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On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

I have read a lot about fasciation which has to do with the formation of double stems and multiple blossoms fused into one. Fasciation is what causes big flat stems and huge blossoms. It appears to be mostly genetic and is a recessive gene. Damage to a plant and cool weather also seem to stimulate somehow its appearance. It is how you get giant tomatoes. Check out Dan Sutherlands tomato, Prokchops and the other Dan, all fused blossoms. All growers of note are looking for them and learning how to care for them. They are the key to success for giant tomato growers. My problem at present is that I am not getting any. Prokchop tells me to be patient. Dan Sutherland mostly says hmmmm. Bottom line is that if you don't get any of these blossoms, pruning, watering, fertilizing, supporting and whatever else you can think of including aerated compost tea and foliar feeding just don't matter. If I don't see some soon I may just start to prepare my garden for next year.

7/20/2020 7:53:37 PM

On a cliff in the desert

I am seeing only single blooms in my tomato patch also. Its giving me no motivation to continue to put in the time and ferts
to grow a giant tomato. Usually I have something fused by now.

7/20/2020 9:30:36 PM

Gone With The Win

chops WR was a Double blossom Just Saying

7/20/2020 11:05:03 PM

Gone With The Win

I think it all comes down to a soil test. Why do some growers get megablossoms. And others do not on the same seed. Thats where we all need to do a soil test and see.

7/20/2020 11:19:05 PM

Gone With The Win

Wile coyote what seed?

7/20/2020 11:27:54 PM

Lebanon, Oregon

I have 46 plants. All Domingo variety or crosses with Domingo. Except two Big Zac and one Russian heirloom. I had pretty good megabloom results this year and not sure why other than good variety choice. I amended with lots of kelp meal. The first fertilizer was a light application of liquid kelp. The plants were young when put in the ground. Not planted deep so the first truss flowers were really the first truss flowers. I had 12 decent large megablooms. Four didn’t take. Eight are currently growing including two buckets. I have 5 decent megablooms on secondaries emerging. Believe me, I have dozens of plants with loads of singles. It’s a numbers game also. The more you plant the more.chances you have. Forty -six plants is a lot of work and I have 8 tomatoes growing. That’s only 17%! If you only plant 5-10 you may not get very many, if any, large megabloom. Hayden planted 1 and he got 1 enormous megabloom. It’s his lucky year. I’m not a botanist, but wonder when a seedling begins the formation of flowers. Is it already determined in an individual seed or does it form after germination?

7/21/2020 12:59:47 AM

Grittyville, WA

I think u need to do more than compost tea. I think chelated micronutrients and amino acids, maybe some alfalfa or something with some hormones in it. I get lots of first truss megas but the others are sparse. If you are lookong for a secret to success I dont know it. Abuse them a bit more, perhaps. Cool temps seem to help. Let the wife give it a try? My girlfriend had multiple large blossoms on her plant... better than the ones I was getting.

7/21/2020 2:19:30 AM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

I am thinking the heat wreaks havoc on the blossoms as well. I have lost lots of young pumpkins aborting this year and had some nice megas on the tomatoes that are not getting fully pollinated. A little cooler weather would help during pollination time.

7/21/2020 9:26:47 AM

Central NY

I think Ned is right...hot hot hot this year... we normally have nights in the upper 40’s low 50’s ...haven’t been less then 62 degrees since the end of June.

7/21/2020 11:01:25 AM

Western Massachusetts

Thanks rick. I think the biggest key to getting a large mega (for me at least) has been exposure to sunshine, young. I think the first truss begins forming as soon as the first true leaves appear, way before we can see it

7/21/2020 12:18:16 PM

Western Massachusetts

I plant outdoors about the same stage as you do rick

7/21/2020 12:18:39 PM

Wixom MI.

I have had probably 10 nice megablooms but it was very hot the 3 weeks they bloomed and most of them just sat their and did nothing. Im not sure if ot was because of the heat or if it was something that i did. We have had over 12 days over 90° with lowes around 66°to 70° every night.

7/21/2020 3:09:39 PM

Wv

Im also not getting any fused.its been very hot and dry. what i have set on just seems to be setting and not growing. im only giving them a couple more weeks then im done for this yr. maybe something will change.treetop

7/21/2020 3:34:45 PM

Valencia

I can't set any now not so hot must be another problem 90f and above just a little above 73f minimum

7/21/2020 3:45:39 PM

Western Massachusetts

Maybe some plants aren't big enough to grow big blossoms out? Just like how small pumpkin plants often abort their first fruit, I think you'll see the plant "self-sacrifice" good blossoms if it's not pollinated under optimal conditions conducive towards growing a large fruit. Even if you do everything right the plant makes the final decision.

7/21/2020 3:55:32 PM

Norfolk, UK

Within varieties, I think there is a set genetic chance of megablooms. For me, for BigZacs, and the Delicious it’s higher than MegaZac or Domingo.

I think environmental variables however, change the odds of it’s expression - surges in growth (triggered by chop and drop) or first truss on a branch ( be it main. 2nd, or 3rd level growth) - or warm day and cool nights. Something that stimulates growth hormones, seaweed etc

At the end of the day tho - and tho the above may increase the odds (slightly), we’re still rolling the dice. You can flip a coin 10 times and it can land heads on all 10 occasions. It still has a second side.

In a game of chance, playing the numbers - growing a greater number of plants - means you are more likely to get ‘something’.

I’ve got some megas going for the 5 gallon challenge, but nothing set on an all out Domingo line up for soil grown plants (all 4 of them!!), grown to multiple stems. I know tho that they throw megas for me less frequently, so went in with eye open. There are a few multiples in there - some split so not singles - just not huge sunflower type blooms.

I’m trying a little chop and drop - and foliar seaweed on new stem growth. But I’ll need to start making some calls, even if less than ideal.

7/21/2020 5:13:12 PM

Grittyville, WA

Have you tried some fish fertilizer Marv? I know you are trying to stay organic and tomatoes do love to be fed. Do you know if your nutrients are adequate? (I think mine never are, which is part of my mid-season problem.) Pumpkins seem to do best on half organics & half chemical.
Organics is great, but if your organic sources are not very potent, it might cause less-than-maximum development.

7/21/2020 7:36:33 PM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

I have a few triple blossoms but nothing that could ever grow to a world record. I am thinking the way you get a huge blossom is grow a variety that is capable of producing one and then hope for some luck.

7/21/2020 7:57:42 PM

Grittyville, WA

Hear ya there. Its hard to get past the triples... or infrequent, however you want to look at it. Unless someone knows the trick to it. Other than cooler temps, more sunshine, and plenty of food I dont know. Porkchop advises healthy & happy plants... & my guess is, thats good advice...

7/21/2020 9:49:13 PM