Tomato Nagina F1 Plants

The Nagina F1 Tomato (also known as Crimson Plum) is a hybrid variety of Roma type tomato appreciated for its natural resistance to mildew and brown spots, making it particularly suitable for cool and humid climates. The plant is vigorous and very productive, producing clusters of elongated tomatoes with firm, flavorful flesh and few seeds. They are especially useful in cooked dishes, sauces, and preserves, but also work well in summer salads. This variety can be grown in the ground in a vegetable garden, in a greenhouse, or in a large pot on a balcony. The plants are very vigorous and should be staked early to prevent them from bending under the weight of their own fruit. The plug plants should be planted from April to June after the last frost, when the plants have reached about fifteen centimeters. The 'Nagina' Tomato can be harvested from July to October.

The tomato is native to South America and Central America. Several varieties were already cultivated by the Incas long before the arrival of the Conquistadors. We are still amazed by the genetic diversity of this solanaceous plant. The term 'tomato' comes from the Inca word Tomatl, which refers to both the plant and the fruit it produces. There are tomatoes of every color, except perhaps blue, and they come in all shapes and sizes.

The tomato is one of the many foods that came to us from the New World, along with beans, corn, squash, potatoes, and chili peppers. However, it took longer for the tomato to reach our taste buds. For a long time, it was cultivated for its aesthetic and medicinal qualities. It was believed to be toxic because of its resemblance to the fruit of the mandrake, another solanaceous plant. It only became a regular part of our diet in the early 20th century.

The tomato plant is a perennial herbaceous plant in tropical climates, but is grown as an annual in our latitudes. It lignifies over time and produces small, insignificant yellow flowers grouped in cymes, which then transform into fruits.

It must be admitted that the tomato fruit is very attractive and adds a pleasant color to the vegetable garden. It also has many nutritional benefits. Low in calories like most vegetables, rich in water, it contains a particularly interesting molecule: lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. And the longer the tomato is cooked, the more it releases this precious nutrient, making it available and easily absorbed by the body. It is also rich in vitamin C (especially when raw), pro-vitamin A, and trace elements.

Harvesting: Nagina F1 is a medium-early variety, and can bear fruit from July-August to October, depending on the planting date and the climatic and cultivation conditions (under cover or outdoors). There is no foolproof way to determine in advance when a tomato has reached its full ripeness. It should be picked when, at the very least, it is completely colored as it was announced, and when its texture, while remaining firm, shows a slight softening. For better storage, it is advisable to pick the fruit with its calyx.

Storage: Tomatoes should be stored at an optimal temperature of 10-15°C (50-59°F). They can be kept for a few days in the vegetable compartment of your refrigerator or spread out in the open air. However, refrigeration alters the taste qualities of the fruit. To keep them longer, consider culinary methods such as tomato confit, sun-dried tomatoes, sauces, frozen fruits, preserves, jams, or juices. We love to make confit because it's simple and so tasty: cut your tomatoes in half and collect the juice. Place the tomato halves face up on the drip tray of your oven. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar, then bake at a very low temperature for at least an hour. Remove the tomatoes and consume them immediately, or store them in a glass jar and cover with olive oil.

Gardener's tip: It is recommended to grow several varieties of tomatoes each year to minimize the risk of losing an entire harvest due to climatic conditions or specific diseases. To prevent the occurrence of 'blossom end rot' - not a disease but a calcium deficiency - spray a comfrey maceration rich in calcium on your plants.