21-07-2003, 05:26 AM
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why do my tomatoes lack flavor?
(Dawn) wrote in message . com...
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
My first guess is too much watering. I usually cut back on watering
when a plant has tomatoes ripening since too much water seems to
dilute the taste. The variety is probably also a factor since most of
the mainline hybrid tomatoes are grown for productivity, uniformity
and shelf life; not for taste. Another possibility would be soil that
is too alkaline but in clay with added peat moss, I doubt that is the
case. Do you have any blossom end rot? That could also point to too
much watering which interferes with calcium uptake.
If you want to take a quantum leap in growing tastier tomatoes, try
starting heirlooms from seed. In the beefsteak line, Mortgage Lifter
and Mortgage Lifter Red are very large and productive. Brandywine is
one of the finest tasting tomatoes there is but I haven't been able to
make them produce much in my climate.
Lee Hall
Zone 6B - Tennessee
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