Update on last year's tomato problems
dch222
Posts: 5
This is an update and modification of a post I started last year, but which got rather side-tracked by issues like lack of ripening, side-shoots and splitting.
I am updating it because I did things differently this year but still ended up with the same problems:-
I have been growing tomatoes successfully for about 30 years both in the greenhouse and outdoors, always directly in the ground rather than in pots or grow-bags. The soil was not particularly good -rather fine and dusty and they were prone to drying out quickly. I never take much notice of which variety I buy and have always obtained really tasty fruit and plenty of it. Sometimes I buy plants and sometimes I grow from seed.
I moved house a couple of years ago (only about 40 miles) and now only have a tiny greenhouse/vertical frame thingy which only has room for three plants.
Last year I planted three garden-centre plants in a grow-bag inside, and another three outside in pots of 50% compost 50% earth. Again I can’t remember the variety, but they turned out to be thick skinned and tasteless.
They had been fed with Tomorite and watered throughout –Every evening in hot weather, every other evening in dull weather.
I put this down to either the cheap grow bag or the very hot summer.
This year I grew from seed and planted both indoor and outdoor plants in large pots with pure old garden compost that my neighbour had been storing up for a few years as he does not use it.
The result is exactly the same. Healthy looking plants, plenty of healthy looking fruit, no splitting or rot, but thick skinned and tasteless to the point of being no better than winter supermarket tomatoes.
There must be a reason but so far I have failed to discover what it is.
Posts
I think you know the problem - the one consistent fact you've repeated in your post above is that you've not selected a variety developed for flavour.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
How often did you feed them? It is recommended to feed tomatoes every 10 - 14 days, over feeding gives you tasteless tomatoes.
There is also the consideration that as we age our taste buds become less sensitive ....
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
My mum has lost her sense of smell, which impacts on her sense of taste too
I think Dove is close to the market with the variety selection. There are many hybrid varieties that simply don't offer much taste. One of the first things to suffer when hybridising is flavour. I'd either seek out a hybrid known to have flavour or try some heirlooms. Heirlooms are no harder to grow, the production is sometimes variable, but even an average heirloom outstrips most hybrids for flavour. The great heirloom toms knock your taste socks off.
Italophile, I was going to ask for some recommended varieties for next year, OH wants plum but I read a post of yours that they are more prone to BER so I'm not sure?? My tumbling toms haven't been great this year, but I think they didn't have enough room, I will try another variety of cherry toms next year though.
Anyway, experienced people, what is a very flavoursome regular tomato?
OL, the plums are more prone to BER for some reason. No one knows why, probably something genetic. I've had them planted in the same bed as other varieties - identical soil, watering, everything - and they turn up with BER while the other varieties don't. That's not to say you shouldn't grow them. It doesn't affect the entire crop, it's just irritating.
I only grow heirlooms so that limits my recommendations. Send me a PM with your growing set up - conditions, etc - and I might have some appropriate varieties I can send you to try.
I love gardener's delight, it never fails, and the Bjingo is good too. I always go for taste rather than weight. I was given some ruby tomato seed as they're excellent for drying, they're prolific in small oblong fruits and ripened first, but for fresh eating I don't like them, not juicy. But if anyone wants to dry them they're great. Am trying Big Red this year, enormous but only just starting to ripen. Intending to cook them up with herbs and onions and freeze the soup.
I tried Sungold for the first time last year - absolutely delicious but at their peak almost too sweet at times. This year's crop is just as good
Thanks Italophile, will do