|
||||
|
|
Tomato PlantWho have not heard about the fascinating and delicious tomato, grown on the scrawny-looking tomato plant? Its simplicity, tastefulness and distinct red colour have made it an instant classic and the main ingredient in probably millions of recipes around the world. There is no reason to believe that the tomato plant won’t continue to be an important product far into the distant future. The tomato plant is sort of a thin, green and scrawny-looking vine more than anything else. On these vines, that usually need to be supported, grows a vegetable that we call tomato, but it isn't really a vegetable. |
Scientifically it is actually a fruit, or even more of a berry. This does not mean that it can’t be a vegetable and that we have to stop enjoy it in our salad. But it is an interesting notion in the world of botanics, it isn’t really clear what to make out of the tomato plant and what comes of it.
Modern tomato plantations are huge installations which grow millions of tomatoes in almost no time at all. Everything from large breakfast tomatoes to the small and sweet cherry-tomato are shipped all over to world to awaiting consumers. Although this enormous production of tomatoes it is still a fun plant to grow by yourself and there are even competitions in tomato growing. The heaviest tomato ever weighed 7 lb 12 oz (3.51 kg) and the largest tomato plant stretched all the way to 65 ft (19,8 m).
The easiness with which the tomato plant grows is one of the reasons why it has become as famous as it is. Tomato plants can, and will, grow almost anywhere if you just meet its small demands. Growing more or less wild in Central America and around the Mediterranean Sea, the tomato plant is also grown in almost every single private greenhouse on the face of this planet. In Siberia, Russia, they even grow the tomato plant indoors using artificial light.
Although the tomato plant is grown all over the world today, it actually originated from the American continent. Brought to the European continent by Spanish explorers with a lot of other discoveries the tomato plant was long only thought of as a pretty addition to the garden, not as a bringer of juicy tomatoes. In Italy, nowadays known for its wonderful use of tomatoes, the tomato plant was longed believed to be poisonous and it wasn’t until the 18th century that it was widely accepted as a healthy eatable vegetable.
Being full of nutrition, as easy as it is to grow and full of surprising usage the tomato plant is an obvious choice for plants to grow in space. NASA is currently spending a lot of money researching the best way to grow tomatoes in space to get as much out of them as possible. It is very possible that the tomato plant will be one of the first things man brings with him on the quest of space exploration
|
Copyright 2006 tomato-plant.info.
Other network sites: Mammals, Birds & Reptiles - Insects & Fish - Plants - Sponsors
Tomato plants