Tomato Buffalo Steak F1 GRAFTED plants

The 'Buffalo Steak F1' Tomato is a variety that produces enormous fruits, weighing on average over 300 grams. Ruby red and ribbed, their flesh is very flavorful. Versatile, it can be eaten raw but can also be used to make sauces, juices, or soups as its flavor is rich and aromatic. The plants are very vigorous and it is necessary to stake them quickly to prevent them from bending under the weight of their own fruiting. The plug plants are planted from April to June after the last frost when the plants have reached about fifteen centimeters. The 'Buffalo Steak F1' Tomato is harvested from July to October.

NB: this variety is labeled 'F1' for 'F1 hybrid' because it is a variety resulting from the cross-breeding of carefully selected parents to combine their qualities. This results in a variety that can be particularly flavorful and/or early while also being resistant to certain diseases. Sometimes criticized or wrongly associated with GMOs, F1 hybrids are interesting for their uniformity and resistance, but unfortunately, their qualities do not pass on to subsequent generations: it will therefore not be possible to recover the seeds for later sowing.

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 nightshade. The term 'tomate' comes from the Inca 'Tomatl' and refers to both the plant and the fruit from the plant. There are fruits of all colors, except perhaps blue, 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. It was long cultivated for its aesthetic and medicinal qualities. It was thought to be toxic because of its resemblance to the fruit of the Mandrake, another nightshade. It only became a regular part of our tables at the beginning of the 20th century.

The tomato plant is a perennial herbaceous plant in tropical climates, cultivated as an annual in our latitudes. It lignifies over time and produces small insignificant yellow flowers grouped in cymes that will turn into fruits. It must be admitted that its fruit is very pretty and pleasantly colors the vegetable garden. It also has many nutritional advantages. Low in calories like most vegetables, rich in water, it contains a very interesting molecule: lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. And the longer the tomato is cooked, the more available lycopene it releases. It also stands out for its richness in vitamin C, provitamin A, and trace elements.

Harvesting: Buffalo Steak is a variety that can bear fruit from July 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 full ripeness. Harvesting should be done when, at a minimum, it is completely colored as announced and when its texture, while remaining firm, shows slight softening. For better conservation, it is advisable to harvest the fruit with its peduncle.

Storage: Tomatoes are best 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 confit them because it's so simple and delicious: cut your tomatoes in half and collect the juice. Place your half tomatoes face up on the rack of your oven. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar, then bake at a very low temperature for at least one hour. Remove your tomatoes and consume immediately, otherwise, 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 a climatic event or specific pathology. To counter the phenomenon of 'tomato blossom end rot' - not a disease but a calcium deficiency - spray a comfrey maceration rich in calcium on your plants.