The Raf tomato it is one of those varieties that receives great value due to the flavor it has as well as its characteristic smell. Apart from the fact that for the times this has become one of the tomato varieties with a fairly high price as well as much appreciation by consumers in general.
We know the Raf tomato as a tomato that is multilobular, with a green neck, ribbed and in turn has an appearance that is flattened. This is not a tomato that is too big, but it can weigh between 150 and 200 grams.
Grow Raf Tomato
The Raf tomato can be grown well outdoors or if we prefer we can grow it in a greenhouse.
The quality that these tomatoes can have can become very high in the growing cycles for the autumn, winter months and also for spring, resulting in a tomato that is more ribbed, with a green neck and a spectacular flavor.
In the growing cycles that are for the last weeks of winter as well as for spring, they produce a fruit for the summer months and resulting in a tomato that is slightly less ribbed, with a neck that is slightly green, of a redder color and with a little less flavor.
The Raf tomato needs certain requirements to offer that flavor
The climate
The Raf tomato and in the same way that it happens with the other varieties of tomato, is cultivated for hot climates that it needs high temperatures so that it can have an excellent development, it cannot bear the temperatures that are cold.
Apart from the fact that it requires that its cultivation be done in an area where it can receive all the sunlight it needs.
Soil
This is a plant that needs a soil that is fertile in addition to being worked and with excellent drainage.
The subscription
It has a lot of demand with respect to the compost, requires many doses of worm castings so that you can have one of the nutrients that are necessary for this plant.
Irrigation
This is a crop that needs a large amount of water, irrigation that is very frequent and in very good quantity.
The care that we must give to this Raf tomato plants is of great importance, since if there is any oversight major losses can occur, which are caused by necrosis that is linked to a lack of calcium as well as to water stress, but it can also be due to some fruit set failure or by plants that have gone blind.
If we want to grow Raf tomato, it is something that we can do in several seasons
Cultivation for the autumn, winter and spring months, which begins in August.
Crop for the months of January, February and March
We can collect the first Raf tomatoes starting at three months and after we have completed the transplant.
Pests as well as diseases that can cause damage to our Raf tomato plants are aphids, spider mites and whiteflies which are generally the most common.
If we want to avoid these kinds of problems as well as to be able to combat them, it is necessary that we use a joint action of insecticides that are ecological as well as potassium soap, nettle slurry as well as neem preparations.
Among the diseases that affect this plant we can mention the Midiu, which is a disease that is caused by a kind of fungus, in general, it is the one that occurs most frequently in Raf tomato crops.
Mildew has its appearance when there are conditions with sufficient humidity. If we want to treat this disease we can use horsetail.