Tomato Fleurette F1

The Fleurette F1 Tomato - Beefsteak Tomato hybrid is an early, vigorous variety that produces tomatoes weighing approximately 180g, of the Beefsteak type. When sliced, Fleurette reveals a flesh rich in pulp and low in seeds. Its extremely flavorful flesh makes it ideal for use in salads, juice, gazpacho, or stuffed. The Tomato is a plant that is grown as an annual, requiring warmth and rich soil. The plug plants of the Fleurette F1 Tomato are planted from April to June, after the last frost, for a harvest from June to September.

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. The term "Tomate" comes from the Inca Tomatl and refers to both the plant and the fruit it produces. It is one of the many foods that came to us from the New World, along with beans, corn, squash, potatoes, and chili peppers. The Tomato took significantly longer to reach our taste buds. And for good reason: it was long cultivated for its aesthetic and medicinal qualities, but was considered toxic due to its resemblance to the fruit of the Mandrake, another member of the Solanaceae family. It only became a regular on our tables from the early 20th century onwards.

The Tomato is a herbaceous perennial plant in tropical climates, but is grown as an annual in our latitudes. It becomes lignified over time and produces small, insignificant yellow flowers clustered in cymes that will transform into fruits. Tomatoes can be grown in open ground but can also be grown in containers on a balcony, with smaller varieties being preferred.

It is a fruit vegetable that offers many nutritional benefits. Low in calories like most vegetables, rich in water, it contains a particularly interesting molecule: lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. It is also rich in vitamin C, provitamin A, and trace elements.

In terms of cooking, Tomatoes can be consumed raw or cooked in multiple ways: in salads or as appetizers, grilled, stuffed, marinated, preserved, or in sauces. There are tomatoes of all colors, shapes, and sizes. Take advantage of this and grow several varieties in your vegetable garden to enjoy a variety of flavors!

Harvesting: Harvest times vary depending on their earliness: early varieties are harvested from 55 to 70 days after planting, mid-season varieties from 70 to 85 days, and late varieties beyond 85 days. Tomatoes should be picked when they have reached their final color and their texture, while remaining firm, shows a slight softening. For better preservation, it is advisable to pick the fruit with its peduncle. Be careful, 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 (50 and 59°F). Refrigeration is possible but alters the taste qualities of the fruits. For longer storage, tomatoes can be preserved, dried, frozen, canned, or cooked into jam. To preserve them, cut your tomatoes in half and collect the juice. Place your half tomatoes face up on a baking sheet. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar, then bake at a very low temperature for at least one hour. Remove your tomatoes, store them in a glass jar, and cover with olive oil.

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