Anyone heard of this? It's supposed to make them sweeter (obviously!)

Does it work? If so, how much do you add?

In article , "anne" wrote:
Anyone heard of this? It's supposed to make them sweeter (obviously!)

Does it work? If so, how much do you add?


Almost any sort of mild stress will result in tastier tomatoes - sugar
or salt in the water (which might harm your soil, depending on whether
you can leach it out well), or heat, or simply not watering as much as
usual.

The tomatoes make more sugars to counterbalance the osmotic stress.

cheers,

Marj

* * *
Marj Tiefert: http://www.mindspring.com/~mtiefert/
Mediterranean Garden Shop: http://stores.tiefert.com/garden/
In Sunset zone 14-mild

"anne" wrote in message ...
Anyone heard of this? It's supposed to make them sweeter (obviously!)

Does it work? If so, how much do you add?

I'm no biologist, but it sounds rather weird to me! Surely plants are
designed to convert stuff into sugar, rather than drinking it direct?
Wouldn't pouring even a sugar solution too weak to encourage ants onto
the soil encourage nasty moulds and bacteria?

And another thing: why do people want tomatoes to be sweet? I've never
understood this. Apples, yes; peaches, sure; grapes, you bet. But
tomatoes? I once made a tomato pie as an experimental pudding: just
like an apple pie, but tomato, with sugar, nice pastry...looked
fabulous. Tasted disgusting. I mean, nobody seems to want watercress
to be sweet, or cucumbers, or broccoli, or smoked salmon, or cheese
and biscuits...so why tomatoes? The world is insane, I tell you!

Mike.

"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
om...
"anne" wrote in message
...
Anyone heard of this? It's supposed to make them sweeter (obviously!)

Does it work? If so, how much do you add?

I'm no biologist, but it sounds rather weird to me! Surely plants are
designed to convert stuff into sugar, rather than drinking it direct?
Wouldn't pouring even a sugar solution too weak to encourage ants onto
the soil encourage nasty moulds and bacteria?

And another thing: why do people want tomatoes to be sweet? I've never
understood this. Apples, yes; peaches, sure; grapes, you bet. But
tomatoes? I once made a tomato pie as an experimental pudding: just
like an apple pie, but tomato, with sugar, nice pastry...looked
fabulous. Tasted disgusting. I mean, nobody seems to want watercress
to be sweet, or cucumbers, or broccoli, or smoked salmon, or cheese
and biscuits...so why tomatoes?

erm...call me weird, but I love cucumber dipped in sugar, and cheese n
strawberry jam sarnies are wonderful

The world is insane, I tell you!

Mike.

Don't blame me! My father (now in his mid 70's) was telling me his
grandfather (or somebody or other - but a very long time ago anyway) used to
"swear by it". He isn't particularly interested in gardening, but I gave him
a couple of tomato plants this year and he decided to put this sugar idea in
to practice and apparently has added a teaspoon full already. I haven't, so
we'll see who's tomatoes taste the best ;-)


shannie wrote in message
...




"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
om...
"anne" wrote in message
...
Anyone heard of this? It's supposed to make them sweeter (obviously!)

Does it work? If so, how much do you add?

I'm no biologist, but it sounds rather weird to me! Surely plants are
designed to convert stuff into sugar, rather than drinking it direct?
Wouldn't pouring even a sugar solution too weak to encourage ants onto
the soil encourage nasty moulds and bacteria?

And another thing: why do people want tomatoes to be sweet? I've never
understood this. Apples, yes; peaches, sure; grapes, you bet. But
tomatoes? I once made a tomato pie as an experimental pudding: just
like an apple pie, but tomato, with sugar, nice pastry...looked
fabulous. Tasted disgusting. I mean, nobody seems to want watercress
to be sweet, or cucumbers, or broccoli, or smoked salmon, or cheese
and biscuits...so why tomatoes?

erm...call me weird, but I love cucumber dipped in sugar, and cheese n
strawberry jam sarnies are wonderful

The world is insane, I tell you!

Mike.

"shannie" wrote in message
...




"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
om...
"anne" wrote in message
...
Anyone heard of this? It's supposed to make them sweeter (obviously!)

Does it work? If so, how much do you add?

I'm no biologist, but it sounds rather weird to me! Surely plants are
designed to convert stuff into sugar, rather than drinking it direct?
Wouldn't pouring even a sugar solution too weak to encourage ants onto
the soil encourage nasty moulds and bacteria?

And another thing: why do people want tomatoes to be sweet? I've never
understood this. Apples, yes; peaches, sure; grapes, you bet. But
tomatoes? I once made a tomato pie as an experimental pudding: just
like an apple pie, but tomato, with sugar, nice pastry...looked
fabulous. Tasted disgusting. I mean, nobody seems to want watercress
to be sweet, or cucumbers, or broccoli, or smoked salmon, or cheese
and biscuits...so why tomatoes?

erm...call me weird, but I love cucumber dipped in sugar, and cheese n
strawberry jam sarnies are wonderful

Oh yes.. cheese with fruitcake or apple pie... yummmmmmmm

Ophelia

Chacun a son gout ...

Mike Lyle wrote in message
om...
"anne" wrote in message
...
Anyone heard of this? It's supposed to make them sweeter (obviously!)

Does it work? If so, how much do you add?

I'm no biologist, but it sounds rather weird to me! Surely plants are
designed to convert stuff into sugar, rather than drinking it direct?
Wouldn't pouring even a sugar solution too weak to encourage ants onto
the soil encourage nasty moulds and bacteria?

And another thing: why do people want tomatoes to be sweet? I've never
understood this. Apples, yes; peaches, sure; grapes, you bet. But
tomatoes? I once made a tomato pie as an experimental pudding: just
like an apple pie, but tomato, with sugar, nice pastry...looked
fabulous. Tasted disgusting. I mean, nobody seems to want watercress
to be sweet, or cucumbers, or broccoli, or smoked salmon, or cheese
and biscuits...so why tomatoes? The world is insane, I tell you!

Mike.

anne wrote:
Anyone heard of this? It's supposed to make them sweeter (obviously!)

Does it work? If so, how much do you add?

I heard somewhere that a small tomato has exactly the same amount of
"sweetness" as a large tomato. (anyone else heard this) If this is correct
eat smaller toms. I know my neighbour used to give me chery sized toms that
tasted as sweet as strawberries. I could happily sit and eat half a pound
and I am not really a tomato person.

Steve R

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