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On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

The article that was sited earlier about megablossoms and cold weather was of interest. Basically what it said was that cold weather promotes the development of megablossoms. So this could be why there is a tendancy for the larger blossoms to be lower on the plant since this is when we see most of our larger blossoms.To make this something that can be used by growers attempting to get big tomatoes, the message is simple. Planting early may be better than planting later. Cool weather seems to be a factor in getting more megablossoms. This does not suggest that you will not see these big blossoms later in the season. It just means that your chances are better earlier in the season. Hmmmmmm. Dan's big tomatoes had to be from early blossoms since they have already been weighed. Any thoughts?

8/13/2018 11:00:21 AM

Eastern Shore of VA

So your saying cold weather promotes more mega blossoms ?

8/13/2018 11:36:33 AM

Norfolk, UK

I think two other things (working with that early planting which you've identified) could also be:

1. Would suggest that keeping a flat day / night temperature first would help the plants establish better (first few weeks) - THEN after a period when ready, remove any covers at night to help get that megablooms

2. Power venting a greenhouse or polytunnel structure (which removes day time heat by turning on the fans (sadly i don't have any) at the end of the day early in the season, could maximise any day / night temperature difference.

8/13/2018 12:58:09 PM

Wixom MI.

Ughhhh now im going to have to put an air conditioner next to my tomato plants to get megabloms ??? Lol....:-)

8/13/2018 1:24:30 PM

Wixom MI.

Im not sure how much that really helps ??? Im getting alot of ribbon vine and megablooms now from suckers that i now let grow. We haven't had but a few nights below 60° so no cool weather yet ? I have always noticed the first truss often getting magablooms and also if i let my lower branches grow i will often get megablooms on the first trusses their too !!!

8/13/2018 1:32:20 PM

Eastern Shore of VA

How does this explain the upper trusses ?
Nipple high as Porkchop says.

8/13/2018 1:53:11 PM

On top of Brush Mountain, Pa.

I am not saying that you won't get megablossoms on the upper portion of the plant. I am saying the probability is increased on the lower portion because of lower early growing temperatures.

8/13/2018 3:38:47 PM

Buffalo, MN (Billsbigpumpkins@hotmail.com)

I did see very few megablossoms early on here, I let the plants grow after picking a few but mostly doubles to try early, Now getting a lot of nice megablossoms after removing the tomatoes and letting the plants grow to nipple high. Now have many more options to select one on each plant and then pruning occurs.

8/13/2018 4:02:16 PM

Wixom MI.

I had less and smaller flowers this year and it may be because of the hot start we had ?

8/13/2018 5:14:49 PM

Lebanon, Oregon

Thanks Marv, that is something to consider. Almost all of my tomatoes last year had early big megablooms. I planted much earlier and it was cold. This year planted later and it was not. Not one big megabloom early to speak of. Cold= slow growth = flowers don't separate? Can't explain Wixoms situation. I so have some big megablooms coming up on secondary's and it's been hot. Science, seeds, weather, fertilizers, soil health.

8/13/2018 5:21:33 PM

Oak Grove, Mn

I am not convinced cold is the key. I was getting good megablooms in my basement over winter with temps 82 day, 75 night. Wixom was growing in a colder basement and I don't think he noticed and increase in megas. I am thinking that the formation of the megas is a combination of variables.

For 1st truss, I still think that it is the level of nutrients..mainly p and k, with the underdeveloped root system that cant push the explosive vine growth that would even out the higher bloom nutrients.

I am terrible with higher truss megas...

planting earlier would affect the daylight to night hours. The shorter day might be more an affect than the cold. Might have to experiment with that during the winter. Shorter day would save me electricity :)

8/13/2018 6:07:36 PM

Grittyville, WA

The variety might be a factor also. Some varieties might respond differently to various conditions. Whatever works for you... But the cold & early start with domingos worked great here...

8/13/2018 6:34:53 PM

Grittyville, WA

bnot... how bout some alfalfa tea? Pump those plants up somehow... Not many later megas here either... But they arent getting much fancy fertilizer.

8/13/2018 6:41:18 PM

Wixom MI.

Im puzzled on why my plants mainly the megazac will begin growing ribbon vine megablooms mainly after i pick a tomato. For the most part i have a lot of trubble getting megablooms after the first truss untill i pick a tomato then i start getting all this crazy growth. I don't feed them anything special except big stem.i wasn't even using mycorrhiza untill this year ? I wish i new what i was doing different that other people but i really don't know ???

8/13/2018 8:08:47 PM

Ontario, Canada

We lost all our early blooms to extreme heat. Now we have some nice megablooms going on the 4th & 5th truss. I think the larger root system & the lack of any earlier tomatoes has pushed them to put out several nice blooms of 3 or more fused together. We still have enough time to see them through to the end. Hopefully we'll get something decent to help our fellow mater maniacs.

8/14/2018 8:37:14 AM

Gone With The Win

Chtis, your ribbon vines are probably from the groundhogs fertilizing them like dog fertilizes a fire hydrant.hahha

8/14/2018 2:50:03 PM

Germany

I agree to what Marv is saying. Almost no megas for me in the hottest summer ever in bavaria. Now as soon as it slowly gets colder, some develope. However, don`t no what exactly triggers this. Just the change of temperatures between night and day or cold temperatures alone. A lot of research still needs to be done.

8/14/2018 3:33:11 PM

Germany

know*

8/14/2018 3:33:30 PM