Topic: A4A Heaviest Tomato Competition 2015

[Jeannine]

Hi everyone..still alive and licking and with a bit of spare time..wow.

Good to see you are all at it again.. Not me this year but I do have tomatoes growing well..no biggies though just basics this year.

Good Luck to you all


XX Jeannine

[ruud]

Hello all you overthere
I know it has been very quiet on this side of the pond but i think i have something to show you all.
Let me introduce two of my friends they are a little bit grown.I warned you about two secret tomatoes.This is what american friends could maters,so enjoy watching the pics.

[earlypea]

Congratulations Ruud 

I've also been waiting and waiting for someone to post.  I've got a biggun, but I didn't like to post knowing that a lot of people have had a wash-out year.....

Anyway, if Ruud is, I am too!

I do need my own category though:  Biggest, earliest, outdoor, UK tomato!! (I can't beat Ruud on size)

Here's my Oxacan Jewel harvested on 25th July, South-West London (not Australia or France cos that's cheating).

I am personally amazed and delighted.  I grew it for flavour not size, so that's a bonus.  The flavour is fantastic; quite different to any of my other tomatoes - a totally fruity taste.  You could put it in a fruit salad, no mistake.  It is also a beautiful bi-coloured with streaks of red running through orange, like a sunset.






Do I win something?   

[Debs]

This has been such a dusappointing year for my tomatoes :(
I grew lots and planted some in greenhouse & some outside.
I have only picked 4 (yes 4) from the greenhouse. Thecremainder are all green and the yield very poor.
Outside there is 1 large-ish one slowly ripening. I have pulled out plants that have just started producing flowers!!

How has the tommy season been for other peeps?

Debs 

[ruud]

Earlypea,that is a great mater and it looks great.Next year i want to devolp my own hugh tomato by crossing some tomatoes.

[ruud]

Oh debs that is not nice to hear here it was a great tomato year,i shouldnot post picture from my greenhouse it would make some people depressive.

[earlypea]

Sorry to hear that Debs.

I was guessing a lot of people have had a very bad season for warm weather stuff which is why I didn't post.....

My big ones were a complete fluke:  I sowed too early, planted out really late when they were 3 or 4 feet high already and then went away and they didn't get watered.  I believe the stress made them produce big ones early.  I think I'll do that with some next year and see if it works again.

I was thinking they'd be a total disaster.  Really was fretting about it while I was away - so pleased I got anything in the end.

[galina]

Mine is set to come last at 452gr, but it is the biggest I have so far.  There are several more on the plant too.  After a less than successful earlier attempt at growing Berkeley Tie Dye I am really chuffed about this beauty, even if it isn't big enough to win a prize. 

[tim]

My John Hawkins are coming in well this year.

Lagest so far was 1lb 8 1/2oz. Given to a neighbour to impress!!

But they are commonly 1lb.




Tim

[Debs]

Wow Tim!!
That is impressive & I have tomato envy!
Did it taste as good as it looked?
I havent heard of that variety.

Debs 

[tim]

Those are 2 of the smaller ones. Variety is called Jack Hawkins commercially.

http://www.waitrose.com/shop/ProductView-10317--44196-Jack+Hawkins+slicing+tomatoes

Yes - very good eater!

Tim

[Jayb]

They look delicious tim.
I'd not heard of it either Debs, but seems it is also known as Big Beef http://www.pelicanplants.co.uk/tomatoes-a-z/big-beef

[galina]

They look delicious tim.
I'd not heard of it either Debs, but seems it is also known as Big Beef http://www.pelicanplants.co.uk/tomatoes-a-z/big-beef

That's strange - I was under the impression that this variety was bred by Mr Simpson of Simpson Seeds, who are selling plants of it.  It is a hybrid whereas Big Beef is OP. 

Don't know either variety from personal experience.  Nice one Tim.   

[Jayb]

I believe Big Beef has been de-hybridised by some who liked it, but the seeds I have for it are the original F1 variety.

Have you a link to Mr Simpson breeding Jack Hawkins, all I can find is a variety they sell as a plant called John Hawkins.

[galina]

I believe Big Beef has been de-hybridised by some who liked it, but the seeds I have for it are the original F1 variety.

Have you a link to Mr Simpson breeding Jack Hawkins, all I can find is a variety they sell as a plant called John Hawkins.

That's what I confused - they have different but similar names!  Senior moment, please disregard above comment.   

[Jayb]

No you might be right, I found a post on I think Jamie Olivers forum which said Simpsons bred it, but can't find anything else.


Well done to those growing biggies. I only managed one around 1 1/2 pound, very ugly it was too! It was a Gigantimo, I'll have another go with these next year, I messed up with the feeding which led to blossom end rot on the first few biggy fruits, they would have been some size. Taste is excellent though.

[galina]

No you might be right, I found a post on I think Jamie Olivers forum which said Simpsons bred it, but can't find anything else.

I have the faintest recollection that Colin Simpson bred *this* or *a* tomato with *Hawkins* in the name, which was named after the landlord of his local.  As it was a hybrid, I wasn't very interested.  Probably in a Simpsons catalogue from 15 years ago or thereabouts.  Which I may have kept, but where?   

Shame about your early Gigantimo troubles.  What sort of tomato is it?   

[tim]

I'm obviously up the creek!

Yes - I have sourced JohnH from Simpsons for years. I'm no authority - I was told of the JackH naming and have just accepted hat.

As to max size, the 184gm quoted in JayB's post seems to suggest that someone else's knickers are in a twist??

Tim

[tim]

Just checked with Jane at Simpson's Seeds - yes, John and Jack Hawkins are the same.

Tim

[ruud]

The biggest and heaviest tomato till now,variety is called sakharnyi zheltyi