High and long-lasting yield with proper care - the Khokhloma tomato and the secrets of its cultivation
Every vegetable grower wants to choose the ideal tomato variety for his plot. One of the most popular crops in our latitudes is the Khokhloma variety. This vegetable is universal in use; it is used to prepare fresh salads, baked with various dishes, and make marinades and pickles. Summer residents prefer this variety for its culinary qualities and ease of care.
Description of the variety
The Khokhloma tomato is a mid-season variety.. The fruits begin to ripen 110–120 days after germination. The plant is tall, the bush reaches 2 m. The leaves are simple in shape, medium in size, green. The first flower appears above the eighth leaf, the rest appear after three leaves. Up to 15 fruits are formed on one cluster; after full ripening, they do not fall and hold tightly.
Important! Khokhloma tomatoes are mainly grown in greenhouse conditions, but they are also planted in open ground in southern regions with warm climates.
Distinctive features
The Khokhloma variety has an unusual fruit shape. (see photo). Elastic tomatoes tolerate transportation well and are stored for a long time. The crop produces a high-quality harvest and has strong immunity to most diseases.
Fruit characteristics, yield
Parameters of Khokhloma tomatoes:
- The fruits have an oblong shape, each size is about 17 cm. The tomato resembles a cylinder, the shell is smooth.
- The color of a ripe tomato is bright red.
- The weight of one vegetable is 110–120 g.
- Tomatoes have thick and dense skin, which is excellent for canning, pickling and transportation. The pulp is also dense, not watery.
- Subject to the rules of agricultural technology from 1 sq. m vegetable growers harvest up to 10 kg of crop.
How to grow seedlings
The Khokhloma tomato variety is grown only by seedlings.. To do this, seed material is sown in small containers with fertile soil. When the plants grow stronger at home, they are planted in a permanent place in open ground or a greenhouse.
Seed preparation
In retail sale there are tomato seeds in unprocessed form.. Before planting, such material is calibrated and disinfected. To do this, planting material is placed in a container with a saline solution (1 tablespoon of salt per liter of warm water) for 5 minutes. Empty unusable seeds will remain on the surface (they are disposed of), and those that settle to the bottom will sprout and yield.
After rejection, suitable grains are washed under running water, wrapped in gauze and pickled in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate for 20–30 minutes, then rinsed again with clean water. This will kill fungal spores. Next, the seeds are laid out on a dampened cotton cloth and covered with it. The material is placed in a warm place and periodically moistened until the grains hatch.
Container and soil
These containers are used for growing seedlings:
- purchased containers with cells and a lid;
- peat cups or tablets;
- wooden boxes;
- cut plastic bottles or boxes of milk, juice;
- disposable cups.
While, when the seeds hatch, begin preparing the soil mixture. To prepare the soil, mix 1 part sand and 2 parts peat.To 10 liters of the resulting substrate add 1 liter of wood ash. The mixture is mixed well, after which it turns out to be excellent soil for seedlings.
About other varieties of tomatoes:
Tomato variety "Strawberry Tree"
A persistent hybrid from Japanese breeders - tomato "Michel f1"
Sowing
When growing tomatoes in greenhouse conditions, seeds for seedlings are planted in the second half of March. If you plan to plant in unprotected soil, sowing the seeds is carried out in the first half of April.
The container is filled ¾ of the volume with soil., which is slightly compacted and moisturized. The grains are deepened into the soil 1 cm according to a 2 x 2 cm pattern and sprinkled with substrate on top. Then, before the shoots appear, the container is covered with transparent glass or covered with film and placed in a warm place.
Growing and care
Seedlings are kept at temperatures from +25 to +30 °C. The first shoots appear in about a week. At this time, remove the cover and place the container in a bright place, for example, on a windowsill. Within two weeks, the plants actively form roots, and then the above-ground part develops. During the growth of tomatoes, the daytime temperature is kept at +20 °C, and the nighttime temperature is reduced to +16 °C.
Seedlings need lighting 12–14 hours a day. If there is not enough daylight, fluorescent lamps are used. At the initial stage, plants are watered once a week. When the bushes have three true leaves, a pick is made. To do this, they are transplanted into separate containers with a volume of no more than 1.5 liters. The root system is deepened strictly vertically, to the cotyledon leaves, and if the plants are very elongated, then to the first true leaf.
7–10 days after picking, the tomatoes are fed for the first time preparations for seedlings, for example, “Biohumus” or “Baikal EM1”. Fertilizers are prepared strictly according to the instructions indicated on the packaging.
Two weeks before planting seedlings in a permanent place, harden the plants. To do this, the bushes are taken outside or onto the balcony for 1-2 hours. The time spent by tomatoes in the fresh air is gradually increased.
How to grow tomatoes
When the age of the tomatoes reaches 40 days, the crop is transplanted to a permanent place. If the tomatoes are growing in a greenhouse, transplantation is carried out at the end of April or beginning of May. Bushes are planted in open ground when night frosts have passed irrevocably.
Important! Since the variety is tall, when planting tomatoes, be sure to install a support for the bushes.
Landing
Tomatoes are planted no more than three bushes per 1 square meter. m or according to the 60 x 40 cm scheme. It is this scheme that will allow tomato seedlings of the Khokhloma variety to develop well.
Read also:
Mid-season variety with a pleasant taste - “Capia pink” tomato
The variety that farmers love is the “Sugar Nastasya” tomato.
Care
At the initial stage, plants are moistened once every 7 days and once every 10–14 days, complex fertilizing with a high nitrogen content is applied.
For watering and preparing fertilizers, use only settled warm water.. When the tomatoes have 6-7 true leaves, nitrogen is excluded from fertilizing and they switch to fertilizers with a high content of potassium and phosphorus (potassium sulfate, potassium monophosphate or superphosphate).
Installed the support will be an excellent assistant in maintaining tall tomatoes. Timely tying will ensure normal development and integrity of the bushes.
Features of cultivation and possible difficulties
When growing tomatoes it is necessary carry out mulching regardless of the planting location. Mulch perfectly retains moisture in the soil, which is very necessary for tomatoes on hot sunny days.
Since Khokhloma grows up to 2 m in height, tomatoes need pinching and shaping. For maximum yield, leave two stems on the bushes, no more.
Diseases and pests
Tomato Khokhloma has strong immunity to diseases and pests. The crop shows particular resistance to late blight and fusarium, but to be completely sure, vegetable growers still carry out preventive measures:
- check the soil where the plants will be planted: if last year predecessors that were sick grew there, then this place is not used for growing vegetables;
- Before planting, the seeds are treated for 20–30 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
- three weeks before harvesting, the bushes are sprayed with a solution of copper oxychloride (4 g per 1 liter of water);
- To get rid of insect pests, the soil under the plants is sprinkled with wood ash.
During fruiting, plants are not fertilized with mineral fertilizers.. They enhance the growth of green mass, take away nutrients from the fruit, which leads to a decrease in the quality of tomatoes.
The nuances of growing in open ground and in a greenhouse
Khokhloma tomato is cultivated throughout Russia. The variety is grown both in greenhouses and in open ground, but only in regions with a warm climate. However, in this case, the yield will decrease slightly.
Harvesting and application
The fruits are harvested on time because tomatoes picked at temperatures below +8 °C are poorly stored. Vegetables are harvested in good weather in the morning, 1-2 times a week.
Khokhloma tomatoes have a rich taste and are excellent for fresh consumption.In dishes, the fruits do not lose their sweetish taste and beneficial properties. The vegetable is used to make marinades and other canned food for the winter; unripe fruits are used for this. In jars, tomatoes remain elastic for a long time and do not lose their natural color. Since tomatoes have dense pulp, they are used for making tomato paste and sauces, but for the same reason they are not used for making juice.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
There are many positive qualities in the description of Khokhloma tomatoes. Advantages of the variety:
high productivity;- long fruiting;
- excellent taste;
- strong immunity to diseases and pests;
- shelf life without loss of taste and external qualities;
- good transportability due to dense structure;
- ease of care;
- versatility of fruit use.
There are few negative sides to tomatoes, some vegetable growers note their dense structure and thick skin, insufficient wateriness. Such shortcomings are easy to dispute, since these properties are preferable for preservation, but it will not be possible to make tomato juice.
Farmer reviews
The tomato variety is selected according to its characteristics. Khokhloma among summer residents has proven itself on the positive side. Vegetable growers love these tomatoes for their ease of care and versatility in using the fruit.
Tatyana, Mytishchi: “I have been growing the Khokhloma variety for several years now, because my family loves canning these tomatoes. When you take tomatoes out of a jar, the fruits do not burst or spread. The plant almost never gets sick. For greater yield, I form bushes with two stems. The fruits taste sweet. I don’t buy seeds, but collect them from my own harvest.I really like the variety, I recommend it to everyone".
Vladimir, Tyumen: “The salesperson at the gardening store advised me to buy Khokhloma tomato seeds. The photo on the package of beans did not impress me. But during the growing process, I dramatically changed my mind. Even the neighbor became interested. The variety turned out to be very productive, easy to care for and, most importantly, very tasty. Since then, Khokhloma has been growing in my garden for five years in a row. I will continue to grow this variety.".
Alena, Yaroslavl: “Last year I tried to plant Khokhloma tomatoes for the first time at my dacha. I liked the tomatoes; they surprised me with their height and productivity. The variety was grown in a greenhouse. A lot of vegetables grew and ripened almost until the end of October. The tomatoes were perfect for winter harvesting. I treated my children and grandchildren to pickles, so they asked for more.”.
Conclusion
The Khokhloma tomato variety has been surprising gardeners with its productivity for many years and is becoming more and more widespread. Vegetable growers prefer this variety for its long list of positive qualities and excellent taste. The plant does not require much care and is resistant to major tomato diseases. The variety is excellent for both fresh consumption and long-term storage.
You will learn more about the Khokhloma variety from the following video: