Solanum lycopersicum
Bombeta is a rare long-keeping heirloom from Catalonia, Spain, belonging to the traditional ramallet class of tomatoes. These Mediterranean “winter tomatoes,” also known as penjar in Spain and closely related to the Italian piennolo types, are prized for their remarkable storage qualities and rich flavour.
Plants are vigorous, indeterminate growers that can reach up to 6 feet tall and produce clusters of small, bright red fruits, each weighing around 15 grams. The tomatoes are firm, with a pleasant sweetness and thicker skins than standard varieties. This natural protection allows them to be harvested in clusters at season’s end, then strung up and stored at room temperature. Both ripe and unripe fruits keep well, ripening gradually over weeks and months. As they age, their flavour deepens and becomes more concentrated.
Bombeta is versatile in the kitchen—excellent eaten fresh through the winter, cooked into sauces, or dried into intensely flavoured sun-dried tomatoes. In Catalonia, they are a key ingredient in the classic pa amb tomàquet (bread with tomato and olive oil). In trials, Bombeta showed exceptional sweetness even after two months of storage, reaching a Brix level of 9.7.
With about 75–80 days to maturity, this is a dependable variety for short-season climates. Its long storage life makes it an outstanding choice for gardeners who value self-sufficiency and fresh tomato flavour long after the summer harvest.
There must be something VERY special about this variety as a seed company down in the States is charging $45.00 for 30 seeds! I have never seen that sort of a price for some tomato seeds. If someone down there really wants this variety, please contact me.
These rare seeds are available directly from Garden Faerie Botanicals in the heart of British Columbia, Canada. The collection features heirloom and heritage seeds that are personally cultivated organically without the use of any chemicals. Emphasizing historical, rare, non-GMO seeds, this selection preserves biodiversity through open-pollination.
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