Why are Richard’s tomatoes mushy and of poor quality?
Richard sent in this question:
I am in my fifth year growing tomatoes in an (unheated) greenhouse. I sow seed in a propagator at the beginning of April and they usually crop mid-August or about now this year, due to lack of sun in August. I have tried many varieties, from Gardeners Delight, Alicante through to Plum and Beefsteak type. Unfortunately the results are always the same, the plants crop copiously, but the fruits (although ripe)are mushy and never crisp. Any ideas what is wrong? I use rainwater & special tomato feed. Many thanks, Richard.
TopVeg replied
This is a difficult one! As you are getting copious amounts of fruit, I wonder if you are overdoing it?
Tomatoes do not reward excessive care!
Your problems could be due to:
temperature – high temperatures accelerate softening process
fertiliser – too much nitrogen causes puffy fruit
too little potassium leads to ripening problems, soft or mushy fruit texture, low acidity and puffiness
over-watering causes sloppy tomatoes with little taste
If anyone has any idea why Richard’s tomatoes are mushy and of poor quality, please let us know.
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