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Post by jolamb on Jan 3, 2012 23:29:06 GMT -5
Group, I'm from MD and joined cuz I'm looking for some good tomatoes in my garden this summer...have not had a good mater in 5 or 6 yrs. I'm not a serious gardener, but usually plant tomatoes, beans and cukes. Wondering if it's the soil, not enough rain or over hybridizing? I'll hang ard and read the msgs and see if I can pick up some hints. Tx....Jo
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Post by seamsfaster on Jan 4, 2012 6:21:46 GMT -5
Jo,
In 2011 I went all out with the tomato growing effort (280 varieties), in part to try many of the so-called best tasting tomatoes.
Not trusting the taste preferences of only one person, I opened it up to a bunch of customers to participate in a tomato tasting party. We got some very interesting, and hopefully useful results from the competition.
Send me a PM if you want the list of results.
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jcm05
Administrator
Posts: 1,685
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Post by jcm05 on Jan 4, 2012 7:06:35 GMT -5
Welcome Jo. What tomato varieties do you normally grow?
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Post by seamsfaster on Jan 5, 2012 5:53:08 GMT -5
A deficiency in some of the trace minerals can lead to mediocre flavor, regardless of the varieties you plant. Perhaps amending the soil and/or feeding with a product derived from sea salts or volcanic ash deposits might improve flavor. Even an occasional dose with sea kelp extract could help.
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Post by jolamb on Jan 6, 2012 16:05:48 GMT -5
Thanks for the responses. We usually just plant whatever varieties being featured at Lowe's, etc. I always try to get at least one early variety (Early Girl). After that seems we try to find Beefsteak. It seems that neighbors do not have any better luck. Main complaint is very thick skin and tomatoes seem to have a rather cube shape...very tough. Shelf life is very long but not tasty at all. Our garden has mostly sun except in the evening garden is shaded by pine trees. Rain lately has been inconsistent...early season is good, mid-season has been very dry. After weather cools in the fall, rain amounts have increased. We have not been watering during the dry spell...as we have limited well water supply. Foliage becomes sparse mid-summer and new fruit is scant. I'm planning on having soil tested, but hubby swears that it is being intentionally engineered so that the fruit becomes non-perishable.
I would love to see results of tomato tasting, but having a little difficulty navigating this site. I did check out the info on the "delectation" site. Thanks....Jo
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Post by letitgrow992 on Jan 17, 2012 16:06:39 GMT -5
have you ever put manuer in your dirt . I did manage to get some tomatoes this year even with crazy weather
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