[barbarella]

It seems to be the received wisdom that home grown tomatoes have a superior flavour to shop bought ones, so I am rather disappointed that mine don't taste that amazing after all.  I have grown San Marzano, Costluto Florentino and Gardener's Delight this year, in the greenhouse and outside - the cherry toms taste quite good and the others look fantastic on the outside but inside are rather pale and tasteless. 

How much of the flavour is intrinsic to the variety of tomato and how much to the growing conditions I wonder?  I have been careful with the watering and haven't had any blossom end rot.  Did I water them too much perhaps?  I also give them Tomorite - three times a week in the greenhouse and twice for the outdoor ones.  Should I have given them more or less?

Any advice would be appreciated. 

[Riala]

My toms are the strongest tasting toms I have ever had in my life!

It is my first year growing them. I did get blight, but at the first sign, I pulled all my green toms off and sat them on the sunny windowsill in the kitchen.

As they went red, I put them in a bowl in the fridge.

Toms were Gardeners Delight from the BBC Dig In campaign.

[DD.]

Can't go wrong with "Shirley". Never mind these varieties with fancy names!

[mumofstig]

IMO the toms were spoiled by the delayed ripening cos of the dodgy weather.
By the time mine ripened they had been fully grown on the vines for weeks, and were 'wooly'
With San Marzano, as it's a plum (cooking) tomato you don't get the flavour till they are cooked anyway. I made some passata with mine last week and that was good

[8doubles]

Gardeners delight and costoluto fioretino (beefsteak) are normally very good and have never let me down for flavour, if you are picking them fully ripe and not keeping them in the fridge i haven`t got a clue. You seem to be growing them right.

[pushrod]

Have said it before and will probably say it quite a few more times!

If you want a largish (4oz), super tasting tomato - try Cristal an F1 hybrid from T&M.

[Yorkie]

Were you feeding in line with the recommendations on the packet?  Sounds quite frequent to me.

[gillie]

Tomorite three times a week sounds an awful lot!  Mine are lucky to get it once a week.  I understand that you get a better flavour from tomatoes if you treat them a bit mean.

My San Marzanos are not the best flavour raw - but then they are a cooking tomato - however the fruit is hanging off the plant like bunches of bananas!

By the way, never put tomatoes in the fridge.

Cheers,

Gillie

[tode]

I've been hunting everywhere to find a real TANGY tomato, but almost all varieties are described as "good flavour".
It seems impossible to get any sort of objective opinion about a tomato's taste 
I've seen Gardener's Delight described as "tasteless" and as "Superb" 
Bought some seeds that had won a prize for "best-tasting", and they're no better than the supermarket 
Would it be possible to organise some sort of poll for tomatoes ?

In despair.

[Trillium]

Barbarella, the san marzano is a plum tomato and is more for bottling rather than 'flavour', same with the constulto. Tomato flavour is such a personal thing that like most of us, you'll need to grow a wide variety to decide which appeals most to you. I personally love the huge German Golds that are sweet (I have a problem with acidity) while others find it too bland for them. Whatever you grow, know that the real flavour comes from lots of old manure in the growing medium and lots of sun to fully ripen the fruit whether on or off the vine. Almost ripe toms haven't the flavour of fully ripe toms.

[richyrich7]

I believe flavour can be reduced or thinned/diluted  by overwatering.

I reduce my watering as the plants get older, mine won't probably get watered again this year as they will pick up plenty enough moisture out of the ground near the edges of the greenhouse. My Toms taste really intense this time of year not like watery supermarket ones. 

[tode]

Yes, but what are they,  Richyrich ?

[Spana]

Bob Flowerdew - who can do no wrong in my eyes - recons tomato flavour is ruined by over watering and over feeding.  I grow Shirley which beats everything else I've tried.  Last year i didn't feed at all , they cropped well but i didn't get any really big fruits.  This year i 've fed about every 10 days and got some beauties.   Now Ive almost stopped watering but the plants will probably go on until Christmas by which time i will be fed up with them and pull them out. One year i picked 3lb of good toms on Boxing day 

[richyrich7]

Yes, but what are they,  Richyrich ?

Heritage variety Tommy Toe can't beat them IMHO, I also grow Harbinger which makes a nice tasting medium sized tom.

[Riala]

What is wrong with toms in the fridge? I have always done it, my mother and my Nan too!

I do not know anyone that 'doesn't' put toms in the fridge! Keeps them for longer.