mealy tomatoes

Oscgrr

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I planted several varieties of tomatoes but one didn't turn out so nice. My roma tomatoes are mealy. They have beautiful color and weight but when I cut into them they're grainy and slightly mushy. The frustrating part is that the other tomato varieties are doing very well, grape, yellow heirloom, beefsteak and Mr. Stripy all have firm and juicy flesh with awesome flavor (nothing compares to a garden ripened tomato).

I know they're supposed to be good for sauces but the ones I bought at the supermarket were firm but they were also called "plum" tomatoes. Is there a difference between plum tomatoes and roma? Is mealiness a characteristic of roma tomatoes. If so then I can't fix what's not broken. I'm very dissapointed in their texture since I had plans for them.
 

wifezilla

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Romas are a paste tomato so better for making things like spaghetti sauce. Plum tomatoes are similar, but different. I have both growing. I got a few mealy ones off one roma plant, but that was due to weather. Weird weather can make tomatoes mealy.
 

Ridgerunner

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Mealy tomatoes can be caused by them being stored too cold, say below 55*F. There will be differences in the different varieties, but did you perhaps refrigerate that one?
 

Oscgrr

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Nope, I didn't refridgerate any tomaotes. It's not just one that's mealy but almost all the romas are that way. I wonder if I'm letting them ripen too long before picking. I try to let all the green turn to red but that may not be the best idea. I don't think I'm growing this kind next year.
 

vfem

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Oscgrr said:
Nope, I didn't refridgerate any tomaotes. It's not just one that's mealy but almost all the romas are that way. I wonder if I'm letting them ripen too long before picking. I try to let all the green turn to red but that may not be the best idea. I don't think I'm growing this kind next year.
Romas are strange to me, my neighbor brought me some and some were mealy like you said, and some just fine. Some had tough skin white others it was easy to bite into. They all came off the same plant. I think they are more susceptible to weather then other varieties. I know their are other paste tomatoes out their to chose from. I don't suggest the green sausage variety I tried this year though, the skin was way to thick and the tomatoes were way to small to peel that many :(
 

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