lot of megablooms this year, anyone else?

lakelady · July 2, 2014

Every year is a new surprise with the weather conditions and I find it interesting to observe the weather trends, and what the effects on my tomato plants are. This year I noticed many plants have megablooms, many more than previously. It has been very very dry the past couple of weeks and while warm, not the usual intolerable heat and humidity of NJ this time of year (well not till 2 days ago that is lol). No septoria for a change, yay! Just wondering if this is the effect of the weather ? Anyone else notice this?

linzelu100 · July 2, 2014

Yes I have! I have been growing tomatoes for a few years and have never had a megabloom. I always read about them on online forums and thought hmmmm? what are they talking about? My weather is usually very wet and humid.

Now this year...almost everyone of initial blossoms were megablooms! My husband was asking me why they are like that. I know there is a reason, but I don't know what it is. I find it strange too.

It has been very hot and dry here- which is good, because no mold/blight yet! But yea these megablooms grow some really huge, strange tomatoes with a lot of cracking and exposed seed portions. When they look exposed I rip them off the plant.

b54red · July 2, 2014

I have had quite a few of them also and culled most of the worst looking ones. I know they get big but they are frequently a mess to deal with and hard to get a good slice off of. I did have several grow out nearing two lbs but my largest fruit came from a Donskoi that was 2 lbs and not a mega bloom. Since the temps are now hovering around 100 every day now and spider mites are attacking with a vengeance I doubt I will see another 2 lb tom again this year. I hope to get a good amount near a pound though. I think the ideal tomato is between 10 ounces and a pound. Covers bread perfectly with a little hanging out.

Bill

IronPete · July 2, 2014

Me too. One is a pink oxheart that looks really cool. I am always driven by curiosity so I won't be culling the blooms as Bill does even though his logic is pretty sound.
Pete

Pappi · July 2, 2014

I've noticed a higher occurance of megablooms this year as well. Just spotted what appears to be a mega cherry tomato this morning as well.

Pappi

nwheritagegrdn · July 2, 2014

I've noticed quite a few, too. Especially on my Cherokee Purples and Black Krims.

beeman · July 2, 2014

I think every one of new heirlooms (first year for me) I'm growing has produced a 'mega', thought they were normal. Don't like them, ugly Toms which hold up production of the other fruit.
I'm pulling them off, doesn't appear to affect production.

Anthony_Toronto · July 3, 2014

Megablooms are a mega pain. Most of what they produce here are big but misshapen woody tomatoes that aren't so mega after I cut of everything inedible. Almost all of my plants get them, especially in the first few flower branches to form. Off they come, unless as Bill mentioned they look like they might produce something worth leaving on the plant. I figure I'd rather have the energy going into more normally formed fruits.

tnpeppers · July 3, 2014

I have a one 'megabloom' on my Amethyst Jewel plant...all others okay.

PA_Julia · July 3, 2014

I only grow tomatoes for weight competition. The only blooms I want are mega blooms, all others are removed. This year I have currently twelve tomatoes set on twelve plants that are from mega blooms. I only set mega blooms in order to have a tomato that I think might grow to be a heavyweight. Once I have a mega bloom set I remove all other blooms.

Here are a couple of photo's of my largest mega bloom set tomato this season; It came from a six fused bloom. The plant is pruned to a single stem and is only allowed to grow this tomato. The tomato strain is a Delicious line.

The first photo shows the bloom shortly after tomato set.

This second photo taken yesterday shows the growth of that tomato thus far. The white washcloth is used to cover the tomato in order to shield it against sun scald and to retard
maturation.

This next photo shows another mega bloom that has just set from one of my 4..46 Diehl plants. The seed came from my personal best last year of 4.46 pounds which is a Big Zac Hybrid.

lakelady · July 3, 2014

I agree, for edibility (is that a word? lol) megablooms are ugly and hard to cut often, but they do produce big ones for folks like Julia <waving at you from across state lines Julia ! lol> I get them now and then but haven't grown tomatoes for size just eating . I thought it was kinda weird how many I have on so many plants this year and wondered if this phenomenon was due to the drier than usual weather.

I'd like to see a photo of a megabloom cherry tomato lol...how cute!

PA_Julia · July 3, 2014

I'm waving back at ya!!!!

Mega blooms are found in many strains. Whereas climate might have something to contribute to this, most of it is encoded with the plants physiology that contributes the most to mega bloom creation.

As far as a cherry tomato with a mega bloom, I've never seen that but would love to!! LOL!!

RobinB · July 3, 2014

It seems like I have more megablooms this year than usual too! I always keep them on just to see how large the tomatoes will be. Last year I got a Malachite Box tomato from a megabloom that was 18 oz. It also seems like these blooms occur most often for me early in the season, in many cases they are the first blossoms on a plant and then I don't often get more as things heat up.

Cinnamon · July 3, 2014

I'm new to serious tomato growing and in the UK. I have lots of megablooms on my Zapotec Pleated (which is big and ugly....and why I'm growing it) and Indigo Rose. Mine had to go outside early and I've read that cold can be a contributing factor. I've got one ZP that is at least 4 flowers. My ZP though is rather strange in many ways (2m tall and very chunky...outside) with stems growing off the ends of trusses.

embeast · July 3, 2014

*Waving to my fellow NJ and PA peeps*
I have seen maybe one or two megablooms in all the years I've grown tomatoes. After a really slow start with my plants this year, my heirloom varies seem to be pumping out these ridiculously huge blooms that almost look deformed. My Brandywine has at least 5 megablooms, I have one Black Krim tomato that set from a megabloom and it's already looking like it will be a contender for an ugly tomato award! No way I'm cutting it - I've never grown that variety and that will be my first one to ripen... I love big weird looking tomatoes so I think it's pretty cool we seem to be getting so many of these guys this year for whatever reason.

July 2, 2014	#1
lakelady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: northern NJ zone 6b Posts: 1,862	lot of megablooms this year, anyone else? Every year is a new surprise with the weather conditions and I find it interesting to observe the weather trends, and what the effects on my tomato plants are. This year I noticed many plants have megablooms, many more than previously. It has been very very dry the past couple of weeks and while warm, not the usual intolerable heat and humidity of NJ this time of year (well not till 2 days ago that is lol). No septoria for a change, yay! Just wondering if this is the effect of the weather ? Anyone else notice this? __________________ Antoniette

July 2, 2014	#2
linzelu100 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Virginia Posts: 447	Yes I have! I have been growing tomatoes for a few years and have never had a megabloom. I always read about them on online forums and thought hmmmm? what are they talking about? My weather is usually very wet and humid. Now this year...almost everyone of initial blossoms were megablooms! My husband was asking me why they are like that. I know there is a reason, but I don't know what it is. I find it strange too. It has been very hot and dry here- which is good, because no mold/blight yet! But yea these megablooms grow some really huge, strange tomatoes with a lot of cracking and exposed seed portions. When they look exposed I rip them off the plant. __________________ Lindsey

July 2, 2014	#4
IronPete Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Charlottetown, PEI, Canada Posts: 302	Me too. One is a pink oxheart that looks really cool. I am always driven by curiosity so I won't be culling the blooms as Bill does even though his logic is pretty sound. Pete __________________ Thanks; Iron Pete "We can agree to disagree."

July 3, 2014	#10
PA_Julia Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Princeton, Ky Zone 7A Posts: 2,208	I only grow tomatoes for weight competition. The only blooms I want are mega blooms, all others are removed. This year I have currently twelve tomatoes set on twelve plants that are from mega blooms. I only set mega blooms in order to have a tomato that I think might grow to be a heavyweight. Once I have a mega bloom set I remove all other blooms. Here are a couple of photo's of my largest mega bloom set tomato this season; It came from a six fused bloom. The plant is pruned to a single stem and is only allowed to grow this tomato. The tomato strain is a Delicious line. The first photo shows the bloom shortly after tomato set. This second photo taken yesterday shows the growth of that tomato thus far. The white washcloth is used to cover the tomato in order to shield it against sun scald and to retard maturation. This next photo shows another mega bloom that has just set from one of my 4..46 Diehl plants. The seed came from my personal best last year of 4.46 pounds which is a Big Zac Hybrid. __________________ Personal Best- 4.46 LB Big Zac 2013 Last edited by PA_Julia; July 3, 2014 at 10:34 AM.

July 3, 2014	#11
lakelady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: northern NJ zone 6b Posts: 1,862	I agree, for edibility (is that a word? lol) megablooms are ugly and hard to cut often, but they do produce big ones for folks like Julia <waving at you from across state lines Julia ! lol> I get them now and then but haven't grown tomatoes for size just eating . I thought it was kinda weird how many I have on so many plants this year and wondered if this phenomenon was due to the drier than usual weather. I'd like to see a photo of a megabloom cherry tomato lol...how cute! __________________ Antoniette

July 2, 2014	#3
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I have had quite a few of them also and culled most of the worst looking ones. I know they get big but they are frequently a mess to deal with and hard to get a good slice off of. I did have several grow out nearing two lbs but my largest fruit came from a Donskoi that was 2 lbs and not a mega bloom. Since the temps are now hovering around 100 every day now and spider mites are attacking with a vengeance I doubt I will see another 2 lb tom again this year. I hope to get a good amount near a pound though. I think the ideal tomato is between 10 ounces and a pound. Covers bread perfectly with a little hanging out. Bill

July 2, 2014	#5
Pappi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Pineland Posts: 126	I've noticed a higher occurance of megablooms this year as well. Just spotted what appears to be a mega cherry tomato this morning as well. Pappi

July 2, 2014	#6
nwheritagegrdn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: NW Washington Posts: 51	I've noticed quite a few, too. Especially on my Cherokee Purples and Black Krims.

July 2, 2014	#7
beeman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 692	I think every one of new heirlooms (first year for me) I'm growing has produced a 'mega', thought they were normal. Don't like them, ugly Toms which hold up production of the other fruit. I'm pulling them off, doesn't appear to affect production.

July 3, 2014	#8
Anthony_Toronto Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Toronto Posts: 413	Megablooms are a mega pain. Most of what they produce here are big but misshapen woody tomatoes that aren't so mega after I cut of everything inedible. Almost all of my plants get them, especially in the first few flower branches to form. Off they come, unless as Bill mentioned they look like they might produce something worth leaving on the plant. I figure I'd rather have the energy going into more normally formed fruits.

July 3, 2014	#9
tnpeppers Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Zone 6 Posts: 365	I have a one 'megabloom' on my Amethyst Jewel plant...all others okay.

July 3, 2014	#12
PA_Julia Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Princeton, Ky Zone 7A Posts: 2,208	I'm waving back at ya!!!! Mega blooms are found in many strains. Whereas climate might have something to contribute to this, most of it is encoded with the plants physiology that contributes the most to mega bloom creation. As far as a cherry tomato with a mega bloom, I've never seen that but would love to!! LOL!! __________________ Personal Best- 4.46 LB Big Zac 2013 Last edited by PA_Julia; July 3, 2014 at 03:02 PM.

July 3, 2014	#13
RobinB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Near Reno, NV Posts: 1,621	It seems like I have more megablooms this year than usual too! I always keep them on just to see how large the tomatoes will be. Last year I got a Malachite Box tomato from a megabloom that was 18 oz. It also seems like these blooms occur most often for me early in the season, in many cases they are the first blossoms on a plant and then I don't often get more as things heat up.

July 3, 2014	#14
Cinnamon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: UK Posts: 18	I'm new to serious tomato growing and in the UK. I have lots of megablooms on my Zapotec Pleated (which is big and ugly....and why I'm growing it) and Indigo Rose. Mine had to go outside early and I've read that cold can be a contributing factor. I've got one ZP that is at least 4 flowers. My ZP though is rather strange in many ways (2m tall and very chunky...outside) with stems growing off the ends of trusses.

July 3, 2014	#15
embeast Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Central NJ Posts: 1	Waving to my fellow NJ and PA peeps I have seen maybe one or two megablooms in all the years I've grown tomatoes. After a really slow start with my plants this year, my heirloom varies seem to be pumping out these ridiculously huge blooms that almost look deformed. My Brandywine has at least 5 megablooms, I have one Black Krim tomato that set from a megabloom and it's already looking like it will be a contender for an ugly tomato award! No way I'm cutting it - I've never grown that variety and that will be my first one to ripen... I love big weird looking tomatoes so I think it's pretty cool we seem to be getting so many of these guys this year for whatever reason.