Tomato "Katya" has medium-sized fruits, which are great for pickling for the winter. This variety has established itself on the positive side and gardeners have boldly planted it for 10 years.
Tomato "Katya" gives a good yield and up to 90% of the harvested tomatoes retain their presentation. Having tried to grow these tomatoes once, gardeners will definitely return to them again in the following seasons.
Features
This variety belongs to early ripening. The first crop can already be harvested 80 days after planting the seeds. Bushes reach 60 cm in height. Tomato "Katya" (photo) is resistant to drought and heavy rains.
The first inflorescences appear after the release of 5 leaves. They belong to a simple form, and up to 8 fruits can form on each. Productivity averages 10 kg with 1 m 2 .
The plant is resistant to the main diseases of tomatoes:
- late blight;
- rot;
- tobacco mosaic.
These tomatoes can be grown both in the greenhouse and in the open ground. Under the film, the space may not be heated, starting in April.
Such plants are hybrid and are marked F1 on the package. This means that collecting seeds from them for planting in other seasons will fail. And even if this is done, then future plants will lose their properties and only genes from one of the parents will inherit the fruits.
This means that the tomatoes will not meet their characteristics, and the yield will be too low or the formation of inflorescences will stop altogether. Therefore, in natural markets, you cannot buy seeds without specialized packaging. They can be collected from hybrids.
It is better to purchase seeds in stationary stores or order on the official websites of companies involved in agricultural trade.
Characteristics of tomato "Katya" and its fruits
Tomatoes have a rich red color, so they are often used to make sauces and pasta. They are medium in size and fit perfectly in a pickling jar.
Taste qualities allow them to be used for the preparation of various salads and appetizers. Each fruit reaches a weight of 160 g. Katya tomatoes have a rounded shape and a green stalk is formed on them. Therefore, such tomatoes are great for use in salads.
The peel in the fruits is not very thick, but has a dense structure, so tomatoes are easy to transport, and they are great for sale. The pulp in them is dense and saturated with juice.
Landing
Tomatoes "Katya" in the open ground is best planted with seedlings. Then the plant develops faster and begins to actively bear fruit. Seeds are planted in boxes at the beginning of March.
After the cotyledons have developed, it is necessary to make a pick. When the plant reaches 15 cm in height, it can be moved to open ground. But it should be ensured that strong cooling does not happen at night.
Wells for planting seedlings should be as deep as possible. The distance between the bushes should not be less than 45 cm. So, the plant will have enough space for development above the ground and roots in the soil.
Bushes should form with several stems. The landing site is better to choose a well-lit or slightly darkened.
Care
After planting, you need to regularly loosen the soil around it. And first, it is worth watering the bushes with potash solutions. Thus, the stem will become strong, and the plant will grow well.
10 days after planting, you need to water the bushes abundantly, but make sure that they do not rot. Then you can leave them alone for a while. Watering over time is carried out only with severe drought.
When the bushes grow, they need to be stepson and tied to the support with the advent of the first fruits. One of the main disadvantages of Katya tomatoes is the strong fragility of branches.
Considering that up to 8 fruits can form on each cluster, each branch is worth tying. With proper care and good climatic conditions, the bushes at the time of ripening are dotted with fruits.
Diseases and Pests
Despite the fact that the plant is resistant to the main diseases of tomatoes, it is still worth it to be treated with insecticides on time. So you can save the crop and increase it.
After heavy rains, it often appears on the fruits of late blight, therefore it is better to carry out artificial watering after natural watering. Thus, bacteria will be washed off the plant.
Tomato Katya is tolerant to the tomato mosaic virus. Fruits do not crack upon ripening. It is advisable to treat the green spaces several times a season with special insecticides to avoid diseases.
Reviews about tomatoes "Katya"
On various websites and forums of gardeners, you can find many comments about the cultivation of this plant. Most often, reviews about tomatoes "Katya" (photo) were written in a positive way.
Farmers indicate that the yield in real life corresponds to that indicated in the characteristic. Fruits have a neat rounded shape and rich bright red color.
Gardeners specify that when growing seedlings, special attention should be paid to hardening plants. It is necessary to take out boxes to the street before planting tomatoes in open ground.
If seedlings are grown in greenhouses, then it is necessary to raise the film or open the doors in the daytime. Thus, seedlings will gradually become accustomed to climatic conditions. After planting, these plants take root more quickly, and the acclimatization time decreases several times.
Farmers note that disease resistance is high, but late blight can actively appear in the rainy season. Therefore, all the same, it is necessary to treat the plants with special preparations.
Mistresses claim that the size of the fruit allows them to pickle whole. After opening the cans, tomatoes are also easy to get. During pickling, tomatoes do not lose their shape and have a rich taste. Tomatoes of this variety are also excellent for preparing various sauces and pastas.
Some craftsmen grow this variety on balconies or window sills. Thus, fresh fruits can be harvested even in the winter. But tomato lovers point out that the plants are quite large in height and are not always convenient for home growing.