RE: [tomato] Floramerica
Catharine Vinson (Tomato@GlobalGarden.com)
Fri, 16 Oct 1998 10:53:30 -0400
Louis wrote:
Is it possible to have hybrid tomatoes AND good taste?
I've grown some hybrids that offered excellent taste. First Lady comes to mind. I was delighted with it last year.
I suspect that much of your opposition to any
mention of 'hybrid' has to do with feelings related to big companies, etc.
taking away something (?) from you. This is not a major issue for many of
us and your not being up front and clear about it influences any discussion
of tomatoes other than heirloom.
I don't think of myself as a tomato "snob". I favor O.P. varieties on the basis of performance, not political correctness. I want to grow and enjoy an array of flavors, textures, growth characteristics. In other words, I want variety. I want varieties that do well in my local area. I want to preserve varieties of flowers, vegetables, etc. that offer superior qualities of performance. I am best able to reach those goals within the universe of O.P. varieties.
Can tomatoes be firm and flavorful? Is there a mutual exclusiveness that
doesn't allow these two factors to exist in the same tomato?
The last couple of seasons I've been growing some "wild tomatoes". It's been an eye opening experience. What we *ALL* have 'engineered' over time is very different from the species. Makes one think in different terms than 'firm' and 'flavorful'.
Also, I'd like to discuss growing tomatoes. Last year I mentioned
micrrohiza. This year I also tried microbial (compost) tea...also rock
powders and fish meal fertilizers. I'd really like some discussion on
these topics.
I've had good response with micrrohiza. Don't know that I have anything to say about it other than to suggest that people get some and do some testing in their own gardens. I don't think there's any single answer for everybody.....soil, climate, growing conditions are simply too variable to generalize.
Catharine/Atlanta, zone 7b