Early maturing hybrid from French breeders - Alesi tomato: overview of advantages, disadvantages and features

Many European tomato crops have conquered Russian beds. This is especially true for varieties of Dutch selection that have successfully taken root in our latitudes. However, today we will talk about the French tomato, namely the Alesi hybrid.

The excellent taste and amazing color of the fruits force many gardeners to abandon the usual varieties and plant an overseas hybrid that takes root well on Russian soil. The culture is interesting for another feature - double fruiting: early and later.

Description of Alesi tomato

The f1 hybrid is the work of French breeders from the Vilmorin company. Despite the peculiarities of the Western climate, the tomato successfully takes root on the territory of the Russian Federation. Recommended for cultivation in open ground and greenhouse conditions.

Distinctive features

Indeterminate type, without height limitation reaches 2 meters or more. The stem is strong, the foliage is moderate, the leaves are dark green in color. The inflorescences are simple, the first fruiting branch is formed above 6-7 leaves. Each cluster bears 6–8 fruits.

An early ripening variety for spring and autumn rotation. When planted in March, fruiting ends at the end of July. With this growing method, it is possible to obtain a second (late) autumn harvest.

Productivity is high: up to 8 kg of fruits are harvested from 1 seedling.Fruiting is affected by the formation of the bush.

The hybrid is resistant to diseases of the nightshade family, for example: late blight, tobacco mosaic virus, verticillium and fusarium leaf wilt.

The high growth of seedlings requires mandatory staking and pinching.

Fruit characteristics

Average weight - 150–200 g, flat-round shape, rich pink-red color. The taste is excellent, sweet, with a characteristic sourness. The pulp is dense, juicy, there are few seeds. The peel is thick, but not hard and does not crack.

Ripe vegetables can be stored for several months and can withstand transportation over any distance, perfectly maintaining their presentation.

Universal use in cooking. Tomatoes are consumed fresh, added to various winter preparations and processed for the preparation of juices, ketchups, lecho, adjika, pasta.

The photo shows Alesi tomatoes.

How to grow seedlings

Like any other tomato crop, this hybrid is grown in the Russian climate through seedlings. You won’t be able to prepare the seeds yourself, so you will have to buy them for each planting.

Reference! Hybrid crops do not inherit genetic traits into the next generation.

Preparing seeds, containers and soil

Purchased seed material does not require disinfection, since the manufacturer carries out the necessary preparation himself. To increase the percentage of germination, the grains are soaked in a growth stimulator for 10 hours. For this, they use not only specialized means (“Epin”, “Zircon”), but also folk methods. These methods include:

• melt water - obtained from melted snow or ice and heated to room temperature. The seed material is kept for 10 hours;
• potato juice - the vegetable is frozen, then completely thawed, finely chopped and passed through a garlic press. The seeds are placed in this juice for 9-10 hours;
• honey solution - 1 teaspoon of honey is dissolved in a glass of warm water. The seeds are kept in the solution for 5-6 hours.

Reference! Potato juice is rich in biologically active substances, and the honey solution serves as an additional disinfectant.

Any container for planting is suitable: a common wooden box or individual plastic cups and peat pots. Planting containers must be treated with a dark-colored manganese solution to destroy pathogenic spores. Then small drainage holes are made at the bottom of each container to drain excess moisture.

The hybrid is demanding on the soil, namely its acidity. At the initial stage, slightly acidic or neutral soil is suitable. Therefore, the best option for planting is soil purchased from a specialized store. The further development of seedlings and fruiting depend on the soil composition.

Reference! Litmus paper will help determine the acidity of the soil. A little earth is dissolved in a glass of water, and an indicator is lowered into the resulting mixture. Red color indicates high acidity (pH less than 4.0). A yellow color indicates weak values ​​(pH 5.5–6.5), and in neutral soil the indicator will show a weak green color (pH 6.5–7.5).

The optimal acidity levels for tomato cultivation are pH 5.5–6.5.

Sowing

The prepared soil is laid out in containers and the seeds are buried 1.5 cm. Sprinkled with soil on top, slightly moistened with warm, settled water from a spray bottle and covered with film. By creating a greenhouse effect, the seeds will sprout faster.The containers are left in a warm room at a temperature of +24 °C.

Seedling care

When seedlings appear, the containers are placed on the windowsill. Daylight hours for seedlings should be at least 13 hours. If there is insufficient sunlight, the seedlings will lag behind in development, so in this case it is worth taking care of additional lighting.

Water the crop with moderately warm, settled water from a shallow watering can. There is no need to over-water the seedlings: young roots may rot. In addition, excess fluid provokes the development of fungal diseases.

After watering, the soil is loosened superficially without causing harm to the root system. This procedure improves the breathability of the soil.

When 2 true leaves appear, the seedlings are picked and placed in separate cups. In a common container, the distance between seedlings is increased to 15 cm. During picking, only strong and healthy plants that are able to survive and bear fruit in open ground are left.

2 weeks before transplantation, young bushes are hardened off by taking them out into the open air during the daytime. You need to choose a windless day, without drafts. The duration of stay on the street is at first no more than 1 hour, then up to 10 hours.

How to grow tomatoes

Before planting seedlings in the ground, you should take care of the composition of the soil. The soil for tomatoes should not only be nutritious and fertile, but also not exceed the permissible acidity. As mentioned earlier, this indicator is checked using litmus paper.

Reference! Plants growing on the site will help determine acidity no worse than a specialized indicator.Sedge, sorrel and cornflower love acidic soil; clover, burdock and coltsfoot take root in slightly acidic soil, and nettle and quinoa occupy fertile soil.

Landing

A complex of mineral fertilizers is added to the soil, dug up and holes made no more than 20 cm deep.

By the time of transplanting into the ground, the first flower cluster is formed on the bushes. This is an indicator of the readiness of seedlings for planting in a permanent place.

Choose a cloudy day for planting or replant in the evening to protect the bushes from sunlight. Planted in holes together with a lump of earth, compacted and watered with warm, settled water. Then the seedlings are left to adapt to the new location.

Per 1 m2 no more than 3 plants are placed in a checkerboard pattern. This method of planting allows everyone to receive the necessary amount of light.

Further care

Tomatoes are not demanding when it comes to watering. Moisten the soil moderately, without flooding, as the top layer of soil dries out. After watering, the soil is loosened for better oxygen penetration. To keep the beds moist longer, they are mulched with straw or sawdust. Mulch also serves as a barrier to pests from entering the beds.

The best option glaze - drip. To do this, place a plastic bottle without a bottom in the root zone and fill it with water. The liquid gradually penetrates the soil, evenly nourishing the roots. With this method of irrigation, the humidity level in the beds will always be within normal limits.

They feed plant at least 3 times throughout the entire season. The fertilizer is a complete complex of minerals. During the flowering period, fertilizing containing phosphorus is important, and at the time of fruiting, potassium substances are added.

To strengthen the roots, 10 days after transplantation, the seedlings are watered with double the rate of phosphorus fertilizers. If necessary, the procedure is repeated after 2 weeks.

Features of care and possible difficulties

Formation should be given special attention, since this indicator affects the fruiting of the crop. When a bush is formed with 1 stem, the harvest will be early, and the fruits will be large, at least 300 g. When grown with 2 stems, the fruits will be smaller, no more than 250 g, but there will be much more ovaries compared to the first option. When breeding a hybrid for sale, the bush is grown in 2 stems.

Stepsons plants regularly to prevent overcrowding of plantings. In addition, the development of unnecessary side shoots takes away many useful substances necessary for the formation of fruits.

When transplanting, a wooden or metal support is installed next to each bush to secure the stem and fruitful branches.. If the plant is not secured, the stem may fail. Fruitful branches will begin to spread along the ground under the weight, and the fruits may rot if they come into contact with wet beds.

Diseases and pests

Despite its high resistance to diseases, the hybrid needs preventive measures. Moreover, as a rule, many other crops grow on the plots that can spread infections.

To prevent the development of diseases, before planting, tomato beds are watered with copper sulfate, which destroys fungal spores. The plants themselves are sprayed with non-toxic biological agents, for example: “Fitosporin”, “Gamair” or “Phytocid”.

Reference! "Fitosporin" is used not only for preventive purposes - it is used to combat many fungal infections (late blight, root rot, Alternaria and Fusarium). In addition, the product strengthens plant immunity.

Good prevention is loosening, hilling and mulching beds. Moderate watering with controlled humidity levels prevents the development of bacteria.

A greenhouse pest, the spider mite, is dangerous because it is not always noticed in time. Since it spreads too quickly, a large number of plantings are affected. Therefore, closed structures are ventilated daily without creating a draft.

The Colorado potato beetle is collected by hand, carefully inspecting each seedling from all sides. When there is a large concentration of insects, use the insecticide "Prestige".

A soap solution (1 piece of laundry soap per bucket of water), which is used to treat plant stems, protects against aphids. Spraying with an infusion of onion peels or nettles helps against many pests. To do this, add 2 liters of hot water to 1 liter of onion peel, and leave the mixture for 2 days.

Growing in open ground and greenhouse

If you pinch the top of the seedling after the formation of the 6th fruitful branch, then the plant will spend all its energy on the formation of existing ovaries, and not on further growth. This technique is used if the crop is grown for a short period, that is, when the harvest is expected to be completed before the end of July.

If the crop is grown throughout the season, then 7-8 fruitful branches are left. This will significantly increase the fruiting time, but the tomatoes will be smaller.

If there is high acidity, dolomite flour or slaked lime must be added to the soil.Otherwise, the hybrid will not survive in an acidic environment.

Tomatoes should be planted in those beds where cabbage, celery, onions or legumes previously grew.. After these crops, the soil is saturated with nitrogen, necessary for the full development of any nightshade. According to the rules of crop rotation, it is not recommended to plant a tomato twice in the same place: as the vegetable grows, it draws all the nutrients from the soil and the soil is severely depleted after it.

Harvesting and application

When breeding a hybrid for sale, vegetables are harvested in a state of milky ripeness. Unripe tomatoes last longer and withstand transportation well. They are able to ripen on their own without losing their taste. In addition, an unloaded bush ensures faster ripening of other fruits.

For personal use, tomatoes are allowed to ripen completely, using them in the preparation of various dishes, cuts and freshly squeezed juices. Tomatoes look great in whole-fruit canning and do not lose their taste in pickles and marinades. They are processed into tomato products, making juices, adjika, pastes and sauces.

Advantages and disadvantages

Among the positive qualities of culture are:

• possibility of double circulation;
• high fruiting rate;
• disease resistance;
• simple agricultural technology;
• survival in any climate;
• drought resistance;
• excellent taste of fruits;
• uniform ripening;
• long shelf life;
• versatility in application;
• safety during long-term transportation.

The main disadvantage of the hybrid is its dependence on the composition of the soil. This also includes the mandatory formation, pinching and staking of plants.

Farmer reviews

Gardeners quickly appreciated the crop for its maximum output and the ability to harvest excellent fruits twice:

Mikhail, Moscow: «Very good hybrid for sale. Vegetables ripen quickly, are stored for a long time, and can be transported far. Since immunity is stable, you don’t have to worry about various diseases and negative natural factors.”

Vera, Volgograd: “I’ve been planting the hybrid for several years. The taste is excellent, keeping quality is good. The variety is resistant to diseases. The vegetables do not crack and are of excellent pink color. The only negative is that I can’t collect the seeds myself. But as long as the price is affordable, I’ll buy it.”

Conclusion

Tomato Alesi f1 has absorbed the most worthy characteristics: unpretentiousness in care, resistance to major diseases (late blight, fusarium, tobacco mosaic and verticillium), high fruiting rate (from 1 m2 to 20 kg of fruit).

The hybrid easily takes root in any climate. Its main advantage is the ability to bear fruit twice. Vegetables are suitable not only for home use, but also for profitable sale, since they do not lose their presentation during transportation and are able to ripen on their own.