Tomatoes

Description

How tomatoes are grown in the Huerta

In La Huerta de Pancha we grow different varieties of tomatoes. We select the best types of tomatoes so that consumers can have at their disposal each year the tastiest tomatoes. We plant and we try new varieties to decide whether or not to grow such a variety. We always prioritise taste first and foremost, regardless of production.

The main varieties of tomato, which we value every year to find the tastiest ones, are the summer tomato (from July to October), black or kumato tomato (from December to May), raf tomato (from December to May), pink tomato (from December to May) and green or salad tomato (from December to June).

How our cultivation process works

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

Land preparation

Before we start, we need to prepare the ground to adapt it to the needs of our tomato plantation. We plough the soil until it is fine, eliminating weeds, and carry out some small furrows (in our case, with a distance of 1.8 metres between them) to be used for the irrigation system and as a place to grow tomatoes.

To prevent or reduce insect pests without using chemicals, we use sticky traps.about two metres away. The result is a more natural cultivation, giving the tomato an incomparable flavour.

Cultivation day

Once the soil has been prepared, the cuttings should be planted. tomato plants in the furrows provided for this purpose. 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, being a fundamental process for the life of our fruits. So fundamental that it directly affects the quality and quantity of the fruits. If the plant is not pollinated correctly, the quantity of fruit will be seriously affected. That’s why in the Huerta de Pancha we have controlled the pollination process naturally and as it has always been done, with bees.

How you will receive tomatoes from La Huerta de Pancha

Our tomatoes are harvested at their optimum point. The optimum point of harvesting does not coincide exactly with the optimum point of ripeness for consumption; they are harvested a little greener. Moreover, not all tomatoes, even if harvested on the same day, ripen simultaneously, as their ripening depends on many other factors such as: type, size, location inside the bush, etc. For this reason, it is sometimes necessary to wait a few days after receiving the order before eating them when they are ripe. We always try to send the tomatoes a little green so that they last longer. This is not the case with Cherry tomatoes, as this tomato variety can be eaten from the very first moment (ready to eat), there is no need to wait. We use 100% recyclable cardboard boxes for packaging and we always try to ensure that the tomatoes are well protected so that they suffer as little damage as possible during transport.

How to preserve tomatoes

To keep tomatoes fresh, it is essential that they do not lose water. Storing them initially in the fridge is not a good idea as the cold causes the tomatoes to lose some of their flavour and they will not ripen. For this reason, we recommend that you always place them with the stalk facing downwards and attached to the glass container or basket in which they are to be kept. As far as possible, avoid contact of the tomato with other fruits. The green leaves of the vegetable should be removed for better preservation.