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Ontario, Canada

I had a megabloom that had over 8 blossoms grouped together on a ribbon vine. There was so many grouped than none of the blossoms really got to fill out before one turned red. This ended up being a 3#+ tomato, & not the mater I hoped it would become.

I would like to know what you all think is the best number of blooms fused together to form the biggest maters? Our biggest this year (5.75#) had a 3 or possibly 4 blossom megabloom.

10/13/2019 8:34:46 AM

Central NY

I like the big doubles and triples....those crazy ones never amount to pb size for us...I think to get a new Pb that’s what we will look for next year but we did grow a couple 5 and 6 lb “singles” this year w the Domingo variety...that being said I dunno if I’ve ever had a monster mega in the “range” using the NHA approach...I guess I wouldn’t say no...I’m excited for next year...greenhouse is almost done....

10/13/2019 9:05:50 AM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

I believe that to get a really big tomato, more than 6 pounds, you need at least a 4 blossom megabloom. After you see the big bloom, for it to grow to potential, it has to be well pollinated. Each ovule in the entire bloom needs pollen for that part of the tomato to grow to its potential. After that there has to be enough nutrient available in the soil to get the plant through the season and the tomato to its full potential keeping in mind that water and weather are where they need to be. So, you need a four blossom, at least, megabloom, full pollination and attention to nutrients and watering along with decent weather. Just my thoughts at this point. I wonder if the Domingo big single tomatoes we are seeing are actually coming from a double blossom well disguised in the final tomato? Oh, you also need a little luck along the way. Phil, I believe your big megablossom did not get fully pollinated, difficult to accomplish with big blossoms, and that was why it did not reach potential. Not your fault, just sometimes doesn't happen with big megablossoms.

10/13/2019 10:51:19 AM

Norfolk, UK

I had this year's pb at 6.11 on a Delicious with a triple, but did get a 6.02 last year on a caterpillar tho: http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=293959 (your guess as good as mine on exact number, it continued out of shot on both sides - perhaps 6+).

However, I've had other multi fused that I've picked off not long after pollination as the grow so uneven that I didn't think it would make it's potential.

I think you need each bloom in the megabloom to all be of the same age to pollinate at the same time, for even growth which just gets less likely with greater number of megablooms.

I only let anything above a triple pollinate to grow this year, tho did get a 5.34 off a double last year on a BZ.

10/13/2019 10:56:54 AM

Wixom MI.

Im still torn on this subject ? I mainly grow 2 verieties now, my Megazacs and Domingo. Im finding that the Megazac does best on a first truss megabloom while the Domingo may do better on a later season plant on a 3rd truss triple flower. For me the Megazac has grown much larger megablooms than the Domingo especially in the late season when i can get ribbon vine like megablooms. But like you phil i have a monster megabloom that is well pollinated and ballanced tomato and only end up with a 3 to 4 lb tomato ??? I have no answer why my late season megablooms on the Megazac does not do as well as the first truss early season flowers ??? I have noticed too that many of my late season megazac tomatoes tend to pull away from the stems and prety much cause one side of the tomato to stop growing and prematurely turn red on that side.
Now with the Domingo this year i didn't have any early luck with large blooms but as the plants grew larger i started to get larger later season flowers and grew a nice 6.23 lb Domingo but went DMG due to several heavy rains. I have shallow soil only 8" deep and easily over saturated with 2" to 3" of rain.
I have made a new cross this summer crossing my

5.95 Domingo x 6.23 Megazac

I haven't given it a name yet and i will be giving it to anyone who would like to try it. I'm hoping that it will help increase the size of the domingo flower while keeping the strong Domingo traits !!!

10/13/2019 1:57:31 PM

Ontario, Canada

I like your new cross & would be eager to try it. If you have extra, I would appreciate 2 or 3 seeds for next year.
Email me at janephilhunt@gmail.com to send out a BP.

10/14/2019 9:05:32 AM