The wild tomato Solanum cheesmanii is known in this country as the Galapagos tomato. With us you can learn more about this unusual type of tomato and its cultivation.
The tomato species Solanum cheesmanii originating from the Galapagos Islands is closely related to our cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). We introduce you to the Galapagos tomato and give tips on growing the well-travelled species in your own garden.
Galapagos Tomato: Profile
| Fruit | cocktail tomato; yellow to orange |
| Flavour | sweet-sour |
| Maturity | early from July |
| Growth | Wild tomato, up to 2 m |
| Location | Outdoor, pot |
Origin and history of the tomato variety
As the name suggests, the Galapagos tomato comes from the islands of the same name off the coast of Ecuador. It occurs wild there as one of two endemic tomato species. This means that it - like the very hairy Solanum galapagense - is only found on the Galapagos Islands. The wild tomato made its way to the mainland in the form of fruit and seeds, where it was planted in the garden as an exotic species. In the meantime, however, hobby gardeners in this country also like the robust tomato species and grow them regularly.
Charles Darwin discovered this species and made an entry for it in his herbarium. It probably descends from its close relatives, the cultivated tomato and the wild tomato Solanum pimpinellifolium. It can also be crossed with the two tomatoes and thus produces hybrid offspring. The robust wild tomato has already been successfully crossed in breeding and has introduced resistance and tolerance to a number of important diseases into modern tomato varieties.
Properties and taste of the Galapagos tomato
The Galapagos tomato grows as a shrub and perennial in its warm home. In our annual cultivation, it is about one to two meters high and usually just as wide. It quickly takes up the same space as a zucchini plant(Cucurbita pepo ssp. pepo convar. giromontiina) a. The foliage is light green and rather dainty and lobed in small parts. The whole plant is finely hairy and bears many small, round, oval to slightly pear-shaped fruits. These reach a weight of 5 to 8 grams and are therefore significantly larger than the fruits of the related wild tomato Solanum pimpinellifolium, which is also known to us as currant tomatoes. The fruits of the Galapagos tomato are yellow to orange in color and taste sweet and sour. In a sunny location, the sweetness develops even more. The Galapagos tomato is seed-proof and can be propagated from its own seeds and sown the next year. See our feature article for tips and guides on how to get tomato seeds.
Planting and caring for Galapagos tomatoes
The wild Galapagos tomato is ideal for planting outdoors without a rain shelter. It does not make any special demands on the soil, it even tolerates s alty and moist soils, such as those found on the Galapagos Islands near the coast. Since it grows a lot and also grows in width, it should be given a generous space. Cultivation in a pot is also possible, a warm location promotes the sweetness of the fruit. From February to March, the young plants of this wild tomato, like their relatives, the cultivated tomato, are grown on a warm, light window sill. After the ice saints in mid-May, they are planted out in the bed or in the pot. It is also possible to grow the tomato in a raised bed.
Nutrient-rich potting soil, such as our Plantura organic tomato & vegetable soil, is ideal as a substrate for wild tomatoes in pots. In contrast to many other soils, it does not require any peat at all and stores water that is available to plants via a high compost content. After planting, the pre-fertilized soil provides tomato young plants with the necessary nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and co. until they root and form the first flowers. The young Galapagos tomato plants are placed deep in the planting hole or in the pot, the bottom leaves are removed and the pot with earth filled. Water generously after planting and keep watering regularly for the next few weeks.
There are a few points to consider when caring for the Galapagos tomato - nevertheless, the wild tomato is significantly less demanding than ordinary cultivated tomatoes. Pests and diseases rarely occur in this species.
The precociousWild tomatoes sometimes bloom when they are planted, sometimes not until June. The first small fruits soon form on the large, sun-yellow flowers. In this phase, the nutrient requirement of the tomato plant increases sharply and the first fertilization should take place in June. In the case of tomatoes in pots or wild tomatoes that are growing wildly, the application and incorporation of a granular fertilizer can be difficult. With the help of an organic liquid fertilizer, such as our Plantura Tomato & Vegetable Fertilizer, you can flush the required nutrients directly to the roots of the plant with the irrigation water. To do this, add 15 to 25 ml of the Organic Tomato & Vegetable Fertilizer to 5 liters of water about once a week and water your Galapagos tomatoes with it.
By the way, you don't have to skimp on the Galapagos tomato at all. It forms countless flowers on its many side shoots and thus also fruits. Therefore, the numerous shoots are not removed. So that the vigorous shoots of the wild tomato do not soon lie on the ground, it is advisable to untie the tomato. A metal frame or several wooden stakes around the plant, around which a string is wrapped, are suitable for this. The plant leans against the scaffolding, the fruits stay clean and harvesting is also much easier this way.
Tip: A mulch layer under the tomato plant made of plant materials - such as grass clippings - reduces evaporation and thus the water requirement on hot summer days. It also serves as food for soil organisms. It is important to spread a thin layer of fertilizer before mulching to prevent nitrogen fixation.
Harvesting and use of the wild tomato
The wild tomato from the Galapagos Islands is particularly popular with children and they prefer to eat it directly from the plant. The small tomato fruits can also be easily dried and thus preserved for the cold season.
A tomato variety that not only bears small fruits, but also has a tiny growth is the Tiny Tim tomato. We present this dwarf variety to you in a profile.