The record holder for the content of nutrients is the “Orange Heart” tomato.
Recently, scientists from the USA made a statement that yellow tomatoes are healthier than red and pink ones. Such tomatoes are considered less allergenic. They contain not only increased amounts of vitamins, minerals and carotene, but also tetra-cis-lycopene. It is thanks to this compound that yellow tomato berries have the ability to prolong the youth of the body.
Among all the varieties with yellow fruits, the Orange Heart tomato is especially popular. It has an interesting shape and produces large, sweet fruits that both adults and children enjoy eating.
General description of the variety
Tomato Orange Heart is a variety bred by domestic breeders. It is included in the Russian state register and is popular among gardeners all over the world.
This is interesting! The variety is popularly called Liskin Nos. This is due to the characteristic shape of its fruits, reminiscent of the face of a red animal. This name quickly spread among gardeners, and now it is often found on foreign websites.
Distinctive features of the Orange Heart
The main feature of the Orange Heart variety is the shape and color of the fruit. The berries of this tomato are heart-shaped with an elongated and pointed nose. The color of tomatoes is orange or dark yellow.
The taste of tomatoes is also impressive - sweet, with a pronounced fruity note and barely noticeable sourness. The berries are fleshy and moderately juicy. The composition contains a large amount of sugars.
Another feature is the bushes. Despite the fact that the variety is indeterminate, gardeners note its spreading nature.
Note! Feedback from gardeners is that the fruits in the upper part of the bush are larger and have a more pointed tip than in the lower part of the plant.
Main characteristics
Description of the variety Orange Heart attracts many gardeners. After all, this tomato is not only useful and beautiful, but also undemanding to care.
Characteristics of the Orange Heart tomato:
| Parameter | Indicators |
| Bush type | Indeterminate. It reaches a height of 1.6-2 m. The stems are powerful and durable. The bushes are spreading, with a lot of foliage. The leaves are dark green, medium sized, simple tomato. The first inflorescence is formed in the axil of the 7th or 8th leaf. Subsequent brushes appear every 2 sheets. The fruits are formed in clusters, with each cluster containing from 3 to 6 berries. |
| Growing method | Designed for cultivation in the climatic conditions of our country. Cultivated in greenhouses, film shelters and open ground. |
| Productivity | Average. Up to 4 kg of fruits are collected from one bush during the fruiting period. From one sq. m produces an average of 8 kg of tomatoes. |
| Fruit | Large ones. The weight of one tomato varies from 250 to 400 g. The first fruits are always larger than the next ones. The outside of the fruit is bright orange or dark yellow. The pulp is orange, without light and green spots. The fruits are fleshy, not watery. Some gardeners note that they are not juicy enough. The berries are heart-shaped, with a strongly pointed tip. There is pronounced ribbing at the base, which makes the tomatoes even more heart-like. There are many chambers in the fruits, but there are few seeds in them. |
| Transportability | Low.Due to their thin skin, tomatoes are not suitable for long-distance transportation. These tomatoes don't last long. They have a tendency to crack. |
| Ripening time | Mid-season variety. The first harvest is harvested after 100-110 days. |
| Disease resistance | It is resistant to most tomato diseases. Not resistant to late blight. |
Growing seedlings
Tomatoes are cultivated by seedlings. Orange Heart seeds are sown in late February or early March. In the northern regions, seedlings begin to be grown later - at the end of March.
Gardeners recommend familiarizing yourself with the lunar calendar to select the optimal timing for growing seedlings. When growing seedlings using the Chinese method, you need to wait for the waning moon in the constellation Scorpio.
Preparation of planting material
Before use, the seeds must be prepared. This will reduce the likelihood of infection and speed up germination.
Planting material purchased in a store is usually already pickled. This is evidenced by the signs on the packaging and the green or orange color of the seeds.
If there are no signs indicating that the seeds have been disinfected or the planting material was taken from last year’s harvest, the procedure must be carried out independently. To do this, the seeds are immersed for half an hour in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, after which they are washed.
To speed up germination, seeds are treated with a growth stimulant: “Epin”, a solution of honey, soda or aloe, “Fitosporin”.
Selection of containers and soil
Often, tomato seeds are sown in one large, shallow container. Sprouted plants are planted in pots with a volume of at least 300 ml.
Containers for seedlings are disinfected - soaked in a strong solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour or poured with boiling water.
Soil mixture for tomatoes is sold in a specialty store. The soil is also prepared independently. To do this, mix peat, black soil and humus in equal quantities. Ash and sand are added to the composition.
The soil for seedlings is also disinfected - watered with boiling water, a solution of potassium permanganate, or calcined in the oven.
Advice. To reduce the likelihood of seedlings being damaged by blackleg, drainage is poured into the bottom of the picking pots. Its role can be broken brick, expanded clay or ceramics.
Sowing seeds
The Orange Heart planting material is buried 1-1.5 cm. A distance of at least 2 cm must be maintained between the seeds.
After sowing the seeds, moisten the soil with warm water from a spray bottle. The seedlings are covered with film and placed in a warm place. The warmer the room, the faster the first shoots will appear. Light is not necessary for ungerminated seeds.
Seedling care
Proper care of seedlings will allow you to grow healthy and strong plants. How to grow seedlings:
- Before the seeds germinate, the containers are covered with film. This will provide high humidity and the necessary microclimate for their germination.
- After the first shoots appear, the container with seedlings is placed in a well-lit place. To prevent plants from stretching out, gardeners recommend using fluorescent lamps.
- A week after seed germination, the film is removed. Until then, the seedlings still need extreme humidity.
- For irrigation, use only settled water at room temperature. Water the tomatoes so that water does not get on the greens.
- Plants dive when the first true leaves appear on them.There is no need to pinch the root during the transplantation process.
- The plants are watered for the first time after picking a week later. After another week, the seedlings are fed.
- During the entire period of growing seedlings, they are fed three times. Use complex fertilizers or vermicompost. 3 days before planting in a permanent place, tomatoes are fed with fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus.
- Before planting in a permanent place, tomatoes are hardened off. To do this, plants begin to be taken outside two weeks before picking, gradually increasing the time they stay there.
Agricultural technology of tomatoes Orange heart
Orange heart is grown in open and protected ground. In cold regions, option 2 is preferable.
Tomatoes are planted when the soil warms up. March is considered the optimal time for picking. In the southern regions, planting is possible at the end of April, and in the northern regions - at the beginning of June.
Before picking, tomatoes need to be prepared. To do this, 3 days before the procedure, the plants are watered and fed.
Landing rules
The beds for tomatoes are prepared in advance. In the fall, the soil is dug up and cleared of weeds, after which it is enriched with mullein, ash and lime. In the spring, the soil is dug up again and watered with a solution of copper sulfate.
For tomatoes, dig holes in rows. For 1 sq. m place 2-3 plants. 1 tablespoon of ash is poured into each cavity.
The seedlings are carefully removed from the pots. It is placed in the holes in the center. The depressions are filled with water and covered with soil. The next watering after planting the seedlings is possible no earlier than 2 weeks later.
How to care for a tomato
Bushes of the Orange Heart variety need garter. The support chosen is strong and high. This can be a wooden peg or trellis.
The plant is formed into 2 or 3 stems.The more stems, the slower the harvest will ripen and the smaller the fruits will be.
Regularly remove the lower leaves and excess tomato shoots. This procedure is carried out in the morning or evening on clear days.
The soil is moistened as it dries. It is important to consider that in dry weather or high humidity, the fruits crack.
Fertilize tomatoes 3-4 times per season. Gardeners recommend alternating mineral complex fertilizers and manure. Foliar feeding with boron will help the ovaries form faster.
Attention. Loosening the beds is mandatory. This procedure destroys the crust and improves air exchange in the roots. Loosening is done after each watering and rain.
The nuances of growing tomatoes Orange Heart
Orange heart is an unpretentious variety. It is undemanding when it comes to fertilizing, and by following the basic rules, even novice gardeners can successfully grow it.
Most tomatoes require three to four feedings per season, but Orange Heart needs two. It is better to use complex fertilizers.
When pinching, it is important to remove the entire body of the shoot. If the shoot is not completely removed, the likelihood of the plant becoming infected will greatly increase.
Diseases and harmful insects
Tomato Orange Heart is immune to viral and fungal diseases. However, it is affected by late blight.
To avoid tomato diseases, follow the rules for caring for them. Do not over-moisten or over-dry the soil. Such conditions are ideal for the development of pathogens.
It is necessary to disinfect not only the soil and planting material. All garden tools that will interact with tomatoes must undergo a disinfection procedure. They may contain fungi and viruses.
To prevent late blight, plants are sprayed with copper preparations. Another way - spraying with potassium permanganate solution.
It is important to protect plants from harmful insects. They not only spoil the bushes themselves, but also infect them with fungi and viruses.
Thrips, whiteflies and spider mites are afraid of celandine infusion. Slugs are repelled by a solution of ammonia. To get rid of aphids, use a soap solution. The above-ground parts of the plant are sprayed with this product.
Features of growing in protected and open ground
When growing Orange Heart tomatoes in open ground, it is important to protect the plants from frost for the first two weeks after transplantation. To do this, they are covered with film at night. The same technique is used on cool days.
Mulch beds of tomatoes grown in open ground are a must. This will protect the plants from frost, soil drying out, pests and parasites.
Greenhouses with tomatoes are ventilated daily by opening the windows in the room.
Harvesting and application
The first Orange Heart fruits ripen in July. Tomato berries become bright orange and soft.
On cloudy days or during an epidemic, late blight picks off large unripe fruits. In this case, be sure to leave the stalk. Then the tomatoes will ripen quickly indoors.
Orange Heart tomatoes are intended for fresh consumption. It is possible to prepare sauces and juices from the fruits. In general, they are not preserved due to the fact that they crack and soften.
Advice. Gardeners recommend not throwing away the pulp left over from preparing tomato juice. This raw material is used as fertilizer for tomato and other crops.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Benefits of tomato:
- ease of care;
- sweet fruity taste;
- pronounced aroma;
- large fruit;
- immunity to tomato diseases;
- beautiful shape and bright color.
Disadvantages include the low transportability of tomatoes and the need for pinching.
Farmer reviews
Reviews about the Orange Heart tomato are positive. Gardeners note the excellent characteristics of these tomatoes.
Ilya Sadovnik, Klin: «I was given Orange Heart tomato seeds last year. I grew them in a greenhouse. The stems grew tall and powerful. The first fruits had a very pointed shape and resembled a heart. The next tomatoes were more round. Closer to autumn, the plants became infected with late blight.”
Alina Kryukova, Sochi: “I have been growing Liskin Nose (Orange Heart) tomatoes for two years now. I like the beautiful sweet fruits that are great for salads. I didn’t notice any particular difficulties in growing. The largest tomato of this variety weighed 378 g.”
Conclusion
The tomato variety Orange Heart is popular with both beginners and experienced gardeners. It produces healthy and tasty orange heart-shaped fruits. Tomatoes are undemanding to care; they are even cultivated in dachas. Tomatoes look great in salads and other dishes and are suitable for whole-fruit canning.