[jihadjihad]

It's hard to describe how drastic the difference is between a store-bought tomato and one that is homegrown. It's something you immediately miss once the season is gone and the tomato plants are composted, and you're hoping you saved enough jars to make it until next summer.

But one thing that surprised me after a little while gardening is that there is a similarly stark difference for homegrown carrots. Everybody knows what a carrot tastes like from the store, but I had never tasted a carrot that stopped me in my tracks until I took up gardening. It's just like with tomatoes: a richer, sweeter flavor that is virtually nonexistent in the supermarket. If you love growing your own tomatoes, I can't recommend growing your own carrots highly enough.

[vitaflo]

If you haven’t you should try growing celery. The flavor difference is simply incredible.

[jihadjihad]

I have wanted to, my SO said that it is hard from seed, and I never followed up on it. I can only imagine how much better it is--not to mention a soup or stew with carrots and celery from the garden is bound to be unbeatable.

Maybe that will be a 2025 gardening goal for me!

[enraged_camel]

As a fellow gardener, this probably has to do with the type of tomato/carrot that you grow. For example, the carrots in your garden are probably of the sweeter variety than store-bought carrots.

[_a_a_a_]

Was going to say the same. Tomatoes vary hugely in many aspects; you can't really talk about a 'tomato', they're so different.

(anyone tasted a potato fruit? Toxic and like little green tomatoes, but I wonder at their taste)

[0xffff2]

> It's hard to describe how drastic the difference is between a store-bought tomato and one that is homegrown.

Everyone says this, but I either have defective taste buds or defective garden tomatoes, because my garden tomatoes aren't really any different from a decent store-bought tomato when eaten fresh. For sauces, quality canned tomatoes are overwhelmingly superior to either.

[zwaps]

I mean you have to have the climate and soil first

[mythrwy]

Carrots are really the best if they freeze lightly in my opinion. So sweet!

[resource_waste]

FYI, it seems canned tomatoes don't have this problem.

When I try to do a side by side with canned tomato sauce and my own tomato sauce(unflavored, just mashed tomatoes), I lose every time.