[QUOTE=gill_s;341232]
Mr Big- when I initially read your reply I thought you were saying that Kumato plants needed salt( NaCl)! Strange I thought! However the article made it all clear. Yes I agree that salt, in moderation, greatly improves the flavour. There is, here, such a great 'health lobby' against using salt but, although I cut down on using it for some things, I still use it on my tomatoes. Thank you for the link to the interesting article. Gill[/QUOTE]For health reasons I've learned that you should use sea salt, which isn't pure NaCl,
but contains eg. potassium as well.

[QUOTE=gill_s;341232]here is, here, such a great 'health lobby' against using salt but, although I cut down on using it for some things, I still use it on my tomatoes.[/QUOTE]Here as well. There were Public Service Announcement ads in the late 80's showing someone shaking salt onto all this food and then warning of all these health risks. Unless you have High Blood Pressure or Congestive Heart Failure, there is actually little medical risk to salt.


That said, I do use less than I used to. Once you can lower your salt threshold by gradually using less in every meal, you can get by with less, and you really notice it when you taste something salty. This is part of why I avoid most processed foods and chains like Applebee's now. ;)

[QUOTE=MrBig46;341226]Tomato Kumato needs salt (NaCl). The interesting:[URL="http://www.foodsfromspain.com/icex/cda/controller/pageSGT/0,9459,35868_6908150_6917901_4482451,00.html"]http://www.foodsfromspain.com/icex/cda/controller/pageSGT/0,9459,35868_6908150_6917901_4482451,00.html[/URL]
Vladimír[/QUOTE]
I have an apology to make. I think you did mean that the plants need salt!

I had skimmed the article about tomatoes in Spain. Now that I have time I have read it in more detail and have absorbed the fact that Kumato is grown because it tolerates the saline coastal soils. Presumably that means that it actually needs some salinity to grow well. I wonder how much though. I shall have to try and see, starting at very little.

I must in future make sure I read things[B] thoroughly [/B]before commenting!
Gill

[QUOTE=gill_s;341304]I have an apology to make. I think you did mean that the plants need salt!

I had skimmed the article about tomatoes in Spain. Now that I have time I have read it in more detail and have absorbed the fact that Kumato is grown because it tolerates the saline coastal soils. Presumably that means that it actually needs some salinity to grow well. I wonder how much though. I shall have to try and see, starting at very little.

I must in future make sure I read things[B] thoroughly [/B]before commenting!
Gill[/QUOTE]

I signalized only, that salt can be the problem in growing tomato Kumato. Kumato is often growing hydroponics and Syngenta keeps back all about it.
I shall grow tomato RAF this year in two containers (about 30 l). I shall water once in the week ( cca 1 g salt/ 1 l water). It is my test. I don´t plan to grow Kumato sometimes.
Vladimír

For a medium-fruited brownish tomato that tastes good even in cooler climates, I have to go with Black and Brown Boar.

[QUOTE=MrBig46;341588]I signalized only, that salt can be the problem in growing tomato Kumato. Kumato is often growing hydroponics and Syngenta keeps back all about it.
I shall grow tomato RAF this year in two containers (about 30 l). I shall water once in the week ( cca 1 g salt/ 1 l water). It is my test. I don´t plan to grow Kumato sometimes.
Vladimír[/QUOTE]
It will be interesting to see how the Raf responds

[QUOTE=gill_s;341304]I have an apology to make. I think you did mean that the plants need salt!

I had skimmed the article about tomatoes in Spain. Now that I have time I have read it in more detail and have absorbed the fact that Kumato is grown because it tolerates the saline coastal soils. Presumably that means that it actually needs some salinity to grow well. I wonder how much though. I shall have to try and see, starting at very little.

I must in future make sure I read things[B] thoroughly [/B]before commenting!
Gill[/QUOTE]

I know many people who have grown "kumato" and nobody mentioned special problems, so no, it does not need salt to grow well. There are varieties, like RAF (if you can get the real thing as there's a "RAF hibrido" and many things sold under that name), said to be able to grow, and taste better with saline water. In any case, many vegetables taste better with slightly salty water, melons for example.

It's officially a hybrid, but nobody can see segregation in its descendants.

Those that try other old local varieties, don't grow it again. It is interesting as a winter market variety, though.

here is some thing on the smaller Kumato, it is a mini kumato.

[url]http://www.perishablenews.com/index.php?article=0029843[/url]

The packaging did not say mini kumato at Trader Joes, just Kumato. I wonder what their marketing reasoning was. Why do I want a Whopper Jr. now?

The local 99 Cent Only store had Clam Shells of 6 or 7 salad size Kumatos today for 99 cents a package. I bought a pack and tried one on a sandwich. It was way above average for a store bought tomato. I might seed one and see how it does in the cooler temps of November in my little greenhouse.

MikeInCypress

Here is a Kumato F2. They do well from saved seed, not a lot of difference, not extremely uniform for me. Some are coming off redder than others, and some are a bit bigger, not as round, especially the redder ones. Some are chocolate color. I remember the shoulders were consistently darker than what I am getting as well. I think my seeds may be F3 since I got them loose. They had them loose all over Spain, Just as popular as RAF, and Mucha Miel. Sounds like you bought Mini Kumatos.

The ones I bought were 2-3 oz. Mexican Grown Brown Tomatoes and had a printed label stating Kumato. We will see what I get when I plant out.

MikeInCypress.

I started a Kumato F2 from seed I got from gill_s. Hi Gill! The fruit looks exactly the same as the ones packaged at Whole Foods here. They hold a long time on the vine, have somewhat thick skins and good flavor.
Actually, I was wondering if Kumato is a variation on Black Prince, since the plant habit is the same and the fruit is very similar with the exception of the thicker skin.
Lee

Hi Lee.

How does Kumato compare to Black Prince for flavour? My Kumato this year are behind yours for ripeness. Everything has been late this year. last year I found that once the tomatoes turned too red they were very sweet. Too sweet for my palate.

How does Fioletovyi Kruglyi compare to Kumato for flavour?

You will be pleased to hear that I eventually had some good seedlings of FK and the plant I have grown on looks very healthy and very similar to the Kumato plant, with similar excellent cropping. The tomatoes are less rounded, slightly more plum shaped. I look forward to ripening.

Gill

I think the Kumato and Black Prince have a similar flavor with the green gel around seed. I agree these tomatoes should be picked when they are just beginning to soften. I have not compared the Fioletovyi Kruglyi this year because it is a bit behind. I lost my first seedlings and had to replant. I really liked it last year and finally have a couple of big, healthy plants in the garden.
Another variety that is somewhat similar is Bedouin. Bedouin is PL and pear-shaped, but its flavor is what I compare all other brown/black tomatoes to.
Lee

[QUOTE=gill_s;341304]I have an apology to make. I think you did mean that the plants need salt!

I had skimmed the article about tomatoes in Spain. Now that I have time I have read it in more detail and have absorbed the fact that Kumato is grown because it tolerates the saline coastal soils. Presumably that means that it actually needs some salinity to grow well. I wonder how much though. I shall have to try and see, starting at very little.

I must in future make sure I read things[B] thoroughly [/B]before commenting!
Gill[/QUOTE]

I planted four tomatoes RAF in the bed and one RAF in the container (with NaCl). Tomatoes from the bed was acidulous. They ended in tomato purée. RAF from the container was altogether unlike tomato. Excellent flavour. I shall be plant tomato this variety like this again in the next year .
Vladimír