Talk of The Villages Florida - View Single Post - Tomatoes with Flavor
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Old 09-13-2015, 12:47 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by suesiegel View Post
I've not tried tomatoes here but I expect the lack of taste that many have complained about is due to both the climate and the soil.

Someone mentioned JERSEY TOMATOES. WELL- my LONG ISLAND tomatoes were ACCORDING TO ME, mush better than the best jersey tomatoes.

BACK TO THE VILLAGES-and tomatoes. Much of the taste of tomatoes is ACID. The soil here is ALKALINE PH 7.5 and up to 8. To make is worse we are loaded with LIMESTONE-the proof is in the sinkholes. PUT SOME OF OUR SOIL IN A GLASS AND ADD VINEGAR-IT WILL FIZZ JUST LIKE THE OLD BAKING SODA TOYS.

So if you want GOOD TOMATOES, you need to grow them in large pots, you need to either buy soil or add a lot of organic matter to the soil we have-peat is far more acidic them manure. You need to get a PH of about 6.5-that is a large change from 8 and even in a pot it will take you at least a year to have it stabilize in a pot. In your garden beds you will be fignting a loosing battle to try to get 6.5.

I am growing blueberries in pots and holding 4.5 PH.
You aren't going to make a whole lot of friends bashing other states and their produce. Guns have been drawn...
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