Big Zac

• General Info
• Seed Availability

Big Zac
Maturity	midseason
Growth habit	indet.
Leaf type	regular
Fruit color	red
Fruit shape	beefsteak
Fruit size	large
Fruit type	slicer
Variety type	open-pollinated
Country	USA

UT TH D

Open pollinated version of Big Zac F1. Indeterminate, regular leaf, 80 days. The BIG ONE! Dozens of growers have achieved 4, 5, 6, even 7.18 lbs. (3257 g, Nick Harp, 2009). With decent cultivation, most growers can expect several fruits in the 2-3 lb. range. Most fruits are huge, somewhat irregularly shaped red beefsteaks with the occasional double, triple or even larger fused fruits. Unlike some big tomatoes, this one has excellent flavor: sweet and juicy with a pleasant aftertaste. An outstanding, all-purpose tomato variety, but especially nice for thick, juicy sandwiches. Medium to large, healthy vines are very productive, averaging over 35 lbs. per plant in 2011. Special attention to watering may be needed to prevent fruit splitting. Can produce ripe fruit within 70 days of transplant (132 days from seed), but heavy production is later in the season, 90+ days. This genetic line is selected to produce GIANT tomatoes for competition by tomato growers from around the world, with numerous documented fruits in the 3 to 5.5 lb. range each year. Of course growing the BIG ones requires special growing techniques, but it all starts with the right genetics. There is some discussion about what this should be called, perhaps "Bigger Zac"? The differences probably don't merit a new variety name, however. These are 5 to 9 generations from the original hybird and are stabilized in at least these regards: 1) Consistently large, red fruits; 2) Indeterminate, regular leaf, healthy vines; 3) Very good to excellent production; 4) High probability of megabloom production; 5) Consistent flavor and texture as described; 6) An excellent choice for growing for competition. If you're looking for a variety which always produces fruits of the same size and shape, it will probably never happen with this one. Monster tomatoes, since they derive from fused blossoms, are by nature irregular in size, shape and geometry.

Source 

Giant tomato growers from around the world, 2003-2012. Many of these track their lineage back to a 4.59 lb. Big Zac grown by John Lyons of Canada in 2006.

Year: 2010, 2011, 2012.

Seed Source 

Reimer Seeds

Location: Zone 7a, Salt Lake Valley, Utah, USA (4,304 ft. above sea level).

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History

• Derived through years of selection for heaviest tomatoes from Big Zac F1, which was developed during the 1990's by Minnie Zaccaria of New Jersey, USA. Big Zac F1 is a cross of two large unspecified heirloom varieties, one pink, the other red.

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Seed Availability

Year	Commercial Vendors	Seed Savers Yearbook (Member listings)	Seeds of Diversity (Member listings)
2018		.	.
2017	Reimer Seeds	.	.
2016		.	.
2015		.	.
2014		.	.
2013	Delectation of Tomatoes - new Knapp's Fresh Vegies	1	.
2012		.	.
2011		.	.
2010		.	.
2009		.	.
2008		.	.
2007		.	.

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