Latest news with #tomatoes
ABC News
2 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Queensland farmers urge home gardeners to be vigilant as tomato virus strategy shifts
Queensland farmers are urging home gardeners planting tomatoes, chillies and capsicums to be vigilant over fears a highly contagious virus will spread. The state is continuing to restrict the movement of seeds, plants and fruit, as well as machinery, equipment and packaging from areas affected by tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV). First detected in South Australia last year, it has since been found on a farm in Victoria, but experts and industry have abandoned eradication efforts and will instead move to a management strategy. Farmers, fearing hundreds of millions of dollars in losses, are pleading with industry and home gardeners alike to hold the line. The virus is not harmful to humans, but causes brown or yellow spots to appear on leaves, fruit and stems of tomatoes, capsicums and chillies. The infected fruit can ripen irregularly or be deformed. It can reduce crop yields by 70 per cent, and there is no treatment or commercially available varieties of tomato that are resistant to the disease. Acting Victorian chief plant health officer Stephen Dibley said efforts to rid Australia of the virus had failed. "The biology of the virus makes it very hard to eradicate," Dr Dibley said. Queensland remains free of the virus, but Dr Dibley said there could be undetected cases. "We're still trying to understand where these new detections have come from." As well as tomatoes, Queensland grows 66 per cent of the national capsicum crop and 90 per cent of the chilli crop. Biosecurity Queensland chief plant health manager Michael Reid said the movement control order was extended for three months on March 16. Once it expired, Mr Reid said a team of experts would revisit the order to assess the risk to Queenslanders and production systems. "We will be taking a risk-based approach to our regulation, making sure that we protect our industries," he said. In significant growing areas like Bundaberg, farmers are conducting voluntary in-field testing for peace of mind that their crops are virus-free. Over the past 10 months, farmer group Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers has held almost weekly biosecurity meetings to monitor where locals are sourcing their seedlings from. Chief executive Bree Watson said the National Management Group's decision would change how farmers managed and monitored the virus. "It shifts the responsibility for monitoring and containing it more onto industry and individual businesses than it does on government departments," Ms Watson said. She urged home gardeners to take part in the biosecurity effort and learn what to look for in their own vegetable patches. "They should be checking their plants regularly for anything that's showing signs of disease." Ms Watson said it was especially important for home gardeners to make sure their seeds and seedlings came from reputable suppliers. Despite being far from the southern border, north Queensland's tomato-growing region around Bowen, south of Townsville, was on high alert. "This tomato virus is a little humdinger," Bowen-Gumlu Growers Association president Carl Walker said. "We've got hundreds of millions of dollars a year just in tomatoes alone in this region … it could seriously destroy the tomato industry across Australia if it's allowed to spread. "It's a wake-up call for all growers to be very vigilant with their biosecurity because it can destroy our industry just, bang, like that. "If we do get it, God help us … it's hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of production and thousands of jobs, which is not what our economy needs." While the state has yet to contend with an outbreak, the virus is already causing losses. New Zealand suspended imports from all Australian states apart from Queensland when the virus was detected in South Australia. Tomato and capsicum seeds from Australia must also be tested before they arrive. In 2023, Australia sent more than 530,000 kilograms of tomatoes to New Zealand. While exports account for only a small portion of sales compared to the $500 million domestic market, Ms Watson said it was a vital avenue for growers who had access to it. In a statement, New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries said: "We are closely monitoring the situation in Australia and if there is any significant change in distribution, or which crops it (ToBRFV) is affecting, we will review the current import rules." "Although Australia has announced they will no longer be pursuing eradication, all of the controls that have been in place to limit spread of the virus remain."
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Why Do Tomatoes Split? Experts Explain This Gardening Mystery—and How to Prevent It
Tomatoes typically split due to sudden changes in watering, especially after a dry spell followed by heavy rain or overwatering. Tomatoes with thinner skins, like heirloom varieties, are more susceptible to splitting compared to thicker-skinned types. Preventing splits involves consistent watering practices, mulching to retain soil moisture, and harvesting tomatoes as soon as they matter if you're a novice gardener or a seasoned pro, there are always plant mysteries that we endeavor to solve. If you love growing tomatoes, you may have noticed that your tomatoes sometimes split or crack, but have you ever wondered why? We asked gardening pros to explain this phenomenon, plus let us in on a few tricks for preventing your precious tomatoes from splitting this Power, founder of The Botanical Institute Nikhil Arora, co-founder and CEO at Back to the RootsRelated: How to Grow Tomatoes From Seeds, According to Gardening Experts In short, tomatoes will split because of water irregularities. "Tomatoes often split due to quick changes in watering, causing rapid growth and expansion of the fruit," says Nikhil Arora, co-founder and CEO of Back to the Roots. This often occurs when tomatoes receive heavy watering after a period of drought. Now, this doesn't necessarily mean that you're the culprit for overwatering your tomato plants—a sudden deluge of rain could be why tomatoes crack. "When tomatoes experience a dry period followed by a lot of water (either from heavy rain or irrigation), the inside of the tomato grows quickly as it absorbs water, but the skin can't stretch fast enough to accommodate the sudden growth," says Daniel Powers, founder of Botanical Institute. "This leads to splitting or cracking." Other reasons for tomatoes splitting have less to do with water and more to do with either growing too fast, being near ripe, or being a variety that is prone to splitting, like cherry and heirloom tomatoes, Powers says. "Sometimes, tomatoes might split when they grow too quickly in general, not just due to water intake," he says. "This can be caused by a sudden spike in temperature or fertilization that triggers fast growth, causing the skin to crack." So you've noticed some tomatoes on the vines are beginning to split—now what? You'll want to harvest them early, even if they're not entirely ripe yet. Splits and cracks in tomato skin can lead to rot and disease if left unchecked. For nearly ripened tomatoes, leave them on your kitchen counter to continue the ripening process and watch the splits carefully. You can still eat split tomatoes, but you'll want to make sure they don't smell sour or have any seepage from the crack. If you'd rather grow tomatoes that split less often, consider planting one of these varieties: Roma San Marzano Plum Big Beef Big Boy Golden Sweet Grape Tomato Sun Gold Celebrity Related: A Guide to Tomato Varieties, From Classic Beefsteak to Green Zebra Consistency is key for keeping your tomatoes from splitting, says Arora. "To prevent splitting, it's important to maintain more consistent soil moisture by watering regularly and avoiding sudden changes," he says. Tomatoes will be less overwhelmed by a sudden rainstorm if they have been consistently well-watered before that. One trick that both Arora and Powers recommend is mulching around your tomato plants. "Mulching around the base of the plants can help regulate soil moisture as well as mixing in high-quality organic compost to increase water retention in the soil," Arora says. Read the original article on Martha Stewart
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
THE CANNY COOK: The perfect summer tart for less than £2 a serving
Just as canned tomatoes are an absolute stalwart of winter cooking, I couldn't imagine planning summer meals without fresh tomatoes. They are so symbolic of warm-weather eating, and it's around now that we should start seeing some good homegrown varieties in the shops. Forget buying them online – tomatoes should be chosen by eye and, whatever their shade, be vibrant, plump and just yielding to the touch. At home, store them in a cool, dark place rather than in the fridge, and leave them on the vine until ready to eat. Incidentally, I was once advised that the vines are secret harbourers of tomato flavour (give them a sniff to see what I mean). So if you're cooking fresh tomatoes, for example in a simple sauce, add the vines to the pan, too, fishing them out at the end. Tomatoes need salt. If making a salad, salt the cut tomatoes about 10-15 minutes in advance. This will help to draw out some of the excess water and intensify their flavour. Also remember that tomatoes really come alive when paired with other ingredients: mellow cheeses like mozzarella and burrata, salty capers and olives and grassy herbs are some of their happiest bedfellows. You could certainly throw a few basil or oregano leaves over the tart in the recipe here before baking. 2 heaped tbsp black olive tapenade, £2.75 METHOD Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut the tomatoes into 0.5cm thick slices, season with salt then arrange over layers of kitchen paper to absorb excess water. Unroll the puff pastry and leave on its baking paper. Score a border around the pastry 2cm from the edge using a sharp knife – take care not to cut the pastry all the way through. Prick the middle all over with a fork. Transfer, on the paper, to a large baking sheet. Spread the tapenade all over the middle of the pastry. Arrange the tomatoes evenly over the top, then scatter with the cheese. Grind over a little black pepper and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry edge is golden and the cheese has melted. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving with a green salad. Do you have a great recipe for eating well and cutting food bills? Email editor@ If we print it here, we'll send you a bottle of champagne *This cost assumes you already have some basic store-cupboard ingredients. prices taken from aldi and correct at time of going to press.
Telegraph
23-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Telegraph
Raymond Blanc's top 10 tips to make your summer dishes go further
The good news? May's unseasonably hot weather has brought a glut of tomatoes and strawberries. And who better to show us what to do with them than Raymond Blanc? The French chef is best known for the lavish feasts at his restaurant Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxfordshire – but he's spent a lifetime championing zero food waste and sustainable cooking. Long before he stepped into a professional kitchen, Blanc learnt prudence and resourcefulness from his hard-working family, who came from a long line of farmers. Raymond, who grew up in the Franche-Comté region of France, says: 'My papa was a working class person with strong principles and work ethics. He once made me taste earth so I would truly appreciate it and all that grows from it. 'He built a beautiful house over six years, with six bedrooms for us all and our house had a huge garden around it which could feed the whole family all year round.' Mushrooms hung from the ceilings. Gargantuan pots were stashed next to preserves and pickles. In them, Maman would store stale bread that she would later use as a crumble, together with apples, for a mouth-watering family treat. They kept rabbits, among other animals. The fur would be sold. The rest was chopped and braised with white wine and mustard to make a sumptuous 'lapin à la moutarde'. 'Nothing would be left,' Raymond says. 'The first thing my maman taught me was, 'Raymond, you shall waste not'.' During strawberry season, their house was filled with the comforting aromas of intense, syrupy, well-drained strawberries. Making jam became a cottage industry, with maman making about 10 litres at a time. 'She taught me to understand where our food came from, which became the foundation of my cuisine,' he says. 'She taught me to embrace the seasons.' He named his first restaurant Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons (the house of the four seasons) with that ethos in mind. Homegrown, locally and ethically sourced ingredients have always been at the heart of his cooking. At Brasserie Blanc – the French restaurant group he founded – all staff, regardless of their role, are now taught how to reduce food waste in their own homes. Raymond's passion for sustainability is matched by his horror at how much food British households throw away: nearly five million tonnes of edible food each year, worth an estimated £17 billion – or around £1,000 per typical household – according to a study commissioned by the climate action group Wrap. Tackling the issue is 'everyone's responsibility,' says Raymond. And with just a few small changes to how we shop, we could all cut down on food waste at home. That means shopping mindfully, considering the provenance of our produce, and choosing fruit and vegetables that are in season. Instead of filling our trolleys with a hodgepodge of tempting treats, we should try some simple meal planning. 'People often over-shop. Just by writing a list before they go will help them to avoid the things they don't need,' Raymond says. He acknowledges two-for-one deals are a common temptation but encourages us to freeze any sauces or meals we have copious leftovers of. 'Just make sure you put a date on it – I label everything,' he says. With summer almost here, there's no need to bin wilted lettuce leaves or squishy strawberries the children turn their noses up at. Here, Raymond shares his top tips. Raymond's top ten tips to reduce summer food waste Limp salad leaves 'Don't consign limp salad leaves to the compost bin as they can be revived and refreshed by immersing them in iced water for 15 minutes before patting dry to restore their crispness. If they are beyond the point of redemption then you can turn them into a simple pesto – this works particularly well with 'Little Gem' lettuce. All you need is 100g of leaves, 50g Parmesan, 50g pine nuts (or any other nuts you have in your cupboards such as walnuts or cashews), a dash of olive oil, two cloves of garlic and the juice of one lemon. Simply blitz in a food processor to achieve your desired consistency. Pesto is not only perfect for pasta but also drizzled on soups or as a dip.' Leftover pastry 'Leftover shortcrust pastry can be safely stored in the freezer for up to eight weeks, but why not get creative and make a spring vegetable galette. In France, a galette is a free form tart, so you don't even need a pie dish to make them, just a baking tray. Roll out your pastry and add sautéed leeks, asparagus, peas or any other greens that you have in your fridge. Make sure you leave enough pastry around the edges to fold over the filling. Crumble over some feta cheese (or again, any cheese that you have in the fridge such as Gruyère or, my favourite cheese from my home region in France, Comté, that you can grate over). Fold the edges over the filling to create the sides to the tart. Brush the pastry with a beaten egg and then bake in the oven at 356F (180C) and 320F (160C) for fan assisted, until the pastry is crisp and golden. You can even use any tomato sauce or pesto that you have made to enhance the filling!' Strawberries 'If you are growing your own strawberries at home, they tend to ripen at different times. Picking them at their best and storing them in the freezer in a resealable bag is a great way to ensure you have a batch of perfectly ripe strawberries ready to cook into strawberry jam – and you can also do this with shop bought strawberries which tend to go soggy quickly. You don't even have to defrost them – you can cook them from frozen too. I've always preferred jams that have less sugar, where the fruit flavour is really intense.' Overripe tomatoes 'These are the perfect base for a sauce. The only ingredients you need are your tomatoes, an onion, garlic cloves and olive oil. Heat the olive oil in a pan and, once hot, add finely chopped onion and cook down until soft and translucent. Add garlic (either grated or finely chopped) and cook for a further minute. Finally, add your chopped tomatoes and cook the sauce for a further five minutes until it has reduced slightly and season it with salt and pepper. Let the sauce cool completely before freezing. When defrosted you have the perfect base sauce for a multitude of dishes.' Stale bread 'Blitz into breadcrumbs in a food processor and store in an airtight container in the freezer. For the perfect herb crust for lamb, add in some fresh herbs when you blitz the breadcrumbs in the food processor. Not only will the oils be released from the herbs but it will turn the crust into a beautiful vibrant green which will showcase your spring lamb perfectly. Stale bread is also perfect for making your own croutons. Cut the bread into cubes, place on a baking tray in the oven at 392F (200C) or 356F (180C) fan assisted, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper (you can also add dried herbs) and bake until crisp and golden. These make the ideal salad topper.' Vegetable peelings 'Rather than consigning them to the compost heap or the food waste bin, these can make a delicious snack. Season them with salt and pepper (you can also add other herbs of your choice for flavour) and pop them in the oven on a baking tray (374F/190C or 338F/170C for fan assisted) for 20 to 25 minutes. Take them out and leave them to cool and crisp up and enjoy them on their own or with your favourite dip. These also work well in an air fryer if you have one at home.' Make your own mirepoix 'Use up leftover vegetables in the fridge to make your own mirepoix – a flavoursome vegetable base to many French dishes. Dice the vegetables and slow cook with fat (usually butter) on a low heat, taking care not to brown them. Usually, the vegetable mixture includes two-part onion, one-part carrot and one-part celery. You can also add tomato puree. Once cool, you can portion and freeze until needed in everything from soups to stews.' Grow your own herbs from shop bought packs 'You can start your own herb garden with shop bought rosemary stalks. Take a rosemary stalk that you have stripped the leaves off for cooking and peel a little bit of the stalk off at the bottom. Pop the stalk in a glass of water and, after a week or so, you will start to see little shoots growing. Leave for a couple more weeks and then transfer to a pot filled with compost (with drainage) and pop it on your windowsill. A great project to do with the kids and you won't have to buy rosemary again!' Leftover lemons 'If you only need half a lemon for a recipe, don't discard the remainder or leave it to go mouldy in the fridge. Instead, cut it into wedges and pop it in the freezer. Defrost when you next need a lemon for a recipe or add it to your favourite tipple.' BBQ leftovers 'To prevent any leftovers, don't over commit when you plan a BBQ. Just stick to one thing like burgers or maybe some slow-cooked chicken thighs. It doesn't need to be a buffet of four or five different meats. Instead, focus on some lovely salads, flatbread and sauces to accompany your BBQ.'
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
New £20m Thanet Earth glasshouse to grow 150m tomatoes a year
A large glasshouse complex is set to build a seventh structure, adding 6.5 hectares (16 acres) of growing space for 150 million extra tomatoes a Earth in Birchington, Kent, has begun work on £20 million plans for further growing space, taking its total area to over 50 hectares (124 acres).The new glasshouse, the last approved for the site under its current planning permission, is aimed to be "planting-ready" by Butler, managing director of Thanet Earth, says the glasshouse is a "significant milestone" for the site and "strengthens our capacity to grow more fresh produce". The new glasshouse will take the growing capacity for Thanet Earth, which was first built in 2009, up to about 550 million tomatoes, 33 million cucumbers and 24 million peppers each year.A specifically reinforced gable will make the new glasshouse more wind resistant and will be protected by a new line of trees which will also minimize the visual impact of the project, a Thanet Earth spokesperson said.
