Today, the sowing assortment of tomatoes in gardening stores is so large that it is sometimes difficult for a simple gardener to choose a variety that will not only have high yield and excellent taste, but will also be easy to care for. These qualities are possessed by tomato Orange German Strawberry, which will be discussed in our article.
Emergence of a variety
Tomato German Orange Strawberry belongs to the genus of the so-called relic (hereditary) plants and was created by German gardeners more than fifty years ago. And this means that this variety is not hybrid. Relict plants have excellent consumer qualities, primarily in terms of taste.
Tomato Orange Strawberry passed from hand to hand, from generation to generation, so it is several times superior to hybrid varieties in resistance to chemicals and various diseases.
For so many years of cultivation, this variety has gained a reputation as a tasty and unpretentious tomato, which, of course, will want to be planted again.
Tomato Orange Strawberry: variety description
The Orange Strawberry plant is an indeterminate type. This is a tall bush, sometimes up to 2-3 meters long, with original beautiful bright orange fruits in the shape of a heart and with narrow green leaves. It is worth noting that the Orange Strawberry (tomato) description has a different. Depending on the seeds purchased, the fruits can be either heart-shaped or cone-shaped.
However, the Orange Strawberry tomato variety is attractive not only in appearance but also in taste. German Strawberry is a meaty, juicy variety that has sweet, fruity notes, combined with a touch of sourness. The fruits are large, 300-600 grams, almost seedless.
German Strawberries keep pace in small groups of 8-10. The average productivity, from the bush you can collect 5-8 kilograms. You can grow both in a greenhouse and in open ground. The fruiting is long, from July to October.
Preparatory work
Any gardener knows that the success of good seedlings lies in the right soil. Therefore, in order to grow Orange Strawberry tomato, it is necessary first of all to prepare the soil for planting seeds.
As a rule, well-fertilized and loose soil is used for these purposes. You can buy a ready-made mixture, or you can cook it yourself. Experienced summer residents are advised to sow tomato in loamy soil, with the addition of compost or humus. To make the substrate loose, add sawdust or peat.
There are several rules for preparing the soil for planting tomatoes.
- Before use, the earth is sieved. This will help get rid of unnecessary weeds, worms and larvae.
- To protect themselves from all sorts of diseases and pests, the soil is frozen or steamed.
- To enrich it with the necessary minerals, urea, humus, superphosphate or ash should be added.
Another good option for growing seedlings are peat tablets. They can be placed in 3-5 seeds. A distinctive feature of such tablets is that they do not need to dive.
Planting seeds
It is recommended to sow Orange Strawberry tomato for seedlings in greenhouses in mid-March. For open ground, the beginning of April is suitable. After sowing, the first sprouts should appear in a week. Thus, by the end of May - early June, seedlings can be transplanted.
Before planting, it is advisable to soak the seeds in potassium permanganate or in hydrogen peroxide for disinfection, as well as in a growth stimulator.
The prepared soil should be slightly moistened, after which the seeds should be deepened by 1-1.5 centimeters. If large containers are used to grow seedlings, the distance between the seeds should be approximately 5 centimeters. After the seeds of tomato Orange Strawberry are placed in the soil, the container is covered with glass or film and placed in a warm room with a temperature of 22-25 ° C.
As soon as the first sprouts have sprouted, seedlings must be placed in a well-lit and slightly cool place. The temperature should be 15-16 ° C . After a week of this regime, the temperature is increased to 20 ° C during the day and to 17-18 degrees at night.
In the early days, watering is carried out with slightly warm water, each time the earth dries completely. After the appearance of a full leaf tomato is watered once a week. At the same time, you can make a pick. And after the seedlings gave five or more leaves, watered every 3-4 days.
Transplant to the ground
Planting tomato Orange Strawberry in the soil can be made in early May, by this time the seedlings have all the necessary characteristics to successfully transfer the transplant.
Plants should be placed in such a way that they are 1.5-2 centimeters above the ground. It is best to transplant a tomato with a lump of earth in which it grew. After planting, the plants are watered from below so as not to damage the leaves. The planting density of German Strawberries for open ground is 3 plants per square meter, and for the greenhouse - 2 plants.
For better productivity in greenhouses, it is recommended to form a plant in one stem. Stepsoning should be carried out once a week. In this case, the lateral stems are removed, and the top of the plant is tied.
You should also remove damaged lower leaves on time. This will ensure normal air circulation and help reduce the incidence of gray rot.
Grade Advantages
Among gardeners, tomato Orange Strawberry reviews are positive. This is due to the fact that this variety has several advantages over other tomatoes, namely:
- unique sweet taste of ripe tomatoes;
- relatively early ripening;
- resistant to various types of diseases;
- original form;
- easy care;
- simultaneous ripening of fruits.
Grade Cons
The Orange Strawberry variety does not have significant shortcomings, but it causes some inconvenience when grown. They consist in the fact that it must be formed, since the bush is quite voluminous and high. As a rule, in greenhouses German Strawberries lead into one stem. If planted in open ground, stepsoning can be omitted.
Gardeners also note that this variety is very dependent on top dressing. If you grow it on poor soils, then there is a chance of a decrease in yield.
Pests and diseases
Orange Strawberry is a fairly old variety, and therefore it is little susceptible to major diseases of solanaceous. However, this does not mean that the variety does not need to be taken care of at all. In order to prevent before planting, you can treat the soil with hot water with the addition of potassium permanganate. And during the outbreak of late blight - to spray with drugs containing copper.
The most common pests, such as spider mites, thrips or whiteflies, can be controlled with a decoction of celandine or insecticides.
Tomato Orange Strawberry is a variety that many gardeners like.