By Conrad Wheildon for the Puslinch Pioneer, March 2021
Have you ever thought of trying to grow something really big in your vegetable patch but don’t have the room to grow a massive pumpkin or squash? Why not have a shot at growing giant tomatoes?
It’s not really that difficult. All you really need is good seed, good soil, and good luck!
Starting with your seed. Choose from the larger varieties like Big Zac or if you know growers that produce giants ask them for seeds. Most will gladly give you some. I usually start my seeds indoors about the middle of May ready to transplant by the end of May to first week of June. It’s important when transplanting to protect the plant from wind, harsh temperatures and possible late frost.
Tomato plants like well-drained soil, and their roots like to travel down. The most important aspect of growing strong healthy plants is consistency in watering and fertilizer applications. I water daily and like to keep the soil damp at all times, not wet. I start with a weekly application of 20 20 20 then later switch to a higher last number (Potassium) once the blooms start to appear. I also foliar fertilize once weekly with soluble seaweed.
When the blooms start to appear what you are looking for are the largest blooms. These are called mega blooms and look somewhat like a small banana. They consist of several blooms fused together and have a much more robust stem. As tomatoes are self-pollinating, I like to use an electric toothbrush and stimulate the flower morning and night for about a week or until you can see the fruit start to set.
Once you have two or three nice sets it’s important to trim back the plant. I try not to let the plant get taller than four feet high and continue to cut back any new growth. The idea here is to allow the plant to concentrate all its energy into the fruit. If it looks like I have one fruit that appears to be growing more aggressively than the others then I will cut off all the others and concentrate on just that one.
Once the fruit gets to about a pound you will need to support it so that there is not too much strain on the stem. Old pantyhose (not mine) works well for me—attach it to a stake near the plant. Hopefully by September you will have some nice big green fruit, and once you see them start to turn pink or orange you know they have stopped putting on any more weight.
As with all vegetables you will need to be vigilant and address any bug or disease issues as soon as you recognize them. Thankfully tomatoes are quite resistant to most insects. Most of the problems come from lack of close attention to the plant’s requirements during the growing season.
So now you’ve got a 10lb 14oz Tomato! And a new world Record! Bring it to the Giant Vegetable Weigh off at the Erin Fall Fair and get recognized in The Guinness Book of World Records!
Conrad Wheildon GWMG