Wild tomatoes are among the most robust and easy-care tomato plants. They are not exhausted and tolerate rainy days better - but are only partially and not completely resistant to brown rot.
What are the special features of wild tomatoes?
Wild tomatoes are robust, bushy tomato plants that do not need to be pinched and tolerate rain better. They come in yellow and red varieties, grow sprawling and require trellises. Ideal for growing in gardens, they are partially resistant to brown rot.
What are wild tomatoes?
Wild tomatoes grow bushy and require a trellis as they grow sprawling. The small fruits are available as yellow and red varieties, which are considered particularly aromatic due to their size. Wild tomatoes do not need to be pinched or stripped of their leaves, but otherwise require the same care as other types of tomatoes. Wild tomatoes are also suitable for planting in containers - but this should contain at least 15 liters.
Variety overview
Quick overview
Yellow wild tomatoes:
- Bolivian fruit tomatoes
- Galapagos Wild Tomato
- Yellow currant
- Golden Currant
- Kenyan wild tomato Tindindogo
Red wild tomatoes:
- Barbaniaka
- Current Sweet Pea
- Humboldtii (Humboldt tomato)
- Matt’s wild cherry
- Peruvian wild tomato
- Poro Poro (man-eater tomato)
- Red currant/red currant
- Red Marble
Yellow wild tomatoes
Bolivian fruit tomatoes
The yellow miracle from Bolivia produces burst-resistant tomatoes about 1.5 to 2 centimeters in size that taste very sweet. That's why they are particularly popular with children, who snack on the he althy fruit vegetables straight from the bush. The rich harvest begins in July and lasts well into autumn. It even grows on poles, but prefers fences. There the plant grows up to 250 centimeters high and extends just as wide.
Galapagos Wild Tomato
This easy-care exotic comes from the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific. Breeders value it because it has high resistance to diseases. Its fruits are orange-yellow and taste sweet with a slight acidic note. At 200 centimeters in height and width, it grows very expansively. The first wild tomatoes can be picked from July. And this is relatively independent of the location: even light s alty soils and excessive moisture do not pose any obstacles for the 'Galapagos Wild Tomato'.
Yellow currant
The harvest time for the 'yellow currant' extends from July to September. It produces very small fruits that are reminiscent of the currant. Despite their size, wild tomatoes create a very intense, powerful flavor firework on the tongue. Shoots about 180 centimeters long, which spread out in a bushy manner, bear high-yielding panicles. A pack of Seedeo 'Yellow Currant' in organic quality contains 30 seeds that are sown in March and planted out after the Ice Saints. This variety is also suitable as an ampel plant.
Golden Currant
The wild tomatoes of the 'Golden Currant' provide a more fruity aroma. There are a lot of seeds inside the fruit. It is also one of the smallest varieties with a height of around 100 centimeters. This makes it even more widespread. The OwnGrown brand offers high-quality 'Golden Currant' seeds from Germany as well as the opportunity to ask questions about seeds and growth by email.
Kenyan wild tomato Tindindogo
Compact, robust, 'Tindindogo' - this breed originally comes from Kenya and is adapted to changeable weather. If the summer turns rainy and cold again, the slightly sweet tomato fruits will continue to sprout unhindered. Due to its low height of 100 centimeters and its bushy rather than creeping spread, 'Tindindogo' is suitable as a balcony plant.
Red wild tomatoes
Barbaniaka
While the bush grows with multiple shoots to a height of 180 centimeters, the bright red wild tomatoes remain about the size of a one euro coin. Up to twelve juicy fruits hang on one panicle and can be harvested from July onwards. You can either eat them straight from the bush or garnish summer salads and Mediterranean dishes with 'Barbaniaka'.
Current Sweet Pea
The tiny varieties of the 'Current Sweet Pea' variety are also very popular in salads. They taste wonderfully sweet and really tomatoey. Reason enough to plant the very high-yielding variety in the garden. With a height of 150 centimeters and a bushy stature, they fit in the bucket and on the balcony. Tip: When dried, the 'Currant Sweet Pea' gives dishes an aromatic seasoning as "tomato raisins".
Humboldtii (Humboldt tomato)
Whether the 'Humboldtii' is a wild tomato or a cultivated form cannot yet be clearly answered. Its namesake, the polymath and explorer Alexander von Humboldt, came across the cherry-sized red fruit during his trip to America. Impressed by its taste, he sent the variety to Berlin, where it lived in the botanical garden for 150 years. Today the 'Humboldtii' is valued for its subtle raspberry aroma, which is unique among tomato varieties.
Matt’s wild cherry
From mid-July, the first fruits of the American Emeritus Dr. Matt Liebman. The agricultural expert received wild seeds as a gift from a friend in Mexico and continued to cultivate them. The popular tomato went around the world under the name 'Matt's wild cherry'. It is one of the smallest varieties and has a high resistance to late blight and brown rot. That's why it grows easily outdoors, where it grows up to 200 centimeters high on a trellis.
Peruvian wild tomato
The 'Peruvian wild tomato' is a special treat. Sugar and acid only play a minor role. The tomatoes with a very small fruit size taste spicy and tart. And the plant itself is a real eye-catcher with its large yellow flowers that almost make it glow. It is unsuitable for the greenhouse because it takes up the entire area in a very short time. However, the robust 'Peru wild tomato' is in good hands outside in wind and rain.
Poro Poro (man-eater tomato)
If you dare, plant the “man-eater tomato” (Solanum viride) in your garden. The plant, also known as 'Poro Poro', is not a tomato at all. It was discovered on the Fiji Islands and, like tomatoes and potatoes, belongs to the nightshade family. Their scary name comes from the cannibalistic tribes that lived on the islands in the Pacific. Human flesh is said to be difficult to digest, which is why the natives are said to have consumed it together with the 'poro poro'. The tart fruit must be cooked before eating.
Red currant/red currant
These mini tomatoes grow on bushes that are around 150 to 200 centimeters tall. Their lush growth rewards with a productive and early harvest. It is very popular with children because they can easily be picked from the bush and eaten. The currant tomato from DeineGartenwelt is a seedless variety, free of genetic engineering and comes locally from Germany. Customer experiences with wild tomatoes are mostly positive: good germination, good taste and great growth.
Red Marble
'Red Marble' is one of the most popular wild tomato varieties, which is why it is increasingly available as a young plant in garden centers. Alternatively, you can grow it yourself using the high-quality seeds from Own Grown. The size of the fruit is roughly that of a marble, so it is very small. It should be airy and allowed to soak up lots of sun. Then, without any further attention, it grows around 150 centimeters high and just as wide. It also tastes very sweet, although its skin is not always burst-proof.
How do wild tomatoes grow?
As a rule, wild tomatoes do not grow on the pole; When tied up, they reach heights of up to 250 centimeters. However, growing the rod requires a lot of work because the plant is heavily branched and every shoot would have to be tied. Instead, wild tomatoes are allowed to grow bushy and wide. That's why they should be given enough space: "On good soil, a single freely growing plant covers over 2 m²!", say tomato experts Horneburg and Watschong.
How are wild tomatoes grown?
cultivation
The cultivation of wild tomatoes does not differ fundamentally from the approach to cultivated forms. Between the end of February and the end of March, the wild tomato seeds are lightly pressed into a special growing soil. How high the variety's heat requirement is is stated on the seed packaging. The seedlings appear after 10 to 14 days. As soon as the first leaf has developed, the plant is pricked out and placed in a separate pot with new soil. Slowly acclimate the tomato to the sun until planting in May.
Plants
The wild tomatoes are kept in the warm apartment until they are planted. The young plants are only allowed in the garden or in the sunny pot after the end of the ice saint season (mid-May). After planting, water the plant thoroughly at the base. The first flowers should appear after just a few weeks. Due to the wide growth, ensure generous planting distances.
Location for wild tomatoes
The wild tomato likes it sunny. Apart from that, it has hardly any demands on its location. Shallow and dry soils are generally ideal, but not a must. In most cases, it is not advisable to use a greenhouse because the wild tomato grows too quickly there and takes up space for more sensitive plants. And don't worry: wild tomatoes stand up well in the wind and rain without being affected by diseases. It is also suitable as an ampel plant, although the high final weight should be taken into account.
Which soil for wild tomatoes?
The wild tomato hardly differs from stick tomatoes and the like when it comes to soil. The heavy feeder prefers nutrient-rich and somewhat loose soil. Ideally the pH value is between 6 and 7, but this is negligible. The 'Galapagos wild tomato', for example, grows just as well in s alty soil. As a rule, the substrate should be dry rather than too moist.
Trails for wild tomatoes
While a pole is an excellent climbing aid for many crops, it is not recommended for wild tomatoes. Instead, fences or frames that you can build yourself quickly and easily are suitable. On them, the fruit and foliage are always well away from the ground. At the same time, so much light hits the bushy bush.
Fence: Wild tomatoes are planted on fences or walls. As soon as the shoots have reached a height of around 30 centimeters, they are tied or braided into the fence. Repeat this step until a 2 to 3 meter long section of fence is covered with the tomato plant.
Funnel-shaped frame: If the first shoots want to curl wide across the ground, drive three to four 1 meter long sticks into the ground at an angle around the plant. Fix either a thick band or crossbars between the bars. Place the shoots on top and install new intermediate stages if necessary. The area should be at least 2 square meters measured at the top.
Ray-shaped frame: Four to five 2 meter long rods are inserted into the ground at right angles, close to each other. Make sure that the rack does not cast a shadow on the tomato. The bars are opened like a fan or spread like fingers. For support, drive the bars deeper in this position and connect them with crossbars. Place the shoots on the crossbars as with the funnel and let them climb upwards. If necessary, support from behind or lean against a wall.
How are wild tomatoes cared for?
In terms of care, wild tomatoes hardly differ from other types of tomatoes. However, they are the only type of tomato that isnot culled.
Fertilize wild tomatoes
Wild tomatoes thrive in conditions where conventional tomatoes grow poorly. Therefore, the wildlings do not need large amounts of fertilizer. There are gardeners who simply let their wild tomatoes grow outdoors and don't give them any fertilizer or water. While this works in some gardens, at least water should not be neglected when growing for the first time. Plants that are over-fertilized “go into overdrive”. Important: Fertilizing and watering are mandatory for wild tomatoes in pots!
Organic liquid fertilizer: Liquid fertilizers such as Plantura organic tomato and vegetable fertilizer support growth by providing minerals in the right concentration. This fertilizer is the best choice in the bucket, although you have to work your way up to the right dosage slowly. It's better to have too little than too much.
Horn shavings: An organic fertilizer made from slaughterhouse waste. Very sustainable, cheap and rich in nitrogen - because of the latter it should not be used for wild tomatoes.
Vinasse: A sticky juice made from sugar beets. Also organic, but usually too strong for wild tomatoes due to the high nitrogen content.
Horse manure: Available for free at the horse farm in the area. Due to heat development, horse manure should only be incorporated into the soil before the season in March/April. It ensures good growth.
Lawn clippings: Suitable for mulching. To do this, spread the grass clippings thinly around the plant and do not incorporate them. It holds water in the soil and is slowly decomposed into humus.
Stinging nettle manure: The fermentation of nettle leads to nettle manure. When diluted, it gives the wild tomato outdoors a boost of nitrogen when its growth stalls and also protects it from pests.
Watering wild tomatoes
Water the tomatoes regularly in the pot. However, wild plants in the open field need much less liquid. You should focus on the requirements of the selected variety. Some wild tomatoes need more water, others less. As a rule, they prefer it drier than constantly humid.
Take advantage of wild tomatoes?
Wild tomatoes tend to branch very heavily. For many crops (including stick tomatoes), thinning is mandatory because side shoots take energy away from the fruit but do not produce any yield themselves. Wild tomatoes, on the other hand, are similar to the heirloom tomatoes that grow in the jungles of South America. And nobody took advantage of that thousands of years ago. That's why more shoots mean more yield when it comes to wild tomatoes.
Prowning wild tomatoes is only recommended in a few exceptional cases. For example, if the wild tomato grows on a trellis, removing stingy shoots can help. Or if the plant in the frame has become too complex and is shading itself, some thinning can be done. And if the plant grows too quickly without producing flowers (e.g. due to too much fertilizer), it can also be limited.
FAQ
Are wild tomatoes being exploited?
As a rule, wild tomatoes do not need to be harvested. Multi-shoot plants are more productive. Branches are only removed in exceptional cases.
Which soil is suitable for wild tomatoes?
The soil for wild tomatoes should be nutrient-rich and loose. The pH value is ideally between 6 and 7.
Are wild tomatoes resistant to brown rot?
Yes, wild tomatoes are considered robust and particularly resistant to late blight and brown rot. However, they are not immune to it.
What wild tomatoes are there?
There are a variety of wild tomato varieties. The best wild tomatoes include 'Humboldtii', 'Currant Sweet Pea' and 'Golden Currant'.
How to plant wild tomatoes?
Wild tomatoes are planted like conventional tomatoes. They are quite undemanding and can also be planted outdoors unprotected.