Melon pear, plum cosmos, pineapple-strawberry - these are strange hybrids. But have you ever heard of the lychee tomato? Learn more about this plant here.
The lychee tomato, attractive in white and sometimes also in a delicate lilac colour, originally comes from Central America and can increasingly be found in our well-stocked specialist garden shops. And since the annual lychee tomato can be used outdoors or as a container plant without any problems, it is sure to become even more popular in the near future.
The special thing about the lychee tomatoes is certainly their prickly growth on the leaves, stems and fruit capsules, which is unusual for tomatoes. However, this has the advantage that cats and birds in particular stay away from the plants. And their taste is also very peculiar: although it is a tomato that looks like a lychee, it tastes like a cherry. Therefore, the ripe fruits are also ideal for making jam, fruit juice or liqueur. Of course, you first have to grow the lychee tomato. And how exactly that is done, we will explain to you here.
Growing Lychee Tomatoes
The lychee tomatoes, which grow up to 1.50 meters tall, are absolutely comparable to conventional tomato plants in terms of keeping and care. Accordingly, you can also grow this nightshade plant quite early on the kitchen board, before the plants are given a wind-protected sunny spot outdoors after the ice saints. Alternatively, you can buy the plant, which has already been grown from seed, directly from a garden store or online here:
» Lychee Tomato Check Price
When planting in nutrient-rich soil or when putting out in pots, it is always advisable to insert a stake per plant for stabilization and to tie the plant to it as loosely as possible. You probably already know this from conventional tomato cultivation. You should also protect the lychee tomatoes from the rain, which is why a location with rain protection (e.g. overhanging the house) is always preferable.
Proper care for lychee tomatoes
➤Fertilize:
In contrast to conventional tomatoes, you don't have to exhaust the lychee tomato. It is therefore also ideal for beginner gardeners to keep. However, you should fertilize the lychee tomato every four weeks, for which organic fertilizers such as compost or horn shavings are also very suitable.
➤ Casting:
You may only water the lychee tomato in the bottom area and if possible in the morning and/or evening. However, you should never spray the plant!
➤ Overwintering:
With a bit of luck, you can overwinter potted plants in a frost-free, light-flooded room. During this time, however, you may need to water the plants moderately from time to time.
Harvest Lychee Tomatoes
The small lychee tomatoes (about 2 to 3 centimeters in diameter) are usually not harvested until the end of August. However, it can also last into October. It is always important that the tomatoes are optimally ripe. This can be recognized very well by the fact that the fruits can be easily detached from the fruit capsules. However, if you have to harvest the lychee tomatoes completely, the fruit can still ripen in the fruit capsules.
Our tip:
If you like exotic tomato plants that have a rather sweet taste, then you should take a look at the following articles or plants:
➥ Tamarillos: tips from growing to harvesting the tree tomatoes
➥ Yellow cocktail tomatoes - how they are grown