Tomato Cristal

The Crystal Tomato is a high-quality variety with beautiful clusters of scarlet fruits with shiny skin and dark, firm flesh. The fruit, averaging 120g, is perfect for any culinary preparation. It is particularly appreciated in salads, but its consistent size and shape make it suitable for stuffing.
This variety should be staked as early as possible, as it can quickly reach a height of 2m (7ft). The RHS has recognized its qualities by awarding it the highly coveted Garden Merit prize. Crystal is rather early, sowing from February to April and can be enjoyed 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. We are still amazed by the wide variety of this solanaceous plant. The term 'tomato' comes from the Incas' Tomatl and refers to both the plant and the fruit it produces. There are fruits of all colours, except perhaps blue, 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 they do not need to be staked or trellised.

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. It took a long time for it to reach our taste buds, and for good reason! It was cultivated for a long time 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 diets from the beginning of the 20th century.

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

It must be admitted that its fruit is very attractive and adds a pleasant splash of colour 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 available lycopene it releases. It is also rich in vitamin C, pro-vitamin A, and trace elements.

Today, its taste and nutritional qualities are well established. For the gardener, the tomato is among the essential vegetables of summer. They simply need to consider how they want to use them in order to navigate through the countless existing varieties. Is it for salads, sauces, consuming directly on-site, or cooked? They will also consider when they want to harvest them. The answer will, of course, depend on 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! And if indeed the tomato needs a lot of sun and heat, it does not necessarily require a lot of space. Therefore, there is no reason to refrain from growing them in containers on a balcony, where small-fruited varieties are preferred. Beware, immature fruits, stems, and leaves contain solanine and should not be consumed.

Harvesting: Depending on the variety, it can take 50 to 100 days between transplanting and harvesting. There is no foolproof way to determine in advance when a tomato has reached full ripeness. Harvesting should be done when, at the very least, the tomato is completely coloured as announced and its texture, while remaining firm, shows a slight softening. For better storage, make sure to pick the fruit with its peduncle.

Storage: Tomatoes do not keep as long when their water content is high. They can be stored well for a few days in the vegetable compartment 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 face up on a baking tray. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar, then bake at a very low temperature for at least an hour. Remove your tomatoes and consume 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 complete crop loss due to climatic conditions or specific diseases.
To address the issue of 'blossom end rot' - not a disease but a calcium deficiency - spray a comfrey maceration rich in calcium on your plants.
When transplanting, do not hesitate to bury the stem up to the first leaves. This will stimulate root development, ensuring a bountiful fruit harvest.
Winning combinations in the garden are often the same on the plate. It's a good mnemonic to remember that tomatoes and basil go well together.

The Crystal Tomato is a high-quality variety with beautiful clusters of scarlet fruits with shiny skin and dark, firm flesh. The fruit averages 120g and is perfect for any culinary preparation. It is particularly appreciated in salads, but its consistent size and shape make it suitable for stuffing.
This variety should be staked as early as possible, as it can quickly reach a height of 2m (7ft).

The RHS has recognized its qualities by awarding it the highly coveted Garden Merit prize. Crystal is rather early, sowing from February to April and can be enjoyed from June to September.