Hey Everyone,
Who would ever guess that those sweet, beautiful, and delicious tomatoes could even taste better than they already do!
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"Sun Gold Cherry Tomato"
Touts a very high brix sugar
content for those that like
them sweet! |
Vintners use a Brix scale to determine when grapes are at their peak and ready for processing. The sugar to acid balance is critical for the industry. Years ago, the farm trade borrowed the science and it is now commonplace for them to use it as a measurement of when to start the mechanical harvesting process. Many farmers also test frequently as a means for determining the overall health of plants and quality of their growing medium. Aside from the science being used as an indicator of an excellent bottle of wine or best time to harvest, many labs across the country are using the scale for the development of new cultivars. Oregon State for example, is working on many new varieties of tomatoes containing high antioxidants while maintaining a favorable Brix level. One of these is currently grown in our community garden and will be the spotlight of a separate post.
As more and more are turning to the trend of home gardening, many are finding that the measurable sugars does not remain consistent within the particular variety of tomatoes and can often vary from plant to plant. Many gardeners find art in fine-tuning and raising the brix levels by the way, you grow your plants, the type of fertilizers you choose, reducing the plant load, and how you feed and care for the soil. Fruits and vegetables containing a higher Brix number will taste better, are more nutrient dense, and provide a longer shelf life, both for the market and home grower.
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"Cherokee Purple"
One of the richest tasting heirlooms
with a high Brix content! |
I have used Brix scales in the past to choose better tasting varieties to grow, but have never been aware it is possible to take that flavor up a notch by changing common practices during fertilization and growth. It will be interesting to test the brix levels of my tomatoes as I frequently use some trace minerals (Azomite & Actino-Iron) when planting. It may even be interesting to test tomatoes picked a day or two out, preventing bird damage, versus those left on the vine until completely ripe. I ordered a refractometer and if there are any wanting to test for fun or even for "The Sweetest" bragging rights, let me know. This could be quite interesting and entertaining to compare different varieties within our garden. Sounds like a Fracto Party with prizes in the works!
The links below have a Brix chart to determine overall vegetable quality and one with general information. It is also interesting to Google, "raising the brix levels in tomatoes" and read some of the common soil recipes.
http://www.healthy-vegetable-gardening.com/brix-scale.html - link to brix chart
http://www.healthy-vegetable-gardening.com/brix-level.html - link to general brix information
This link is one I use frequently for choosing which watermelon varieties to grow. I love my Sugar Babies!
http://agsyst.wsu.edu/watermelonphotos.html - link to watermelon Brix charts
Happy Gardening,
Denise, Beds 25 & 29
