| I would like to know the names of non-acid tomatoes. I member of my family really loves them, but acid bothers them. Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated. |
| Acid in tomatoes can be caused by factors other than the type of tomato you are growing. As sugars decrease in the fruits, the acids become more noticeable. A less vigorous plant growing under stressful conditions will produce a more acidic tasting fruit than the same variety growing under ideal conditions will. The stress factors affecting your plants are probably your climate or insect and disease damage. Grow the tomatoes in black plastic mulch and under row covers. Also check regularly for any insect and disease damage that may be stressing your plants. Applying fertilizer will help sweeten fruits only if the plants are lacking in nutrients. Now, having said that...there are different "camps" on whether yellow tomatoes are less acidic - I believe they are. I have family members who are adversely affected by tomato acidity and some of the yellow varieties don't seem to bother them. Consider the following varieties available at Burpee: "Sweet Tangerine", "Yellow Brandywine", and "Jubilee". The latter two are available in the Burpee Heirloom catalog. For information on obtaining these varieties contact Burpee at 1-800-888-1447. |
