When we think of tomatoes, this intense red fruit often comes to mind, associated with the summer sun and growing in the orchards in the form of clusters that clump together in the branches of different bushes. They grow at ground level if they are not they place properly with espaliers to facilitate their growth. However, there is also another type of tomato that, although not as well known, must also be considered a full-fledged tomato. In this case, we are talking about the tomato plant care that grows on trees.
It is a fruit that can be eaten both raw and cooked, just like common tomatoes. It is a reallyuseful fruit when it comes to using it in gastronomy. It would be advisable not to lose sight of it both for stews and for salads. If you want to know a little more about this plant, as well as know how to grow tree tomato, keep reading.
Table of Contents
Tomato plant care guide
The tomato tree, also called tamarillo or arboreal tomato of Peru, is a type oftomato very similar to the conventional tomato but which is characterized by growing as a fruit tree instead of the bush shrub as it happenswith tomatoes more known.
Although its origin is found in South America, especially in the Andean region, today it can be found easily in much of the American continent, from Argentina to the United States. Likewise, it is also a popular tree in other regions as different as New Zealand, Kenya, South Africa or, even, in countries such as India and Sri Lanka.
The tomato tree is a perennial tree that can reach up to four meters in height. Its fruit is very similar to the common tomato. In this case, it usually appears as a more oval fruit.
How tomato tomatoes differ from common tomatoes
As we already mentioned, one of the characteristics that distinguish the tree tomato from the common tomatoes is that it is a tree and not a bush or a bush. Its fruit is something different from the common tomato. In the case of the tree tomato, it is a fruit that has a more oval shape instead of rounded. In addition, although its flavor is similar, in the case of the tree tomato it can be said thatit is a flavor closer to the bitter, while, in the case of common tomatoes, the most common is that its flavor varies between the acid and the sweet depending on how ripe the fruit is.
For the rest, it is a fruit with many coincidences. They present different tonalities that can go from green to the intense red through yellow and pink. It has a smooth and shiny skin, and inside you can find the seeds spread in rows around the center of the fruit, just as happens with the common tomato. In addition, its nutritional characteristics are very similar, as an excellent source of vitamin C when consumed raw.
Basic care of the tomato tree
We will find another similarity between the common tomato and the tree tomato in its cultivation form. Tree tomato cultivation requires medium temperatures, preferably between 13 and 24 degrees. As with common tomato, the tree tomato crop should be especially careful with low temperatures and frost, as they could kill the tree in one night. It is for this reasonthat its cultivation is usually associated with coastal areas, where temperatures are usually temperate throughout the year.
Watering tomato tree
On the other hand, we must also bear in mind that it is a tree especially sensitive to drought. It requires abundant water but without the roots rotting. In fact, the most recommendable thing is that the soil is always humid but does not get soaked. One reason monitors the excess water is that it is a tree especially sensitive to fungi, which could be increased in the case of excess moisture.
It prefers rich soils, so it is convenient to pay once a year, preferably in spring or autumn. The fertilizer should be soft and in a moderate amount which will prevent the roots from being burned by an excess of nutrients.
Finally, it is also advisable to prune them once or twice a year, preferably in early spring or late autumn. The tree can harness all its energy in the most important parts of its branches.
