Tiger tomatoes: varieties, cultivation and harvest

Tiger tomatoes owe their name to their striped appearance. We will introduce you to the most beautiful tiger tomato varieties and tell you what you should know about growing and caring for this special variety.

Tiger tomatoes belong to the bottle tomatoes because they are elongated and have a point at the bottom. The long leaves look pointed, are sharply jagged and droop slightly. Tiger tomatoes are characterized by these characteristics, together with their differently colored stripes. We present some varieties of the tomato and explain the most important things about cultivation and harvest.

The best tiger tomato varieties

So far, five varieties of tiger tomatoes are known, which are increasingly finding their place in gardens. All tabby tomatoes taste mild, are slightly sweet and refreshing with a slight acidity. In the case of green and yellow varieties, the fruitiness in the taste typically predominates.

All varieties presented here are seed-proof and can therefore be sown again from the seeds.

Red and pink tiger tomato varieties

The two varieties 'Artisan Pink Tiger' and 'Maglia Rosa' are representatives of the red and pink tiger tomatoes, respectively. 'Artisan Pink Tiger' shows a true play of colors from pink to red with dark orange stripes. It reaches a length of up to ten centimeters and tastes sweet and sour and juicy. The 'Maglia Rosa' is a sister of the 'Artisan Blush Tiger' and 'Green Tiger', a breeding by Fred Hempel. It's a miniature bottle tomato, about two to three inches long, with bright red stripes on its pink skin. It is very suitable as a snack tomato for fresh consumption.

Yellow tiger tomato varieties

among the yellow tomato varieties only one tiger variety can be found so far. 'Artisan Blush Tiger' forms mid-early, from mid-July, typically elongated golden-yellow-orange-striped fruits, which are particularly convincing with their fruity-sweet taste.

Green tiger tomato varieties

The green tiger tomatoes are a rather new breed and are slowly but surely establishing themselves among hobby gardeners thanks to their great taste. The 'Green Tiger' is a beautifully elongated, green and golden yellow striped cherry tomato with a very smooth skin. It tastes fruity, sweet and freshly sour, while remaining crisp even when very ripe. The plants rarely reach more than 120 centimeters in height. 'Lucky Tiger' is, so to speak, the dwarf form of the 'Green Tiger', a bush tomato that is a maximum of 80 centimeters high. It forms fruits about six centimeters long, which are green-striped and turn slightly reddish when ripe. They taste very sweet and aromatic and are therefore ideal snack tomatoes.

Planting and caring for tiger tomatoes

Tiger tomatoes can be planted outdoors, but to prevent the fruit from bursting so quickly, they should be placed under a rain canopy. They also do well in large pots with sufficient substrate or in a greenhouse. A special tomato soil, such as our Plantura, supports planting from the beginning to mid-May Organic tomato and vegetable soil, root formation and growth of tabby tomatoes. The nutrients it contains give the plants a good start and take care of them until the first fertilizer is released.

When planting, you should stick a stake or other support into the ground to tie the tiger tomatoes. They usually only reach a height of 160 centimeters, but they need a little extra support, especially if there are several shoots. The pretty striped tomatoes also grow on the side shoots, the so-called stingy shoots. The Tomato cutting is easy in this case, because with the tiger varieties you can easily leave three low-lying shoots and remove all other side shoots.

When fertilizing tiger tomatoes, you should use a predominantly organic slow-release fertilizer like ours Plantura organic tomato fertilizer To fall back on. In this way, your tomatoes are supplied with all the important nutrients in a sustainable, long-term and gentle manner.

Tip: You can also easily grow tomatoes from seeds. This is particularly easy with an attachment set like this Plantura vegetable growing set. In addition to tomato seeds, it also contains seeds for four other aromatic vegetables, as well as everything else you need for sowing.

Harvesting and using tiger tomatoes

Tiger tomatoes taste great when they are ripe, but also just before they are fully ripe. When the flesh softens slightly under your fingers and the fruit is colored, it's time to harvest. Tiger tomatoes can produce a plethora of fruit that can either be eaten fresh or processed. They develop their mild aroma in soups and sauces, but also enrich any salad with their color and delicious taste.

The pretty striped tomato is neither related nor related to the tiger tomato Tigerella. You can find out everything about this tomato beauty in our variety profile.