Hybrid tomato "Berberana": advantages and disadvantages of the species, step-by-step methods for growing it

The Berberana tomato is a young Dutch hybrid that has already conquered Russian vegetable growers. This is a high-yielding tomato, resistant to many dangerous diseases, well adapted to high temperatures, and can take root in any region. Trustworthy reviews and colorful photographs complement the positive characteristics of the culture.

Let's study the features and characteristics of the hybrid, the rules for growing it in protected ground.

Characteristics and description of tomato

Berberana - developed by Dutch breeders of an international company Enza Zaden. This is not the first crop of the company that Russian tomato lovers have appreciated. She intended for breeding only in greenhouses: in amateur and industrial.

Distinctive features

The bush is indeterminate, spreading, 1.5-1.8 m high. The foliage is medium, the leaves are dark green.

An early-ripening hybrid, 95-100 days pass from the moment of germination to full maturity.

Productivity is high, from 1 sq. m, 8-13 kg of fruits are collected, provided that 3 seedlings are planted per 1 sq. m. m. Ovaries are formed under any weather conditions, even unfavorable ones.

The hybrid is well adapted to high temperatures, which is important if the crop is grown in greenhouse conditions.

It has increased resistance to many diseases of the nightshade family, such as tobacco mosaic, cladosporiosis, fusarium, bronze spot, verticillium wilt.

Reference. The hybrid genes contain immunity to diseases of viral and fungal etiology.

Culture needs obligatory stepsoning and tying up tall plants.

Fruit characteristics

The average weight of one fruit is 210-260 g. The shape is round, slightly flattened. The color is bright red, the taste is excellent, sweet with pleasant fruity notes, the flesh is juicy. The skin is dense, there are 4-6 seed chambers.

The purpose of ripe vegetables is universal. They are great for fresh consumption and do not lose their taste when processed into winter preparations.

Can be stored for 4 weeks without loss of external and taste properties. They withstand long-term transportation well.

The photo shows F1 Berberan tomatoes.

How to grow seedlings

Sowing of seeds begins at the end of February or beginning of March. The tomato is a hybrid, which means you have to prepare it yourself seeds It won't work for landing. You will have to buy them every time.

Reference. Hybrids do not retain parental properties in subsequent generations.

Seed preparation

As a rule, purchased planting material does not need disinfection. The manufacturer takes care of this himself. The only thing that won’t hurt is to soak the grains in a growth stimulator to improve germination.

Reference. The most popular growth stimulants are Epin, Zircon and Kornevin.

To obtain the highest percentage of germination, the seeds must be carefully examined for external defects: they must be light in color, without bending or visible damage.

The emptiness of the grains is checked by placing them in a saline solution. To do this, dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in a glass of water and drop the seeds there. Those that have floated to the surface are not suitable for sowing.

Container and soil

The soil mixture is made from garden soil, humus and wood ash. All components are thoroughly mixed and poured with a pink solution of potassium permanganate. This is how the prepared soil is disinfected.

The preferred option for sowing containers is peat pots. Hybrid seedlings tolerate picking difficultly and painfully. After this procedure, the sprouts do not grow for a long time. When grown in peat containers, sprouts do not need picking. In addition, when transplanting into the ground seedlings placed in holes together with peat pots, which dissolve in the ground without damaging the root system of young bushes.

Planting containers are filled halfway with soil, after placing a little sawdust or small pebbles on the bottom as drainage.. As the seedlings grow, the remaining soil is added to the container. This way young plants receive more nutrients.

Sowing seeds and caring for seedlings

Seeds are sown in individual containers in grooves 1.5 cm deep. After sowing, the soil on top is leveled, compacted and slightly moistened with warm, settled water (at least 22°C). Then the containers are covered with a thin film to create a greenhouse effect and left in a warm and well-lit room at a temperature of at least 23°C.

Reference. Throughout the entire growing season from the moment the seeds are sown, the crop needs bright light.

Water the seedlings as the top layer of soil dries with a tablespoon of warm, settled water along the edge of the containers. After glaze The ground is loosened superficially with a wooden stick or an ordinary fork.

After two true leaves appear, the seedlings are fed with liquid complex fertilizer. The first feeding is mandatory to strengthen the immunity of seedlings.

2 weeks before transplanting into the ground, seedlings begin to harden. To do this, it is taken out into the open air initially for 20-40 minutes, gradually increasing the time spent on the street to several hours. During the hardening process, it is important to protect the seedlings from drafts, which are detrimental to tomatoes.

How to grow tomatoes

The seedlings are transplanted into protected soil in early or mid-May, focusing on the soil temperature, which should not be less than 15°C.

Landing

First, the soil is loosened and mixed with humus. If tomatoes were previously grown in the greenhouse, it is better to replace and disinfect the top layer of soil. This agricultural practice increases the nutritional value of the soil and reduces the likelihood of fungal infections.

Young tomatoes are transplanted into holes 15 cm deep. Before planting, place a little wood ash at the bottom of the hole.

Planting pattern: 50 cm – distance between seedlings, 55-60 cm left between rows. For 1 sq. m, 3-4 seedlings are placed in a checkerboard pattern.

This method of planting allows young plants to receive the necessary amount of light and ventilation. Sprawling bushes require a lot of space for full growth and development.

After replanting, the soil is compacted, moderately moistened, loosened and hilled. Transplanted bushes adapt to new conditions within a week.

Berberana tomato care

Tomatoes are watered regularly 2 times a week, otherwise the accumulation of excess moisture will have a detrimental effect on the root system.Water moderately, exclusively with warm, settled water, strictly at the root. Water for irrigation is heated in barrels in the sun. The culture responds well to drip irrigation.

After each watering, the soil must be loosened, removing weeds with roots. To retain moisture, the beds are mulched. In addition, mulch protects the soil from pests from the insect world. Loosening the soil promotes better penetration of oxygen to the roots, which is necessary for the full development of plants.

Tomatoes are fed once every 2 weeks with liquid fertilizers based on potassium and phosphorus or organic matter. Mullein infusion is used as organic matter in a ratio of 1:10.

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

Culture needs mandatory stepsoning. If you do not remove excess shoots, the plant will spend nutrients on the development of unnecessary branches, and not on the formation of ovaries.

The bushes are formed into 1 or 2 stems; it is with these indicators that the maximum amount of harvest is observed. If the plant grows excessively, pinch off the top of the plant.

The variety belongs to raceme tomatoes, which are usually tied to trellises. Fruitful branches are secured with soft ropes to prevent them from breaking off. Each cluster forms a large number of fruits, the weight of which the branches cannot withstand without fixation.

Diseases and pests

The hybrid is resistant to the main diseases of the nightshade family, so it is quite possible to get by with the usual preventive measures: moderate watering with control of soil moisture, systematic loosening of the soil to remove weeds and regular ventilation of protected structures.

It is also possible to spray plants with decoctions of onion peels, garlic and burdock. Such preventive measures not only prevent the spread of infections, but also protect the bushes from pest attacks. Spider mites are especially dangerous in a greenhouse, as they love greenhouse conditions, which are considered their habitat.

Mulching beds with straw or fish heads buried in the ground and crushed cloves of garlic helps against mole crickets. The mole cricket senses unpleasant odors from afar and tries to avoid them.

Treating the stem with a soap solution helps against aphids. If there are a lot of aphids, the whole plant is sprayed. The soap solution also protects against slug invasion.

Mustard bushes planted next to tomatoes can protect you from the Colorado potato beetle. The beetle is dangerous because its larvae, which the females leave on the inside of the leaves, also feed on the tomato crop. Therefore, when inspecting plants for pests, inspect the leaves on both sides.

The nuances of growing crops in different regions

Tomatoes are intended for cultivation in any greenhouses, regardless of their size and coverage. The culture develops well in glazed, polycarbonate, film greenhouses. It is completely unsuitable for open ground, even in the warmest regions.

In regions with a warm climate, tomatoes are planted under film shelters; in cold areas, they are bred in glass greenhouses with additional heating.

To prevent the development of fungal spores, protected structures must be ventilated without creating drafts. A regular flow of fresh air destroys the pathogenic environment and makes conditions in the greenhouse less favorable for insect pests.

Important. To mark the growing point of tall plants, pinch the crown.In such cases, plants spend nutrients on the formation of fruits, and not on further growth of the stem.

Harvesting and application

Depending on climatic conditions, fruit ripening varies in different regions. The average time is 95-100 days, but in cold areas the harvest starts a little later.

Ripening is uniform, in whole clusters, which greatly simplifies collection. It is not necessary to wait for vegetables to fully ripen; they are quite capable of ripening on their own at room temperature.

The purpose of the fruit is universal. They look great in summer salads and perfectly complement any vegetable and meat dishes.

They do not lose their taste in pickles, marinades, and preserves. They are used for processing into tomato products: juices, ketchups, adjika, pastes.

Ripe vegetables can be stored for 4 weeks without loss of taste. They perfectly withstand long-term transportation, maintaining their presentation.

Advantages and disadvantages

Positive qualities of the Dutch tomato:

• high resistance to diseases;
• high fruiting rate;
• ease of care;
• excellent adaptation to high temperatures;
• excellent taste of fruits;
• amicable maturation;
• versatility in cooking;
• long-term maturation;
• long transportations.

Some negative sides:

• the possibility of breeding only in protected structures;
• Garter required;
• stepsoning required;
• the impossibility of independently selecting seeds for the next planting.

Farmer reviews

Gardeners leave positive reviews about the taste of ripe vegetables. With proper care, they grow sweet, juicy, with pleasant fruity notes.Often, lovers of Dutch selection breed two tomato hybrids on their plots - Mahitos and Berberana - to understand which is better. These hybrids have similar growing conditions and fruiting characteristics. The main difference between Mahitos: in warm regions it is transplanted from greenhouses to open beds, and a double harvest is collected.

Reviews from gardeners about Dutch culture:

Ekaterina, Kislovodsk: “I plant two tomatoes at once, Mahitos and Berberana. The first one is more capricious, requires more light, but in general it is easy to care for. Both types have excellent taste, excellent fruiting, and versatile vegetables. I tie him up, feed him, and feed him. I grow both tomatoes only under film cover. Dutch varieties are the best. It's a pity that you have to buy seeds every time. It's good that the price is affordable."

Stepan, Yaroslavl: “The yield is excellent. True, there were some minor difficulties in the process. The brushes hung down to the ground, so we had to install additional supports. The tomatoes were large, weighing up to 400 g. Very tasty and aromatic. Doesn’t get sick and doesn’t require much trouble.”

Conclusion

Dutch cultures have successfully taken root in Russian regions. They are appreciated and enjoyed by summer residents on their plots, despite some difficulties that arise during the growing season.

The Berberan hybrid is highly resistant to dangerous diseases, productive, unpretentious in care, capable of producing magnificent fruits, suitable not only for fresh salads, but also for winter preparations.