Tomato is one of the most consumed vegetables in the world, and this means that there are many peculiar varieties. One of them, recognized for its extraordinary flavor, is the beef heart tomato .
A large fruit but highly appreciated for its flavor that is consumed in many countries, fresh, ideal for salads.
In this article we want to tell you what are the highly valued characteristics of the beef heart as tomato and how to grow it in the garden.
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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BEEF HEART TOMATO
The beef heart tomato has excellent gastronomic qualities and is also highly valued for its curious shape, very similar to the Montserrat tomato. It has shoulders and grooves and is considered a large tomato.
The meat inside is very fleshy, so it is usually used for salads and fresh consumption. Its flavor is sweet and very juicy .
In fact, the most common way to consume it is with a little salt and oil, without adding more vegetables to the dish.
SOURCE
Its origin is from South America, like all tomatoes. It is becoming more and more common to find it in different parts of the world, although a few years ago it was highly valued and not widely cultivated.
The countries with the largest production area are Spain, France, Italy, the United States and some countries in northern and eastern Europe.
OPINIONS OF THOSE WHO TRY IT
The general opinion is that beef heart tomato is to be consumed in salads, preferably without mixing with other ingredients. To enhance its flavor, they recommend adding a little salt (some even use flake salt) and a little extra virgin olive oil.
The combination of the salty of the salt and the sweet, together with the firm texture that allows you to bite into it, makes it a highly valued and highly valued tomato.
More and more restaurants are playing with salads only tomato, using premium varieties such as this one, muchomiel or even the well-known Raf tomato .
Photography: guiarepsol.com
HOW TO PLANT BEEF HEART TOMATO
PLANTING DATE AND LOCATION
Temperature
Like any variety of tomato, the beef heart needs to be planted ensuring an average temperature of between 20ºC and 30ºC, typical of spring and summer.
The main conditioner is to ensure a high root temperature so that the plant has a rapid sprouting and enters production as soon as possible. Hence, sowing is done many times indoors or in protected areas.
Humidity
The optimum in relative humidity for tomato cultivation is between 60-80% . It is not as important a determining factor as it is for many cucurbits ( cucumber , melon , zucchini , etc.).
A very dry climate damages the quality of the fruits, which can crack. However, high humidity is also harmful because it favors the presence of fungi such as mildew, botrytis, anthracnose, etc.
Planting area
The sowing will be carried out in the nursery, ensuring a minimum temperature of 20 ºC. We will carry out the transplant with a plant with a minimum height of 10 cm and several true leaves formed.
We will place it in full sun, with good lighting and protected from the wind. Keep in mind that for the cultivation of beef heart tomato you will need tutors (rods, ropes, etc.).
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Horticultural Seeds – Beef Heart Tomato – Batlle
- Plant of indeterminate growth and medium size. It produces red-orange heart shaped fruits of good size, about 200 grams. Very tasty, consistent, with abundant pulp and few seeds
- Way of cultivation: It is sown from December to February, in a warm bed, and directly in an outdoor seedbed in March-April
- Transplant to the 40×80 cm frame when the plants have 3-4 leaves. Frequent waterings in the transplant and when the fruits begin to ripen. It is convenient to prune the stems and shoots that the plant produces in excess
SOIL PREPARATION
The beef heart tomato is a demanding crop in terms of soil fertility. It adapts very well to all types of textures (sand, silt and clay), but always ensuring good drainage that does not cause root puddling.
To prepare the transplant , you need a good incorporation of organic matter , minimum 2 kg / plant.
The slightly acidic pH is the one that best suits the tomato, since in this range is where we find both macronutrients and micronutrients the most soluble (especially iron, very important in this crop to prevent iron chlorosis ).
KEYS TO WATER THE BEEF HEART TOMATO WELL
Irrigation is one of the most important factors in any crop, and where we can make the most mistakes .
The tomato, due to the continuous production of fruits and the size reached by the “ox heart” variety, is quite demanding in water . Good frequency of watering rather than high amounts is the key to success.
As it is a summer crop , the risks will increase, especially also because in the middle of summer is where we will have more volume of plant and number of fruit.
- Irrigation carried out in spring: 3 irrigations per week, 2 L / plant and irrigation.
- Irrigation carried out in the middle of summer: 4 to 5 irrigations per week, 2 L / plant and irrigation.
Usually, when a drip irrigation system is used, self-compensating 2 L / h drippers are used, so it is easy to calculate the water dosage for this crop and many other horticultural crops.
Photography: pasodoble.org
SUBSCRIBER CONTRIBUTION
Producing a decent quality and a good volume of fruit entails providing nutrients to the plant throughout its development. These nutrients can be applied organically (organic matter, amino acids, compost, fulvic acids , etc.) or with the use of mineral fertilizers .
Mineral fertilizers
Subscriber plan for 1000 m2 of surface. Amounts for each irrigation:
- Phosphoric acid: 0.3 L / irrigation
- Calcium nitrate: 2 kg / irrigation
- Potassium nitrate: 2 kg / irrigation
- Magnesium sulfate: 0.5-1 kg / irrigation
MAINTENANCE OF THE BEEF HEART TOMATO
The maintenance of the tomato and, in general, of the Solanaceae plant family, is quite demanding .
The growth rate of the plant requires staking , so that the stem remains upright, the fruits do not twist the shoots and breaks or cracks are avoided.
On the other hand, we can go detailing as the plant grows to guide its growth . We will eliminate diseased or brittle stems, we will remove the lower leaves that will dry out and we will promote the growth of lateral stems.
More information: specific tasks in tomato cultivation
PLAGUES AND DISEASES
Unfortunately, nightshades such as the beef heart tomato are attacked by a large number of pests and diseases. The high temperatures of spring and summer and the intense smell that the tomato plant gives off makes many sucking organisms (spider, aphid, thrips, whitefly and mealybug among the main ones), make an appearance.
These are the main pests and diseases in tomato cultivation:
Pests
- Red spider
- Aphids
- White fly
- Heliotis
- Minador del tomate
- Tomato moth
- Trips
More information: using potassium soap to fight pests
Diseases
- Mildew
- Powdery mildew
- Gray rot
- Cladosporiosis
- Antracnosis
More information: how to identify pests and diseases in tomatoes