why do my tomatoes lack flavor?

[Dawn]

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

[Lee Hall]

Post by Dawn
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

[Phaedrine Stonebridge]

Post by Lee Hall
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.

I wasn't watering them until the daytime temps hit the 90s here and
they all fell over in the sun. We had a nice wet spring though, I
didn't have to put the hose on them until the end of June.

Post by Lee Hall
Do you have any blossom end rot? That could also point to too
much watering which interferes with calcium uptake.

No. I have perfect round red tomatoes. No sign of pests or any kind of
blight.

Post by Lee Hall
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.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will be looking into different varieties
next year. We'll be expanding the garden plot a few feet every spring.
:)

If it's any consolation, our tomatoes so far have not been the tastiest
this year--- even with varieties we have found tasty previously. Long
cool wet spring. Missouri 5b. OTOH, the tastier types like Brandywine
have not yet ripened. Our Early Girls, while picturesque, are just
so-so in the taste dept AFAIAC.

[Repeating Decimal]

Post by Dawn
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....

I have found better boy to be a very flavorful tomato. Do you replenish your
trace elements? Have you checked soil pH?

Bill

[Dawn]

Post by Repeating Decimal
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

[Noydb]

Post by Dawn

Post by Repeating Decimal
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

[FarmerDill]

Post by Dawn
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.

[Penny Morgan]

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

Post by Dawn
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

[---Pete---]

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

-------
I agree trhat the home soil test kits can be unreliable, from my
experience, I've found that the little capsules with the test
chemicals dry up and deteriorate. For the RapidTest brand I've
used, the Blue Potash capsule deteriorates first.

With that in mind, see if you can find out when the kits are stocked
at your local store and only buy the test kit if you can get it within
a month or so of being newly stocked. Even then, look real close
at the package and see if the capsules are beginning to deterioate.
I've found that you can see the Blue Potash test capsules becoming
discolored and spotty when they begin to deteriorate.

There are other high quality test kits you can buy either online or
from garden supply catalogs but they are generally too expensive
for doing just a few samples on the home garden.

Of course, the better way to go is to have the soil tested
professionally. Here in New Jersey, the local county AG
Extension Agent does them for about $10 and you get a more
complete analysis than just the N/P/K & PH tests that the home
test kits give you.

---pete---

[Jan Flora]

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

In Alaska, it's $20. I'll bet it's cheaper out there in the small states.
Oh, up here,
if we ask the state lab to email or mail the soil test results to our
extension agent
and to us, our agent will interpret the results for us and tell us what
our soil needs.
(He gets real specific, like, "apply 1 ton of 20-20-20-5 per acre" on our
hay meadows.)
I've never had my home garden soil tested. I know the pH. I just add
composted cow poop
by the truckload and things grow okay.

When we have hay or grain tested for protein, TDN's, etc., they'll do the
same thing
with our cow guy at CES. Our taxes pay for the Cooperative Extension
Service. It's
one of the few state or federal agencies that I can find no fault with.

NACSO sells good quality home soil test kits. They're online.

Jan

[Pat Meadows]

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.

It just did. :( (Northern PA here.)

After a month of total dryness - which followed the ENTIRE
SPRING OF CONSTANT RAIN. <Help, I'm lost in this sentence!>
<takes deep breath and starts over>

Anyway: after NO rain in July, the heavens opened and we've
had serious storms during the last week (even some tornadoes
were spotted locally). And tons of rain, more on the way.

I think I give up on this entire season...

Pat

[Mike Stevenson]

I'm having the exact same problem, and weather as Pat, tho I'm in West
Virginia. July has been terribly dry, and recently as she said the storms
have started. They had a tornado ALERT (as in actual tornado spotted) just
south of my where my mother lives. That scared the hell outta me since that
almost never happens here. I've been doing my best to keep my soil wet when
it stays dry too long. For awhile there I was watering daily. Now since the
storms started, they are sometimes drenching the ground, so I only water
after a few days of very hot weather (which we have had this week). This
week has been HOT, the day before yesterday it was 98, with heat index of
104. The hottest day so far this year. For awhile there we were starting to
think summer was over, since we had almost a straight week of low 80s and
nights as low as high 50s...

Post by Pat Meadows

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.

It just did. :( (Northern PA here.)
After a month of total dryness - which followed the ENTIRE
SPRING OF CONSTANT RAIN. <Help, I'm lost in this sentence!>
<takes deep breath and starts over>
Anyway: after NO rain in July, the heavens opened and we've
had serious storms during the last week (even some tornadoes
were spotted locally). And tons of rain, more on the way.
I think I give up on this entire season...
Pat