What makes floury tomatoes?

[Ani]

I've been reading this forum for some time, this is the first time for me asking a question.

What makes tomato texture floury (mealy)?

Last year I had lizzano, this year tumbler and tumbling bella - both years completely different varieties and all conditions I can think of - and both years not good, floury tomatoes.

Last year - Lizzano:
- I lived in Newcastle.
- Bought as a grafted plant from Dobies.
- It was in too small pot (5l), not fed (only little bit of multipurpose granules, no tomato food), well watered, in sunny spot, but otherwise quite neglected.
- Small cherry tomatoes, not great amount of them (probably because of the lack of feeding), not completely tasteless but also not supersweet.
- Overall lot of mistakes and ignorance, but it was my 1st real attempt on tomatoes.

This year - Tumbler and Tumbling Bella:
- I live in Bangor (North Wales).
- Bought as plug plants again from Dobies.
- They are in 12" cone shaped hanging baskets (1 tumbler per basket and two bellas per basket).
- They are strong, healthy (at the moment) plants, vigorous, with huge amount of tomatoes on them (really huge, like from the seed packets photos).
- Well watered, well fed (tomato food every week).
- Tumbler tomatoes are quite bland, Bella is nice and sweet, but both are floury.

I've tried everything:
- to pick them sooner (pink/light red) and ripen them at home
- to pick them later
- eat them before they look ready
I've also spent many hours reading forums and even academic research (lot of it, in fact) about tomato ripening, about starch and sugar content in tomatoes etc.

And I still have no idea what makes my tomatoes bad.
Possible candidates:
- Weather (cold?). But then most of UK gardeners should have similar problem. And weather in Newcastle last year and North Wales this year is really different.
- Overwatering - I don't think I water them too much, but it's possible. We have lot of rain here. And I water them almost every day or every other day when there is no rain. I usually try the compost and water only if the top layer is dry. But the fact is I've seen them wilting for water only once.

Any ideas or experience?

Thank you.

[Jungle Jane]

I had a dry tomato like this today! From one variety out of three I tried,the others were better. I think it's the weather,the tomatoes are taking so long to ripen the sugars are turning to starch. I water mine everyday because they're in pots. I don't think it's a water issue. Welcome to the forum!!

[veggiechicken]

Hello Ani, Croeso from South Wales
I'm not sure what you mean by "floury" - is it that they're dry and not juicy?
Don't know how much sun they have, but it really does sweeten them up.

[Ani]

English is my second language, so I am not sure what's the right word, but from what I've found: mealy, wooly, starchy, mushy (but not soft), powdery.
And yes, dry too.
They are in sunny position (6 hours per day, afternoon sun).
It's not that much about taste, more about texture. But because the texture is made by starch, I can imagine they could be sweeter if it turns into sugar somehow.

[Thelma Sanders]

I found they are like that when they have taken a long while to ripen - seems to happen when we have a run of cooler than average nights. This summer has been a bit like that (again!) here. Sposed to be summer and yet we've had quite a few 10-11C nights

[veggiechicken]

Hi again, Ani, your English is perfect - its mine that is poor!!
Its been an odd year for tomatoes. Some of mine have been very disappointing. Plants in baskets and small pots need a lot more attention than those in big pots. I'm growing Tumbler in a small pot this year and its nearly finished cropping. Its not been as good as some of the other trailing toms.
Sorry, I don't know what to suggest for your toms.

[burnie]

Welcome Ani, can't say I have had this problem before, so I will watch and learn.

[Scarlet]

My two penneth worth...the weather isn't helping but the pots seem very small, especially for 2 plants. It may also be your varieties, try again next year in a bucket sized pot with a bog standard "gardeners delight" cherry tomato.

[Potstubsdustbins]

And to put the cat among the pigeons. I love Tumbler (I hope you don't mean Tumbling Tom) and grow them every year. They are in 12" coned shaped hanging baskets I per basket exactly the same as yours. The only difference I can think of is the amount of sunshine, when the sun does decide to shine they get it from just after sun up to about 4 in the afternoon so 10/12 hours.

They are watered every day or they dry out and fed three times a week, two feeds of tomorite one of Miracle Grow the reason for this is that when I water I do so until the water is running out the bottom of the basket and of course this is also washing out the feed. This year due to the weather they were at least a month late to ripen but are now producing tons of lovely tennis ball sized toms, SWMBO is pureeing a pan full as I type.

I am sorry I can't give you a definite answer to your problem only tell you what I do in the hope it might give you some ideas.

[Ani]

Thank you.

I think I will wait to taste more tomatoes. These have been so far the first ones, from the first truss (set in beginning of June), which took forever to ripen (1st tumbler harvested on 1st August, 1st bella on 8th, total so far 6 tumblers and 2 bellas).
I also have one more tumbling bella in different part of the garden, in slightly smaller planter, it is later than the others because it is in much more exposed position (fence hanging planter), it is the smallest and most compact plant of them, but also the strongest. First tomatoes will be ready in two days, probably.
And I have one vine tomato (floridity) in normal size container, but it is plant saved from B&Q in mid-July (50p only ), now stopped after 4th truss, so this one won't be ready sooner than end of September.
This has been learning year for me, lot of playing and experimenting.

[Snoop Puss]

Ani, if you add your location to your profile, it might help people when responding to your questions. Someone in Aberdeen will have very different conditions to someone in Torquay.

Anyway, I forgot to say welcome. So: welcome. There's a treasure trove of knowledge and experience to draw on here.

[Scarlet]

And to put the cat among the pigeons. I love Tumbler (I hope you don't mean Tumbling Tom)

I knew you were going to come back and say that! I would like to know if it's definately Tumbler Ani is growing though, as it's easy to muddle those two varieties up.

[TrixC]

I know exactly what you're talking about, and yes, floury or mealy is the right word. I've also failed to get to the bottom of it, but I have noticed that it sometimes affects the first fruits harvested from a particular plant, and later ones are better. This would support the theory that it's due to slow ripening. I've only had this problem with beefsteak and plum varieties, never with cherries.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Scarlet, I hope your not reading my mind you may be surprised what you find in there LOL

[Ani]

Snoop Puss: It's Bangor (North Wales), but I had same problem last year in Newcastle. It could be cold/long time to ripen in both locations.

Scarlet: Yes, it's Tumbler, or it should be, it was part of this collection:
Patio Vegetable Plants - Collection - Dobies