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Post by horsea on Aug 25, 2014 12:57:42 GMT -5
Is it just me, or is this a mediocre-tasting tomato?
I've grown maybe 25 different varieties over the years, all open-pollinated types, and only 2 - count 'em two - have not been worthy of eating raw, out of hand. On the scale of 1 to 10 as regards taste, this is a #3 or 4 (where Rose, Matt's Wild Cherry and Black from Tula are a "10")
Everywhere on the internet that I go, Silvery Fir Tree is praised to the skies as "excellent" or "very good" in taste. Compared to what? Your average sickly-pink baseball in January from the supermarket?
I agree that S.F. Tree has beautiful, ferny foliage. But I'm mashing the fruit up for sauce.
Anyway, my tomatoes are ripening at last. We've been chomping into Early Annie, Black Truffle, Black from Tula & Unknown Sandwich Type. Still waiting for Rose (johnnyseeds) & Pearl (named by me from unknown seed from Ukraine)to be perfectly ripe. Pray for good weather!
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Deleted
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Joined: January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2014 19:32:52 GMT -5
I think it's horrid too! My first ever spitter {LOL}. However, some people love acidic tomatoes, so it takes all sorts.
I was really impressed with the taste of Early Annie though!
Linda
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Post by horsea on Aug 25, 2014 22:36:04 GMT -5
Thanks, Linda! I love Early Annie, also. I can't believe it isn't better known. Maybe folks confuse it with old timer "Earliana".
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Post by Deleted on Aug 26, 2014 8:27:13 GMT -5
I didn't expect a lot from Early Annie because of all the derogatory comments I had read about early varieties not tasting very good. I just wanted to have an early small tomato plant that I could grow in a container to pop outside on gorgeous days and bring inside because of cold or rain.
I was SO impressed with the flavor, well rounded and delish. It beat the taste of many of the larger later varieties.
I will certainly grow Early Annie again!
Linda
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Post by paquebot on Aug 27, 2014 0:28:08 GMT -5
I've grown SFT twice and very happy with the taste both times. It's often been claimed that the soil and available nutrients affect the taste and I believe it. SFT was grown in 10-gallon tree pots and medium was half silt soil and half homemade compost. That's what all of my cherry and container type varieties were grown in until this year. With too much other things all at once, the medium was not replaced. Hardly anything decent this year.
Martin
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Post by horsea on Aug 27, 2014 0:41:37 GMT -5
Maybe silvery fir tree is particularly susceptible to sudden changes in growing conditions, which we certainly had: cold & rainy, then hot & dry for many weeks, then a blast of rain + cold. Who knows! I'm glad you found this variety pleasant, paquebot. By the way, a 10-gallon pot is certainly more than enough room for a determinate tomato.
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Post by paquebot on Aug 28, 2014 1:24:50 GMT -5
There is a true story that I've related a few times. There was a farmer couple whom I knew for 50 years. They bought all sorts of seeds from me in 1951 when I was selling to neighbor farmers. They always had a huge garden and Wisconsin 55s were their main variety for all those years. Eventually they retired to a complex where they couldn't garden normally but could have unlimited containers. Their son had the farm then so there was still a good supply of steer manure. Bagged topsoil was mixed with the manure and tomatoes planted. The farmer died and I was talking gardening with the family after the funeral. That was when they told of having to plant the tomatoes in containers. I asked how they tasted and it seemed that the entire family replied in unison. "Cow sh--!
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Post by kctomato on Aug 28, 2014 9:23:13 GMT -5
What effects flavor (in order):
1 - Genetics: it must have the potential to produce the flavor. Not just reliably year to year, but at all.
2 - light: quality and quantity effect the plant's ability to make the right carbohydrates/sugars
3 - temperature: was also found to be almost as important as light in effecting the amount of flavanoids produced.
4 - nutrients: particularly nitrogen and potassium. I separate these out because the effect is there regardless of the soil system: ie works in organic soils, rock wool, hydroponic...
Now you start factoring in soils and moisture. Which play roles in the general health of the plant to support fruit production. Things like soil aeration/drainage - how much oxygen the roots get. How easy is it for the roots to grow. How well does the soil water. What biotic factors are the roots competing with. what biotic factors are stressing the plant influencing flavor (such as salt levels).
The point being is that genetics (variety) is the biggest factor followed by climatic factors (light & temperature) for a lines flavor potential.
Certainly things like improper amounts of nutrients (too much or too little) effect flavor but it has to have the potential and right climate first.
Some varieties with good genetic potential don't reliably produce the best flavor year to year as they have genetic factors interacting with the climatic ones (light, temperature, [too much] moisture).
Yes, one can find varieties that grow better in different soil (and climate) factors but this is more a matter of general influence of growth/yield rather than potential for flavor for that given location.
So when I hear people say they like Silver Fir tree I think 2 things: they like tart tomatoes with very little character and/or they are attracted to foliage.
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Post by horsea on Sept 23, 2014 23:41:10 GMT -5
Thanks, kctomato , for your info, observations & conclusions! All my other varieties tasted absolutely wonderful, as usual, including 2 "Bali" volunteers. They are still ripening, some of them. Bali is semi-acid, but has good flavour, even without salt. Are you familiar with it?
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Post by kctomato on Sept 26, 2014 15:59:45 GMT -5
Salt? Sure. But I taste things on their own first.
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