Whopper tomatoes bit of a mystery

By Bianca Hall

Mar 15, 2023

You don’t see that everyday: Les and Mary Black have outdone themselves, growing the largest tomatoes their neighbours have ever seen.

Les Black has been growing tomatoes for 50 years but this week he might have earned the title of ‘’green thumb of Seymour’’, having grown two whopper tomatoes in his backyard.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

Together, the two tomatoes weighed in at more than 1kg. The larger one weighed 613 grams and was 37 cm in diameter while the second came in at 497 grams.

Neighbours who saw the tomatoes agreed that they had never seen anything like it.

Interestingly, Mr Black’s wife, Mary, noticed the tomatoes lost weight from being picked to the day they were eaten. They weighed in at 593 grams and 485 grams respectively, a few days after being picked.

“I thought once they got riper they would be heavier but that’s not the case, it’s a bit of a mystery,” Mrs Black said.

Also, the couple is not exactly sure why these tomatoes grew so large.

The seeds were saved from a previous crop, the Blacks are not sure of the exact variety.

Ms Black wondered whether multiple flowers fused to create the larger fruit.

“When the bush was flowering, the flowers were as big as a 20c piece,” she said.

“We will be saving the seed from these, just in case.”

Mr Black also grows carrots, parsnips and potatoes. He has had previous success with beetroot and beans.

Mrs Black makes plenty of sauces and relishes with the produce, but the couple plans to eat these tomatoes fresh.