Summer Tomatoes

The good weather has arrived and with it, tomatoes in the open air. As you know, our Malaga heat is great for tomatoes and it is now possible to grow them outdoors. Summer tomatoes or, as we say here, “street tomatoes”.

Summer tomato’s characteristics

The salad tomato also grown in La Huerta de Pancha is known in the area as the “pintón” tomato and can be found both in summer and winter. Our variety of “pintón” tomatoes is the best salad tomato and is also ideal for preparing delicious gazpachos. No matter when it is harvested, its flavour remains just as delicious. Our tomatoes are harvested green and acquire their characteristic red colour as they ripen. The skin is thin and reddish-green, and the flesh has a smooth texture and an intense flavour, but with a sweet touch. For us it is the best salad tomato. However, it is also very versatile and tasty fried or in stews.

Cultivation of summer tomatoes from Huerta de Pancha’s garden

We carry out up to three specific techniques at different points in the tomato crop:

Land preparation

Before starting, we need to prepare the soil to suit the needs of our tomato plantation. We plough the soil until it is fine, removing weeds, and make small furrows (in our case, with a distance of 1.8 metres between them) that will be used for the irrigation system and as a place to grow tomatoes.

To prevent or reduce insect pests without using chemical products, we use sticky traps at a distance of about two metres. The result is a more natural crop, giving the tomato an incomparable flavour.

Cultivation day

Once the soil has been prepared, the tomato cuttings should be planted in the prepared furrows. The holes are not very deep, simply to house the roots of the cuttings. Place each plant in a hole.

Natural pollination with bees

Bees play one of the most important roles in our tomato crops: pollinating the flowers. They exchange pollen in the flowers of the crop to achieve plant reproduction, which is a fundamental process for the life of our fruits. So fundamental that it directly affects the quality and quantity of the fruit. If the plant is not pollinated correctly, the quantity of fruit will be seriously affected. That is why in the Huerta de Pancha we have controlled the pollination processes in a natural way and as it has always been done, with bees.

Properties of our summer tomatoes

Tomatoes reduce the risk of stroke and reduce the effects of ageing on brain function. It reduces cholesterol and prevents cardiovascular diseases. The consumption of tomatoes helps us to have a good health by strengthening the immune system and favouring the prevention of illnesses. Tomatoes are a low-calorie food. It also contains fibre, vitamins and minerals.