black toms and changes in tomato flavor was RE: [tomato] Great Book
cvinson@mindspring.com (Tomato@GlobalGarden.com)
Thu, 1 Jul 1999 18:04:24 -0400
Doreen wrote:
In Texas, the biggest ones early in the
season would weigh about 12 oz. if conditions were good. The biggest fruit
on Black Krim is 20 oz., so far. The flavor is the same, but the color
isn't as intense. I was worried about flavor, because the Texas heat did
build good fruit sugars.
Doreen,
None of the blacks get as large (either as plant or fruit) for me in Texas
as they do in Atlanta. I don't think I ever managed any variety of tomato
over a pound when I lived in Houston. I just about fainted when I actually
finally was able to grow the big beefsteaks when I was living in Ohio!
Your comment about flavor being subjective is so very true. Combined with
the influence of the individual climate in which the tomato is grown, the
differing amount of moisture/sun/stress the plant receives each season it's
gown, and the soil characteristics and content, and I'm always hard pressed
to generalize about a variety's taste. And there are some varieties whose
taste really changes through the season. Riesenstraube in particular is a
"changling" for me. I don't like it much early in the season; later I rate
it among my all-time favorites. I thought I was wierd about this until I got
to chatting with another grower; she made the same comment.
Catharine/Atlanta