I want to introduce you one of the relatively new varieties of tomatoes - tomato Yablonka of Russia. You will see reviews and photos, I admit that I didn’t grow them myself, but not so long ago, having visited my uncle, I was infected by his enthusiastic attitude to this variety. He grows it for the second year, is not going to abandon it, so it is harvested and trouble-free.
Initially, he planted seeds from the company Sedek. And this year he already grew tomatoes "Apple of Russia" from their seeds. Why am I focusing on the seed producer? I carefully read the grade specification on the packaging.
Seeds, photo:
I want to make some adjustments. The grade description on the package is not entirely correct. The originator assures that the height of the tomato bush is from 1.1 m to 1.3. But uncle has bushes that the first year, that in the second, they reached up to 2.3-2.5 m. Perhaps this is the only mismatch. But, nevertheless, the variety Yablonka of Russia is really worthy of attention. I'll try to convince you.
Tomato Yablonka of Russia - characteristics, description of the variety
These are early ripe tomatoes: the time period starting from the time of germination and ending with the collection of ripened fruits lasts about 120-140 days. It is usually called a “tomato for the lazy,” since this variety does not need any special care. It does not require regular removal of stepchildren, forming bushes. Tomatoes of this variety are characterized by high productivity, resistant to diseases, can be grown on the site, in the greenhouse.
To the list of benefits you can add the high taste characteristics of the fruit, its density (not prone to cracking), suitability for long-term storage, transportation. The number of tomatoes from one bush can reach 80-100 pieces, they are great for preserving, squeezing juice, all kinds of dishes, sauces. On a brush from 6 to 8 tomatoes are usually tied, which ripen evenly. This variety is excellent in warm climates, grown through seeds and seedlings, like all tomato crops.
Photo of tomatoes:
Tomatoes Yablonka Russia love loamy soil, organic fertilizing, sunny areas, the absence of drafts. If you make a large distance between the bushes, then the yield will be much higher. Since my uncle is a lover of experiments, he planted tomatoes quite densely on a pair of beds - no more than 30 cm between the bushes. At the same time, the number of fruits on the branches turned out to be much smaller than that of neighboring bushes growing on other ridges, where the distance between the seats was 50 and even slightly more centimeters. In these tomatoes, the fruits on the hands are large, and the side shoots (stepsons) are full ovaries (moreover, he cut off the very first stepsons). Their height reaches 2.5 meters, the fruits look great - juicy, rich red, round like balls, sweet, with a slight acidity.
The tomatoes themselves seemed to be created for conservation: even, medium-sized, there are no particularly large fruits, as well as small "peas". It is noteworthy that even now (end of August), the bushes continue an active period. It is safe to say that throughout September fresh tomatoes will be for sure. But remember, we live in the Kuban. And other regions have different terms.
The secret of such productivity is simple - uncle processes tomatoes with Bordeaux liquid, feeds them with almost fresh manure (but not overcooked) with straw bedding. The waste products of ducks, chickens, nutria, he does not lie for a long time, but rather thickly laid out between rows of beds.
Tomatoes "Apple of Russia", photo:
Growing and planting
You can pre-treat the seed with a light-boiled potassium permanganate solution or diluted with Ecosil water. Tomato seeds are sown in fertile soil around the beginning of March. After emergence, the formation of a couple of leaves, seedlings should be transplanted into separate cups. Like any varieties, it is recommended to harden the seedlings of Yablonki of Russia - somewhere in April, from time to time to take out for an hour and a half to fresh air (on the balcony or on the street, if you live in a private house).
From about the second week of May tomato seedlings can be transferred to the beds, by this time they should be about 2 months. This variety is extremely undesirable to plant in those parts of the site where potatoes or eggplant used to grow. The reason for this is the risk of infection with late blight, the rudiments of which can remain in the ground for several years. But where carrots, cabbage, legumes, onions or garlic grew, Russia’s apple can be planted calmly.
The planting process begins with digging holes, it is better to have 50-60 cm between them. To saturate the soil with nutrients, you can put a little rotted manure in each hole, then pour it and sprinkle it with earth. After this, you can deepen the tomato seedlings with an earthen lump, sprinkle with soil, squeeze a little along the edges, water well. Sometimes you can find recommendations for covering young seedlings with film or spanbond to help tomatoes adapt in a new place. You too can do this if you see fit. But, as practice shows, without these actions "Apple of Russia" also perfectly survives, bears fruit.
Tomatoes grade Yablonka of Russia - how to care?
The first feeding is best done two weeks after planting. About how my uncle feeds tomatoes, I wrote a little higher. A strong infusion of dandelions or nettles (on the water) is also a very good recharge, you can add mint or valerian with leaves, flowers to it. After preparation, such herbal infusions should be diluted with water (1 liter of infusion in 1.5 buckets of water) and used to feed the roots. They improve the growth of bushes, increase resistance to diseases, repel garden pests.
Tomatoes “Apple of Russia” respond well to fertilizer with wood ash, which is applied under the roots about once every two weeks (after the first feeding). Tomatoes are very fond of mulching, mowed grass or even weeds are well suited for these purposes. The essence of mulching is to create the necessary microclimate, to preserve moisture in the soil. Thus, all nutrients under the influence of temperature increase go straight to the root system of tomatoes.
When the bushes gain strength, begin to grow actively, they need to start tying. For these purposes, it is recommended to use strips of soft tissue or light (hemp) rope. In this variety, fruits ripen at the same time, they can be removed from the bushes, both green and ripe.
In this photo you can see the real height of the tomato bushes - at least 2.30 m (the height of the trellis is 2 m), which is much higher than that indicated on the package with seeds. Uncle planted these tomatoes in early May; note that there are still practically no dry, yellowed leaves on the bushes. The date in the photo is correct.
Due to its unpretentiousness, high yielding capacity, and disease resistance, Yablonka Russia tomatoes are a real find for summer residents - for beginners or experienced gardeners. Who planted tomato Yablonka Russia write a review, please.