What is meant by old varieties/"Heirloom"?
When it comes to tomato varieties, the term “heirloom” refers to old varieties that have generally been around sincepassed down unchanged to generations. These varieties often have a rich history and are known for their distinctive properties, flavors and colors.
Heirloom tomato varieties become traditionally passed from gardener to gardener, which is why they are called "Heirloom", which in German means something like "Family heirloom" means.
Many people value heirloom tomatoes for their rich flavor and unique aromas compared to the often more uniform commercial tomato varieties.
Heirloom tomatoes have in thehave gained a certain popularity in recent years as they preserve the diversity of tomato varieties and preserve the memory of historical or traditional varieties. Many gardeners and collectors strive to grow these varieties and preserve their seeds to preserve their unique properties and taste.
If you graft a seed-stable tomato onto a hybrid tomato, the seeds obtained from the fruit of this grafted plant are usually no longer seed-stable. This is because hybrid varieties are created by crossing two different parent lines, which leads to genetic diversity. The offspring of these hybrid varieties can therefore be genetically different and not have the stable characteristics of the original seed-stable tomato. Using seed from grafted plants is not advisable, as the plants and fruit that grow from them do not have the same characteristics as the original plants purchased.