The “Mikado” tomato, beloved by summer residents, with a rich palette of subspecies and strong immunity - we grow it ourselves without hassle

When choosing a tomato variety, most gardeners pay attention to parameters such as disease resistance and ease of care. After all, it is these characteristics that determine how easy it will be to grow tomatoes.

One of the varieties that will please both novice gardeners and experimental farmers is the Mikado tomato. It has gained popularity among gardeners all over the world.

General description of Mikado

The variety is available in several varieties, which differ in the color of the fruit. Among them there are both plants with classic red and pink berries, and more exotic ones - black-fruited tomatoes. For decades now, Mikado tomato seeds have been grown in different regions of our country.

Note! Mikado is a variety. Seeds from its fruits are used for planting. They are collected from berries ripened on the bush, washed to remove the pulp, dried and stored in clothing bags.

Distinctive features of the varieties

The main advantage of the variety - large fruits with a rich sweet taste and plenty of pulp. Another advantage of such tomatoes is considered to be high immunity. Mikado is not afraid of most tomato diseases, including late blight.

The Mikado group includes several tomato varieties. They have similar characteristics and differ in the color of the fruit:

1. Mikado golden. Produces yellow fruits. Contains an increased concentration of beta-carotene and lycopene.Improves vision, speeds up metabolism and has antioxidant properties. Rarely cause allergies.
2. Mikado pink. It has pink fruits that are high in vitamin C and selenium. Such berries help increase immunity and improve brain activity.
3. Mikado red. Increased serotonin content. Improves mood, removes bad cholesterol and free radicals from the body.
4. Mikado black. The fruits are burgundy in color with brown and dark purple spots. This color is due to the presence of anthocyanin. This is a strong antioxidant that not only removes harmful substances from the body, but also improves the condition of the heart and blood vessels.

Mikado also has some downsides.. This variety is susceptible to temperature changes. If it is too hot outside, the fruits will crack. At low temperatures, plants simply stop growing.

Main characteristics

All varieties of Mikado have almost the same characteristics. Only the color of the fruit differs:

Growing seedlings

Mikado tomatoes grown by seedlings. Otherwise, the fruits simply will not have time to ripen before the onset of cold weather.

The time for sowing seeds depends depending on the region and the conditions in which they are going to be planted:

• in the southern regions, seedlings are sown at the end of February or early March;
• in the central zone - in the second half of March;
• in cities with cold climates - in early April.

If you plan to grow tomatoes in a greenhouse, seeds are sown 14 days earlier. Experienced gardeners recommend checking the timing of work with the lunar calendar.

Read also:

Tomato "Pink impression" and the nuances of its cultivation

Tomato "Khokhloma" and the secrets of its cultivation

Tomato "Michelle f1": we grow it ourselves without hassle

Seed treatment

Seeds must be treated before planting. Preparation of planting material includes the following steps:

1. Germination test. The seeds are soaked in salted water for 30 minutes. Floated planting material is considered unsuitable for planting.Instances that sink to the bottom will rise.
2. To disinfect, soak in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate or hydrogen peroxide for 20 minutes, then wash.
3. Growth stimulation. Planting material is soaked in Epin, Zircon or Sodium Humate.

Note! Disinfection and seed stimulation are sometimes combined. To do this, they are soaked for a day in a solution of soda (1 teaspoon of soda per 1 cup of water) or in aloe juice diluted in half with water.

Preparing containers and soil

For sowing seeds, one large common container is usually used.. Gardening stores sell special boxes and trays. You can use cut bottles, disposable deep plates, packaging from cakes and semi-finished products.

Tomatoes are planted in separate containers. It is most convenient to use peat pots, from which you do not need to remove seedlings when transplanting. Plastic cups and cut-off bottles with a volume of at least 300 ml are also suitable. Drainage holes are made at the bottom of homemade containers for seedlings. Store-bought pots usually already have them.

Containers for growing seedlings must be disinfected – soak in a solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour or pour boiling water over it.

Advice! If you plan to plant several bushes of Mikado tomatoes, then it is more convenient to use peat tablets. In this case, the seedlings will not need picking.

Soil for tomatoes is sold in the store. For seedlings, a universal mixture for tomatoes and peppers is suitable. To prepare the soil yourself, mix the nutrient substrate with the base and baking powder. For example, take turf, humus and sand in equal proportions. The soil is also disinfected.It is calcined in the oven, poured with boiling water or a solution of potassium permanganate.

Methods of sowing seeds

Seeds are sown for seedlings in different ways. Here are the most popular:

1. In the general box. The container is filled with soil so that 3 cm remains to the edge. The soil is watered. Seeds are laid out on it in rows, maintaining a distance of 2 cm between each specimen. A centimeter layer of earth is poured on top. The boxes with seeds are covered with film and put in a warm place. Plants are planted in individual cups after the appearance of two true leaves.
2. In peat tablets. The blanks are placed in one container with the hole facing down and filled with hot water. When the liquid is absorbed, it is added again. The swollen peat bags are removed from the container. One seed is planted in each of them. The tablets are placed in a common container, covered with film and put in a warm place. The seedlings are not planted until they are planted in a permanent location.
3. Without land. At the bottom of a deep container, lay several layers of paper napkins or gauze, which are moistened with water. Seeds are placed on them. The planting material is covered with several more layers of paper on top, which is also watered. Cover with film and place in a warm place. When the seeds germinate and cotyledon leaves appear on them, they are planted in individual pots.

Seedling care

High-quality seedlings are strong, stocky plants with short internodes and bright green foliage. To get tomatoes like this, it is important to care for them properly:

1. After seed germination, the film is not removed for another week. At the same time, every day it is opened slightly for several hours, ventilating the sprouts.
2. Then the seedlings are transferred to a room with a temperature of +17 °C.The plants are kept there for a week, after which they are brought back into the room.
3. Water the seedlings as the soil dries out. The water should be at room temperature. It is important to avoid getting moisture on the above-ground parts of the plants. Young tomatoes should not be overwatered or overdried. In both cases they will die.
4. After picking, the tomatoes are not fed or watered for two weeks.
5. During the entire period of growing seedlings, tomatoes are fed three times. The first two weeks after picking into individual containers, then two more times with an interval of two weeks. Complex formulations containing phosphorus are used as fertilizers.
6. 14 days before planting the seedlings in a permanent place, they begin to harden them. To do this, plants are placed outside or on the balcony in warm weather. Hardening begins at half an hour, gradually increasing the time to 16 hours.

Agricultural technology of Mikado tomatoes

Tomatoes in open ground planted when the soil temperature at a depth of 15 cm reaches +16 °C. By this time, the age of the bushes should be from 55 to 60 days. Three days before planting, the plants are watered and fed - this will help cope with stress faster.

And more about tomatoes:

Tomato variety "Strawberry Tree"

Hybrid tomato "Bella Rosa"

Picking to a permanent place

Tomato is a light-loving plant. His planted in the most illuminated area garden Mikado is most sensitive to lack of light. In such conditions, it begins to hurt and does not set fruit.

Tomatoes should not be preceded by other nightshade crops. Choose areas of the garden where legumes or melons were previously cultivated. In autumn the soil is prepared. It is dug up to the depth of a spade bayonet and cleared of plant debris.Then add 4 kg of humus per 1 sq. m. If the acidity of the soil is increased, ash or dry lime is added to it. In spring, the beds are leveled with a rake and cleared of weeds.

Holes are dug in rows in a checkerboard pattern. For 1 sq. m place 3-4 plants. 1 tbsp is poured into the holes. l ash or dry granular long-acting fertilizers. Then 1 liter of water is poured into each recess.

The plant is placed in the hole along with a lump of earth. If the tomatoes were grown in peat pots or tablets, then the container is not removed when planting, but destroyed on several sides. After this, the bushes are covered with soil, which is compacted.

Basic rules of care

Tomato Mikado tied to wooden supports or trellises with synthetic thread. Heavy fruits should also be attached to a support.

Form a plant into one or two stems. The more stems left, the smaller the fruits will be and the later the harvest will ripen. During the pinching process, it is important to remove leaves at the bottom of the stem, yellowed and wilted greenery. Do this once a week, getting rid of no more than three leaves in one procedure.

Water the plants as the soil dries out. The water should be settled and warm. If the liquid gets on the ground part of the bush, burns will appear on the leaves. After each watering, the soil is loosened - the formation of an earthen crust, which interferes with normal root air exchange, should not be allowed to form. During the loosening process, weeds are removed. Do this while the weeds are still green. Otherwise, the roots of the tomatoes will be damaged when weeding.

Feeding is applied four times per season. Alternate complex mineral and organic. Foliar fertilizers are applied twice.Use products containing boron. They will speed up the formation of ovaries.

What you need to know to get a good harvest

When growing tomatoes, it is important to follow the basic rules for caring for them. Gardeners should also familiarize themselves with the nuancesthat will help you get a bountiful harvest:

1. On the day of planting, the tomatoes are not watered. Moistening the soil during this period will increase the likelihood of plant disease.
2. Plant and water tomatoes when the sun is not active. The best time is early morning or evening.
3. Tomato bushes are shaken regularly to stimulate pollination.
4. To avoid wasting time moistening the soil, many gardeners install a drip irrigation system.
5. Deformed inflorescences are removed. They produce low-quality fruits.

Diseases and pests

The Mikado variety has high immunity to major tomato diseases. He is not even afraid of late blight. Nevertheless, prevention rules should be followed:

1. All garden tools that will come into contact with the beds are disinfected. Garden soil and greenhouse walls are also disinfected. Copper sulfate is used for this.
2. To prevent diseases, tomatoes are sprayed with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate.
3. To protect plants from small pests, plantings are sprayed with a decoction of celandine. Egg shells buried in holes help against mole crickets.
4. Large beetles are collected by hand.

The nuances of growing in open and closed ground

Tomato Mikado grown in greenhouses and open ground. There are several nuances that are important to consider when using these methods. In a greenhouse, diseases spread faster and there is increased humidity.Solving these problems is simple - regularly ventilate the room.

To speed up pollination, experienced gardeners recommend installing a fan in the greenhouse. The walls of the room must be treated with a disinfectant composition.

In open ground, the beds are watered 2-3 times a week. depending on weather conditions. The greenhouse requires only one watering.

After planting seedlings in open ground the first two weeks it is covered with film at night to protect the plants from frost.

Harvesting and application

Mikado is harvested in July. The fruits are picked individually, preserving the stalk. This way they will last longer.

Harvest Mikado used for fresh consumption. Tomato sauces and juice are prepared from it. In general, tomatoes of this variety cannot be preserved.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Benefits of Mikado:

• large fruit;
• rich color palette of fruits;
• rich sweet taste;
• possibility of growing in open and protected ground;
• immunity to tomato diseases.

Disadvantages of the variety:

• the need for gartering and pinching;
• sensitivity to temperature changes;
• low transportability.

Farmer reviews

Farmer reviews of Mikado tomatoes are mostly positive. The fruits of this variety are as large and beautiful as in the photo.

Irina, Sochi: “I’ve been raising Mikado for more than 10 years. I tried all varieties of this variety. I like the black ones best, as they are the sweetest. Golden Mikado is the most beautiful. Tomato rarely gets sick even when grown in open ground.".

Alexander, Ryazan: “The Mikado tomato is the most favorite variety. Loved because of its large and sweet fruits. The largest tomato of this variety that I managed to obtain weighed 680 g.I form the bushes into one stem, so the fruits turn out larger.”.

Conclusion

Mikado is a variety for gardeners who want to grow large tomatoes of unusual colors, but do not want to take risks. The berries of these tomatoes have a rich sweet taste and juicy soft pulp. Growing Mikado is not difficult, the main thing is to provide the bushes with regular feeding and a comfortable temperature.

The fruits are consumed fresh and added to first and second courses. Not suitable for whole fruit canning. The variety's resistance to disease and large fruit make it popular among gardeners.