A good choice even for beginner gardeners is the Mashenka tomato and the secrets of growing it to get a rich harvest

The Mashenka variety has won fans with its high yield, immunity to disease, reliable reviews and simple agricultural technology. The tomato looks great in photographs, arousing interest among novice and experienced vegetable growers. Gardeners are confident that the variety will not let you down either in dry or cool summers and will always delight you with delicious fruits. The culture was bred in Altai and is rightfully recognized as one of the best new varieties.

The rules for growing care and a detailed description of its characteristics are in our article.

Characteristics and description of the variety

The bush is indeterminate, tall, not standard. Height up to 2 m, stem strong. The leaves are medium sized, bright green. The first brush is formed above the 10th leaf, the subsequent ones - every 3 leaves.

Reference! The indeterminate type takes root better in the southern regions.

Mid-season species, 110-118 days pass from the moment of seedlings to full ripening.

It is highly resistant to the main diseases of the nightshade family, for example: tobacco mosaic, late blight, Fusarium, Alternaria.

The productivity is high, from one plant you can harvest up to 7-8 kg of vegetables, from 1 sq. m up to 27 kg.

The culture needs obligatory garter and stepsoning.

Recommended for cultivation in open ground and in greenhouse conditions.

The fruits are large, average weight 210-280 g, round shape, rich red color, dense skin. There are 4-6 seed chambers, there are a lot of seeds.The taste is sweet and sour, they are distinguished by a high content of vitamins, pectins, minerals, proteins and organic acids.

The use of vegetables is universal, ideal for fresh salads and hot dishes. Used for preparing tomato products: sauces, ketchups, juices, adjika, lecho. They do not lose their taste in barrel pickles.

Despite the thick skin, they are not suitable for long-term storage. Vegetables retain their appearance and taste for three weeks.

The photo shows Mashenka tomatoes.

How to grow seedlings

Sowing of seeds begins 60 days before planting seedlings in the ground. Before sowing, grains are checked for germination using a saline solution, placing the seed in it for 25 minutes. Seeds that have floated to the surface are not suitable for sowing.

The remaining grains are treated in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, which is necessary for their disinfection. Then washed with water and dried. Before sowing, seeds are treated with a growth stimulant to improve germination.

You can sow in a common container or in individual containers. The soil is prepared from garden soil, river sand and peat in equal proportions. Holes are made at the bottom of the planting container, which further helps to get rid of excess moisture. The prepared soil is disinfected with a dark potassium permanganate solution.

The grains are laid to a depth of 2 cm, the soil is leveled on top and moistened with a spray bottle. The containers are covered with film or glass and left in a warm room at an air temperature of at least 22 °C.

When the first shoots appear, the film is removed and the planting containers are moved to a well-lit place.Seedlings need 13-14 hours of daylight, so if there is insufficient daylight, they are illuminated with fluorescent lamps.

Water the young bushes as the top layer of soil dries out with warm, settled water from a shallow watering can.

After the formation of two true leaves, the seedlings are planted in separate containers.

Reference! Picking helps select stronger plants and promotes better development of the root system.

10 days before planting seedlings in open ground, they begin to harden them. The hardening procedure involves keeping the seedlings outside for two hours. Gradually this time increases to 18 hours. Do not forget about the temperature drop at night to 13 °C. This factor also helps to strengthen young bushes and allows them to quickly adapt to new living conditions.

How to grow tomatoes

After 60 days, the seedlings are ready to be transplanted to a permanent location. The beds are chosen in a sunny place, protected from drafts. It is not recommended to plant tomatoes in the ground where crops of the same family previously grew. Good predecessors for tomato crops are carrots, cabbage, greens, and legumes. If you plan to transplant into a greenhouse where tomatoes previously grew, you need to change the top layer of soil.

The soil is first dug up and complex mineral fertilizers or organic matter are added. It is undesirable to apply fresh manure before planting tomatoes; this will lead to an increase in green mass, and a minimum amount of nutrients will be consumed for the formation of fruits.

Planting pattern: 70 cm distance between seedlings, 40 cm between rows. For 1 sq. m there are no more than three bushes.

Before planting seedlings, add 1 tbsp to each hole 15 cm deep. l superphosphate and potassium sulfate.

They are transplanted on a cloudy day or in the evening, which facilitates faster adaptation of seedlings to a new location.

After transplantation, the seedlings are watered moderately and left without attention for 5-6 days. Regular watering begins as soon as the seedlings become established in the open beds. Water moderately, without flooding the plants, under the roots, without getting on the leaves. For irrigation use warm, settled water. The culture responds well to drip irrigation.

After each watering, the soil is loosened and hilled up. These procedures improve oxygen access to the roots, which ensures full growth and development of plants.

To ensure greater moisture retention in the beds, they are mulched. Mulching It also acts as a preventative measure in pest control.

They feed 3 times per season with mineral or organic fertilizers. The first time is during flowering, the second feeding is given during the formation of fruits, and the third time is fed during the fruiting period. An infusion of mullein diluted in a ratio of 1:15 or bird droppings in the same ratio are suitable as organic matter.

Reference! Organic fertilizers must be diluted in small quantities to avoid burning the root system.

Culture needs obligatory stepsoning. The plant is formed into 1 or 2 stems, removing all the stepsons. To stop growth, pinching the top is carried out. Trunk tie up to a vertical or horizontal support, otherwise it will break under the weight of the fruit. As it grows, it is fixed to supports and branches.

Diseases and pests

The variety has proven itself to be resistant to major diseases of the nightshade family.She has increased immunity, which allows her to remain healthy and unharmed throughout the season. However, we should not forget about simple preventive measures that do not take time or effort and only help to further strengthen the culture.

Such measures include moderate watering, systematic loosening of the soil and removal of weeds with roots. Weeds often hide a considerable number of parasites that can cause considerable harm to plants.

Among the insect pests you should be wary of are aphids and cutworm caterpillars. A soap solution used to treat the stems of the bushes helps against aphids. But at the same time, it is necessary to ensure that the solution does not get on the ground.

Important. Scoop - this is a butterfly, its caterpillars multiply quickly and cause harm to both the plant itself and the fruits. A decoction of burdock, which is sprayed on all plants, saves them from them, and pheromone traps are set up for adult individuals.

It is also necessary to regularly inspect seedlings for pests. This simple method will help rid the crop of the invasion of parasitic insects.

The nuances of growing in open ground and in a greenhouse

The tomato variety Mashenka is recommended for cultivation in the Central regions, Central Black Earth and North Caucasus. It is quite suitable for cultivation in the Volga region, the Urals, Western and Eastern Siberia. But in those regions that have too short summers, it is recommended to plant them in greenhouses.

In closed structures, higher yields are observed than in open ground, but the plants themselves will be taller. Therefore, pinching greenhouse plants is necessary.

In open beds, crops are more susceptible to attacks by insect pests, and in a greenhouse there is a higher likelihood of developing fungal diseases. This is due to increased air temperature and waterlogging. Therefore, to prevent diseases, regularly ventilate closed structures.

The most dangerous pest in a greenhouse is the spider mite. He loves greenhouse conditions, but the regular influx of fresh air destroys his usual habitat.

Harvesting and application

Fruit ripening is uniform, almost simultaneous. Ripening occurs in whole clusters, which simplifies their collection.

The use of ripe vegetables is universal: they are ideally combined in summer salads with other vegetables, they are a good basis for first courses, hot dishes and sauces. Tomatoes taste great when baked with meat.

Tomato products are prepared from them, such as lecho, ketchup, juices, pastes, adjika. Excellent taste retention in barrel pickles and marinades. But due to their large size, they are not suitable for whole-fruit canning.

Despite their thick skin, ripe vegetables cannot be stored for long; they are usually stored for no more than 2-3 weeks. Otherwise, the tomatoes will lose their presentation and taste.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The main advantage is high productivity. From 1 sq. m harvest up to 26-28 kg of ripe vegetables. Such record figures are mainly possible only in greenhouse conditions.

But this is not the only positive side of culture:

• endurance, resistance to heat and cold;
• adaptation to any weather conditions;
• immunity to diseases of the nightshade family;
• ease of care;
• simultaneous ripening of fruits;
• large fruits;
• excellent taste;
• versatility in application;
• the ability to independently select seeds for the next planting.

Some disadvantages of the variety:

• stepsoning required;
• Garter required;
• short shelf life of ripe fruits.

Farmer reviews

Reviews from those who planted these tomatoes unanimously rate Mashenka as a reliable variety that is definitely worth growing on your own plot. Particularly noteworthy are the friendly maturation and high quantitative indicators. Here are the opinions of some gardeners:

Natalya, Zelenograd:

“I’ve been growing it for several years now. The main advantages of the crop: unpretentiousness, good fruiting, excellent presentation. I like that the seeds from the ripened vegetables can be reused.”

Elena, Krasnodar:

“I love working in the garden. For the second year in a row I am growing Mashenka. Care consists of timely watering, tying, pinching and fertilizing. I collect 25 kg of fruit per square meter. The tomatoes are first class. All winter with vegetables.”

Conclusion

Mashenka tomatoes from Biotechnika have long been loved by gardeners for their high yields and simple agricultural cultivation techniques. The variety is characterized by increased immunity to diseases - this is another plus that attracts the attention of tomato lovers. The culture is so unpretentious that any beginner who wants to plunge into dacha chores will be satisfied with the final result.