[Goosegirl]

Every year I try to grow tasty toms but fail. Tried different varieties, fed and watered (maybe not enough?). Ideas please. :cry:

[agapanthus]

It really does depend on the variety. What have you grown?

[She'sinthegarden]

Have you ever tried growing Gardeners' Delight?

[upert]

i've read interplanting with basil improves the flavour of toms.

[GrannieAnnie]

Sorry, but I've never grown a variety I didn't like the taste of, and I grow aprox 18 different varieties a year.

I like Gardeners Delight, Floridity, tiny tom, green grape, ailsa craig, alicante, rio grande, inca, yellow derby striped, tigerella, beefsteak, oh the list goes on.......

[lincspoacher]

In what way do you fail? do you fail to grow them, do they fail to fruit, or do they fail to be tasty ?

[tommyboy]

Can i just ask is it your opinion that they are not tasty or your`s and everyone else that tries them?

[gobs]

Some varieties are much tastier than others. But do you like tomatoes?

Try small fruited ones, cherries and Gard delight, Tigerella.

Do not water before picking.

[Trillium]

Everyone seems to prefer a different variety of tom as the best. But none will taste fab without loads of old manure worked into the soil the fall before. In spring, I add a bit more when rotovating, then at planting time I add fish & bone meal blend, then a manure or kelp liquid during the season. They really are hungry plants and I don't think you can overfeed them.

[richyrich7]

Like Trill says don't think you can overfeed 'em but overwatering can make them tasteless IMHO

[Bigbadfrankie]

Toms are easy to grow and difficult to get right. They can stand watering all day and give loads of fruit but tastless. Over feeding makes the leaves curl. As does green fly ect. keeping them cool to get nice thick stems and watering less on cool days helps. Feeding on fridays just enough so that the leaves are still flat next friday.

[compo]

I was told leaf curl was due to hot and cold extremes? Feed mine once a week and water every 3 days, but still got curly leaves...

[Goosegirl]

I grow under glass - gardeners' delight mainly, and this year a small plum type with seed saved from ones bought last year. In past, I have fed with Tomorite and interplanted with basil and also tagetes to keep whitefly away (it really works) and g. delight had a truss about 4ft long! This year am using "Lamb tea" with added comfrey. It's other people's opinion about the taste though they aren't as good as my dad's. Am about to harvest so will let you know if there's any improvement. Thanks for your comments.

[GreenOwl]

I'm with Richy.  I think you're better off underwatering than overwatering.  Too much water seems to dilute the flavour.

[Goosegirl]

My husband and father-in-law told me off for under-watering! You can't win!!! :roll: