The following hyperbolic ad copy is from Gurney's latest catalog, page
23, for the "Better Boy" tomato:

"Guinness record holder -- 342 pounds of fruit from one plant!"

The Guiness World Records web site doesn't report anything, and I don't
have their book.

But, I've grown Better Boys every year for the past 10 years and in my
best seasons I haven't come remotely close to anything like that. A
bushel or two maybe, but nothing near 342 lbs.

Assuming the claim is true, how do they do it?

J.

On Sat, 24 Feb 2007 22:35:51 -0500, "J."
wrote:

The following hyperbolic ad copy is from Gurney's latest catalog, page
23, for the "Better Boy" tomato:

"Guinness record holder -- 342 pounds of fruit from one plant!"

The Guiness World Records web site doesn't report anything, and I don't
have their book.

But, I've grown Better Boys every year for the past 10 years and in my
best seasons I haven't come remotely close to anything like that. A
bushel or two maybe, but nothing near 342 lbs.

Assuming the claim is true, how do they do it?

With their thumbs on the scale, I suspect.

I suppose you could extend the season by keeping the plant in a
greenhouse and moderate the hottest summertime temperatures so it
produces continuously; but I still find 342 pounds from one plant a
bit of a stretch.


Penelope
--
You have proven yourself to be the most malicious,
classless person that I've encountered in years.
- "pointed"

On Feb 24, 10:35 pm, "J." wrote:
The following hyperbolic ad copy is from Gurney's latest catalog, page
23, for the "Better Boy" tomato:

"Guinness record holder -- 342 pounds of fruit from one plant!"

The Guiness World Records web site doesn't report anything, and I don't
have their book.

But, I've grown Better Boys every year for the past 10 years and in my
best seasons I haven't come remotely close to anything like that. A
bushel or two maybe, but nothing near 342 lbs.

Assuming the claim is true, how do they do it?

J.

If you don't stake your tomato and give it lots of room the vine can
take over a large area. As it spreads it also takes root so you end
up with a giant plant with massive root system. In a warm climate on
rich soil you can get that from one plant but it's more efficent to
stake many plants in the same area.

On Feb 24, 10:35 pm, "J." wrote:
The following hyperbolic ad copy is from Gurney's latest catalog, page
23, for the "Better Boy" tomato:

"Guinness record holder -- 342 pounds of fruit from one plant!"

The Guiness World Records web site doesn't report anything, and I don't
have their book.

But, I've grown Better Boys every year for the past 10 years and in my
best seasons I haven't come remotely close to anything like that. A
bushel or two maybe, but nothing near 342 lbs.

Assuming the claim is true, how do they do it?

J.

the method and more info on this can be found in the following places.
Guinness Book 1990-1995

How to grow world record tomatoes : a Guinness champion reveals his
all-organic secrets
by Charles H Wilber

I was finally able to get my hands on a copy of Charles Wilber's book.
It seems he's got the pictures to prove his claims.

His "secrets" are hardly classified information:

compost: lots of it
mulch: wheat straw, tilled in at season's end
irrigation: piped in, soaks the mulch
long season: Alabama
pruning: 8-12 fruiting vines per plant
caging: concrete reinforcing wire, 5' sections, stacked and stayed

I kind of got the sense that this guy runs a kudzu farm and compost
manufactory for the sake of his oversized tomato plants and other garden
veggies.

I wonder whether my wife can be persuaded to let me replace the lawn
with alfalfa? ;-)

J.


markferon wrote:
On Feb 24, 10:35 pm, "J." wrote:
The following hyperbolic ad copy is from Gurney's latest catalog, page
23, for the "Better Boy" tomato:

"Guinness record holder -- 342 pounds of fruit from one plant!"

The Guiness World Records web site doesn't report anything, and I don't
have their book.

But, I've grown Better Boys every year for the past 10 years and in my
best seasons I haven't come remotely close to anything like that. A
bushel or two maybe, but nothing near 342 lbs.

Assuming the claim is true, how do they do it?

J.

the method and more info on this can be found in the following places.
Guinness Book 1990-1995

How to grow world record tomatoes : a Guinness champion reveals his
all-organic secrets
by Charles H Wilber