The very large tomato thread - Page 9

PureHarvest · April 27, 2016

Thanks for the encouragement Marv.
I have a Delicious plant that is about a foot tall now. It grew one flower at the top that is fused.
It is weird. I have not taken suckers off and wonder if I should let them grow out to get more leaf area and then top those laterals.
Looks to small to boost that one bloom, but I have seen pics of the record holder plant and you are right!

Gerardo · April 27, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricky Shaw

Gerardo, it's regular leaf on the Wasilla Terhunes. The trophy is mine, I've ordered cigars for the awards banquet.

Soon they will be Cubans!! No more pretending.

AKmark · April 27, 2016

Both of my daughters are stellar artists, I was thinking of having her design another one of these for the large tomato award. My idea is to pass it around to the next person as records are broken. All who have had it get to sign the back, and post your tomato weight.

I disqualify myself, I just want one of Ricky's Cubans to set on a shelf.

Anyway, is this a dumb idea, or not? The wood comes from a giant cottonwood tree that I had to cut, it was putting branches through one of greenhouses like arrows when our 90 mile an hour winds hit every winter.
Mark

lubadub · April 27, 2016

Pureharvest, don't over prune until you are certain a tomato has set. When you see a tomato growing that is acceptable to you, then comes the severe pruning. Big blossoms have a lower percentage of being actually fertilized. A blossom alone is not enough to set about severely pruning the plant. You could end up with nothing.

Ricky Shaw · April 27, 2016

That is beautiful work, and an excellent idea as a trophy. I know exactly what tomatoes those are. On the left a Delicious, the right a Brandywine.

PureHarvest · April 27, 2016

Thanks Marv.
In my limited experience (2yrs) paying attention to megablooms, they have always set for me.
Maybe that will change over time.
But I hear what you are saying.
I will post a close up of the plant tomorrow and you can tell me what you think.

Mark, I love that idea! Not dumb at all!
Thankful you excluded yourself! Lol

AKmark · April 27, 2016

When you guys see a huge Mega bloom, grab someones electric toothbrush and gently vibrate the truss. Works like a charm.

PureHarvest · April 28, 2016

Here is one of my early Delicious plants with the single megabloom up top.
It was two flowers fused, because when I crook my neck an look under I can see two pee sized tomatoes fused together.
Anyway, here are some shots. Plant is about 18" tall and 12" wide. The top two suckers are beefy. The top one has small green blossoms pushing up with new leaves, but I don't think the pics will show that.

IMG_1209.JPG

IMG_1210.JPG

IMG_1213.JPG

IMG_1211.JPG

lubadub · April 28, 2016

Looks good. Has already set. A double blossom may not be really great but it should be really good. Are you growing it all the way in a pot? There were some 5 pound tomatoes grown in pots last season.

PureHarvest · April 28, 2016

Yes, staying in bag.
Gets fed every single day with a three part soluble feed.
Should I let the sucker grow out a bit and then top them to get some more leaf area?
I realize a double bloom won't break records, but just want to get some big mater under my belt.
I have a big zac and 3 more delicious for competition growing.
Hoping for some triple or quad blooms. Still, I really don't expect to beat McCoy this year but wanted to learn the art and set a personal baseline this year.
Do you have to register with Guinness before the attempt, or can you document along the way and have your local department of Ag weight them with witnesses and photos with measurements and register later?

Ricky Shaw · April 28, 2016

The TV trucks will need secure parking and watch overhead power lines, those satellite booms go up sixty feet.

PureHarvest · April 28, 2016

Oh you, Ricky
I was just curious how it all works.
Ya know, just in case! For next year. Or something.
I just think competition growing is cool. I really don't see going too overboard with it. Mostly because I hate the way the multibloom fruit look. They are ugly in a bad way.
I would only want to win if I could do it from one blossomed fruit.
There should be two categories. Largest tomato and largest mutant tomato.

Ricky Shaw · April 28, 2016

I admire your enthusiasm and nerdness, you are truly a tomato man. Right on!

AKmark · April 28, 2016

PH, I agree, non fused tomato should be included. I had a 3.5lb off of Delicious, I think PA Julia had one over 4lbs.

efisakov · April 28, 2016

Y'all can add one more challenge, It has to be eaten by the grower.

Can you make it that big without overfeeding it with nitrates...
Julia admits not consuming the giants she grow. She has different tomatoes for consumption in her garden.

April 27, 2016	#124
lubadub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: PA Posts: 169	Pureharvest, don't over prune until you are certain a tomato has set. When you see a tomato growing that is acceptable to you, then comes the severe pruning. Big blossoms have a lower percentage of being actually fertilized. A blossom alone is not enough to set about severely pruning the plant. You could end up with nothing. __________________ Bigger is Better!

April 28, 2016	#129
lubadub Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: PA Posts: 169	Looks good. Has already set. A double blossom may not be really great but it should be really good. Are you growing it all the way in a pot? There were some 5 pound tomatoes grown in pots last season. __________________ Bigger is Better!

April 28, 2016	#132
PureHarvest Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b Posts: 1,369	Oh you, Ricky I was just curious how it all works. Ya know, just in case! For next year. Or something. I just think competition growing is cool. I really don't see going too overboard with it. Mostly because I hate the way the multibloom fruit look. They are ugly in a bad way. I would only want to win if I could do it from one blossomed fruit. There should be two categories. Largest tomato and largest mutant tomato. Last edited by PureHarvest; April 28, 2016 at 12:56 PM.

April 28, 2016	#135
efisakov Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: NJ, zone 7 Posts: 3,162	Y'all can add one more challenge, It has to be eaten by the grower. Can you make it that big without overfeeding it with nitrates... Julia admits not consuming the giants she grow. She has different tomatoes for consumption in her garden. __________________ Ella God comes along and says, "I think I'm going to create THE tomato!”

April 27, 2016	#121
PureHarvest Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b Posts: 1,369	Thanks for the encouragement Marv. I have a Delicious plant that is about a foot tall now. It grew one flower at the top that is fused. It is weird. I have not taken suckers off and wonder if I should let them grow out to get more leaf area and then top those laterals. Looks to small to boost that one bloom, but I have seen pics of the record holder plant and you are right!

April 27, 2016	#125
Ricky Shaw Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro Posts: 1,910	That is beautiful work, and an excellent idea as a trophy. I know exactly what tomatoes those are. On the left a Delicious, the right a Brandywine.

April 27, 2016	#126
PureHarvest Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b Posts: 1,369	Thanks Marv. In my limited experience (2yrs) paying attention to megablooms, they have always set for me. Maybe that will change over time. But I hear what you are saying. I will post a close up of the plant tomorrow and you can tell me what you think. Mark, I love that idea! Not dumb at all! Thankful you excluded yourself! Lol

April 27, 2016	#127
AKmark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wasilla Alaska Posts: 2,010	When you guys see a huge Mega bloom, grab someones electric toothbrush and gently vibrate the truss. Works like a charm.

April 28, 2016	#128
PureHarvest Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b Posts: 1,369	Here is one of my early Delicious plants with the single megabloom up top. It was two flowers fused, because when I crook my neck an look under I can see two pee sized tomatoes fused together. Anyway, here are some shots. Plant is about 18" tall and 12" wide. The top two suckers are beefy. The top one has small green blossoms pushing up with new leaves, but I don't think the pics will show that. IMG_1209.JPG IMG_1210.JPG IMG_1213.JPG IMG_1211.JPG

April 28, 2016	#130
PureHarvest Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b Posts: 1,369	Yes, staying in bag. Gets fed every single day with a three part soluble feed. Should I let the sucker grow out a bit and then top them to get some more leaf area? I realize a double bloom won't break records, but just want to get some big mater under my belt. I have a big zac and 3 more delicious for competition growing. Hoping for some triple or quad blooms. Still, I really don't expect to beat McCoy this year but wanted to learn the art and set a personal baseline this year. Do you have to register with Guinness before the attempt, or can you document along the way and have your local department of Ag weight them with witnesses and photos with measurements and register later?

April 28, 2016	#131
Ricky Shaw Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro Posts: 1,910	The TV trucks will need secure parking and watch overhead power lines, those satellite booms go up sixty feet.

April 28, 2016	#133
Ricky Shaw Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro Posts: 1,910	I admire your enthusiasm and nerdness, you are truly a tomato man. Right on!

April 28, 2016	#134
AKmark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wasilla Alaska Posts: 2,010	PH, I agree, non fused tomato should be included. I had a 3.5lb off of Delicious, I think PA Julia had one over 4lbs.