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I've been reading this forum for some time, this is the first time for me asking a question.
What makes tomato texture floury (mealy)?
Last year I had lizzano, this year tumbler and tumbling bella - both years completely different varieties and all conditions I can think of - and both years not good, floury tomatoes.
Last year - Lizzano:
- I lived in Newcastle.
- Bought as a grafted plant from Dobies.
- It was in too small pot (5l), not fed (only little bit of multipurpose granules, no tomato food), well watered, in sunny spot, but otherwise quite neglected.
- Small cherry tomatoes, not great amount of them (probably because of the lack of feeding), not completely tasteless but also not supersweet.
- Overall lot of mistakes and ignorance, but it was my 1st real attempt on tomatoes.
This year - Tumbler and Tumbling Bella:
- I live in Bangor (North Wales).
- Bought as plug plants again from Dobies.
- They are in 12" cone shaped hanging baskets (1 tumbler per basket and two bellas per basket).
- They are strong, healthy (at the moment) plants, vigorous, with huge amount of tomatoes on them (really huge, like from the seed packets photos).
- Well watered, well fed (tomato food every week).
- Tumbler tomatoes are quite bland, Bella is nice and sweet, but both are floury.
I've tried everything:
- to pick them sooner (pink/light red) and ripen them at home
- to pick them later
- eat them before they look ready
I've also spent many hours reading forums and even academic research (lot of it, in fact) about tomato ripening, about starch and sugar content in tomatoes etc.
And I still have no idea what makes my tomatoes bad.
Possible candidates:
- Weather (cold?). But then most of UK gardeners should have similar problem. And weather in Newcastle last year and North Wales this year is really different.
- Overwatering - I don't think I water them too much, but it's possible. We have lot of rain here. And I water them almost every day or every other day when there is no rain. I usually try the compost and water only if the top layer is dry. But the fact is I've seen them wilting for water only once.
Any ideas or experience?
Thank you.
What makes tomato texture floury (mealy)?
Last year I had lizzano, this year tumbler and tumbling bella - both years completely different varieties and all conditions I can think of - and both years not good, floury tomatoes.
Last year - Lizzano:
- I lived in Newcastle.
- Bought as a grafted plant from Dobies.
- It was in too small pot (5l), not fed (only little bit of multipurpose granules, no tomato food), well watered, in sunny spot, but otherwise quite neglected.
- Small cherry tomatoes, not great amount of them (probably because of the lack of feeding), not completely tasteless but also not supersweet.
- Overall lot of mistakes and ignorance, but it was my 1st real attempt on tomatoes.
This year - Tumbler and Tumbling Bella:
- I live in Bangor (North Wales).
- Bought as plug plants again from Dobies.
- They are in 12" cone shaped hanging baskets (1 tumbler per basket and two bellas per basket).
- They are strong, healthy (at the moment) plants, vigorous, with huge amount of tomatoes on them (really huge, like from the seed packets photos).
- Well watered, well fed (tomato food every week).
- Tumbler tomatoes are quite bland, Bella is nice and sweet, but both are floury.
I've tried everything:
- to pick them sooner (pink/light red) and ripen them at home
- to pick them later
- eat them before they look ready
I've also spent many hours reading forums and even academic research (lot of it, in fact) about tomato ripening, about starch and sugar content in tomatoes etc.
And I still have no idea what makes my tomatoes bad.
Possible candidates:
- Weather (cold?). But then most of UK gardeners should have similar problem. And weather in Newcastle last year and North Wales this year is really different.
- Overwatering - I don't think I water them too much, but it's possible. We have lot of rain here. And I water them almost every day or every other day when there is no rain. I usually try the compost and water only if the top layer is dry. But the fact is I've seen them wilting for water only once.
Any ideas or experience?
Thank you.
), now stopped after 4th truss, so this one won't be ready sooner than end of September.
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