Del Tonet is a beautiful longkeeper from Preixens, Catalonia – the heart of ‘longkeeper biodiversity’ in Spain (along with the island of Majorca).
Del Tonet’s small pink-orange fruits range in size from 15g to 40g and have a small pip at the end. This tomato has great flavour right off the vine – sweet and tangy — that does get milder with storage.
In the garden, Del Tonet plants are about 4ft tall with rather sprawling, but productive vines. Traditionally, longkeepers are grown under low-irrigation conditions, which is helpful when you are watching water use in your garden.
Similar to our other longkeepers, Del Tonet tomatoes last nicely until January, although their best eating time is late fall. This would be a great variety to leave on your kitchen counter and use as you need.
We are so happy to introduce Canadian gardeners to these ‘new’ types of tomatoes! We think longkeepers are a must have in short season gardens.
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How to Store: In their classic how-to book, Root Cellaring, food storage experts Mike and Nancy Bubel suggest storing tomatoes at 13 to 18 C (55 to 65 F) to keep them on “hold” for a while. A spot in your basement would do or a colder room in your house. Place longkeepers in a single layer in a cardboard box or on a shelf out of direct sunlight. On the other hand, the Bubels also suggest you can store tomatoes at room temperature (15 to 21 C / 60 to 70 F) — on your kitchen counter, for instance, but it will speed up the ripening process. Keep it simple and do whatever works for you.
How to Plant: Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Plant seed 5mm (¼ inch) deep. Keep moist. When true leaves appear, transplant to a larger container if needed. Transplant outside after the danger of frost has passed/later spring.
