Features of cultivation and description of the broccoli variety “Tonus”

Tonus is a long-known variety of broccoli that does not lose popularity among gardeners despite the emergence of new hybrids and varieties. It has minimal requirements for care and is not prone to flowering, produces a bountiful harvest several times a season and is characterized by a pleasant taste and juiciness of the heads and stems.

Description of broccoli cabbage Tonus

Domestic breeders brought out the tone. It is suitable for growing through seedlings or from seeds by sowing in open ground.

Breeding history

The tone was the result of the work of Russian breeders at the All-Russian Research Institute for Selection and Seed Production of Vegetable Crops.

An application for registration of the variety was submitted in 1983, and in 1986 it was included in the State Register of Russia.

Chemical composition, trace elements and vitamins, beneficial properties

100 g of Tonus cabbage contains:

• selenium – 2.5 mcg;
• potassium – 316 mg;
• calcium – 47 mg;
• iron – 0.7 mg;
• phosphorus – 66 mg;
• magnesium – 21 mg;
• ascorbic acid – 89.2 mg;
• vitamin A – 31 mcg;
• B1 – 0.1 mg;
• B2 – 0.1 mg;
• B9 – 63 mcg;
• E – 0.8 mg.

Regular consumption of this vegetable prevents the accumulation of cholesterol and stagnation of bile, improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system, and helps prevent heart attacks and strokes. Broccoli is healthy for gout, has a mild laxative effect.

Features of application

Broccoli Tonus is consumed fresh, frozen, added to vegetable salads, omelettes and soups, pickled, fried, stewed, steamed.This variety is suitable for canning and preparing winter snacks.

Boiled, pureed inflorescences are an ideal complementary food for infants.

Ripening time and yield

This is an early ripening variety: the duration of the growing season after the emergence of seedlings until the onset of technical maturity is 60-89 days.

Commercial yield is 0.8-1.5 kg per 1 m².

Reference. The crop is harvested up to 3 times per season.

Resistance to diseases and pests

Broccoli Tonus can be affected by the following pests and diseases:

• aphid;
• fly larvae;
• flea beetles;
• white moths and cutworms;
• slugs and snails;
• blackleg;
• underwear;
• powdery mildew;
• white rot;
• mosaic.

Cold resistance

Tonus tolerates a drop in air temperature to –7°C, but the optimal temperature for its growth and development is +16…+20°C.

Reference. At low temperatures, the heads acquire a brown tint.

Characteristics, description of appearance, taste

The plant is a small bush, the stems of which reach a maximum length of 60-90 mm. The leaves are dark green, small, entire, with petioles, slightly wrinkled, have a truncated ovoid shape and slightly wavy edges, covered with a bluish-gray waxy coating of medium intensity. The length of the leaf plate is 9-14 cm, width is 7-10 cm.

The heads are dark green, flat-round, medium density, large (height - 8-10 cm, average weight - 162-200 g).

Tonus blooms in the first year of the growing season. During this period, small yellowish flowers appear on the plant, in place of which, after flowering, fruits with seeds are formed.

The cabbage is juicy and has a pleasant, delicious taste with a slight bitterness.

Reference. The taste of raw inflorescences and petioles is reminiscent of asparagus.

Growing regions and climate requirements

Due to its unpretentiousness to climatic conditions, Tonus cabbage is suitable for cultivation in all regions.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The main advantages of Tonus:

• excellent taste and rich chemical composition;
• early and friendly maturation;
• rapid regrowth of axillary heads after cutting off the main one;
• possibility of universal use;
• formation of inflorescences even with a sharp drop in air temperature;
• high productivity;
• good transportability.

Disadvantages of the variety:

• release of sulfur and unpleasant odor due to excessive heat treatment;
• short shelf life;
• the appearance of a brown tint during prolonged frosts;
• rapid flowering of buds with lack of watering and intense solar radiation;
• tendency to bloom.

Difference from other varieties and hybrids

Comparison of Tonus with other varieties and hybrids of broccoli in the table:

Features of planting and growing

Tone grow by seedling method, by sowing seeds under temporary shelter or directly into open ground.

Preparing for landing

To plant Tonus, choose a sunny place, protected from cold and gusty winds. In the fall, the site is dug up and fertilized with compost and mineral fertilizers at the rate of 5 kg per 1 m².

If the seeds purchased in a specialized store are covered with a colored shell, no additional processing is required. Before sowing, untreated or self-collected planting material is immersed in hot (+48...+50°C) water for 5 minutes.

Non-seedling planting and growing from seeds

Seeds for seedlings are sown 35-40 days before transplanting the plants into the ground. Prepare containers for sowing 5-7 cm deep with drainage holes in advance and fill them with a nutrient substrate: a mixture of 1 part turf soil, 2 parts humus and a quarter of sand with the addition of ash and complex fertilizer, for example, “Fertiki Lux”. Sowing is carried out according to the 1×3 cm scheme, deepening the planting material by 1 cm.

Reference. In the case of preliminary germination, seedlings appear in 2-3 days, when sowing dry seeds - in a week.

After the emergence of seedlings, containers with seedlings are removed to the most illuminated and cool place - with an air temperature no higher than +15°C. When 1 true leaf is formed on the plants, the cabbage is planted in individual containers.

7-10 days before transplanting the seedlings into the ground, they begin to harden it and accustom it to the sun. To do this, containers with plants are taken outside first for 1-2 hours, and then for the whole day.

When growing without seedlings, seeds are sown in the ground in May - June according to a 50x50 cm pattern, placing 3-5 seeds in one planting hole.

In the case of planting in open ground, the seeds are sown densely, and when the seedlings begin to crowd each other, the strongest plant is selected and the rest are pinched.

To protect young plants from drying out, frost and pests, covering material is used. The most convenient option is agrofibre on the arcs.

Soil requirements

The Tonus variety prefers nutritious soil with aeration, moisture permeability and weak or neutral acidity.

Dates, scheme and rules of planting

The seedlings are transplanted into the ground when 3-4 leaves are formed on it. In central Russia this is approximately May 10-15.

Landing algorithm:

1. Form rows in the selected area at a distance of 35-40 cm from each other.
2. Every 45-50 cm, dig planting holes in them, the depth of which corresponds to the size of the roots of the seedlings.
3. Fill the wells with water with the addition of Fertika Lux or BioHumus (1 tablespoon or 30 ml per 10 liters of water, respectively). This promotes better survival of seedlings.
4. After absorbing the water, remove the plants from the containers, place them in planting holes and cover them with soil.
5. Water each bush at the root with clean water.
6. Mulch the soil in the beds with cut grass or straw.

Nuances of outdoor care

Immediately after planting, the plants are watered once every 7 days. When the air warms up to +25°C and above, the frequency of watering is increased to 2-3 times a week.

Reference. Cabbage is watered in the evening at the root, and the foliage is sprayed.

Fertilizers are applied according to the following scheme:

• 2 weeks after planting the seedlings in the ground - mullein solution (1 tbsp per 10 liters of water + 1 tsp urea);
• after 2-3 weeks - a solution of nitrate (2-3 tablespoons per bucket of water);
• August – potassium-phosphorus fertilizers (“Nitrophoska”, “Autumn”);
• after harvesting - fertilize the side branches (10 g of saltpeter, 20 g of phosphate, 30 g of potassium per 10 liters of water).

Before wintering, apply 1 tbsp for every 1 m² of land. l. ash.

Disease and pest control

Diseases and pests dangerous to Tonus are presented in the table.

Difficulties in growing

Cultivating Tone can be fraught with some difficulties:

• heads do not form - the plants did not have enough moisture;
• the heads are small and bloom quickly - insufficient watering during the formation of inflorescences;
• the heads become brown - prolonged exposure to low temperatures.

Harvest and storage

Broccoli heads are cut off before they bloom.Soft flowers ready to open indicate that it is time to harvest.

How and when to collect

When growing Tonus by seedlings in central Russia, the harvest is harvested from the end of June until the onset of frost.

The heads are cut off with a sharp knife, leaving a stalk 5-7 cm long.

Storage Features

The harvested crop is eaten or processed as quickly as possible. Broccoli heads packed in paper or film are stored in the refrigerator for no longer than 5-7 days.

Tips and reviews from experienced gardeners

Farmers recommend:

• follow the rules of crop rotation and plant Tonus after potatoes, onions, carrots, pumpkin, legumes and grain crops;
• regularly water the plantings, otherwise the harvest will be meager and of poor quality;
• Be sure to add lime or nitrogen to the soil if its acidity is high, otherwise the plants will grow slowly and get sick.

Most reviews about Tonus broccoli are positive.

Irina, Moscow region: “We plant broccoli every year. Usually several different varieties, including Tonus. Our family liked it because it ripens quite early, and it can be harvested several times a season. True, after the first cutting, the heads form small, but quickly.”

Valentina, Bryansk: “We plant Tonus more often than other varieties of broccoli. I like it because it does not require special care, and it yields 2-3 times. The first heads grow about 15 cm, small ones form from the stepsons, but even in late autumn there is fresh cabbage on the table.”

Conclusion

Broccoli Tonus has many positive characteristics: intensive regrowth of axillary heads, excellent taste, benefit, early and friendly ripening, high yield and good transportability.At the same time, the variety does not require care, so even novice gardeners can cope with its cultivation.