Cherry Tomato Balconi Yellow F1 Plants

Balconi Yellow F1 tomato plants are a yellow cherry tomato. This compact Italian variety forms a small bush 30 cm in height and width. It stands out for its abundant production of golden yellow fruits, cherry tomato type, measuring about 3 cm in diameter and 15 g each. Its sweet and tasty flesh particularly appeals to children, offering a fun introduction to the taste of fresh tomatoes. Ideal for limited spaces, the 'Balconi Yellow' Tomato can be grown in a pot, on a balcony, patio, or windowsill, adding a decorative touch. You can also cultivate it in hanging baskets, where its flexible stems and trailing leaves create an elegant trailing effect. Compact, easy to grow, and generous, this variety is perfect for bountiful harvests within easy reach. It can be harvested from June to September.

NB: This variety is labelled F1 for "F1 hybrid" as it is a variety resulting from the cross-breeding of carefully selected parents to combine their qualities. This results in a variety that can be particularly flavoursome and/or early while being resistant to certain diseases. Sometimes criticised or wrongly associated with GMOs, F1 hybrid seeds are useful both for their uniformity and resistance, but unfortunately, their qualities do not pass on to subsequent generations: therefore, it will not be possible to save the seeds for later sowing.

The Tomato originates from South America and Central America. Several varieties were already cultivated by the Incas long before the arrival of the Conquistadors. The term "tomato" comes from the Inca Tomatl and refers to both the plant and the fruit from the plant. It is one of the many foods that came to us from the New World, like beans, corn, squash, potatoes, and chillies. The Tomato took notably longer to reach our taste buds. It was long cultivated for its aesthetic and medicinal qualities, but it was considered toxic due to its resemblance to the fruit of Mandrake, another Solanaceae. It only became a regular at our tables from the early 20th century onwards.

The Tomato is a perennial herbaceous plant in tropical climates, but it is grown as an annual in our cold winters. It turns woody over time and produces small insignificant yellow flowers grouped in cymes that will turn into fruits. Tomatoes can be grown in open ground but compact varieties can also thrive in containers on a balcony.

It is a fruit/vegetable with numerous nutritional benefits. Low in calories like most vegetables and rich in water, it notably contains a very interesting molecule: lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. It also stands out for its richness in vitamin C, provitamin A, and trace elements.

Culinary-wise, Tomatoes are consumed raw or cooked in many ways: in salads or as appetisers, grilled, stuffed, marinated, candied, in ratatouille, in coulis, on skewers... They come in all colours, shapes, and sizes. Take advantage and grow several varieties in the vegetable garden to diversify your pleasure!

Harvesting: Harvest periods vary according to earliness: early varieties like Balconi Yellow are picked from 55 to 70 days after planting, mid-season varieties from 70 to 85 days, and late varieties beyond 85 days. Harvest when the Tomato takes on its definitive colour and when its texture, while remaining firm, shows a slight softening. For better conservation, be sure to pick the fruit with its stalk. Beware, immature fruits, stems, and leaves contain solanine and should not be consumed.

Storage: The optimal storage temperature for tomatoes is between 10 and 15°C. Refrigeration is possible but alters the fruit's taste. For longer preservation, Tomatoes can be candied, dried, frozen, canned, or made into jam. To candy them, cut your tomatoes in half and collect the juice. Place your half tomatoes facing up on the baking tray of your oven. Season with salt, pepper, sugar, then bake at a very low temperature for at least an hour. Remove your tomatoes, store them in a glass jar, and top up with olive oil.

Gardener's tip: To reduce watering, we recommend mulching the soil with thin successive layers of grass clippings, ideally mixed with dead leaves. This protection, which helps the soil stay moist, also limits weed growth.