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Taste of blight free tomatoes

Auntie EAuntie E Posts: 39
in Fruit & veg
I have successfully grown outside the new Merrygold tomato and Crimson Crush tomato, and am pleased with the harvest, both completely blight free.  I also planted outside some Roma tomato plants for cooking, but they were ruined by blight.  What I would like to ask, is although I have a good harvest of the blight free, I am disappointed with the taste, the Merrygold in particular is a bit bland, so has anyone here grown blight free toms with a good tomato taste?   I have a delicious beefsteak tomato in the greenhouse along with Sungold and would like to grow the same tasting tom in the garden. 

Posts

  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited September 2021
    This year has been particularly bad for blight, so I wouldn't change your plans just because of that.  I would suggest growing varieties you like, both in your greenhouse and outside (if they are suitable varieties for outdoor growing) and additionally a blight resistant variety or two outside, just in case.  The issue is that to get a blight-resistant variety, something else is usually lost in the process, typically taste.  I've tried several such varieties over the years, but they were all pretty bland when it came to taste.  Hopefully, the plant breeders will get there one day.
    I'm going to try a variety called "Skykomish" from Realseeds next year, as it's supposed to have a very good flavour, as well as some blight resistance (note that there are no truly blight-free varieties, just varying levels of resistance.)
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I think it's difficult to recommend varieties because people simply have different tastes. 
    I decided to grow a little commercial tom from seed we saved - Piccolo.
    It's been great.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Auntie EAuntie E Posts: 39
    Thanks for thoughts.  I will have a go with Skykomish next year, was impressed with various comments on the internet aboout this variety, but do take the point, that possibly taste is lost when breeders are trying to find a good blight resistant tomato. 
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    Breeders are also after sweeter toms so that comes into play as well as trying for blight resistance as per @BobTheGardener.
    If you find a variety which suits your taste, stick with it :)
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