Tomato 'King Umberto' |
Origin: 1885 Italian heirloom
Preferred Situation: Full sun; well draining fertile garden soil.
Harvest Date: Sunday 11 October, 2009
Seed count: 15-20
Description:
75 days. Rare prolific heirloom pink oval/plum shaped small 1-2 ounce tomato that pre-dates 1885. Indeterminate vines produce 6-8 fruits per cluster. Very meaty somewhat dry flesh has a crisp texture, very few seeds, great for drying and making into paste. Great flavour when fully ripe (darker pink colour), but somewhat tart if eaten sooner as the sugar content isn't quite there.
Notes:
One of the three parent varieties used in creating the famous 'San Marzano' paste tomato. Named after the reigning Italian king of that era.
Cultivation:
Sow 5 mm deep. Keep moist; plastic cover improves success. Opt. germination temp: 18-25 C. Days to germ: 5-10. All tomatoes drop their blooms when temperatures reach 85 F or greater, so make sure your tomatoes don't get over heated. Blossom end rot is a nutritional disorder where a lack of calcium causes the fruit to rot from the blossom end so be sure you use something like rock phosphate (22% calcium) when amending your tomato beds/growing medium. Use mulch to retain moisture or prevent water from splashing up on your plants as tomatoes hate having their foliage wet...NEVER WATER FROM ABOVE...its like someone splashing a cold bucket of water on you! See our tomato article under 'Confessions of a Mad Gardener' for growing information.
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