Tomato
The tomato, a member of the Solanaceae family, like the aubergine, is a fruit-vegetable that can be eaten with all kinds of sauces! It can be eaten both raw and cooked and is an essential part of Mediterranean flavours. Among the many varieties, let's mention the cherry tomato, which is very popular as an aperitif, the softer and more fleshy beef tomato or the green zebra tomato, which brings a touch of originality with its pretty green and orange colours. Easy to grow, the tomato can be found in all vegetable gardens.
As early as February you can start sowing in a warm environment (apartment or heated greenhouse) because the outside temperatures are too low at this time of year. The seeds will be sown in pots of potting soil placed in the light as soon as the seedlings emerge from the ground. Once the last frosts have passed (around mid-May, after the ice saints) you can then plant in the garden.
The tomato being a southern vegetable, prefer a rich and sunny soil. In spite of a good rooting, it develops a rather high stem which it is preferable to stake. In hot period, it will be necessary to water it regularly while taking care not to wet the foliage (which can support the appearance of diseases).For a better production, it is preferable to remove the gourmands (side shoots which do not have flowers) and to foresee possible treatments against diseases such as mildew or oïdium. The first fruits can be picked two months after planting and continue until autumn.
Tomato
- Type : Vegetables
- Subtype : Fruiting vegetables
- Botanical family : Solanaceae
Characteristics
- Exposure : Sun
- Hardiness : Not frost resistant
- Easy to grow, but requires regular maintenance (difficulty : 2/3)
Sowing & planting
- Sowing depth : 1 cm
- Plant spacing : 60 cm
- Row spacing : 80 cm
- Emergence time : 8 days
- Emergence temperature : 15 °C
- From sowing to harvesting : 120 days
- Seed storage : 5 years