RAF Tomato: Cultivation, Care & Harvesting

Thanks to its special cultivation method, the RAF tomato is a truly unusual variety. In this article you will find everything you need to know about the 'RAF' tomato variety.

Tomato variety 'RAF': profile

fruit	Beefsteak tomato, deep red
the taste	spicy, fruity
maturing time	late
growth	Bush tomato, up to 1 m
location	Greenhouse, outdoor (rain protection), bucket
special feature	determined variety

origin and history

The 'RAF', an abbreviation for "Resiste à Fusarium", was created by the French company Clause in Valence in 1961. Their name refers to resistance to root rot caused by Fusarium fungi. Supposedly it arose from a cross with a ‘Marmande Tomato‘ and various resistant American varieties. In 1967 the 'RAF' was registered as a variety and thus began its triumphant advance in commercial greenhouses in Spain. Up until the 1990s the 'RAF' was grown in Alicante, Murcia and Almeria for the supermarkets of Europe. Even the still green or only half-ripe tomatoes were touted as aromatic delicacies and “salted tomatoes”. It is said to get its aromatic taste from the salty soil in the cultivation area or from the water with salty water. Eventually, the 'RAF' was superseded by higher-yielding and disease-resistant hybrid varieties and is now cultivated in the home gardens of tomato lovers.

properties and taste

The 'RAF' is a small bush tomato, not much more than a meter tall. The large, flat-round and often heavily ribbed fruits can weigh up to 300 grams and turn deep red when ripe. As a late-ripening variety, it can only be harvested from the end of August. The taste of the 'RAF' is spicy and fruity, similar to the Marmande varieties. The 'RAF' is a seed resistant variety, which means that it can be propagated again from its own seeds.

RAF tomato: Cultivation outdoors and in containers

The 'RAF' is suitable for cultivation in a greenhouse, but also outdoors and in containers. However, the robust and disease-tolerant plants are happy to have rain protection outdoors. Because they are not against them either Late blight and late blight in tomatoes immune. The short-growing variety can be planted outdoors and in containers from mid-May. With a special earth like ours Plantura organic tomato soil, create optimal conditions for the young plant for a productive season. The nutrients it contains provide the 'RAF' with everything it needs for the first few weeks.

Care of the RAF tomato

After planting, one should Water and mulch tomatoes properly, whether in a greenhouse, outdoors or in a pot. A mulch layer reduces evaporation and thus saves a lot of water. The small RAF tomato should be grown with a maximum of two shoots due to its large fruits. For this purpose, all side shoots are stingy except for one of the deep ones. The Pinch off the tomatoes must be repeated every few weeks.

From June, the 'RAF', like all other tomato varieties, will be happy about the first fertilization. We recommend an organic liquid fertilizer such as ours, especially for fertilizing balcony tomatoes Plantura organic tomato and vegetable fertilizer. It can be applied together with the irrigation water about once a week. The high potassium content supports fruit ripening and the quality of the tomatoes. Tomato plants of the 'RAF' variety should not be watered with salt water. The high salt content can not only damage the roots, but also prevent water absorption, which in the long run leads to the wilting of the plants. The 'RAF' also develops its good taste with the help of balanced, even fertilization and irrigation as well as plenty of heat and sunlight.

Harvest and use tomato 'RAF'

The RAF tomato is suitable for eating raw, but also for cooking and preserving for the cold season. Unripe, the 'RAF' should only be eaten cooked! The contained toxic alkaloid solanine, which occurs naturally in aubergines, green tomatoes and also in the green parts of potatoes, can cause stomach cramps. As it matures, it is broken down and half-ripe, no longer green fruits can be enjoyed without hesitation. However, the 'RAF' simply tastes best with a little olive oil and sea salt.

Fertilizing tomatoes can be confusing with the variety of fertilizers available. And how often and how much should be fertilized? We answer all questions about Fertilizing tomatoes in our special article.