Heart Shaped Tomatoes

remy · November 4, 2009

I know this kind of thing is popular in Japan. Do you think it will fly here?

I think if it was a bit cheaper maybe.
Remy

cleo88 · November 4, 2009

That just seems so unnatural.

Blueaussi · November 4, 2009

I would be concerned about mold growing inside the plastic.

Vince · November 5, 2009

The messed up thing is that I have seen clips on the internet where they do that trick with animals!

amideutch · November 5, 2009

Unfortunately we are on the wrong side of the hemisphere. Valentines day is in February! If they had one shaped like a Banana that would be a hoot. Ami

**carolyn137** · November 5, 2009

There already is a wee heart shaped variety out there, a hybrid, as I recall, but I can't remember the name...aha, just found it via Google, it's called Tomato Berry bred by Tokita Seeds in Japan and notes at the one site it's very popular in Japan but I know it's also been offered at several places here in the US.

There are forms out there to convolute squash and cukes and the like into different shapes but sheesh, I can't see why someone would even do that except for the novelty of it, well I guess that's the whole point.

heartshaper · November 7, 2009

Thank you for the interest in Snap 'N Shape. I am the inventor and would like to answer a couple questions I have seen posted.

There was a concern over mold potentially forming due to the enclosed heart. In the testing of the product which included Penn State University Horitcultural dept. in their high tunnels we found that both cherry tomatoes and cherry peppers grew and filled out the shaper with 7-10 days in most cases and did not grow any form of mold. Once the tomato or pepper begins pressing up from the inside you just slip the clip off and the heart shaper. You may let it continue to ripen on the vine or pick it. Your choice.

There are 30 total pieces. A left side of the heart, a right side of the heart and the clip. In order to provide this product to the backyard gardener it has taken two years and much investment in perfecting the design as well as the injection molds. For example....did you know that the Snap 'N Shape device is tappered 4 degrees so that you can more easily slip the shaped veggie out of the device? This is just one example of our desire to make it a fun gardening product that really works.

We have found that women and children really like the product and are drawn to it. There is something romantic and fun about a salad with heart shaped bite sized cherry tomatoes and peppers. It is also fun to watch it fill out the shapers on a daily bases. We believe this will be a neat way to introduce young children to the joy of gardening as well.

Well, thanks for reading and I hope you consider trying Snap 'N Shape sometime.

Regards

**Mischka** · November 8, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by heartshaper

Thank you for the interest in Snap 'N Shape. I am the inventor and would like to answer a couple questions I have seen posted...

Joining Tomatoville® with the sole intention of hawking a product to our members violates our Terms of Use.

I will leave this thread intact since it was initiated by a member, but I don't want any more links posted. I've also deleted the one in the original post.

Just to be crystal clear on this, any further promotion of this product elsewhere in our forums will result in membership revocation.

creister · November 10, 2009

That reminds me of some fishing lures, catch more fisherman than fish.

ddsack · November 13, 2009

Or you can do it the old fashioned way, just pick a nice heart variety to grow.

akgardengirl · November 13, 2009

What is the name of your hearts Dee?
Sue

remy · November 13, 2009

Nice pic Dee!
Remy

ddsack · November 13, 2009

Thanks, Remy!

Sue, these are just what I call Latvian Hearts. They are descendants of seed from friends of my parents, that was brought to the Minneapolis area from Latvia in (I'm guessing - the 1970's-1980's.) For a few years, I was trying to select for perfect heart shapes, especially a flattened cartoon like shape. I didn't have the time and space to grow enough plants to really gauge my success, but I did end up with a good number of near perfect hearts on some plants. I found a tin of very old seeds last summer, which should be close the the original stock that my mom gave me. If I can get any to germinate next spring, it will be interesting to compare the oldies to my selections to see if there is any great change in percentage of uniform hearts.

cottonpicker · November 13, 2009

How do they taste?

ddsack · November 13, 2009

Good tasting, thick meaty flesh with few seeds, typical of this type of large pink wispy leafed heart.

November 5, 2009	#4
Vince Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Riverside, CA Posts: 942	The messed up thing is that I have seen clips on the internet where they do that trick with animals! __________________ Vince

November 5, 2009	#5
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	Unfortunately we are on the wrong side of the hemisphere. Valentines day is in February! If they had one shaped like a Banana that would be a hoot. Ami __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

November 5, 2009	#6
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	There already is a wee heart shaped variety out there, a hybrid, as I recall, but I can't remember the name...aha, just found it via Google, it's called Tomato Berry bred by Tokita Seeds in Japan and notes at the one site it's very popular in Japan but I know it's also been offered at several places here in the US. There are forms out there to convolute squash and cukes and the like into different shapes but sheesh, I can't see why someone would even do that except for the novelty of it, well I guess that's the whole point. __________________ Carolyn

November 13, 2009	#12
remy Buffalo-Niagara Tomato TasteFest™ Coordinator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Z6 WNY Posts: 2,354	Nice pic Dee! Remy __________________ "I wake to sleep and take my waking slow" -Theodore Roethke Yes, we have a great party for WNY/Ontario tomato growers every year on Grand Island! Owner of The Sample Seed Shop

November 13, 2009	#13
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,231	Thanks, Remy! Sue, these are just what I call Latvian Hearts. They are descendants of seed from friends of my parents, that was brought to the Minneapolis area from Latvia in (I'm guessing - the 1970's-1980's.) For a few years, I was trying to select for perfect heart shapes, especially a flattened cartoon like shape. I didn't have the time and space to grow enough plants to really gauge my success, but I did end up with a good number of near perfect hearts on some plants. I found a tin of very old seeds last summer, which should be close the the original stock that my mom gave me. If I can get any to germinate next spring, it will be interesting to compare the oldies to my selections to see if there is any great change in percentage of uniform hearts. __________________ Dee **************

November 4, 2009	#2
cleo88 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Sharon, MA Zone 6 Posts: 225	That just seems so unnatural.

November 4, 2009	#3
Blueaussi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Zone 8a Posts: 1,205	I would be concerned about mold growing inside the plastic.

November 7, 2009	#7
heartshaper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1	Thank you for the interest in Snap 'N Shape. I am the inventor and would like to answer a couple questions I have seen posted. There was a concern over mold potentially forming due to the enclosed heart. In the testing of the product which included Penn State University Horitcultural dept. in their high tunnels we found that both cherry tomatoes and cherry peppers grew and filled out the shaper with 7-10 days in most cases and did not grow any form of mold. Once the tomato or pepper begins pressing up from the inside you just slip the clip off and the heart shaper. You may let it continue to ripen on the vine or pick it. Your choice. There are 30 total pieces. A left side of the heart, a right side of the heart and the clip. In order to provide this product to the backyard gardener it has taken two years and much investment in perfecting the design as well as the injection molds. For example....did you know that the Snap 'N Shape device is tappered 4 degrees so that you can more easily slip the shaped veggie out of the device? This is just one example of our desire to make it a fun gardening product that really works. We have found that women and children really like the product and are drawn to it. There is something romantic and fun about a salad with heart shaped bite sized cherry tomatoes and peppers. It is also fun to watch it fill out the shapers on a daily bases. We believe this will be a neat way to introduce young children to the joy of gardening as well. Well, thanks for reading and I hope you consider trying Snap 'N Shape sometime. Regards

November 10, 2009	#9
creister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Abilene, TX zone 7 Posts: 1,478	That reminds me of some fishing lures, catch more fisherman than fish.

November 13, 2009	#11
akgardengirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anchorage, AK zone 3/4 Posts: 1,410	What is the name of your hearts Dee? Sue

November 13, 2009	#14
cottonpicker Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SE PA..near Valley Forge Posts: 839	How do they taste? __________________ "Strong and bitter words indicate a weak cause". Victor Hugo