Heirloom and Hybrid Tomatoes Explained

Heirloom tomatoes are varieties that have been grown without crossbreeding for 40 or more years. This is in contrast to the typical supermarket tomatoes, which are hybrids that have been carefully crossbred to have particular characteristics. Often flavor is not at the top of the list.

What is so special about heirloom tomatoes?
What is the difference between heirloom and hybrid?
Why are heirloom tomatoes illegal?
What does hybrid mean in a tomato?
What does an heirloom tomato taste like?
Why is heirloom tomato so expensive?
Are hybrid vegetables bad for you?
Are hybrid tomatoes GMO?
What is one reason that heirloom tomatoes are usually more expensive than hybrids?
Why is it illegal to save seeds?
Are heirloom tomatoes healthier?
What is the most expensive tomato?

What is so special about heirloom tomatoes?

The seeds are what make an heirloom tomato an heirloom tomato. They are passed down from season to season, taken by the farmers from the tomato plants that produced the best fruit. ... Heirloom tomatoes are also often open-pollinated, which means that they are pollinated naturally, by birds, insects, wind, or human hands.

What is the difference between heirloom and hybrid?

Hybrid seeds are created by crossing two selected varieties, sometimes resulting in vigorous plants that yield more than heirlooms. Heirloom vegetables are old-time varieties, open-pollinated instead of hybrid, and saved and handed down through multiple generations of families.

Why are heirloom tomatoes illegal?

Patented genes travel in pollen, creating seeds that can remain viable for up to ten years. If a farmer's fields contain the patented seed, and he has not purchased it, it's illegal to harvest them. He also cannot save the seeds for future crops.

What does hybrid mean in a tomato?

Hybrid tomato plants are a cross of two different varieties, designed to select the best traits from both parents. They tend to have desirable traits such as improved disease resistance, more dependable yields, less required TLC, and higher quality fruit.

What does an heirloom tomato taste like?

While often referred to as “black” tomatoes, most of these heirloom tomato varieties are more of a maroon or purple-brown color. Black tomatoes tend to have an earthy, almost smoky sweetness to them, with a bit less acid than red tomatoes. The flavor profile is often referred to as “smoky, complex and wine-like”.

Why is heirloom tomato so expensive?

Heirloom tomatoes are expensive because they are not mass-produced. With fewer available (than hybrids), their price typically stays high. Heirlooms are not disease resistant, their vines produce less per acre than hybrid varieties, and they do not travel well.

Are hybrid vegetables bad for you?

There is no health risk in eating a hybrid. If you regularly consume GMO foods, however, you might want to learn more about them.

Are hybrid tomatoes GMO?

Hybrids should not be confused with GMOs. While hybrids are crossed manually in the field, GMOs are created using high-tech methods such as gene splicing, sometimes combining genes from different species to yield organisms that could not occur in nature.

What is one reason that heirloom tomatoes are usually more expensive than hybrids?

Farmers growing heirlooms get one-third the yield (or even less) than they would if they were growing hybrids, because so many plants and fruits are damaged by pests and disease. This is one reason why heirloom tomatoes are so expensive.

Why is it illegal to save seeds?

Farmers who choose to grow genetically modified (GM, or GMO) seed sign a contract stating that they will not save their seed to grow next year. GMO seed is protected under intellectual property laws. To save this seed to plant again the next year will violate a contract and is illegal under Intellectual Property law.

Are heirloom tomatoes healthier?

Health Benefits

Heirloom tomatoes contain lycopene, one of the most powerful natural antioxidants. Lycopene has also been shown to protect the skin from harmful UV rays. Lycopene may also help relieve the oxidative stress of people who already have diabetes.

What is the most expensive tomato?

These lovely little red ruby cherry tomatoes (tomate cerise) from my Place Monge market cost 9 EUROS!!!!! That's about $12 give or take a dollar....