2017 Tomato Growing

Breaking news! Scientists have discovered that:


Supermarket tomatoes are bland

Heritage varieies have more flavour.

Fresh tomatoes taste better than those kept in cool storage.

End of tasteless tomatoes as scientists discover long-lost 'flavour genes'

 

The trouble is that tomatoes from chilled storage aren't then sold from chiller cabinets in the supermarkets, so cannot be identified (until you eat them, and then the lack of taste could be attributed to being a bland variety and so on).

I'm waiting for the supermarkets to start introducing heritage toms, as if they're something new (and trendy) at double the price of what they sell now.

 

And full of water

 

I bought 2 heirloom/heritage tomatoes from a farmers' market once and handed across a fiver. Apparently it wasn't quite enough money.

*Hasten to add this was to try them and save the seed if good

 

As Linz is doing I am also growing this year for the first time Black Russian and latah among other varieties I am searching for the taste of tomatoes that I remember of years ago I suspect that the lack of it is partly down to breeding and or feeding, I have had some valuable advice from Alexmac which I will try and emulate this year, just be aware Linz that Latah is a bush variety that is supposedly very unruly but also I'm told is a very early variety, hope this information is right! I have no experience of growing this tomato
Tom

 

I'm sure you are right John on that score but I believe given the right feed and conditions it may be possible to get a tasty tomato using pots or hydroponics at least I hope so
Tom

 

thats interesting John I haven't considered growing my own rootstock have you found the benefits outweigh the extra effort and is it tricky operation?
Tom

 

John I posted a question to you just a couple of minutes ago regarding grafting then i realised you had put a link with your post Im as thick as the proverbial sometimes any way I find the subject interesting
Tom

 

Thanks John I must say I admire your patience and tenacity (I aint got any of that) Im going to use the quadgrows which of course negates some of the reasons for your grafting quest, I wish you every success with it my friend.
Tom