Giant Tomato
January 7, 2006
This page will record my efforts to grow a giant tomato, as well as unusual varieties of non-giant tomatoes. In 2000 or 2001 (I forget which), I grew a giant tomato that was 2.02 pounds. It was 17 inches around. The variety was a Giant Belgium or a German Giant (again I forget which). I enjoyed it with London broil during a Labor Day barbecue.
This year I want to break my personal record by growing an even larger tomato. I do not consider myself a gardener, but I’ll have someone helping me. Perhaps I’ll learn something about tomato growing along the way. If I do, I’ll be glad to share the knowledge. Also, if any visitors to this site have suggestions on how to grow giant tomatoes, I’d be glad to hear them. Please do not use the e-mail address at the bottom of this page. I rarely check it, because it is loaded with spam. If you ever want to write to me, you can reach me at brainexplodernospam@netzero.com. The “nospam” is not part of my screen name, by the way; only the brainexploder part is. I inserted the “nospam” after the brainexploder to keep the address harvesters (as those programs are called) from learning my real address.
I live in the United States in a small town called Dover Plains. It is in New York State, about 80 miles north of Manhattan. The soil is horrible for growing melons, but very good for growing squash and tomatoes. Within the next several days, I’ll be deciding what seeds to order.
January 20, 2006
6:20 a.m. Sometime today I shall take the first step of my 2006 tomato journey. It is too early in the day to know what that first step will be, but I know that I shall do something.3:00 p.m. This afternoon I walked up the hill and into the garden. It was the first time I was there in over a month. Just to say I did something to begin work on the garden, I pulled up several of the tomato stakes. When the weather permits, I'll pull up the remaining ones.
March 5, 2006
Snow from Thursday continues to blanket the garden on the hill, where my tomatoes grew last summer. I am not discouraged. Like Mecca in my dream, it will again be in bloom. My tomato seeds went into their pots on Ash Wednesday. The pots are near one of the bedroom windows. For now I have planted 16 seeds: eight of the Supersteak F1 Hybrid and eight of the Burpee’s Supersteak Hybrid VFN.I look at the catalog from the Tomato Growers Supply Company; it arrived a few weeks ago. Wow! They’re beautiful! New selections for 2006 and some of my old favorites. I thumb through the catalog. Early season, mid season, late season. If the late-season varieties do what they’re supposed to do, I’ll have tomatoes during Halloween. I turn to the section marked “Late Season.” Long Keeper, it’s called; I don’t remember that one; but it does not say, “New for 2006.” What does it say? “If picked ripe in late fall and stored properly (unwrapped at 60 to 70 degrees), tomatoes can last through the winter without a change in quality.”
Black tomatoes, green tomatoes, yellow tomatoes, orange tomatoes. What a catalog! Purple Calabash, Purple Russian, Southern Night. I like the color of the Purple Russian. That would be good to show at the Mesa De España.
There is a section advertising white tomatoes. Great white, snow white, super snow white. Imagine lasagna and white tomato sauce.
I skip to the section advertising the company’s eggplant seeds. Fengyuan Purple. “New for 2006.... Plants produce an abundance of fruit that can grow well over a foot long....” I’ve never seen an eggplant so long and so thin. “Black Beauty”; it looks as black as coal.
April 1, 2006
I look at my seed tray. Thirty tomato plants are about two inches high. Two pepper plants have begun to grow. The stems of the tomatoes look too thin; I'll use a weak solution of Miracle Gro on them.April 16, 2006
The stems of the tomatoes still look too thin. The peppers are doing well. Meanwhile, I have another seed tray of tomatoes going. They are in the Miracle Gro potting soil instead of the Miracle Gro seed starter.July 5, 2006
Illnesses in the family have prevented me from maintaining my site. My tomatoes finally have buds on them. There has not been enough sunshine in the past few weeks.July 26, 2006
It won't be long now. My Big Beef tomatoes are doing well. The other varieties of tomatoes are progressing more slowly. The deer ate part of two of the Big Beef plants, but I think the plants will survive. I have a fence, but the Big Beef plants were too close to it. Next year I'll plant hot peppers near the fence instead.August 17, 20006
Tomato Time is late this year. Two weeks of continually cloudy weather in June were largely responsible. I'll see whether any tomatoes are ready for me to have with today's lunch. Meanwhile, I doubt that I'll break my personal record this year.September 14, 2006
Tomato Time arrived late and will soon leave. Many of my tomatoes are still green. There were not enough warm, sunny days this year. I have already picked several medium-sized tomatoes that were not yet ripe. I did not want them to rot on the vine.December 6, 2006
In another six weeks, it will be time to start my seeds. I want to start early this year so the plants will be a good height when I put them into the ground.December 26, 2006
I'll be calling the people who sell the seeds. They will tell me when I can expect their catalog.January 18, 2007
Happy New Year, Tomato Growers. I am hoping for a better year, in my life and in my garden. Today I have ordered the seeds. I'll update you when they arrive.January 29, 2007
A visitor to my web site informed me of a tomato variety called Big Zac, which is reputed to grow tomatoes of up to six pounds. I'll do some Internet research and see what I can come up with. If Big Zac enables me to break my personal record of a two-pound tomato, I'll be happy. Meanwhile, my first batch of seeds arrived.February 4, 2007.
Finding Big Zac. I found a site that sells Big Zac tomatoes. They may give me a better chance of growing a monster tomato.March 25, 2007.
Seeds Are Planted. Yesterday I started my seeds. They included a black tomato called Nyagous and a big white tomato called Great White. Imagine: Lasagna with white tomato sauce.January 9, 2008.
Let’s Try Again. The tomato catalog for 2008 is staring me in the face. Last year was a bad year for me in more ways than one. I did not do so well with my tomatoes either. The ones that I started from seed just didn’t take off well. My best luck was with some tomato plants that I had bought from a greenhouse in a neighboring town. This year I’ll order seeds again, but I’ll call the lady who runs the greenhouse. When I talk to her, I’ll ask whether she would be willing to start my seeds. If she is, I’ll give her half of them for her trouble.March 25, 2008.
Greenhouse Lady Gives Green Light. I have placed the order for my seeds. The lady who runs the greenhouse will be helping me start them.My Home Page
 Free Webpages at Webspawner.com |
| Take Me to Llumina Press |
| Running in Later Years |
| Pat Whalen's Chess Page |
| Pat Whalen's Math Page |
Send E-Mail to: patwhalen@webspawner.comCopyright © 2008 Patrick Whalen. All Rights Reserved