The Junction's 2023 Giant Tomato Contest

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

The Gotch is ALL IN with the one King Kong Plant, and its 1st Li'l Green Chubbie just showed up:

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The Gotch

[MissS]

@Cornelius_Gotchberg Do you have any faciated/fused/mega blooms on your plant? How many fruit are you allowing that plant to produce?

Love the sepals on that little guy.

[steve ok]

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I just have this one tomato on my Epstein's Big Zac. Should I remove all remaining and future flowers? Or do you think I can do better?

[MissS]

@steve ok from what I have read, the big boys start a few mega bloom maters and watch to see which one grows the fastest. Once that is determined then they make the choice of which ones they will remove. Some of them leave 2-3 fruits on the vine but never more than one per truss.

Given that, leave all your other flowers until you have found a couple selections to choose from.

BTW that's a very nice start for a lunker!!!

[MissS]

Here is some info on how to grow THE BIG ONE:

https://www.delectationoftomatoes.com/growing.html
https://theconversation.com/growing-the ... oes-124374
https://www.popsci.com/how-to-grow-big-tomato/
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/msgboard/ViewBoard.asp?b=33

[Mark_Thompson]

Can’t get a fused blossom to save my life, *Bleep* man.

I can’t believe w t f gets beeped out

King Kong, Bigzarro, Domingo respectively.

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[AKgardener]

I wont be posting anything,, I have a huge plants and tiny flower buds. we have nothing but rain and cold nights summer it was not the summer for maters this years, so Im out!! good luck everyone..

[MissS]

@Mark_Thompson Cool temps in the early stages of growth help to produce fused blossoms. No worries though, you are growing some great varieties and still should have some really large maters.

[MissS]

I wont be posting anything,, I have a huge plants and tiny flower buds. we have nothing but rain and cold nights summer it was not the summer for maters this years, so Im out!! good luck everyone..

With those cool temps you might get a few faciated blooms to set some big tomatoes. Cool temps and long days could be the ticket you need.

[MissS]

Question: What are all of you doing to support your huge tomatoes. I have been thinking about using face masks but I'm not sure that they are strong enough.

[karstopography]

Question: What are all of you doing to support your huge tomatoes. I have been thinking about using face masks but I'm not sure that they are strong enough.

I use Brazilian Sisal Bailing twine. Tractor supply has 9,000 ft. rolls of this material. It’s way stronger than your average sisal material. I bought two rolls of it, about 3 1/2 miles of it, and only have eaten into a little of the first roll. I can’t remember what it cost, but it wasn’t even three figures. Way better price per foot than some dinky packaged material of weak and inferior sisal.

Loop around the sisal on the fruit clusters and tie off, has yet to fail to support a large mater.

[karstopography]

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Photo of twine.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/produ ... aler-twine

Price of twine.

Tractor supply in Wisconsin

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/store ... ogId=10051#

[Mark_Thompson]

Nothing very far over a pound this year, so just the little cheapo plastic hooks for support. Can see it peaking over the top of this Bigzarro fruit. I use them to support my biggest trusses too, when it looks like the stem might kink or break.

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[MissS]

I just might have an entry into this contest this year.

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Wishful thinking that it turns out.

[MissS]

Here is Dan Sutherland's largest tomato this year. He is the world record holder. Think that we can beat him???

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Yes, it's 17 lbs.!!!

[Mark_Thompson]

Seventeen pounds is wild! I’m not going to hit two pounds this year, but I’ve got a few healthy 1.5s

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[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

Here is Dan Sutherland's largest tomato this year. He is the world record holder. Think that we can beat him??? Yes, it's 17 lbs.!!!

HeyZeus Alou! Will it be cross-entered in the Ugliest Tomato category...?

The Gotch

[MissS]

Here is Dan Sutherland's largest tomato this year. He is the world record holder. Think that we can beat him??? Yes, it's 17 lbs.!!!

HeyZeus Alou! Will it be cross-entered in the Ugliest Tomato category...?

The Gotch

No. That one is absolutely mega beautiful! It's gotta go into the beauty contest. I think I'm in love!

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

No. That one is absolutely mega beautiful! It's gotta go into the beauty contest. I think I'm in love!

The Gotch

[Cornelius_Gotchberg]

Here is Dan Sutherland's largest tomato this year. He is the world record holder. Think that we can beat him??? Yes, it's 17 lbs.!!!

Where's the talented Herr Sutherland call home?

The Gotch