In the world of competitive tomato growing, a gargantuan four-pound tomato is a thing of beauty. Giant tomatoes occur naturally when the blossom of a tomato plant is fused with other tomato blossoms. What this essentially creates is multiple tomatoes that combine to grow into one giant tomato. Some of the heirloom and beefsteak tomato varieties bare the coveted fused blossom. Other mega hybrids, like the Big Zac, can be attributed to more modern efforts. Whether you want to be the next big thing in giant tomatoes or simply a happy enthusiast, the basics of giant tomatoes are the same.
Instructions
1. Select tomato seedlings that are more likely to bring you fused blossoms. Some varieties to consider are Brutus Magnum, Giant Belgium, Slankard's, Todd County Amish, Tennessee Britches, Irwin, Big Zac, Delicious, Hungarian Oval, and German Red Strawberry.
2. Pick a sunny location for planting.
3. Till your soil in the fall. Cover with two inches of compost.
4. Dig a five-gallon size hole for each plant in the spring and fill with half soil and half compost.
5. Start planting in early spring to give your tomato plants enough time to mature. Giant tomatoes are long growing plants and generally need 70 days to harvest.
6. Use a high phosphorous fertilizer in the early stages of growth. You can switch to a tomato fertilizer later and alternate biweekly with a fish and seaweed emulsion feed.
7. Build a 10-foot rebar stake for the tomato plant to climb. Giant tomatoes need plenty of support. Set the stake two feet into the ground for stability.
8. Water your plants daily. Giant tomatoes need plenty of water, sometimes up to a gallon per day. If you have sandy soil plan to water more often. If you have clay soil plan to water less. Use a water meter to check your moisture levels.
9. Avoid watering the leaves to prevent fungal disease. Consider using mulch to manage moisture levels.
10. Assist in the pollination process by rubbing the cone of one tomato blossom against the stigma of another, or use a paint brush to spread the pollen from flower to flower. Since tomato plants are self-pollinating you do not need multiple plants to accomplish this.
11. Prune each plant so that there are only two vining stems per plant. If any regular non-fused blossoms arrive cut them off. Only allow one fused blossom to mature per vine. This meticulous pruning will allow the plant to direct all of its energy toward each giant tomato.
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