The "countryman" tomato variety, bred by Siberian breeders, is remarkable for its adaptability to the very difficult weather conditions of medium and moderate Russian latitudes with their unpredictability and temperature differences.
This culture, unpretentious and productive, will be discussed in our article.
Tomatoes "countryman": description
Varieties and hybrids bred by Siberian breeders are in demand by domestic gardeners and gardeners, who have long tested the quality of vegetable crops marketed in the seed market. One of the best representatives of Siberian tomatoes is the "countryman" tomato - an early ripe determinant bush variety, annually pleasing with consistently high yields and intended for cultivation in open or protected by film shelters beds.
The plant is formed into a strong compact bush, reaching up to 70-75 cm in height, with medium foliage and simple inflorescences. The first is laid already after the 6-7th sheet, and the next - every 1-2 sheets. Up to 12-15 fruits are formed in the brush, medium-sized, juicy, glossy, rich red, slightly elongated, resembling a plum in shape. Their weight varies from 60 to 80 g. The crop yield is very impressive: in an open space with 1 square. m. harvest 5-8 kg of fruit, in the protected - up to 10 kg.
The palatability of this tomato is also on top: the tomatoes are sweet, juicy with excellent refreshing flesh. They are consumed fresh, all kinds of salads and snacks, and also processed into high-quality juices and sauces. In addition, the small size of the fruit is the best suited for whole-canning.
Advantages of the countryman tomato
The advantages of this variety, which gives the first fruits on the 95-100th day from the appearance of seedlings, are considered:
- The universality of a plant that is equally successfully developing in an open garden bed and in a greenhouse.
- Good yield and stable fruit production.
- High resistance to various diseases, for example, to such as macrosporiosis, cladosporiosis, etc.
- Stamina culture
- Good transportability.
In addition, the tomato does not require herding, installation of trellises and additional supports for tying.
Growing seedlings
In warmer areas, tomato (cultivar "countryman") is sown in the first decade of May. However, the cultivation of tomato in severe climatic conditions, and often in areas of risky farming, involves the use of seedling method. Seeds pretreated with a solution of a biostimulant (Zircon, Epina) or manganese are sown in a container with a loose fertile substrate, covered with glass or film and left in a warm, bright place. Sown for seedlings in mid or late March. When blooming 2-3 real leaves, the seedlings dive, that is, they are planted in separate containers. During the development period, they need to be fed with full complex fertilizers, for example, Kemira, 2-3 times, dissolving them in a concentration that is halved as indicated in the annotation to the preparations, and keeping between feeding for 2-3 weeks.
Moderate watering and providing good lighting of the location of seedlings is the key to obtaining quality plants. The duration of the seedling period should not exceed 60-65 days, since overexposure of the plant in this state can lead to inhibition of development and, as a result, slowdown of fruit formation.
Soil preparation
Tomato "countryman" prefers water- and breathable fertile weakly acidic soils, therefore, excessive soil acidity is neutralized by adding dolomite flour or lime during digging.
Before planting, the site is prepared: a week before planting, they dig it up, adding 1 sq. Km. m 10 kg of humus or high-quality sheet compost, 200 g of wood ash and 50 g of superphosphate.
Plants are planted in a permanent place at the end of May or early June, placing on 1 square. meter of 4-5 plants and withstanding intervals between them of 40-50 cm. This will help to avoid thickening of plantings and reduce the possibility of infections against its background.
Crop care
Tomato "fellow countryman" requires high-quality nutritious nutrition, since very impressive fruit formation and fruit yield deplete the culture. 7-10 days after planting the seedlings in the beds or greenhouses, the plants are fed with a complete mineral fertilizer dissolved in water, subsequently, with a periodicity of 12-15 days, the tomatoes are watered, adding 10 l of water for 1 liter of manure or green fertilizer. It is prepared as follows: in a 100-liter plastic container half-filled with water, crushed dandelion grass, nettles, dumplings, 1 kg of ash, 5-6 kg of manure, 100 g of superphosphate are added. After adding all the ingredients, the mixture should fill the barrel to the top. Insist her for about a week. One plant is enough 1.5 l of solution. Foliar top dressing with microelements is very useful for tomato. For example, a solution of boric acid (5 g / 10 l of water) stimulates fruit set, and timely spraying of flowering bushes increases productivity by 10-15%.
Pour the tomato "countryman" with warm water under the root, sprinkling is not acceptable for tomatoes. Watering should be quite moderate, and during vegetation and fruit loading - more plentiful. The best time for watering is considered morning or evening hours, when the intensity of sunlight is noticeably reduced.
Another important aspect of plant care is regular weeding and loosening of the soil. They are carried out carefully, trying not to damage the roots, which are close enough to the surface layer.
Tomato "countryman": reviews
Gardeners and gardeners cultivating this variety note a good tolerance by the culture of low air temperatures, which is very important for many Russian regions. Considered also important is the fact that the plant does not need supports and tying, and also does not require pinching. These factors, along with the high resistance of the culture to typical nightshade diseases, make it possible to grow this tomato on an industrial scale.
Tomatoes "fellow countryman", the photos of which we presented in the publication, have excellent qualities and meet the expectations of vegetable growers, presenting delicious elastic and sweet fruits by the end of the season.