK2021

But do they taste good?

They taste very good!

[CrazyAboutOrchids]

Originally Posted by biscuitridge

They taste very good!

That's good because, sorry, but that is one ugly tomato! Beauty in the eye's of the beholder...

Biggest tomatoes I've ever grown were nowhere near in size; one an Aker's West Virginia (23.3 oz) and one a Pruden's Purple (22.3 oz). I tend to only track numbers produced but if something outstanding (for my garden) comes along, I will weigh.

[b54red]

I grew one well over 2 pounds last year and usually have a few around that big every other year or so but can't imagine what it would take to grow something like the monsters shown in this thread. Congrats.

Bill

[b54red]

Now that my plants are starting to set a fair number of tomatoes I am trying to find all the fused blooms and pull them off so I don't have to deal with those messy tomatoes. We don't like dealing with those fruits with all the fissures and sections so it is easiest to just remove them when they are small. I will always miss a few and get some of those ugly fruits with uneven ripening but those will go to sauce every time.

Bill

[PaulF]

I may have written this before, if so forgive my lack of memory, but I have never in a whole lot of tomato growing years had a fused blossom or one of those monsters. Is this a result of differing weather conditions? or differing geographics?

It seems like fused blossoms occur in the southern regions more than up north even though we have heat and humidity just not like Alabama.

[biscuitridge]

Originally Posted by PaulF

I may have written this before, if so forgive my lack of memory, but I have never in a whole lot of tomato growing years had a fused blossom or one of those monsters. Is this a result of differing weather conditions? or differing geographics?

It seems like fused blossoms occur in the southern regions more than up north even though we have heat and humidity just not like Alabama.

Genetics also,all of my plants throw huge megas and I'm in Washington so I don't think geography has anything to do with it, mainly genetics!

[ddsack]

I am up north, and I have fused blossoms early in the season when temps tend cooler, and the plants are young. Not too many once past mid-summer. Varies greatly by variety. My gut feeling is that they are caused by the young plants ramping up their growth once they hit fertile soil, and maybe they produce more energy than can be used in a balanced growth of roots and foliage, so perhaps the excess goes to unusually large or fused blossoms. As the season progresses, the plant learns to adjust to conditions or better coordinate uptake of it's needs. Just my personal take on it.

[biscuitridge]

Giant tomato genetics will produce megas all the way up the plant,I've grown 7 lb tomatoes at 7 feet off the ground.

[redneckplanter]

Originally Posted by biscuitridge

Giant tomato genetics will produce megas all the way up the plant,I've grown 7 lb tomatoes at 7 feet off the ground.

That is amazing!

[Natertom92]

My big zacs are throwing out single blooms as of now but hopefully they'll be having megablooms shortly

[biscuitridge]

Originally Posted by Natertom92

My big zacs are throwing out single blooms as of now but hopefully they'll be having megablooms shortly

On my giants the first truss bloom is always the biggest, so this year I'm looking for a bloom that might produce a 17+ lb. tomato, if the blossom doesn't look like a potential world record I pull the plant and put it in the compost bin.

[KarenO]

Originally Posted by biscuitridge

On my giants the first truss bloom is always the biggest, so this year I'm looking for a bloom that might produce a 17+ lb. tomato, if the blossom doesn't look like a potential world record I pull the plant and put it in the compost bin.

Good luck Dan! I’m pretty sure at some point you are going over 20
Karen

[biscuitridge]

Thanks Karen! I'm enjoying seeing the results of all your hard work on your Northern Gardener Facebook page your doing am awesome job breeding those tomatoes!

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by biscuitridge

On my giants the first truss bloom is always the biggest, so this year I'm looking for a bloom that might produce a 17+ lb. tomato, if the blossom doesn't look like a potential world record I pull the plant and put it in the compost bin.

Well, that certainly goes against the old thinking to remove the first truss, or more, believing a larger and older plant has more potential to grow a giant.

Thanks for setting the record (my guess is that you have a long and detailed one) straight.