Tomatoes originate from Central and South America. Important tomato producing countries include China, USA, India, Turkey and Egypt.
Tomato is a fruit, but it is eaten as a vegetable. It can be eaten raw or can be cooked in warm disches. It is almost impossible to imagine an Italian dish without tomato. However, before Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas, tomatoes were not know in Europe.
Tomatoes are eaten fresh or cooked and are often processed, for example to make tomato ketchup.
Tomato is closely related to eggplant, chili peppers, potato and tobacco. The Italian name Pomodoro means Golden apple.
In 2010 the estimated world production of Tomato was 145,751,507 Metric Tons (source FAOSTAT), which corresponds to about 21.0958904327689 kg per person (in 2010 the world had about 6.9 billion persons).
Basic information and facts
Central and South America (area between Peru and Mexico)
Now grown in all continents and in a wide range of climates.
Annual, biennial, or perennial:
Perennial, but often grown as an annual.
Yellow flowers of 1 to 2 cm diameter grow together in clusters of 3
to 12 flowers. Tomatoes have "perfect" flowers with both male and female
Stem and leaves are densely hairy. The compound leaves are 10 to 25
cm long and consist of 5 to 9 leaflets on petioles. The leaflets are up
to 8 cm long and have a jagged or toothed margin.
The tomato fruit is a berry. Inside the fruit are two to five hollow
cavities full of moisture and seeds. Fruits are first green, but turn bright
red when ripe. In some cultivars the ripe fruits are yellow or orange in
Climate and weather:
Tomatoes are grown in a wide range of climates from tropical to temperate.
Self fertilization is common, but also cross pollination occurs (wind,
insects). Gently shaking of the tomato plant improves pollination.
The plants can reach a height of 1 to 3 meter, but they need support or grow
up over other plants.
Spacing (close range)
Spacing (wide range)
Usually propagated from seed. Seeds should be obtained from mature fruits
and have to be dried before sowing. Sometimes tomatoes are grafted on disease
A wide variety of insects can attack tomato including: cutworms, hornworms,
aphids, whiteflies, tomato fruitworms, flea beetles, red spider mite, etc.
Different fungal, bacterial, and virus diseases: tobacco mozaic virus,
mildew, blight, fusarium and vertisillium wilt, etc.
Nematodes: Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne sp.
Picking when the fruits are ripe or almost ripe. Fruits grow in clusters
and can be harvested as clusters or as single fruits.
Eaten fresh (in salads) or cooked in a variety of dishes (pizza, pasta,
etc.) and soups. Processed to concentrated tomato paste, tomato ketchup,
or tomato juice.
Proverbs and Quotes
- It is the fool whose own tomatoes are sold to him. (proverb from Ghana)
- The best cook drops a whole tomato. (proverb from Spain)
- Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
- It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato. (Lewis Grizzard)
- A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins. (Laurie Colwin)
- Home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes What would life be like without homegrown tomatoes? Only two things that money can't buy. That's true love and home grown tomatoes. (John Denver)
- A cooked tomato is like a cooked oyster: ruined. (Andre Simon)
Did you know that?
- The Italian name Pomodoro means Golden apple.
Tomato – Mozzarella salad
500 gram ripe tomatoes, 250 gram Mozzarella cheese, 4 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, 15 black olives, salt, pepper, sugar
Wash and slice the tomatoes. Slice the mozzarella cheese. Place the tomatoes in an overlapping pattern on the outside of the dish. Place the mozzarella slices in the center. Sprinkle the herbs over the tomato together with a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper. Dress the tomatoes with the olive oil and decorate with the olives. Refrigerate shortly before serving.