Why do Dutch tomatoes weigh up to 2 kg, while yours barely reach 200 grams?
The answer is known to Jan van der Zan , a Westland agronomist whose hybrids set a world record in 2023.
In an interview with National Geographic, he revealed the secret:
"It's all about... milk."
An unusual method, described in the journal Horticulture Science , involves watering plants with a 1:10 mixture of water and whey.
Lactic acid bacteria create a symbiosis with the roots, accelerating the absorption of nutrients.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg.
The Dutch use "double pruning": first they remove the lower leaves to stimulate stem growth, then they pinch off the tops, redirecting the sap to the fruit.
Van der Zan compares it to a bodybuilder's training:
"Tomatoes pump up their 'muscles', not their green mass."
The main advantage is soil heating.
In Westland greenhouses, pipes with warm water (+25°C) are laid under the beds, which accelerates ripening by 30%.
For indoor conditions, van der Zan recommends placing seedling warmers under the pots.
"Heat is the Dutch doping for tomatoes," he jokes.
But there is a nuance: giant tomatoes require enhanced potassium feeding. Once a week, the Dutch water them with an infusion of banana peels - a natural source of this element.
A study by Wageningen University confirmed that this approach increases the weight of the fruit by 45%.
