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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2006 21:14:50 GMT
Finished our tomatoes this week, now have to buy from the supermarket. What a difference!. Ours had a beautiful flavour, now we are having to come to terms with flavourless, half ripe specimens. I'm going to try buying a week ahead and storing with a banana to accelerate ripening.
Our local supermarket advertises "The best greengrocer in town", it's true (only because there isn't another). Someone told them they are GREENgrocers so they sell green bananas.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2006 8:04:15 GMT
Most supermarkets have forgotten about flavour, as they are more interested in tomatoes having a long shelf life  How about trying a different supermarket  |
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Post by Plocket on Nov 13, 2006 8:26:06 GMT
It's funny but tomatoes are the one thing I don't try and "buy British" because the British tomatoes really seem to lack flavour. Shop tomatoes are NEVER going to be as good as home grown ones but I look out for Italian tomatoes as they seem to be the best of the bunch. Oh and don't buy the cheapest tomatoes - it's just not worth it!
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Post by oldmoleskins on Nov 13, 2006 8:55:38 GMT
Larkshall, what variety did you grow, and was it inside or out?
OM.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2006 13:30:12 GMT
hi, first time on these boards, but why not try marks and spencers, they are really lovely but can be expensive
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2006 13:34:52 GMT
welcome missgreenfingers
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Post by Rosefriend on Nov 13, 2006 13:36:06 GMT
I have given up growing my own tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers etc - for the simply reason it is too time consuming - someone has to water and with family needs I decided to call it a day.
I never buy anything but very good and expensive on the truss/vine tomatoes and apart from occasionally during Jan/Feb I always find they are good.
Rosefriend
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Post by Deleted on Nov 14, 2006 22:06:54 GMT
Larkshall, what variety did you grow, and was it inside or out? OM. I bought 6 "Shirley" plants and was given 4 plants by a friend, they both cropped well and the "Shirley's" were ahead of the others so I got a staggered crop. I've bought some tomatoes from the supermarket, twice what I would normally have bought. I plan to store them to ripen and when I've used half, replace them with others to store while I use the first batch. It seems to be working. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2006 15:58:59 GMT
You are definately right, supermarkets go for looks rather than taste. Although Waitrose is selling mis-shapes now? IIRC. You cannot beat freshly picked tomato's. I grew Gartenperle last year and had hundreds of fruit. I reckon they must be picked while still green and then shipped from all over the world in time to hit the supermarkets before they ripen too much. I remember reading somewhere that there is lycopene (sp?) in tomatoes that is very very good for you but it will only be produced if the tomato has been allowed to ripen on the plant. Not that I am a scientist but I'm guessing that it may be the same with all the other vitamins etc... The plant would need to still be drawing goodness from the soil to make them??? I doubt a picked fruit can just magic extra vitamins out of the air without photosynthesis and access to nutrients. Maybe something tasting "good" has something to do with how "good" something is for you, the plant gives you a treat and you help it spread its seeds. It works in the animal kingdom, and we are animals after all. Oops I'm rambling again - bored at work  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2006 21:24:23 GMT
I was in B&Q today, looked at a packet of seed for Shirley Tomatoes, 50p per seed. I reckon its cheaper to buy the plants. Got some moneymaker instead.
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