All six tomato plants are healthy, sporting a plethora of green tomatoes. We have a heat wave moving through this week, with temps predicted in the 100s three days in a row, a boon for ripening fruit. What’s good for the tomato isn’t good for this fair-haired gardener, however, so I may follow the cats lead and take a nap on the cool tile floor for the entire afternoon. Ha!
Tomato sandwiches were a summer staple growing up. We grew our own tomatoes and used them in a variety of ways. I love eating warm cherry tomatoes, straight from the garden, bursting with flavor in my mouth. I miss those delicious red beacons of summer.
We rarely enjoy tomatoes served in restaurants these days, and find few tasty options at the grocery store. I assumed it had more to do with a too-early harvest, but I learned this last week from our local paper that it’s even worse.
Accordingly to Lisa Krieger of the Mercury News:
“Scientists have caught the culprit behind those tasteless tomatoes. Turns out, tomato growers’ best intentions over decades are to blame.
By Breeding tomatoes to ripen evenly and harvest easier, growers unwittingly robbed those sumptuous ruby reds of their taste.”
By disabling the GLK2 gene, tomatoes were more efficient and economical to process. What farmers didn’t know, is that tomatoes with the normal version of the gene are 20% higher in sugar content and 30% higher in lycopene thought to be useful in human nutrition.
What can we do?
- Heirloom tomatoes retain the gene, along with sweet cherry tomatoes. If you plant your own, be sure to choose these varieties.
- Shop at farmer’s markets when possible, where you are more likely to find heirlooms.
- Take some time to inform yourself of the Right to Know Movement. If you live in California, you can vote to label genetically engineered foods on the Ballot this November. Help ensure Californians have the right to know and choose what they buy to feed their families.
You can read Lisa’s full article on-line at Mercury News.com.
The professional growers areound here remind us to treat our tomaters ROUGH. Less water, rather than more, and not too much food.
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Why less water?
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They look great. I’m getting very impatient for my tomatoes to ripen, I love tomatoes on toast! This is my first year growing the giant tomatoes, I bought the seed here in Bulgaria so it will be interesting to see how much taste they have.
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Please keep me posted. I hope they are full of flavor.
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All my tomatoes are heirlooms…so much flavor. Continued luck with your tomatoes.
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Thanks, Karen. And good for you. From now on, only heirlooms and cherry tomatoes for me too.
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Fried Green Tomatoes is one of my favorite movies (pass the kleenex please), I wondered if it referred to ‘unripe’ tomatoes or just a ‘green variety’? We don’t see them on menu’s up here. That camera really gets you good close up’s. Nicely photographed!
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Thank you! I love that camera. I still have much to learn, but getting close up with the high pixel count is a great start.
I remember that movie and yes (sob, sob).
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I have a few varities this year and are awaiting all the green tomatoes to turn red… I miss fresh tomatoes 🙂
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I hear you! Ours are still green but looking healthy and abundant. Good luck!
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