Is it worth planting the hybrid tomato “Red Arrow F1”: characteristics that may influence your choice
The health benefits of tomatoes have been scientifically proven. Tomatoes, like oranges and lemons, contain increased amounts of vitamin C. This vegetable also contains folic acid, carotene and a number of B vitamins.
After a long winter, I want to treat myself to early homemade vegetables. To do this, summer residents grow early-ripening tomatoes in seedlings. Among the popular tomatoes that produce an early harvest is Red Arrow F1.
Characteristics and description of the tomato hybrid Red Arrow f1
The hybrid Red Arrow is included in the Russian State Register breeding achievements back in 1992 and is intended for cultivation in all regions of the country.
Gives a harvest within 100 days after planting the seeds. The crop is grown both in open ground and in greenhouse conditions. The plant has an average amount of foliage and does not require pinching. The height of the bush depends on the growing method. Its height varies between 100-150 cm. On an average plant (120 cm), up to 12 brushes are formed. They are located at a distance of one sheet from each other.
Red fruits have a round, slightly elongated shape. The dense shell of tomatoes does not crack when humidity changes. The use of vegetables is universal, the pulp is fleshy, has a rich sweet taste with a slight sourness. Tomatoes are used for canning and preparing summer salads.
On a note. The fruit has a small spot at the base, which disappears without a trace when ripe.
The weight of one tomato is on average 100 g, but with good fertilizer the vegetable reaches 150 g. The small seed chamber has a small number of grains. The hybrid is characterized by high productivity. From 1 sq. m of bed, vegetable growers harvest from 20 to 25 kg of tomatoes. One bush produces from 3.5 to 4.5 kg of tomatoes.
When transported over long distances, tomatoes retain their presentation well, do not crack or rot. The early harvest of Red Arrow makes it possible to sell goods at a high price. Changes in humidity, changes in air temperature and darkness are not scary for the crop. The hybrid has good stress resistance, which is why summer residents prefer to grow it among the first tomato crops.
Advantages and disadvantages
The positive qualities of a hybrid include:
high productivity;- rapid fruit ripening;
- marketable condition;
- transportability;
- storage duration;
- versatility in use;
- resistance to temperature changes;
- ability to grow in a shaded place;
- persistent immunity to diseases;
- excellent taste;
- ease of care.
The disadvantage of the Red Arrow is that you cannot collect seeds from your own harvest. Disadvantages include the small size of the fruit and the need to tie the bushes to a support.
Other varieties of tomatoes:
Easy to care for and rich in yield, the “Pretty” tomato
Weather-resistant and productive tomato "Spetsnaz"
Early harvest of excellent tomatoes - tomato “Bogata Khata F1”
How to grow
Sowing seeds for seedlings is carried out in the second half of March (approximately two months before the intended planting of plants in a permanent place of growth).
The soil for this can be purchased from a specialized store or prepared independently.. A drainage layer must be made in the container for seedlings, small pebbles or expanded clay are poured, and soil is placed on top.
Planting seeds
Grow seedlings as follows:
- Hybrid seed material is disinfected by the manufacturer, so Red Arrow tomato grains are simply soaked in damp cotton cloth for 2-3 days until germination.
- Next, the seeds are hardened. To do this, the grains are placed in the refrigerator for 18 hours, after which they are heated for 5 hours near a radiator or any heating device.
- In moist soil for seedlings, make grooves 1 cm deep, seeds are placed in them, covered with soil and moistened. The container is covered with transparent glass or film. When the first shoots appear, the container with seedlings is opened and placed in a well-lit place, for example, on a windowsill.
- When the plants have two leaves, they are picked into separate containers. To do this, purchase peat pots or use plastic cups. 10-14 days after transplantation, the first fertilizing with mullein is applied.
Two weeks before transplanting to a permanent place, the plants begin to harden. To do this, containers with seedlings are taken outside or onto a balcony for 1-2 hours. The time the plants spend in the fresh air is gradually increased. This is how the culture gets used to new conditions and becomes stronger.
Planting tomatoes in a permanent place
At the age of two months, the Red Arrow hybrid has 5-7 leaves. Plants are planted in the greenhouse in mid-May, and in open ground in mid-June. When planting, leave a distance of 40-50 cm between the bushes, and 80-90 cm between the rows.To obtain a rich harvest, well-lit, heated and protected from the wind areas are selected.
On a note. Tomato seedlings grow well where pumpkin, beets, cabbage, onions and carrots were previously cultivated.
How to water and feed
Moisturizing the soil is carried out as the soil dries out. For the normal development of the Red Arrow, one watering per week is enough. Vegetable growers do not allow the soil to dry out too much, otherwise the tomatoes will be small or even fall off. During the period of fruit ripening, the volume of water is gradually increased.
For your information. In extreme heat, water in the evening so that the water saturates the soil well overnight.
To reduce the risk of late blight on plants, watering is carried out strictly at the root of tomatoes.. After moistening, the soil is loosened, hilled, weeds are removed from the ground and mulched. Thanks to this, the soil retains moisture longer. Straw and grass clippings are used as mulch.
During the entire growing season, the crop needs fertilizer. Feeding is carried out as follows:
- The first fertilizer is carried out 10 days after transplanting the plants to a permanent place. For this, mineral fertilizers are used: 30-50 g of urea, 50-60 g of superphosphate, 20-30 g of potassium salt, 30-40 g of ammonium sulfate and 100 g of ash are dissolved in 10 liters of water. 0.5-1 liter of mineral fertilizer is poured under each plant.
- The next fertilizing is carried out 21 days after the first fertilization. To do this, 50 g of potassium salt, 80 g of double superphosphate, 3-5 g of urea and 300 g of wood ash are diluted in a bucket of water. To prevent the fertilizer from harming the roots and stem, holes are made around the bush 15 cm from the plant, where the solution is poured.
- During the fruiting period, tomatoes are fed with nitrophoska or superphosphate with sodium humate. Summer residents who prefer to apply organic fertilizers use a solution of manganese, iodine or ash. To prepare the fertilizer, pour 2 liters of wood ash into 5 liters of boiling water. After cooling, pour in another 5 liters of water, a bottle of iodine (25 ml) and add 10 g of boric acid. The solution is allowed to brew for a day. Before watering, the infusion is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10. 1 liter of fertilizer is poured under one bush. Some summer residents alternate organic and mineral fertilizers. Fertilizers are also combined. To stimulate the formation of fruits, add 1-2 tablespoons of the preparations “Rastvorin” or “Kemira” to the mullein infusion.
Fertilize tomatoes when watering. To choose the right fertilizer, pay attention to the appearance of the Red Arrow. If the green mass is growing rapidly, reduce the application of nitrogen fertilizers. Yellowing of the foliage indicates an excess of phosphorus, and the appearance of a purple tint on the back of the leaves means that the plant does not have enough of this element. To accelerate the formation of ovaries and ripening of fruits, foliar feeding of tomatoes is practiced. To do this, use diluted iodine or superphosphate.
Read also:
A bright decoration for your beds - tomato “Kakadu f1”
A variety with impeccable taste and aroma - the “King of London” tomato
Prevention of diseases and pests
Hybrid tomato Red Arrow has strong immunity to most diseases. Late blight is prevented by preventive measures. To do this, in the fall, the garden bed is thoroughly cleared of remnants of vegetation. The top layer of soil (10-15 cm) is removed and fresh soil is added. They use the land on which beans, beans, peas, carrots, and cabbage were previously grown.After tomatoes, the soil is not used.
In the spring, before planting plants in a permanent place, the soil is disinfected with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate.. Also, for preventive purposes, tomatoes are sprayed with the drug “Fitosporin”. The procedure is performed in the evening, when the plants are not exposed to sunlight.
Harvest and storage
Harvest ripening occurs in June-August. Vegetable growers check the bushes daily for the presence of ripe fruits. Tomatoes that have not been spoiled or exposed to disease are selected for long-term storage.
Dry, clean, not overripe tomatoes, without mechanical damage, are placed in dense rows in clean wooden boxes. The lid of the box should not touch the vegetables when closing. In this container, in a non-residential, cool and well-ventilated place, tomatoes are stored for up to 2 months.
Reviews from gardeners
Tomato Red Arrow F1 has gained strong popularity among experienced and novice vegetable growers. Thanks to a long list of advantages and an almost complete absence of disadvantages, this hybrid is increasingly found in summer cottages. Reviews about the yield and use of fruits are given below.
Tatiana, Taganrog: “I have been growing different varieties and hybrids of tomatoes for 8 years in a row. Definitely Red Arrow F1 tomatoes have become my favorite. The yield suits me. Tomatoes do not require much attention. I cared for the plants in the standard way, like all tomatoes. The fruits are juicy and very tasty. I use them both for preparing salads and for winter preservation. Their main advantage is that they are stored in the refrigerator for a long time. I didn’t find any disadvantages with the hybrid. I will continue to plant this wonderful vegetable.".
Nadezhda, Rostov: “A couple of years ago I bought a dacha, and the neighbors advised me to plant the Red Arrow hybrid tomato. I liked these tomatoes for their ease of care and resistance to disease. The fruits really ripen early. The vegetables grow beautiful, as in the photo of the package with seeds. The tomatoes taste good. I was pleased with the tomatoes. I recommend it to everyone, especially beginner summer residents".
Vladimir, Cheboksary: “I have several types of tomatoes growing in my greenhouse, and I’m always trying to grow new ones. That year I purchased the seeds of the Red Arrow hybrid. Although the bush is not standard, it still does not take up much space. The culture is not demanding and grows well even in a shaded place. When growing tomatoes, there was no disease. I tied the plants once when the stems began to bend under the mass of fruits. I collected almost 50 kg of harvest from ten bushes. The result exceeded my expectations. The taste of the tomatoes did not disappoint either. Next year I will plant even more bushes".
Conclusion
Due to its unpretentiousness in care and resistance of plants to diseases, the Red Arrow hybrid is in stable demand. This crop grows well in the shade, which allows you to plant plants close to each other and save space in the garden bed or greenhouse. The use of vegetables is universal. Positive qualities make the Red Arrow hybrid a real find for both experienced vegetable growers and beginners.
You will learn more about the Red Arrow hybrid from the video below: