From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Logan Utah

Ok I am new to growing giant tomatoes have a few seeds want try next year. What best place grow, nutrient etc any help be greatly appreciated sorry probaly been asked a million times

12/4/2017 7:49:58 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

welcome to the board...the more questions...the more we all learn. The best place to grow is the best place you have. I would pick the sunniest location...if you have the sun you can modify the soil. It is hard to move the sun. Nutrient question is one thread below this one.

12/4/2017 8:05:17 PM

Walla Walla Wa.

I wouldn't put them against the south side of your house,it is just to hot there,tomatoes don't like extreme heat,I'll be using 50% shade cloth next summer.I used 30% this summer because thats what I had on hand from the old place.

12/4/2017 8:31:03 PM

Logan Utah

Ok so not direct sun that’s a good start. What about pollination they are unisex? So don’t have male and female separate flowers but both parts right? So how does pollination work

12/4/2017 9:23:43 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

If you are outside, you have a few pollinators that are naturally available..bees, bugs, and wind. The male pollen is very close to the female...it is on the anther cone which is right next to the female stamen. When the time is right..bugs, bees or wind can get the pollen to cross the 1/8 of an inch to pollinate the stamen. If you have a big megablossom..the female is a group of fused females that probably are going to be fertile at just a bit different times. If you rely completely on natural pollination, there is a chance that some of those segments may not get pollinated. The best method..and the hardest is to let many blossoms form..collect pollen from each of those blossoms and pollinate your mega everday...from what ever pollen you have collected. Last year...my biggest tomatoes are also the ones that I had the most seeds from...I think that blossoms that had the most pollination are also the tomatoes that grew the largest.

12/4/2017 9:31:22 PM

Logan Utah

Ok so how do I get this mega bloom? Do I pull all flowers till big one or what? How do I support it?

12/4/2017 10:25:21 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

To get a mega all you have to do is plant one of the current lines of competitive seeds. They have been selectively bred to the point where nearly all will toss a mega blossom(2 or more fused segments) first truss. Sometimes you will be lucky and have a super mega(5 or more segments). I had 70 different seeds started last summer. I had a 1st truss mega blossom on all but 2 of those plants. I do not pull any flowers until I am sure that I have the mega pollinated. Using the vibrator and spoon to boost pollination, I want as many pollen donors as I can get. Even though there will be some singles on the cluster, the pollen genetics are the same. After the first truss, future trusses seem not to form as many megas. If I miss the pollination on the first, I have had to wait as much up to the 4th truss for another to show. I only grow single vine up, so I am not sure how often the sucker vines will form the big blossoms.

12/5/2017 4:49:00 AM

Logan Utah

Thank you what about starting seeds same concept as pumpkins ?

12/5/2017 7:07:16 AM

Tenino, WA.

As for starting your seeds I have had my best success starting them between two wet paper towels in a zip lock plastic bag with the temperature held around 85 degrees. As soon as the root shows I transplant them into up side down fast food drink cups that contain pre-warmed potting soil. Good luck

12/5/2017 12:48:44 PM

Bloomington, IN USA

You still need to have the plants in the sunlight.
Don’t plant them in the shade.
Full sun can stress the plants which is why some use shade cloth, especially if it is going to be hot.
We shade the megabloom & the growing fruit completely.

12/5/2017 6:37:29 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

I start seeds in the same way as 1064. I will add that the wetness level of paper towels is..i wet them...and then squeeze them just as hard as I can. The seeds then are sitting in something that is just slightly moist. With this method..i am running at about 95% successful germination.

12/5/2017 6:42:47 PM

Logan Utah

Thank you guys for your help good luck to all of you next year

12/6/2017 7:01:51 AM

Oak Grove, Mn

ooops...sorry, i gave you wrong information. The female part is stigma. I am typing what is in my mind and mixing up terminology. As a new grower..the best thing you can do to grow bigger is to pick up a copy of Marv Meisner's book. It was published quite a few years ago..and some of the information might be dated, but the copy I have has been floating around my desk for years. I refer to it very often. My copy is showing much signs of wear...I have used it for reference more than anything else. Here is an Amazon link
.
https://www.amazon.com/Giant-Tomatoes-Marvin-H-Meisner/dp/0975515314/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512602855&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=marv+meisner+tomato

12/6/2017 6:30:17 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

Jack, I tried growing giant tomatoes a few years and was disappointed with the results, three pounds. I purchased Marv's book and followed it carefully. Then I visited Dan McCoy's patch and ended up growing 7, 6, 5 & 4 pound tomatoes. I indorse Marv's book and if possible a visit to another top growers patch. Best of luck in 2018

12/7/2017 11:00:05 AM

Central NY

I agree 100%...marvs book + macoy pruning(nipple high if growing outdoors)= success

12/7/2017 3:02:35 PM

Central NY

...(not sold on the straw mulch though..)

12/7/2017 3:21:21 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

what is wrong with straw mulch..I put bales of it down last summer. My tomato area was 2000 sq ft. With the mulch, I did not have to weed. If I had to use my time to weed instead of taking care of plant, i would have been able to grow only 1/4 as many

12/7/2017 8:07:18 PM

Wixom MI.

I used straw two years ago and it had a lot of seed in it and sprouted everywhere. I wont use it anymore.

12/7/2017 10:04:53 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

I just use landscape fabric.
Straw attracts black widow spiders in my neck of the woods.

12/7/2017 10:07:27 PM

Valencia Spain

Isnt pinestraw ok

12/8/2017 4:22:31 AM

Ireland

Straw contains a multitude of fungi e.g. Fusarium spp. that can attack your competition plants be they tomatoes or pumpkins. I would only use straw that has been composted for at least 4-5 years.

12/8/2017 4:43:13 AM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

Here in MN if using straw you need to apply it on after the soil has heated up and tomatoes have all ready started to grow. As others have stated straw/hay both may contain weed or grain seeds. In (my opinion) using hay/straw in MN does not allow the soil to stay warm enough later in the season. I think black weed fabric is a better choice.

12/8/2017 10:49:39 AM

Bloomington, IN USA

Black landscape fabric.

12/8/2017 1:04:55 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

You convinced me. Next summer, landscape fabric.

12/8/2017 5:38:12 PM