Tomato Matina organic seeds

The 'Matina' ORGANIC Tomato, of German origin, combines earliness and authentic flavour. Its balanced taste mixes sweetness and acidity, with a sweet aroma and a juicy texture, very tasty when ripe. This variety is particularly suitable for cool and short summers. It produces clusters of 5 to 10 bright red fruits, well-rounded, weighing between 90 and 150 g. The fruits are round and uniform, resistant to cracking. It is versatile, ideally enjoyed in salads, kebabs or coulis. The vigorous plants reach between 1.20 and 2 m in height. Remember to stake them from transplanting. Sow from March to April for a generous harvest from June to September.

The tomato is native to South America and Central America. Several varieties were cultivated by the Incas long before the arrival of the Conquistadors. One is always surprised by the variety of this solanaceous plant. The term "tomato" comes from the Inca word Tomatl and refers to both the plant and the fruit from the plant. There are fruits of all colours (red, of course, but also green, yellow, and even a few very rare blue varieties), of all shapes and sizes. Ancient varieties are plants with indeterminate growth and can live for two years. More recent varieties have determinate growth and stop growing at the bush stage, so there is no need to stake or trellis them.

The tomato is one of the many foods that came to us from the New World, like beans, corn, squash, potatoes, and chillies. It took significantly longer for it to reach our taste buds. For a long time, it was cultivated for its aesthetic and medicinal qualities. It was thought to be toxic due to its resemblance to the fruit of the Mandrake, another solanaceous plant. It only became a regular on our tables from the early 20th century.

The tomato plant is a perennial herbaceous plant in tropical climates, cultivated as an annual in our latitudes. It turns woody over time and produces small insignificant yellow flowers clustered in cymes that will turn into fruits.

Its fruit is very attractive and colours the vegetable garden pleasantly. It also has numerous nutritional benefits. Low in calories like most vegetables and rich in water, it contains a very interesting molecule: lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. The longer the tomato is cooked, the more lycopene becomes available. It is also rich in vitamin C, provitamin A, and trace elements.

Today, its taste and nutritional qualities are undisputed. For gardeners, the tomato is one of the essential summer vegetables. They simply need to consider how they want to use it to guide them among all the existing varieties. Is it for salads, sauces, for consumption on the spot, cooked, etc.? They will also consider when they want to harvest it. The answer will, of course, be conditioned by the average summer sunshine in the region where their garden is located. Rest assured, the choice is vast, and there is a tomato for every situation! While tomatoes indeed need a lot of sun and heat, they do not necessarily require a lot of space. Therefore, you can grow them in pots on balconies, where varieties with small fruits are best. Beware, immature fruits, stems, and leaves contain solanine and should not be consumed.

Harvesting: depending on the varieties, from early to late, it can take 50 to 100 days between transplanting and harvesting. There is no foolproof trick to determine when a tomato has reached full ripeness. Harvest when, at a minimum, it is completely coloured as expected and when its texture, while remaining firm, shows a slight softening. For better preservation, pick the fruit with its peduncle.

Storage: tomatoes last less long the higher their water content. They can be kept well for a few days in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator or spread out in the open air. To keep them longer, consider culinary methods such as tomato confit, sun-dried tomatoes, sauces, frozen fruits, preserves, jams, or juices. We love to confit them because it's so simple and delicious: cut your tomatoes in half and collect the juice. Place your tomato halves facing up on the baking tray of your oven. Salt, pepper and sugar, then bake at a very low temperature for at least an hour. Remove your tomatoes and consume them immediately, or store them in a glass jar and top up with olive oil.

Gardener's Tip: it is advisable to grow several tomato varieties each year to minimise the risks of a complete crop loss due to climatic hazards or specific diseases.
To counter the phenomenon of "blossom end rot," which is not a disease but a calcium deficiency: spray a comfrey maceration rich in calcium on your plants.
When transplanting, you can bury the stem up to the first leaves. This will stimulate the root system, ensuring a bountiful fruit harvest.
Winning combinations in the garden are often the same on the plate. It's a good mnemonic device to remember that tomatoes and basil go well together.