Tomato Colibri F1 plants

The Colibri F1 Tomato is a vigorous hybrid variety with a semi-determinate growth habit. It produces elongated Roma-type fruits that are a beautiful bright red and offers very good yields. Its firm and flavourful flesh is particularly suitable for summer salads and sauces. Tomato plants are grown as annuals, requiring warmth and rich soil. Plant Colibri F1 Tomato plug plants from April to June, after the last frost, for a harvest from July 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. The name "Tomato" comes from the Inca word "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 chilli peppers. The Tomato took longer to reach our taste buds. For a long time, it was cultivated for its aesthetic and medicinal qualities, but it was considered toxic because it resembled the fruit of the Mandrake, another member of the Solanaceae family. It only became a regular part of our diets in the early 20th century.

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

It is a fruit or vegetable that offers many nutritional benefits. It is low in calories like most vegetables and rich in water, it also contains a very 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 various ways: in salads or as appetizers, grilled, stuffed, marinated, preserved, in ratatouille, or as a sauce... There are tomatoes of all colours, shapes, and sizes. Take advantage of this and grow several varieties in your vegetable garden to vary the harvest!

Harvesting: Harvest times vary depending on the 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. The fruits should be picked when they have reached their final colour and their texture, while remaining firm, shows a slight softening. For better storage, be sure to pick the fruit with its stalk. 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. 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 an hour. Remove your tomatoes, store them in a glass jar, and cover with olive oil.

Gardening tip: To reduce watering, we recommend mulching the soil with thin successive layers of grass clippings, preferably mixed with dead leaves. This protective layer, which keeps the soil moist, also helps to reduce weed growth.