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Tomato Growing - How to Grow Big Juicy Tomatoes This Summer
The largest tomato recorded in the Guinness Book of Records had a weight of over seven pounds. That is as heavy as the weight of an average newborn baby. I love huge tomatoes, the larger the better but I have yet to taste a gigantic tomato that is anywhere near the record size.
Do not fret because it is easy to grow your own big juicy tomatoes that are over one pound in weight. One slice of a one-pound tomato can actually cover a whole slice of bread. You will only need one huge tomato to make a plate of tomato salad.
Some varieties of tomatoes are capable of producing tomatoes up to two pounds and heavier. These tomatoes are usually not available in the stores but they are popular among tomato gardeners. An obsessed tomato grower like me will grow them in the backyard year after year. Once you have successfully harvested a bucket load of huge tomatoes, you will be back next year for more planting and trying to beat your own record.
That's one big juicy tomato!
Preparing the soil for planting tomatoes
To grow huge tomatoes, the soil in the tomato plot needs to be very well prepared as these huge fruits will require plenty of food to feed them throughout their growth. The tomato plants need plenty of organic matter and manure in the soil, lots of water especially on warm days and plenty of sun to promote growth and for the fruits to ripen.
You must have large fruited varieties of tomato to start with. It is obvious small varieties like cherry types will not produce tomatoes bigger than a grape. Huge tomatoes are those that are at least one pound in weight. Some of them can weigh up to two pounds. These are some of the huge and tasty varieties of tomatoes to go for if you want to make big impressions.
Choose heirloom varieties with huge fruits
You must have large fruited varieties of tomato to start with. It is obvious small varieties like cherry tomatoes will not produce tomatoes bigger than a grape. Huge tomatoes are those that are at least one pound in weight. Some of them can weigh up to two pounds. These are some of the large to huge varieties of tomatoes to go for if you want to make big impressions this summer.
Seeds! seeds! seeds! Always go for heirloom seeds!
L@@k at these heirloom biggies!!
Some of the popular huge tomato varieties available
- Mortgage Lifter
- Brandywine
- Purple Calabash
- Oxheart
- Black Krim
- Hillbilly
- Beefsteak
- Amish Paste
- Ponderosa
- Amana Orange
- Giant Belgium
- Giant Italian Tomato
- Giant Syrian
- Aunt Ruby
- Suddath's Strain Brandywine
- Kellogg's Breakfast
- Delicious
- Big Zac
- Omar's Lebanese
Black is best! Buy some black tomato seeds online
How to sow the seeds
After you have obtained the tomato seeds, sow them in the punnets of seed raising mix and leave them in a warm place to germinate. The soil needs to be moist but not soaking wet; otherwise, the seeds will rot before they start to grow. Do not allow the soil to dry out though. Seedlings should start to appear after one week. When the seedlings have at least four leaves, transplant them into individual small pots to allow them to grow to at least 20cm in height. If they are strong and healthy by then, they can go in the tomato plot. The seedlings should have a space of at least 50cm between each plant.
Looking after the tomato plants
You will also need to provide good support for the tomato plants to climb. When the plants start to bear flowers, feed them with a liquid fertilizer every two weeks to promote healthy growth. Prune away any side shoots on each plant so that only one main stem grows and produces fruits. You might want to be selective on how many fruits you want the plants to produce. The lesser the number of fruits on each plant, the bigger the fruits will be.
Seaweed solutions are the best for growing plants
Recommended fertilizers to boost your seedlings
Beware of pests! They're a nuisance!
Birds and possums are the smartest pests that will eat the tomato fruits even when the fruits are not ripe. The tastier the tomato is, the faster they will disappear from the plant. Protect the fruits with paper bags or newspaper if necessary, if not, you might end up with half-eaten tomatoes or none at all. The time and effort spent on growing these tomatoes will be in vain if you do not get a chance to eat the biggest tomatoes yourself and you will be feeling frustrated and angry for the rest of the growing season.
At last, harvest time!
The tomatoes will start to change colour when they ripen. Allow the tomatoes to ripen on the vine if the birds in your area are not a threat. They can also be harvested when their colour start to change and let them ripen indoors.
A basketful of home grown juicy tomatoes in a day's work!
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