Long vines strewn with delicious tomatoes - “Rapunzel” tomato: description, photo and growing instructions

Gardeners grow tomatoes all over the world, so breeders annually release new tomato varieties and hybrids to the markets. Some of them are amazing with their characteristics.

One of the most unusual hybrids is the Rapunzel tomato. It is interesting not for the color and shape of the fruits, but for its tall bushes from which long clusters with a large number of berries hang. Those who have seen this variety of tomatoes will agree that the lashes really resemble the hair of a fairy-tale princess.

General description of the hybrid

The Rapunzel tomato is a hybrid that has become a real curiosity for gardeners in our country. It was bred by American breeders. The first presentation of this variety of tomatoes took place in the USA in 2014.

The new hybrid has not yet been included in the Russian register. It has only recently become available to farmers in our country.

This is interesting! At first, gardeners thought that the described variety of tomatoes reproduced exclusively by vegetative means. However, later Rapunzel seeds appeared in stores in European countries.

Hybrid seeds can be purchased in online stores. It will be available in gardening stores soon.

Features of Rapunzel tomatoes

The main feature of the Rapunzel tomato is its unusual bushes. They form lashes that reach a length of 2.5 meters, with 30-50 fruits. You can see how they look in the photo. The fruits of Rapunzel are cherry.These are small tomatoes, each weighing no more than 25 g.

The berries of this hybrid are considered dietary. Although low in calories, they are high in nutrients. Choline is especially valuable because it lowers cholesterol levels in the blood.

Rapunzel is a salad hybrid. The fruits are suitable for fresh consumption. Due to their thin skin, they crack when preserved.

Another distinctive feature of this variety of tomatoes is the ability to grow not only in the garden and greenhouse, but also on the balcony.

Note! The appearance of the Rapunzel tomato allows it to be grown not only as a fruit crop, but also as an ornamental plant. During the fruiting period, it can become a real decoration of the garden.

Characteristics

Hybrid Rapunzel has excellent performance. It amazes not only with its appearance, but also with its yield.

Description of hybrid characteristics:

Growing seedlings

Rapunzel seeds are sown two months before the intended transplantation of plants to a permanent place. In most regions, March is considered the optimal time to start growing seedlings.

For early ripening tomatoes, it is especially important to observe the timing of sowing seeds. After all, if you keep such tomatoes in pots, ovaries will form on them and they cannot be planted in the ground.

Seed preparation

Before purchasing Rapunzel seeds, you need to make sure that they have not expired. At home, planting material is sorted out, removing damaged specimens.

In most cases, Rapunzel seeds are treated by the manufacturer. This information must be indicated on the packaging. Disinfected seeds are colored green or orange.

If the seeds have not been processed in production, they are disinfected at home. A solution of potassium permanganate, soda, aloe or honey is used as a disinfectant composition.

Before planting, the seeds are treated with a growth stimulator.Special preparations are sold in gardening stores. The most popular of them are “Epin” and “Fitosporin”.

Growth stimulants are also prepared at home. To do this, add a teaspoon of honey to a cup of water or dilute aloe juice with water in a 1:1 ratio.

Planting material is soaked in a glass with a growth stimulator or wrapped in gauze soaked in the composition. The second option is considered more reliable.

Selection of soil and containers

Large, shallow containers are usually used to sow tomato seeds. Not only special trays and boxes are suitable, but also plastic containers for meat and semi-finished products.

To pick seedlings into individual pots, you need 300 ml containers. For these purposes, plastic and peat pots, disposable cups, cut-off bottles and juice boxes are used.

To grow plants on the balcony you need a container with a volume of at least 3 liters. Otherwise, the plants will be uncomfortable.

It is advisable to plant such rare hybrids as Rapunzel in peat tablets. Such containers create optimal conditions for plants.

The soil needs to be slightly acidic. The acidity level is checked using litmus paper.

Soil is sold in gardening stores. Experienced gardeners advise doing it yourself. To do this, mix 1 part humus and chernozem, 2 parts peat, 0.5 parts garden soil and a glass of ash.

Before use, water the soil with a solution of potassium permanganate. The containers also need to be disinfected by soaking in the same composition for half an hour.

Sowing seeds

Soil is poured into the container, leaving 3-4 cm to the edge. Seeds are placed in rows on the soil. The distance between seeds should be 2 cm, and between rows - 3 cm.

The planting material is sprinkled with a 0.5-centimeter layer of soil on top. The soil is moistened with a spray bottle. Cover the top of the container with film and place it in a warm place. The higher the temperature, the faster the seeds will germinate.

Note! Seeds do not need sunlight to germinate. Therefore, they do not have to be placed in a well-lit place. Containers with seedlings are transferred to the windowsill after the planting material has germinated.

If the seeds are sown in peat tablets, the planting procedure is different:

1. The tablets are soaked in boiling water by placing them in a container of water with the open side down. When the workpieces absorb water and increase in size, add more liquid to the container.
2. A depression is made in the tablets. A seed is placed in it. Sprinkle earth on top.
3. The tablets are placed in a deep container, covered with film and placed in a warm place.

Seedling care

To get healthy plants, you need to follow all the rules for caring for seedlings. The list contains the most important of them:

1. Rapunzel is a particularly light-demanding hybrid. Therefore, its seedlings need at least 12 hours of daylight. To grow these tomatoes you need fluorescent lamps.
2. Tomatoes peak when three true leaves appear on the plants.
3. After the first shoots appear, the containers with seedlings are placed in a well-lit place. The film is removed after 5-7 days.
4. Seedlings definitely need additional feeding. The first time fertilizer is applied two weeks after picking the plants, the second time - after another 14 days, and the last time - 5 days before transplanting the seedlings to a permanent place.
5. Water the plants as the soil dries out.When watering, it is important that the water gets only under the roots of the plants, but does not touch the greenery. Use only warm, settled liquid.

Growing tomatoes

The seedlings are planted in a permanent place when the soil reaches the optimal temperature. In most regions, this procedure is recommended to be performed at the end of May. In the north of our country - in the first half of July.

The seedlings are prepared 3-5 days before planting. To do this, plants are watered and fed abundantly.

Planting plants in a permanent place

The beds for tomatoes are prepared in the fall. They are dug up and cleared of plant debris. Compost and ash are added to the soil. Then check the acidity of the soil with litmus paper: if it is elevated, add lime.

In the spring, the soil is dug up again, cleaned of plant roots and treated with a disinfectant solution.

Dig holes, add 1 tbsp to each of them. l ash. The distance between the holes must be at least 40 cm. The holes for planting plants are arranged in a checkerboard pattern.

Before planting, seedlings are removed from the pots, placed in holes, deepened by 10-15 cm. The holes are covered with earth.

You need to work with tomatoes very carefully. It is important not to damage the roots.

A high support is placed near each plant. Trellis are often used for this variety.

Tomato care

The Rapunzel tomato needs a garter. As it grows, new parts are constantly attached to the support. Otherwise, the thin stems will not withstand the weight of the fruit.

Hybrid bushes are formed into one or two stems. In the first case, the harvest will appear earlier, and in the second it will be more abundant.

An important step in caring for plants is removing excess shoots. This procedure is carried out in the morning or evening.

Rapunzel is a hybrid that requires watering. The soil is moistened regularly as it dries. After each watering, the beds are loosened.

Tomatoes are fertilized for the first time 2 weeks after planting. For this, it is recommended to use complex fertilizers. In the process of growing Rapunzel tomato, it is recommended to alternate mineral fertilizers and diluted manure.

Nuances of cultivation

The Rapunzel tomato is a difficult hybrid to care for. Therefore, every gardener needs to know a few nuances:

1. Requirement for heat. If the air temperature after transplantation is below 20 degrees, the plants will begin to get sick and die.
2. It is important not to let the soil dry out. The hybrid needs regular watering. However, you should also not flood the soil - this will increase the risk of developing tomato diseases.
3. Requirement for light. For tomatoes, choose the most illuminated area of ​​the garden.

Diseases and pests

The Rapunzel tomato is resistant to major tomato diseases. Even during epidemics, it is rarely affected by fungal and viral pathogens.

Despite good immunity to tomato diseases, prevention cannot be neglected. It is important to disinfect the soil, containers and garden tools used to grow plants.

During the growing process, it is important to follow the rules of caring for tomatoes: regularly weed and loosen the beds, do not skip watering and stepsoning.

Insects carry viral and fungal diseases. They also damage the tomato bushes themselves. To prevent infection of plants by them, regularly sprayed with Bordeaux mixture or soap solution.

Growing Rapunzel tomatoes in the garden and on the balcony

When growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, you need to choose high rooms, because the hybrid reaches a height of 2.5 m.It is important to ventilate the plants daily. To do this, open all the windows in the greenhouse.

When growing tomatoes in open ground, the plants are covered with film at night for the first two weeks to avoid their death due to night frosts.

Important mulch beds with dry grass, straw or burlap.

When growing seedlings on the balcony, it is important to properly prepare containers with soil. To do this, drainage is poured into the bottom of the pots: crushed brick and expanded clay, shell rock or broken dishes.

The soil for tomatoes is the same as for other seedlings. To enrich the soil, add 30 g of superphosphate, 15 g of potassium compounds, and 10 g of urea to a bucket of soil.

When planting in a 3-liter pot, the plants are buried 10-15 cm. Tomatoes also need a garter at home.

At home, the Rapunzel hybrid usually lacks sunlight. To compensate for its deficiency, fluorescent lamps are used.

Advantages and disadvantages of a hybrid

Pros of Rapunzel:

• high productivity;
• excellent taste of fruits;
• attractive appearance of bushes;
• immunity to tomato diseases;
• rich biochemical composition with low calorie content.

The disadvantages include the inaccessibility of seeds and the need for care of the hybrid.

Reviews from gardeners

Gardeners who have tried growing Rapunzel tomatoes say they will plant them again. There are only positive reviews about this hybrid.

Oksana Grimasova, Adler: “Last year we managed to get a Rapunzel hybrid. The tomatoes are completely worth their price. Very beautiful and productive. I grew it in open ground and never got sick during the season.”

Kirill Ignatiev, Moscow: “I’m growing Rapunzel on the balcony. A very interesting variety. A huge number of cherry tomatoes are formed on its lashes.They taste sweet and are great for salads. There are still a few seeds left. I will plant again."

Conclusion

The Rapunzel tomato is a young hybrid that can surprise even experienced gardeners. Its main feature is the long vines on which more than 40 small tomatoes grow.

Despite its whimsical nature, many gardeners want to add this variety to their collection. For now it is available only in online stores, but will soon be available for free sale.