Tomato Previa F1 Organic seedlings

The Previa Tomato is a productive and vigorous variety that produces many bright red fruits weighing 150 g each, with a very consistent size. They are grouped in clusters of 7 to 9 individuals. The flesh is of good quality and can be used in various culinary preparations, both raw and cooked. This variety is perfectly suited for canning. These plug plants come from organic production methods. They should be planted from May to June after the last frost, when the plants have reached about 15 cm (6in). The Previa Tomato can be harvested from June to October.

Note: this variety is indicated as 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 mistakenly 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 collect 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. The term "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 chili peppers. The Tomato took notably longer to reach our taste buds. For a long time, it was cultivated for its aesthetic and medicinal qualities, but it 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 diets from the beginning of the 20th century.

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

It is a fruit vegetable that offers many nutritional benefits. Low in calories like most vegetables, it is rich in water and 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 many ways: in salads or as appetisers, grilled, stuffed, marinated, preserved, in ratatouille, as a sauce etc. They come in all colours, shapes, and sizes. Take advantage of this and cultivate several varieties in your vegetable garden to vary your enjoyment!

Harvesting: The harvesting periods 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. Harvesting should be done when the Tomato has reached its final color and when its texture, while remaining firm, shows a slight softening. For better storage, make sure to pick the fruit with its calyx. 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). They can be stored in the refrigerator, but it will affect the taste quality of the fruits. For longer storage, Tomatoes can be preserved by drying, freezing, canning, or cooking them into jam. To preserve them, cut your tomatoes in half and collect the juice. Place your halved tomatoes facing upward 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.

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 limits weed growth.