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#1
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why do my tomatoes lack flavor?
I'm looking for suggestions on what to improve or change for next
year. This spring we planted 6 nursery 'Better Boy' plants, in clay soil we amended with manure and peat moss. I got huge plants and tons of fruit coming. Unlike last year, the squirrels aren't all over them. Last year I lost most of my tomatoes to squirrels. This year I haven't seen a single one. The new neighbor's large dogs may have something to do with that. Also last year the yield wasn't very good to start with, we have heavy clay soil here, which is why we added to it this spring. Last year we broke ground on the garden at this house, so we have a fair amount of work to do to improve the plot. I've got beautiful plants. Lots of blooms until it got hot, lots of fruit coming along, I had mites right after I planted (in April) but I sprayed and they've been pest free ever since. I've got a drip hose on the garden now that it's staying hot and they get sun from morning to early evening. It would seem I've never had a better year for tomatoes. The problem is my tomatoes have very little flavor. Is it just this variety? I prefer to plant Romas, but couldn't get them this spring and I had heard Better Boy was a good variety. Could it be something in the soil? Is there something I could do to get better tasting fruit next year? I'm not sure anything can be done this year.... Dawn d duperault at ay oh el dot com |
#2
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why do my tomatoes lack flavor?
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#4
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why do my tomatoes lack flavor?
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#5
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why do my tomatoes lack flavor?
Repeating Decimal wrote in message ....
I have found better boy to be a very flavorful tomato. Do you replenish your trace elements? Have you checked soil pH? Last year we planted into unadulterated local Missouri clay. This spring we added the first manure and peat moss to it. Haven't had time or need to replenish anything. What kind of pH is good for tomatoes? Is there some kind of kit I can buy to do the test? Dawn |
#6
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why do my tomatoes lack flavor?
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#7
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why do my tomatoes lack flavor?
I'm looking for suggestions on what to improve or change for next
year. This spring we planted 6 nursery 'Better Boy' plants, in clay soil we amended with manure and peat moss. I got huge plants and tons of fruit coming. Unlike last year, the squirrels aren't all over them. Last year I lost most of my tomatoes to squirrels. This year I haven't seen a single one. The new neighbor's large dogs may have something to do with that. Also last year the yield wasn't very good to start with, we have heavy clay soil here, which is why we added to it this spring. Last year we broke ground on the garden at this house, so we have a fair amount of work to do to improve the plot. I've got beautiful plants. Lots of blooms until it got hot, lots of fruit coming along, I had mites right after I planted (in April) but I sprayed and they've been pest free ever since. I've got a drip hose on the garden now that it's staying hot and they get sun from morning to early evening. It would seem I've never had a better year for tomatoes. The problem is my tomatoes have very little flavor. Is it just this variety? I prefer to plant Romas, but couldn't get them this spring and I had heard Better Boy was a good variety. Could it be something in the soil? Is there something I could do to get better tasting fruit next year? I'm not sure anything can be done this year.... Dawn Flavor is for the most part a function of variety. Of course flavor is somewhat reduced with reduced sunlight and excess water. A cool wet summer as oppsed to warm relatively dry summer. Taste and flavor choices also vary greatly with the taster. I f you like Romas than chances are you would not care for the different flavor of the juicy red canning types of which Better Boy is a prime example. I would suggest that you experiment with different varieties next year. Romas and other paste types are usually available, Saladette types are some what in between. You could even try some of the beefsteak types like Mortgage Lifter or Brandywine. Each group has its adherents. But each group has unique flavors, which varies considerable even among cultivars within that group. |
#8
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why do my tomatoes lack flavor?
Dawn wrote:
Repeating Decimal wrote in message .... I have found better boy to be a very flavorful tomato. Do you replenish your trace elements? Have you checked soil pH? Last year we planted into unadulterated local Missouri clay. This spring we added the first manure and peat moss to it. Haven't had time or need to replenish anything. What kind of pH is good for tomatoes? Is there some kind of kit I can buy to do the test? Dawn It took me an hour to find this ... but here it is! :-) For processing tomatoes it is recommended to maintain soil pH between 6.5-6.8 (2003 Ohio Vegetable Production Guide - Bulletin 672-03). At pH below 6.0 the availability of K, Ca and Mg to the plant is reduced. Liming to achieve a pH above 6.8 can lead to a cation imbalance and ultimately affect the levels of K in the soil solution. At alkaline pH (above 7.0) the fixation of K tends to increase, affecting the amount of K readily available to the plant. http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/tomato/pH.htm and also Fertility: Tomato is a moderately tolerant crop to a wide pH range. A pH of 5.5- 6.8 is preferred though tomato plants will do well in more acidic soils with adequate nutrient supply and availability. Calcium availability is also very important to control soil pH and nutrient availability. http://www.uga.edu/vegetable/tomato.html Bill -- Zone 5b (Detroit, MI) I do not post my address to news groups. |
#9
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why do my tomatoes lack flavor?
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#10
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why do my tomatoes lack flavor?
Try backing off on watering while they are ripening. They usually have more
flavor and will be less watery tasting. Some people also water with a little sugar added to their water to sweeten them. I've only read this and have not tried it. I grow Better Boys every year and have not had any issue with flavor. I, unfortunately, planted my garden extremely late this year and still have green tomatoes. I've finally got baby cucumbers and green beans coming. Penny Zone 7b - North Carolina "Dawn" wrote in message om... I'm looking for suggestions on what to improve or change for next year. This spring we planted 6 nursery 'Better Boy' plants, in clay soil we amended with manure and peat moss. I got huge plants and tons of fruit coming. Unlike last year, the squirrels aren't all over them. Last year I lost most of my tomatoes to squirrels. This year I haven't seen a single one. The new neighbor's large dogs may have something to do with that. Also last year the yield wasn't very good to start with, we have heavy clay soil here, which is why we added to it this spring. Last year we broke ground on the garden at this house, so we have a fair amount of work to do to improve the plot. I've got beautiful plants. Lots of blooms until it got hot, lots of fruit coming along, I had mites right after I planted (in April) but I sprayed and they've been pest free ever since. I've got a drip hose on the garden now that it's staying hot and they get sun from morning to early evening. It would seem I've never had a better year for tomatoes. The problem is my tomatoes have very little flavor. Is it just this variety? I prefer to plant Romas, but couldn't get them this spring and I had heard Better Boy was a good variety. Could it be something in the soil? Is there something I could do to get better tasting fruit next year? I'm not sure anything can be done this year.... Dawn d duperault at ay oh el dot com |
#11
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why do my tomatoes lack flavor?
---Pete--- said:
PS: In more recent years, I am composting more in an attempt to eliminate the use of the chemical fertilizers. Don't forget that even if you manage to go to all compost, you will have to bring in off-site material to replenish the nutrients carried off in your harvest. (The particular vulnerability here is potassium.) There will be some loss through leaching even if you and everyone else who eats your produce uses and composting toilets and... recycles to the garden. (I'm assuming you all don't.) Alfalfa meal or pellets used as a fertilizer provide N, K, micronutrients and organic matter. Seaweed is also particularly good for readily available K and micronutrients. (Alfalfa can be made into a 'tea' for foliar spray and seaweed is also used as a foliar spray.) Choose the right varieties for your area and personal tastes, pump up the K and the micronutrients to ensure good flavor and then hope it doesn't pour down rain when the green tomatoes are putting on their growth and particularly when they are ripening. -- Pat in Plymouth MI Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced. (attributed to Don Marti) |
#12
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why do my tomatoes lack flavor?
Thanks for the tips. I will look into getting a soil test kit this
fall and seeing if I need to add anything. I'm getting the impression the tomato bed needs to be DRY while they ripen. I'd been watering a little since the temps hit 90-ish because all the plants fell over as soon at it got really hot and I was afraid they'd dry up. I started composting last year, but it wasn't ready for this spring (thus the bagged manure) and at the moment I have volunteer cantelope growing in the bin, so I'm hesitant to do anything much with it right now. FWIW, I took the dozen or so ripe tomatoes from yesterday and made tomato bisque, and with some onion and fresh basil it tasted pretty good. Dawn |
#13
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why do my tomatoes lack flavor?
Thanks for the tips. I will look into getting a soil test kit this fall and seeing if I need to add anything. Watch out for the home soil tests kits. Many of them are VERY unreliable. Virtually all state agricultural colleges laboratory testing through local ag extention agents (county agents). Used to be free but many now charge a nominal fee |
#14
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why do my tomatoes lack flavor?
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#15
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why do my tomatoes lack flavor?
Want to learn how to grow tomatoes?
Study with the man who wrote the book, How to Grow World Record Tomatoes by Charles Wilbur. He grows tomato plants 28 Feet Tall! with over 340 pound of tomatoes to a plant. Plants spaced 5 feet apart. There are some amazing pictures in this book and tons of great information!!!!!! Here is an amazon.com linkhttp://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0911311572/104-8504678-854 2336?vi=glance but check your library first! "Dawn" wrote in message om... I'm looking for suggestions on what to improve or change for next year. This spring we planted 6 nursery 'Better Boy' plants, in clay soil we amended with manure and peat moss. I got huge plants and tons of fruit coming. Unlike last year, the squirrels aren't all over them. Last year I lost most of my tomatoes to squirrels. This year I haven't seen a single one. The new neighbor's large dogs may have something to do with that. Also last year the yield wasn't very good to start with, we have heavy clay soil here, which is why we added to it this spring. Last year we broke ground on the garden at this house, so we have a fair amount of work to do to improve the plot. I've got beautiful plants. Lots of blooms until it got hot, lots of fruit coming along, I had mites right after I planted (in April) but I sprayed and they've been pest free ever since. I've got a drip hose on the garden now that it's staying hot and they get sun from morning to early evening. It would seem I've never had a better year for tomatoes. The problem is my tomatoes have very little flavor. Is it just this variety? I prefer to plant Romas, but couldn't get them this spring and I had heard Better Boy was a good variety. Could it be something in the soil? Is there something I could do to get better tasting fruit next year? I'm not sure anything can be done this year.... Dawn d duperault at ay oh el dot com |
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