Why Are My Tomatoes Mealy?

By Kira Hamman

A friend recently lamented that the tomatoes she has so painstakingly raised all summer have finally ripened, only to reveal themselves as mealy disappointments.

She wanted to know why.

Was it them? Was it her? Was it the position of the planets?

The answer is maybe, maybe, and, uh, maybe. Mealiness happens when the natural sugars in the tomato are converted to starch, changing both the flavor and the texture of the fruit, and this can be caused by either nature or nurture. Avoiding it may not be entirely in your control, but there are some things you can do to make it less likely. Read the rest of this entry »