Have you had any experience with or consumed the heart-shaped tomato variety? Do you know about these tomatoes? In this article, we will discuss these beautiful tomatoes. Why they are great and why you should plant them.
Oxheart Tomatoes
If you are not familiar with the heart-shaped tomato variety, the oxheart, you may think that is some new kind of tomato but that could not be further from the truth. These tomatoes have been around for nearly a century.
They can be mid-season to late-season tomatoes and are similar to the beefsteak varieties, and are also just as versatile.
Oxheart tomatoes are known for their characteristic large size and pointed bottom that resembles a beef heart, hence the name oxheart. Because of their unusual and interesting shape and large size, they are becoming popular with home gardeners as an alternative to the regular beefsteak varieties.
Characteristics of Oxheart Tomatoes
Characteristics of oxheart tomatoes that enable us to differentiate them or make them unique to other varieties include;
- large size with tapered bottom, creating a shape that resembles a heart
- when consumed, they are very meaty
- they have relatively small seed cavities
- they usually grow to sizes over 1 Ib, with some reaching over 2 lb and even 3 lb.
- they can be red or pink, but can also be found in yellow, orange, green, and purple just like other tomatoes
- they are an indeterminate variety of tomatoes, meaning that they produce all season and require constant pruning and support or they will get out of hand
Varieties of Oxheart Tomatoes
In addition to the regular size, oxheart tomatoes also have dwarf varieties. One variety, the dwarf purple oxheart tomato will produce all season round, like an indeterminate tomato but will not get as tall in a regular growing season.
Because these dwarf versions do not get too tall or too large, they can be grown in containers of sizes from 5 – 15 gallons.
Uses Of Oxheart Tomatoes
Oxheart tomatoes can be used for anything that regular beefsteak tomatoes can be used to make. They make an excellent addition to salads and sandwiches, because they are great slicing tomatoes that maintain their structural integrity when sliced.
Because they come in such a variety of colors, they are great for adding a splash of color to your summer salads.
These tomatoes also store well and are suitable for canning.
Are Oxheart Tomatoes Easy To Grow?
Oxheart tomatoes are very easy to grow. They are extremely low maintenance and can produce enormous fruit. They can be grown and treated the same way you would grow any indeterminate, mid-season or late-season tomato.
Most oxheart tomato varieties take between 70 to 90 days to harvest. To get the best crop, start your seeds indoors, about 4 to 8 weeks before your last average frost date. Transplant your seedlings outside after the night temperatures stay consistently above 50°F.
Tomatoes are generally heavy feeders so you will need to provide them with sufficient nutrition during their growing season. Apply an all-purpose fertilizer to your garden beds before you transplant your seedlings, or a fertilizer formulated for blooming and fruiting. Carefully follow the directions on the fertilizer packaging to get the best results.
You will also need to use a
What Is Bull Heart Tomato?
Bull heart tomatoes are an heirloom tomato variety. A very old Russian variety that bears large pink oxheart type tomatoes. This tomato produces fruit with an excellent taste, and sweet flavor. They produce abundantly and their sizes can reach up to 2 lbs.
It is an indeterminate variety that is best grown in a greenhouse for optimum growth and production
Are Ox Heart Tomatoes Heirloom?
Sometimes referred to as beef heart tomatoes, ox heart tomatoes are heirloom varieties that can be found in a number of vibrant colors.
Heirloom tomatoes are those that have not been hybridized to improve qualities such as shelf life, color, and a uniform appearance. They may sometimes be referred to as “ugly” due to their deep cracks and bumps. Whether you think these tomatoes are ugly or beautiful, their unique appearance and wide range of colors definitely make them interesting
How Do You Grow Hungarian Heart Tomatoes?
If you enjoy growing quirky or unusual-looking tomatoes in your garden, the Hungarian heat tomato is just the tomato for you.
These tomatoes grow quite large, like other heirloom tomatoes. A single tomato can weigh anything between 8 and 16 ounces since fully mature.
The best growing conditions for them include full sun exposure, a minimum of six hours a day. This can be natural or artificial light. They prefer moist, well-draining, loamy and slightly acidic
If you provide them with the best growing conditions, your tomatoes will be ready for harvest 85 days after planting.
Conclusion – Heart-Shaped Tomato Variety
We hope this article has inspired you to learn more and hopefully go and grow your own heart-shaped tomato variety. With so many varieties to choose from, it will be nothing but joyous to grow these plants in your garden.
Growing them will be a great way to try a different tomato variety that the regular ones we find at the shops. So why not go ahead and try to grow them? They will brighten up our summer salads and add interesting colors to your everyday dishes.
They are extremely easy to grow and will produce a good crop for you to enjoy.
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An aquaculture specialist and freelance writer. Passionate about anything sustainable living, such as growing your own food, and if you can do it in conjunction with fish farming, even better! I currently work as an aquaculture researcher where I can expand and share my knowledge and skills on aquaculture, crop farming and adding value to wastewater by using it to grow food products. I enjoy reading and learning as much as possible, and writing is another avenue for me to share the knowledge I gain with others. I want my writing to inspire people to try their hand at gardening, whether indoors or outdoors. You can even start by keeping a few houseplants indoors to help you gain a bit of confidence if you need to.
