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By Bobbie Whitehead
Gardeners interested in salad or sweet dried tomatoes can try a new gourmet cherry tomato variety available this year called “Tomaccio.”
Tomaccio, bred by Hishtil, an Israeli nursery that specializes in herbs and vegetables, was introduced on a limited scale last year by C. Raker & Sons Inc., a producer of grown-to-order plugs and liners in Litchfield, Michigan.
This year Tomaccio starter plants are available on a wholesale level exclusively from Raker to independent retailers and garden centers throughout North America, said Allen Pyle of Raker & Sons Inc. new product development.
Gardeners interested in salad or sweet dried tomatoes can try a new gourmet cherry tomato variety available this year called “Tomaccio.”
Tomaccio, bred by Hishtil, an Israeli nursery that specializes in herbs and vegetables, was introduced on a limited scale last year by C. Raker & Sons Inc., a producer of grown-to-order plugs and liners in Litchfield, Michigan.
This year Tomaccio starter plants are available on a wholesale level exclusively from Raker to independent retailers and garden centers throughout North America, said Allen Pyle of Raker & Sons Inc. new product development.
Drying “Tomaccio” fruit significantly concentrates the variety’s sweet flavor. (Photo Courtesy of C. Raker & Sons Inc.)
“Tomaccio” cherry tomato now available to U.S. market
“We’ll sell to growers that have their own retail centers as well as growers who sell wholesale to independent retailers and garden centers,” Pyle said.
Hishtil, which has the U.S. licensing rights for Tomaccio, approached Raker & Sons about marketing its cherry tomato variety, Pyle said. Raker brought seed in from Israel to grow the plants, having introduced 35,000 last year, but this year, Tomaccio plants, grown in a 2 x 2-inch, 18-count starter trays, will receive a full introduction in the U.S. market, he said.
“It was developed in Israel 12 years ago, and the goal of the breeder was to make an easy-drying tomato with good sweetness,” Pyle said. “It’s doing well in France and Germany. We’re trying to see if there’s acceptance in the home gardeners’ market.”
The Tomaccio is also marketed as a dried fruit.
“It’s significantly sweeter when dried than any other tomato,” said Pyle, noting that the plant can reach a height of up to nine feet tall. “Tomaccio is an extremely vigorous, high yielding variety.”
Raker & Sons says a Tomaccio plant can yield up to 13-18 pounds of fruit per season, and the cherry tomato was also bred to be an easy-drying fruit. For gardeners interested in dried tomatoes, the Tomaccio can dry on the vine or be dried either in a dehydrator or oven. In a 200-300-degree oven, the Tomaccio dries in about three hours, according to Raker & Sons’ instructions.
“Drying Tomaccio significantly concentrates its sweet flavor,” Pyle said.
As with other tomato plants, Tomaccios grown in containers or in fields can experience fruit cracking during extremely wet weather, Pyle said.
“If fruit cracking becomes a problem, harvesting the fruit when it first starts to turn red will minimize the cracking,” Pyle said.
“Tomaccio has also been added to the new Hort Couture (www.hortcoutureplants.com) marketing program as part of its Culinary Couture offerings for 2010,” according to Raker & Sons.
For a list of retailers and garden centers selling the Tomaccio plants, visit Raker’s web site at http://www.raker.com.
Hishtil, which has the U.S. licensing rights for Tomaccio, approached Raker & Sons about marketing its cherry tomato variety, Pyle said. Raker brought seed in from Israel to grow the plants, having introduced 35,000 last year, but this year, Tomaccio plants, grown in a 2 x 2-inch, 18-count starter trays, will receive a full introduction in the U.S. market, he said.
“It was developed in Israel 12 years ago, and the goal of the breeder was to make an easy-drying tomato with good sweetness,” Pyle said. “It’s doing well in France and Germany. We’re trying to see if there’s acceptance in the home gardeners’ market.”
The Tomaccio is also marketed as a dried fruit.
“It’s significantly sweeter when dried than any other tomato,” said Pyle, noting that the plant can reach a height of up to nine feet tall. “Tomaccio is an extremely vigorous, high yielding variety.”
Raker & Sons says a Tomaccio plant can yield up to 13-18 pounds of fruit per season, and the cherry tomato was also bred to be an easy-drying fruit. For gardeners interested in dried tomatoes, the Tomaccio can dry on the vine or be dried either in a dehydrator or oven. In a 200-300-degree oven, the Tomaccio dries in about three hours, according to Raker & Sons’ instructions.
“Drying Tomaccio significantly concentrates its sweet flavor,” Pyle said.
As with other tomato plants, Tomaccios grown in containers or in fields can experience fruit cracking during extremely wet weather, Pyle said.
“If fruit cracking becomes a problem, harvesting the fruit when it first starts to turn red will minimize the cracking,” Pyle said.
“Tomaccio has also been added to the new Hort Couture (www.hortcoutureplants.com) marketing program as part of its Culinary Couture offerings for 2010,” according to Raker & Sons.
For a list of retailers and garden centers selling the Tomaccio plants, visit Raker’s web site at http://www.raker.com.
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