Spring is the tomato season. With the onset of the first fine days, each housewife takes out tiny seeds from treasured sachets and begins to sculpt her future crop. Of course, a lot depends on how light the hand is, laying tiny grains in the soil. However, no one will argue that in fact the size of the crop is directly dependent on the correct selection of seeds. In addition, any summer resident wants to eat fresh tomatoes at least from the middle of summer, and as a maximum - before the onset of winter. The tomato Boni-MM, reviews about which this variety was raised almost to the pedestal of tomato fame, appeared on the market relatively recently, but has already managed to conquer a whole army of fans. What are the features of this variety? We will try to tell about it right now.
Grade description
Tomato Boni-MM (Gavrish) in terms of external characteristics is not much different from its closest relatives. A distinctive feature of this particular plant is the small height of the bush. Imagine that the maximum "growth" of this tomato is only 45 cm! Nevertheless, the size of the leaves and the thickness of the stems of this plant allow for normal filling of the fruits and their ripening, as they say, on the vine.
Tomati Boni-MM (reviews, photos you can see later) has a weakly branched and strong bush, which allows you to grow it without using any kind of supports or garter. Plants of this variety are determinant, that is, with limited growth. Due to this, there is no need to carry out stepsoning or regulate the growth of new branches and shoots.
The Boni-MM tomato itself, more precisely, its fruit, has a bright red color, its shape is flat-round, slightly ribbed. The maximum weight of one tomato is about 100 g, but in most cases summer residents collect medium-sized tomatoes - not more than 80 g. The pulp of the fruits is dense, juicy, and the seed chambers are small.
Grade Features
To begin with, I would like to say that the Boni-MM tomato variety is intended for growing not only under film shelters, but also in open ground. Their ripening period is only 85 days from the moment of emergence of seedlings. That is why the culture, with the seedling method of growing, manages to give most of the crop before a thunderstorm of all tomatoes - late blight appears on the site.
The tomato Boni-MM, according to many gardeners, can be planted directly in the ground since mid-May. In this case, the crop can be obtained by the beginning of August, when other tomatoes are just beginning to "gain weight". Note that all this can be achieved without a greenhouse or a film tunnel! Also, this variety is suitable for growing in a container on the balcony.
We sow seedlings: sowing dates
When to plant Boni-MM tomato seedlings ? Reviews of this variety indicate that the specific timing depends on how early the gardener wants to receive the first ripe fruits. In order to begin the mass collection of ripe tomatoes already in early June, sowing must be done in early March. For the northern regions of Russia, sowing seedlings of these tomatoes in the last third of March, with subsequent planting of young plants under a film cover, is more suitable.
By the way, Boni-MM tomato, the description of which was described above, can be grown in a seedlingless way, that is, by direct sowing of seeds in the ground. This is best done at a time when there is no risk of freezing frost, and the soil is warm enough. The age of seedlings at the time of planting in the soil should be at least 30 days.
Pick
Despite the rapid growth and early readiness to bear fruit, the Boni-MM tomato, the photo of which you probably examined in sufficient detail, needs to be picked. The fact is that it is this procedure that allows you to stimulate the growth of additional root mass. Thanks to this, an enhanced nutrition of the plant occurs.
Spike after the appearance of the first true leaves in seedlings. Many gardeners believe that damage to the roots can harm tomatoes, but this is not entirely true. It is proved that the shortening of the central root stimulates the formation of many lateral root processes. Therefore, when picking, you need to carefully pinch the longest spine by about a third. For better plant survival, you can powder the roots with any root stimulant, for example, the Kornevin preparation.
After the dive, special attention should be paid to lighting, temperature and humidity both in the room and in the soil. A lack of light, as well as an excess of moisture, can provoke stretching of seedlings. Elevated temperatures also negatively affect tomato growth.
Choose a place for planting tomatoes Bonnie-MM
So, let's move on to choosing a place to land. Where to place the tomato Boni-MM? Responses of summer residents, as well as the claims of scientists, suggest that this culture needs sunlight throughout the day. Therefore, you should not build a garden for it on the north side of buildings or next to tall plants. The place should be open not only to the sun, but also to air currents.
The soil should be loose and water-absorbing, contain all the necessary nutrients. Pure organic matter (manure or plant debris) for tomatoes is not recommended to be laid. It is best to refuel the soil with organics in the season prior to planting.
Care for tomatoes Boni-MM
The Boni-MM tomato variety, reviews of which testify to its early entry into fruiting, need careful care. In the first week after transplanting seedlings into the soil, it is recommended to keep the soil moist. This will allow the roots of the plant to take root quickly. In addition, it is important to keep the garden clean, that is, constantly remove weeds that can take a significant part of moisture and nutrients from seedlings.
After the plants settle in the garden and start growing, watering is done 2-3 times a week. Once every two weeks it is combined with top dressing with the use of special complex fertilizers for tomatoes or infusion of herbs and manure (infusions should be well fermented!). After each watering, it is recommended to carefully loosen the soil around the bushes for air to reach the roots.
What else does Boni-MM tomato need? The cultivation of this variety, as mentioned above, does not require actions such as the formation of the plant from the summer resident. This means that you do not have to remove stepsons or tie the bush to the support. A tomato stem of this variety is capable of holding a large number of poured fruits. Nevertheless, at the time of their ripening, it is recommended to cover the garden bed with a thick layer of mulch. Firstly, this will allow you not to worry about the bed drying out. Secondly, even stalks with fruits that have fallen to the soil level will be clean, and they will not be affected by rot.
It is also necessary to remove leaves growing below the fruit brushes. This will allow nutrients to be distributed more rationally. For the normal process of photosynthesis, the upper leaves on the plant are quite enough. The lower ones can attract too many nutrients that the fruits need at the time of growth.
Pests and diseases
The Boni-MM tomato (see the description of the variety above) is practically not affected by diseases typical of this species. This is due to the fact that the terms of its active growth and fruiting do not coincide with the timing of the flight of pests and the emergence of such a disease dangerous for tomatoes as late blight.
The only things gardeners can face when growing this variety are slugs, a bear and a wireworm, which can damage plant roots and poured fruits. To avoid crop loss, it is important to carry out appropriate tillage and use other pest control methods.
Grade Advantages
What characteristics of a tomato of Boni-MM variety can be attributed to its unconditional advantages? Firstly, this is a short time between planting seedlings and full yield. According to gardeners, the collection of fruits of this variety lasts no more than two weeks. This reduces the time that often has to be spent on caring for the bushes between two waves of fruiting. The same factor can be used to increase the productivity of each square meter of a summer cottage. After harvesting and removing plants in the released beds, you can sow green crops, radishes and much more. In addition, the indisputable advantage of the variety is the low demands of the plant for nutrients and weather conditions: even in cold and wet summers, the yield of Boni-MM tomato exceeds average values.
Variety disadvantages
Despite the greater number of advantages, consumers in their reviews point out some of the shortcomings of Boni-MM tomatoes. Among them, one can note a small, compared with tall and indeterminate varieties, tomato crop per square meter. Nevertheless, this fact is not significant, because from one bush you can collect up to 2 kg of full fruits.
What to look for when growing
Consider several aspects that can affect the growth and development of culture, and hence the number of fruits. The first thing to consider when planting it is the layout of plants in the garden. Since the bushes are small and not very branched, they need a little space for full growth. Ideally, the distance between plants in a row should be at least 30 cm, and between rows - 50 cm. The average number of bushes per square meter should not exceed 9. With this planting scheme, the tomatoes will be provided with a normal amount of moisture and nutrition. In addition, the air flows between them will pass freely, which will positively affect pollination and, as a result, productivity.
When planting a Boni-MM tomato in a seedlingless way (in late April - early May), it will be necessary to build a film shelter in the form of a tunnel over the garden. After the appearance of two real leaves on plants, shelter can be left only during a period of high probability of frost.
At the beginning of fruit growth, tomato bushes can be slightly spudded so that additional roots form on the lower part of the stem. To accelerate ripening, some gardeners use a technique such as splitting the stem. It consists in the fact that the lower part of the tomato stem is cut along, and a smooth wooden stick or other object is inserted into the incision, which does not allow the stem to grow together. This technique reduces the ripening time of the fruit by several days.
The use of Boni-MM tomatoes in cooking
How to use and what does Boni-MM tomato taste like? Customer reviews say that the taste and density of fruits allow this variety to be classified as universal (although the seed producer refers it to salad varieties). From ripe fruits, salads, a variety of canned preparations and pickles can be prepared. They also make excellent tomato juice and a variety of sauces. Tomatoes can be used to season soups and other hot dishes and to make pizza.