The very large tomato thread

[AKmark]

Here is my first chosen one out of my Terhune seeds from my 5.42lb. It is at least 4 tomatoes fused together. We will see.

[Spartanburg123]

Originally Posted by AKmark

Here is my first chosen one out of my Terhune seeds from my 5.42lb. It is at least 4 tomatoes fused together. We will see.

Nice Mark!! The jury is still out on my Terhune 5.42. My plants got scattered on the ground during a thunderstorm while still in Jiffy pots. So I had 5 RL possibilities: Not Purple Strawberry, Dotson's Lebanese Heart, GGWT, Bear Creek, and Terhune 5.42.

One RL plant had to be pulled as it was a mule. As of today, I am only confident of GGWT- I can see the stripes already on the growing fruit. I don't know if Terhune has made the cut- but I can tell you that I have no megablooms on ANY of my plants this year- weird!

[AKmark]

Originally Posted by Spartanburg123

Nice Mark!! The jury is still out on my Terhune 5.42. My plants got scattered on the ground during a thunderstorm while still in Jiffy pots. So I had 5 RL possibilities: Not Purple Strawberry, Dotson's Lebanese Heart, GGWT, Bear Creek, and Terhune 5.42.

One RL plant had to be pulled as it was a mule. As of today, I am only confident of GGWT- I can see the stripes already on the growing fruit. I don't know if Terhune has made the cut- but I can tell you that I have no megablooms on ANY of my plants this year- weird!

I get several megablooms on that variety, thinking of doing a cross with Big Zac f1 and doing some segregating. I have some stable BZ seeds too. My Terhune tomato I chose is growing like crazy, should make a decent size tomato.

I did let one sucker come out from the bottom, sometimes those can throw massive MB's, and this one did. I will be able to see something soon, it does look promising, so I may hack the chosen one for another. LOL

I also have another one I am going to be picky with, passed on several 3's and a 4. I also have two BZ F1 going, nothing exciting yet.

[b54red]

I don't grow for size; but occasionally get a two pound tomato on some varieties. Last week I pulled a 33.8 oz tomato from a cluster of four fruits on one of my Omar's Lebanese plants. There is no telling how big that thing would have gotten had I been using some of the techniques to grow large fruit. It wasn't even from a fused blossom which made it more amazing to get that large in a cluster with other decent sized fruits.

Bill

[biscuitridge]

Looking goood, what does the rest of the plant look like?

[AKmark]

3.5 feet tall and topped.

[biscuitridge]

Are you doing single or double leader system?

[AKmark]

Originally Posted by biscuitridge

Are you doing single or double leader system?

Hi, not sure what you are asking? I am not really in the loop, I just grow a couple of plants now and then for a decent size tomato. This year I am growing them exactly like my production tomatoes are fertilized, nothing else added. My theory is this, according to the lab my ferts are spot on, so to add anything just may be detrimental, and I have done just that in the past.
With that said, the difference will be how often I water it. I am thinking smaller sips more frequently, we will just have to see what happens. It seems that the tomato is about doubling in size daily. I have another of the same variety as well as a couple of Big Zac's if this is an epic fail. LOL
I will report soon, good luck with your own attempt.

[biscuitridge]

All I'm asking is, do you prune to one or two main stems,or do you let it grow however it wants. Have you measured the circumference yet,you can take all three measurements X x Y xZand then multiply by .00055 and that will give you a good estimate of its weight.

[AKmark]

Originally Posted by biscuitridge

All I'm asking is, do you prune to one or two main stems,or do you let it grow however it wants. Have you measured the circumference yet,you can take all three measurements X x Y xZand then multiply by .00055 and that will give you a good estimate of its weight.

I grow two stems then prune to one. I only do that to increase my chances of getting the fused blossom I am after. I also think the extra foliage may help the root ball form in the early stages, then when it's pruned back the energy is diverted to the remaining portion of the plant.

It is in a 10 gallon container of pro mix, is getting feed 1700+ ppm 2.3 ec, pH 6.2

[efisakov]

Originally Posted by AKmark

I grow two stems then prune to one. I only do that to increase my chances of getting the fused blossom I am after. I also think the extra foliage may help the root ball form in the early stages, then when it's pruned back the energy is diverted to the remaining portion of the plant.

It is in a 10 gallon container of pro mix, is getting feed 1700+ ppm 2.3 ec, pH 6.2

Do you have any that are really promising to be above 3 pounds growing? How can you tell?

[AKmark]

Originally Posted by efisakov

Do you have any that are really promising to be above 3 pounds growing? How can you tell?

Maybe? The guys who are really into this measure the tomato then do some math, I just wait and weigh them. This is just for giggles for me, I grow tomatoes to sell.

It is time to put it in a sling and make a shade flap. It has been noted that the sun does not hasten ripening, but is instead temperature driven. I am not sure, so the flap and sling are both going on tomorrow.

[biscuitridge]

Sounds good, keep us posted as to the progress, what kinda Temps are you able to maintain in the greenhouse, and any idea 9g your soil temp.?

[AKmark]

Originally Posted by biscuitridge

Sounds good, keep us posted as to the progress, what kinda Temps are you able to maintain in the greenhouse, and any idea 9g your soil temp.?

I can keep it under 80 during the day, most days. I keep my night temps at 64. I will get a soil temp reading, forgot to do that for you. I am guessing low 60's

[efisakov]

In 2014 I grew Claude Brown’s Y. Giant. On one cluster I had two tomatoes that I let ripen completely before picking: 34 and 29.5 ounces. I keep on growing this variety since (love the taste and shellfire is amazing as well, can stay in refrigerator for a month). Never saw on this variety a single fused blossom. But considering the size of the fruits it may be a good candidate for crossing.