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tracerracer

Mutant blossoms...?

tracerracer
16 years ago

I have never seen what is goin on with 3 of my plants (different varieties). I don't know exactly how to explain it, so bear with me please. (I also tried a search but ended up w/ 949 possibles and I'm on dial-up, high speed anything isn't avalible in my world, so here I am)

I have never seen what is goin on with 3 of my plants (different varieties). I don't know exactly how to explain it, so bear with me please. (I also tried a search but ended up w/ 949 possibles and I'm on dial-up, high speed anything isn't available in my world, so here I am)

On otherwise seemingly healthy tomater settin' plants, monster blossom appear, like on the top of a stem. It has a very thick stem (compared to the blossoms around it). It is very large compared to the rest of the 'normal' blossoms. I had been taking them off, because after the flower petals faded they were kinda 'weird' lookin', but let one on an unknown volunteer over by my corn so I could show my Mom. The ones I removed didn't show any sign of a tomater starting to grow, but having left the on the volunteer (took about 2wks to find time to show Mom) has a tomater started. It doesn't look like the others that are forming, kinda funky lookingÂ. DonÂt know if I want to waste the plantÂs energy on a deformed tomater...........

I am @ a loss to what these areÂ.. Of what I did to cause them (I know it's my fault, it always is.......) Any suggestions to narrow my searches, knowledge of what they are, or links to info would be greatly appreciated............T

Comments (8)

  • lelia
    16 years ago

    I get double blossoms sometimes, and they can look like mutants.

  • ediej1209 AL Zn 7
    16 years ago

    I have one I let go just to see what it would do and I have a 'siamese twin' tomato, 2 stems, 2 blossom ends, 1 fruit. I don't know if it will end up being worth picking but I'm leaving it out there just for kicks.

  • tracerracer
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Lelia.......That's what I thought (dbl blossoms) it might be, I just have never seen such a thing and for it to happen on 3 different varieties. I thought that the plants may have been gettin' together @ night to conspire against me, payback for last yr........

    ediej1209.......I only had 1 stem and blossom, just it was on some kind of tomater steroid or sumthin'......I don't know yet if I'll let this one go, it does kinda look like twins....It would be nice if I had some slight clue of what kind of tomato this is. It's clear across the garden from where I abused plants last yr............Hmm should be interesting.......Thanks

  • anthony_toronto
    16 years ago

    Fused blossoms. I have tons of twins and triplets. I find that they are more affected by catfacing, and although they grow large and look interesting, they tend to have a lot of woody sections inside. I pull almost all of them off, unless they have a shape that looks like it will develop into a good, usable tomato.

  • korney19
    16 years ago

    Some people call them "King blossoms"... they often give huge fruit, somewhat contorted sometimes...

    Here's one from a Cherokee Green, which led to Cherokee Bi-Color:

    {{gwi:1334970}}
    {{gwi:1334971}}

  • tracerracer
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Oh my goodness! I was right... Mutants!.........Thanks for the pict, I looked @ the developing 1 this morning and decided I didn't want the unknown to waste energy on the 'thing' that was tryin' to become a tomato. W/ the replies I've gotten I'll quit sweatin' it, check any developing fruit and find something else to fuss about (won't take me long........) ;o)
    T.............

  • t_bred
    16 years ago

    I have one on my Porterhouse plant thats stem is as thick as one of those kindergarten pencils. I know it will become a massive mutation, but seeing it will be fun :)

  • tracerracer
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    I just didn't have the 'guts' to wait and see. Still waiting for my 'big' tomatoes to ripen. Patience isnÂt one of my strong suits, so in my head I decided to take it off so the mystery plant can devote more effort towards the other fruitsÂÂ.WeÂll seeÂÂÂÂI think once I start getting more toms (other than romas and cherries) IÂll have more tolerance and wait on more of these.

    I just had never seen anything like this (not that I have a super long history, 9 yrs, 5 in a zone that you pretty much need a greenhouse to hope for toms). Frankly, I was fussin cuz I couldnÂt tell you how my toms last yr survive, the abuse and neglect was bad. Just after transplanting, my just turned 17 yr old DS survived a horrific car crash in which the driver and his friend didnÂt. Needless to say, my garden suffered as I worked to try to pick up the pieces of my shattered child.

    So, now this yr, IÂm not sure that my renewed focus is going to be rewarded, "killin w/ kindness"ÂÂ..lolÂÂÂÂÂÂ..If I get any more and my camera/ puter quit feuding IÂll try to post a pict if I get an outstanding 1. IÂd like to see yoursÂÂÂÂÂÂÂ..