Giant Vegetable Growing
2010-11-16 at 01:50 pm pshipley
Giant Vegetable Growing
Sometimes I get asked about growing `giant` vegetables. How is it done?
Well to be honest it`s not something I`ve really tried, but there are no huge secrets, although the elite giant growers will all have their own preferred feeds and methods, developed over years of trial and error and experimentation, and possibly handed down from father to son!
The first thing you need to know is that you can buy seed for growing giant vegetables, make sure you get open-pollinated rather than hybrid seed, as hybrid`s do not produce true seed…it`s a genetic thing.
Watering and feeding and good plant hygiene are important, drip watering systems or slow seep hoses are a good idea. A high quality of soil which is kept well fed with organic matter is also key, and additional foliar / liquid feeds are often applied. Seaweed feeds are popular.
Pest and disease control is closely monitored and sprayed / treated for. All biological systems and barriers that can be used are normally employed.
Fruit thinning is also a major contributor to growing larger fruits / vegetables. Most `giant` growers will save 3 of the most promising fruits, spaced in different areas of a plant, and discard the rest. Of course with fruits and vegetables that produce few or single fruits they may select just the one. Reducing the quantity of fruit on a plant will force the plant to put more of its energy into the remaining fruit therefore growing it larger than normal.
Getting the plant off to an early start, is, often important. It gives the plant a longer growing season and time to develop the `giant` fruit.
Put all these little pieces together and you should be able to start growing `giants` too, and maybe in a few years you will develop your own special methods.
Good stuff, very helpful.