Gardening for Old Folks (Adaptative)

[rjohns39]

Tomatoes grown for the store (assuming commercial) are hybrids designed to handle shipping better and have that "perfect" shape. Most are picked green with about 5% sugar content and then ripened in the store before being set out. Once the tomato is picked it's reached peak sugar content. When we home grow and let ripen on the vine they'll often have up to 15% sugar content and taste way better than the store even if it looks and feels like store bought.

When I lived in VA I subscribed to a CSA to add to what my garden produced. When I found I needed more Tomatoes to do my canning, I asked the CSA to find me local "Canning" Tomatoes. Those are the ugly, over ripe, imperfect tomatoes that generally go into compost. I paid like $10 per half bushel and they were on average 12% sugar and make wonderful canned tomatoes.

 

[R2elk]

Tomatoes grown for the store (assuming commercial) are hybrids designed to handle shipping better and have that "perfect" shape. Most are picked green with about 5% sugar content and then ripened in the store before being set out. Once the tomato is picked it's reached peak sugar content. When we home grow and let ripen on the vine they'll often have up to 15% sugar content and taste way better than the store even if it looks and feels like store bought.

When I lived in VA I subscribed to a CSA to add to what my garden produced. When I found I needed more Tomatoes to do my canning, I asked the CSA to find me local "Canning" Tomatoes. Those are the ugly, over ripe, imperfect tomatoes that generally go into compost. I paid like $10 per half bushel and they were on average 12% sugar and make wonderful canned tomatoes.

There is one more part to this. If you want your homegrown tomatoes to taste like store bought tomatoes, just refrigerate them. Refrigeration plays a huge part in tomato taste.

 

[CapricornFarm]

There is one more part to this. If you want your homegrown tomatoes to taste like store bought tomatoes, just refrigerate them. Refrigeration plays a huge part in tomato taste.

Why would anyone want home grown tomatoes to taste like store bought tomatoes?

 

[lazy gardener]

There is also the issue of soil. My bet is that the produce at the grocer is grown in soil that is monocropped to death, it is so drenched with chemical fertilizers and insecticides and herbicides that the soil is dead. Such soil can't possibly produce any thing that has flavor!

 

[R2elk]

There is also the issue of soil. My bet is that the produce at the grocer is grown in soil that is monocropped to death, it is so drenched with chemical fertilizers and insecticides and herbicides that the soil is dead. Such soil can't possibly produce any thing that has flavor!

When I first started growing a garden on this sand dune, all the tomatoes no matter which kind all tasted the same. I did find one particular type (Northern Exposure) that did really good and produced beautiful large blemish and crack free tomatoes. The problem was that they pretty much tasted like a store bought tomato and had a kind of rubbery texture. I kept growing them anyway because they seemed fine after they were canned.

Then I discovered azomite. After the addition of azomite, all the different kinds of tomatoes that I planted each had their own unique flavors and textures. The first time I had a Northern Exposure tomato after the sand being treated with azomite, I was shocked. It was by far the sweetest best tasting and best texture of any tomato that I had ever eaten. Because my "soil" is still mostly sand I have to treat with azomite regularly since the sand allows everything to wash through and requires more than the normal amount of water to keep things growing.

This year I am upset because Burpee's decided to stop carrying Northern Exposure tomato seeds. Unfortunately they are a hybrid so saving the seeds would not produce the same tomato.

 

[CapricornFarm]

When I first started growing a garden on this sand dune, all the tomatoes no matter which kind all tasted the same. I did find one particular type (Northern Exposure) that did really good and produced beautiful large blemish and crack free tomatoes. The problem was that they pretty much tasted like a store bought tomato and had a kind of rubbery texture. I kept growing them anyway because they seemed fine after they were canned.

Then I discovered azomite. After the addition of azomite, all the different kinds of tomatoes that I planted each had their own unique flavors and textures. The first time I had a Northern Exposure tomato after the sand being treated with azomite, I was shocked. It was by far the sweetest best tasting and best texture of any tomato that I had ever eaten. Because my "soil" is still mostly sand I have to treat with azomite regularly since the sand allows everything to wash through and requires more than the normal amount of water to keep things growing.

This year I am upset because Burpee's decided to stop carrying Northern Exposure tomato seeds. Unfortunately they are a hybrid so saving the seeds would not produce the same tomato.

What is azomite? Ok, i looked it up. Lots of vital minerals. Interesting. And doesn't anyone else sell that type of tomato seed?

 

[R2elk]

What is azomite? And doesn't anyone else sell that type of tomato seed?

Azomite part I
Azomite part II

Northern Exposure was a Burpee's exclusive. I will have to check if I can find it anywhere else but my past experience is that once a company drops one of its exclusive seeds that you can't necessarily trust the sellers that pick it up as they may or may not provide you with the same seed.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Very interesting stuff! I put some in my Amazon cart.

 

[chickadoodles]

Since I have been gardening in peat moss I have to add all kinds of stuff. And I always through a handful of Azomite in my mix. It's good stuff!

 

[CapricornFarm]

77°F. What month is this again? 2 new litters of baby bunnies born today! Yay, more poo for the garden!