Ideal for greenhouses, early ripening and high-yielding tomato “Blagovest”: how to grow it correctly

The Blagovest tomato is considered one of the best greenhouse varieties due to its high yield and resistance to a number of diseases affecting the nightshade family.

The excellent appearance of the fruits and their ability to be transported for a long time allows the harvest to be transported to any retail outlets without loss of presentation. Another big advantage is its early maturity. Read about these and other features of tomatoes with photos in our article.

Characteristics and description of the variety

The tomato variety Blagovest was bred by domestic scientists. This is one of the best examples of a tomato crop for indoor soil.

In 1994, the Gavrish agricultural company applied for registration in the State Register of the Blagovest breeding species. And in the next 15 years, his F1 hybrid will become the company's calling card.

The main difference between the F1 hybrid and the variety is its high yield: up to 6.5 kg per bush with a ripening period of 95 days.

The variety has an advantage over the hybrid in that it is able to transmit genetic data through seeds, while Blagovest F1 does not have such an ability.

The species belongs to determinant, despite the fact that the bushes grow up to 1.8 meters. This height requires a mandatory garter. Not only the bush is tied up, but also the clusters with fruits. One cluster bears up to eight fruits.

The leaves are grayish-green in color, medium in size, and have a regular shape.

The culture is early ripening.From planting seeds to ripening of fruits, 100-107 days pass.

The variety is resistant to tobacco mosaic virus and late blight. It has increased resistance to insect pests: spider mites, Colorado potato beetles, wireworms, mole crickets.

The shape of the vegetable is round, the color of unripe tomatoes is white-green, while ripe ones have a pronounced bright red hue. The average weight of a tomato is 100-120 g, but this weight is not the maximum and can increase to 150 g.

Productivity is up to 5 kg per bush, and 16-17 kg per 1 sq. m.

The purpose of vegetables is universal: from fresh use to marinades, pickling and preparation of tomato products.

The presentation is excellent. Fresh tomatoes can be stored for a long time.

Tomato varieties similar to Blagovest are distinguished based on characteristics such as high fruiting rates and early ripening of fruits. High-yielding varieties include: King of the Market, Stolypin and Lentyayka. Early maturing crops are Fat Jack, Baron and Dubrava. And species such as Evpator and Verlioka were bred by the same agricultural company "Gavrish", which is the creator of Blagovest.

How to grow seedlings

The timing of planting seeds is affected by the weather conditions of the region. The optimal age of seedlings is 1.5 months. Before sowing seeds they check for germination in a saline solution - those that float are unsuitable for cultivation.

Seeds are placed in wooden boxes filled with nutrient soil to a depth of 1.5 cm with a distance of 5 cm between them. The soil mixture is prepared by combining humus and turf soil in equal proportions. You can also add some sawdust or peat here.

To disinfect the soil, water it with boiling water. After 2 weeks, the soil is ready for sowing. During this time, bacteria beneficial to the plant have time to multiply.

Advice. Before sowing, it is recommended to soak the seeds in warm water for a day.

The Fitosporin solution stimulates the germination of seed material. Add 1 drop of the drug to 100 ml of water and leave the seeds for 2 hours.

At the end of planting, the seeds are sprinkled with earth, watered with warm water and the containers are covered with glass or film.

Important! For the first 7 days, the seedlings are kept in the dark.

When shoots appear, the covering material is removed from the boxes. At an air temperature of 25-30 degrees Celsius, the first shoots will appear in a few days. After 2-4 leaves appear, the seedlings are planted in separate containers with a volume of at least 500 g. From this point on, care consists of watering and monitoring the seedlings.

The soil should not dry out, but there is no need to over-moisten it either. Seedlings need at least 12 hours of daylight. To do this, the seedlings are transferred to a sunny place or provided with additional lighting.

During picking, the first fertilizing with mineral fertilizer is carried out. Subsequently, every 14 days, sprouts feed complex fertilizers - for example, Fertikoy Lux. It’s easy to prepare the solution: 1 tbsp. l. for 10 liters of water.

Organic matter is well suited for feeding: infusions of mullein, weeds or droppings, but this option is only suitable if the seedlings are in a greenhouse. There will be a very unpleasant smell in the apartment from such fertilizers.

After 45 days, the seedlings are hardened off. During the day, the sprouts are exposed outside for 1-2 hours; at night they should still be indoors, but the air temperature drops to 12-13 degrees Celsius. Stay in the air gradually increases to a day.

Features of planting and growing Blagovest tomatoes

For this crop, the planting pattern is as follows: 40 cm in a row and 60 cm between rows. Add a bucket of humus and a glass of wood ash per square meter to the dug up soil.

Water the seedlings well before planting. Since the bushes grow tall and spreading, it is not recommended to plant 1 square meter. m more than three seedlings. During the period of flowering and fruit formation, plants must be fed with complex fertilizer and watered only with warm water.

As for abundant watering, it should be carried out only during:

• flowering;
• formation of ovaries;
• ripening of vegetables.

Water infrequently, in hot weather - 2 times a week, 3-4 liters per bush. After watering, loosening and removing weeds is mandatory. Mulched The soil dries out more slowly and you will have to water it less often.

Watering and fertilizing determine the active growth and quantitative result of the tomato.

The first feeding is carried out two weeks after transplanting the tomatoes into the greenhouse. Nitrogen fertilizers are used carefully and in small quantities, as they stimulate the development of green mass. It is more useful to feed the plant with phosphorus and potassium. A solution is prepared based on potassium sulfate: 40 g per 10 liters of water.

Reference. Due to the close location of the root system to the soil surface, loosening must be done carefully. Fertilize only after watering to avoid burning the roots.

A few days after planting, pinching begins. It is recommended to grow this type of tomato with 1-2 stems. However, we recommend focusing on the climatic features of the region: in short, rainy or hot summers, the results are more indicative when the plant is formed into 1 stem. If long and warm - 2 or 3 stems.

Formation methods:

1. In 1 stem. All stepsons are removed.
2. In 2 stems. Remove all stepsons up to the first brush. They leave one right above it. Then all the stepsons on these two stems are removed.
3. In 3 stems. The same as in 2 stems. The third trunk is grown from the stepson that is closest to the flower cluster.

The plant shows the greatest performance when formed into two stems.

Note. In the northern regions, at a height of 2 m, the crown of the stem is cut off, thus stopping its growth. In the southern regions they leave it, letting it grow on the roof of a greenhouse.

Diseases and pests

The plant is resistant to the main diseases of the nightshade family, such as late blight and tobacco mosaic. It is also rarely attacked by pests.

The main disadvantage of the tomato crop is the susceptibility of leaf curl, in which the plant changes its color. It brightens and the top becomes curly. This is a viral disease and cannot be treated. All that can be done here is to remove diseased bushes and disinfect the soil with copper-containing preparations - for example, Bordeaux mixture.

Regular inspection of bushes for the presence of pests will help prevent the threat from the insect world in time. Despite the resistance of this species to the Colorado potato beetle or mole cricket, the gardener’s vigilance will not be superfluous.

The nuances of growing in open ground and greenhouses

The variety was created specifically for closed ground. This type is practically not suitable for unprotected areas. Fruiting here will be minimal, and the tomatoes will not acquire their true taste, since this process is highly dependent on air temperature and precipitation.

In direct sunlight, young bushes will receive severe burns, even despite long-term hardening before planting in open ground. Subsequently, they will recover, but fruiting will be delayed indefinitely.

Therefore, a variety bred for indoor soil is not recommended to be exposed to conditions unacceptable for it.

Harvesting and application

Harvesting begins both fully ripe and unripe. Vegetables ripen well at home. To do this, just place them on a sunny windowsill.

Ripe vegetables are widely used to prepare a wide variety of dishes. They are used to make salads, juices, sauces, pizza, and purees. Medium and small tomatoes can be preserved whole, while large ones are good for winter preparations: lecho, ketchup, vegetable caviar, adjika, etc.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

As a result of selection, the Blagovest variety contains many positive characteristics:

• almost 100% seed germination;
• early maturation;
• high resistance to diseases;
• long storage of fruits;
• excellent transportability;
• preservation of presentation for a long time;
• universal use of vegetables.

However, the variety also has some disadvantages:

• cultivation of this crop is possible only in greenhouse conditions;
• requires gartering of bushes and brushes;
• stepsoning required;
• the plant's susceptibility to a viral disease - leaf curl.

Farmer reviews

There are many reviews about greenhouse tomato culture. As a rule, there are no complaints regarding the taste of fruits and yield. Mostly, summer residents are confused by the fact that the variety is not intended for open ground - and in greenhouses, as is known, the possibility of diseases increases, which requires additional care.

However, for many farmers it is a “workhorse” and brings considerable income. Which, however, is not surprising: it was for these purposes that this variety of tomatoes was bred.

Elena, Irkutsk: “I bought Blagovest F1 seeds for planting at the dacha. I sowed them in the second half of April, and a week later I saw the first shoots. There were few stepchildren - the main thing was to remove them in time. I tied up the bushes at a height of 0.5 m. The fruits are ripe, sweet and aromatic.”

Galina, Saratov: “I decided to plant Blagovest tomatoes for the first time. The bushes have grown tall, more than 150 cm. The tomatoes are tasty and large. I made salads and various preserves from them. The vegetables didn’t hurt in any way, which was very pleasing.”

Conclusion

The name Blagovest combines two words - good news. It is not for nothing that this variety received such a name: the combination of excellent taste, universal use of vegetables, disease resistance, high yield and excellent transportability make this crop a welcome guest in every greenhouse.