Do you wish for sweeter tomatoes?

digitS'

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Flavor is likely very complex, probably includes a combination of proteins, minerals and starches.

That sentence indicates that I really don't know anything about it ;). But ... I'm gonna guess that sugar is only a part of the complexity. If sweetness is high, other flavorful compounds may be lacking.

Saying that is my cover for admitting that i prefer tomato sweetness. I find that in hybrid cherries — my choices. Oddly, Yellow Jelly Bean stands out for me and one reason is that it tastes like a red cherry.

BTW – I've read that the skin to meat ratio of cherries means higher sugar content is possible without splitting. Degrees Brix, the horticulturalists say, for measuring sucrose.

Steve
 

flowerbug

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after last year i don't think i could get sweeter ones.

using baking soda would change the pH of your soil a little and that can make more of certain other compounds available to plants.

i'm not too likely to do it here, i need to go the other direction for pH with some elemental sulphur to counteract the well water which has some calcium in it.
 

Dahlia

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I've found that cutting back on watering once the fruit starts to ripen concentrates the sugars quite a bit. Doesn't work as well in really hot climates where the plants are already stressed, but in milder weather it makes a noticeable difference.
Welcome to the forum from the Pacific Northwest!
 

akroberts

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I have a preference for my tomatoes but I kinda like a little bit less sweet tomatoes. I have heard that if you add sugar around your tomatoes they can be sweeter.
 

Dahlia

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Another tomato tip I learned from one of my lovely gardening neighbors was that you can make your tomatoes last longer if you store them stem side down and remove the stems.
 
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