Tomatoes are a true part of summer. They taste sweet, fruity, mild or bold and bring variety to the plate. At Rathgeb Bio, we grow a range of varieties. These include vine tomatoes, datterini tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and specialities in different colours and shapes.
But when choosing varieties, it isn’t only about looks and flavour. Not every aromatic tomato is automatically suited to organic growing.
Flavour matters. So does robustness.
A tomato has to taste good, but the plant also has to be resilient. In organic growing, we do without chemical-synthetic pesticides. That’s why plant health starts with the choice of variety.
Robust varieties with suitable resistances or tolerances help prevent disease and keep the crop stable through the season. That way we can harvest reliable quality.
The variety has to suit the growing system
Every tomato variety reacts differently to climate, irrigation, nutrient supply and care. A variety can be exciting in flavour but too delicate or not stable enough in cultivation. So we look closely at which varieties suit our conditions. What counts is the interplay of flavour, plant health, yield, quality and crop management.
The soil plays a part too
When choosing varieties, we think not only of the individual plant but also of our growing areas. Our soils should stay healthy in the long term and offer good conditions for other crops as well. Especially in protected cultivation, this calls for careful nutrient and water management. If crops are not managed in a balanced way, soils can come under strain, for example from excessively high salt levels.
That’s why we rely on varieties and growing methods that fit a responsible approach to soil, water and nutrients. The result is a variety of tomatoes that not only tastes good but also fits our organic growing.
Crunchy, healthy, organic…ally.
