Growers ketchup

LAST summer’s tropical conditions were uncomfortable around the house but perfect for the vegie garden.
Local growers have been getting the sauce bottles ready and preparing the soup pot for a surplus of giant tomatoes and pumpkins.
Cora Lynn gardener Phillip McCauley has a bumper crop of pumpkins that would have been even bigger if the floods hadn’t killed the plants.
“The pumpkins stopped growing two days after the flood, they were only half grown,” he said.
Despite the flood, he still managed to raise a 240kg whopper that was still growing when the rains came.
“This pumpkin was still putting on 7-8 kilograms a day – I think this one would have ended up weighing over 300 kilos.”
Michael and Raffaelina may not be able to top Phillip’s massive squash for sheer size, but their tomato crop was also quite remarkable.
The keen Pakenham gardeners, who have a couple of acres under organic cultivation, are pleased as Punch with this year’s results.
“This year we got the surprise of our lives when we harvested a very large tomato,” Raffaelina said.
“We put it on a scale and it weighed 900 grams.”
An aunt gave them the seeds and, although they know it is an Italian variety, they don’t know what it is called.
“The plant grows to around two metres and yields many tomatoes,” Raffaelina said.
“The flavour is very sweet, and the tomato is low acid with a beautiful red colour. To serve we simply slice it on a platter, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and shredded basil. It is delicious.“
If you have any giant fruits or vegetables, please send details to melissa.meehan@starnewsgroup.com.au