It’s hard to find tomatoes in our house. My son Alex LOVES them and eats the smaller varieties by the punnet-full!
Tomato 1
POPULAR FRUIT
Then again, tomatoes are the world’s most popular fruit! More than 60 million tonnes are produced every year. That’s 16 million tonnes more than the world’s #2 fruit, the banana.
Tomatoes are the fruit of a vine that is native to South America. There are at least 10,000 varieties of tomatoes, from small cherry ones to ponderosa, which can weigh over two kilo’s.
It’s hard to find a tomato in our house. My son Alex LOVES them and eats the smaller varieties by the punnet-full!
Then again, tomatoes are the world’s most popular fruit! More than 60 million tonnes are produced every year. That’s 16 million tonnes more than the world’s #2 fruit, the banana.
Tomatoes are the fruit of a vine that is native to South America. There are at least 10,000 varieties of tomatoes, from small cherry ones to ponderosa, which can weigh over three pounds.
TEN TIPS IN GROWING TOMATOES.
Don’t crowd seedlings, 300/400 mls between each.
Plant in a place with plenty of light and sun
Feed weekly with a complete liquid fertilizer
Plant them deep, up to first stem to establish a strong route structure.
Mulch to contain moisture and prevent weeds
Remove old bottom leaves as the plant reaches 1 metre, prevents fungal disease
Pinch out suckers in the crotch between stem and branch, to focus plant on fruiting
Deep water at least one inch per week.
Pinch off tips of main stems early summer to increase/assist flowering behavior.
Grow on a truss or cage, assists plant hold the fruit weight.
TOMATO NUTRITION
Tomatoes have many nutritional properties to recommend them – including vitamin C, fibre, vitamin A, thiamine, vitamin E, magnesium, potassium – and lots more!
FASCINATING FACT
Nicknamed the “poison apple”, tomatoes were feared for more than 200 years, believed to have caused the deaths of aristocrats who ate them from pewter plates. The real culprit (lead poisoning) wasn’t discovered until centuries later!
(Sources: Wikipedia, smithosonianmag.com)
Tomatoes have many nutritional properties to recommend them – including vitamin C, fibre, vitamin A, thiamine, vitamin E, magnesium, potassium – and lots more!
TOMATO TIP
Tomatoes are best kept unwashed at room temperature and out of direct sunlight. Tomatoes that are not yet ripe can be kept in a paper bag until ripe.
TOMATO JUICE
Have you ever tried tomato juice, on a hot day put a few ice blocks in a glass, juice a few tomatoes and you have one of the best thirst quenchers ever and whats more its good for you. Try it you may be surprised!
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