Difficult to care for, but incredibly productive variety of domestic selection - the Cosmonaut Volkov tomato

Tomato Cosmonaut Volkov is a famous variety among gardeners. It is distinguished by large fruits of excellent taste, rich in vitamins and nutrients. This culture has been tested by time and occupies an honorable place not only in the list of popular domestic varieties, but also in the hearts of gardeners. Despite numerous new products, the variety is in great demand in markets.

The article will reveal the secrets of productivity and introduce you to competent agricultural techniques that will undoubtedly help grow healthy plants with a decent harvest.

Characteristics and description of the variety

The unusual name of the variety was the result of strong friendships. Russian cosmonaut I. N. Maslov, having retired, took up gardening. As a result of his hard work, a tomato was born, which Maslov named in honor of his best friend, pilot-cosmonaut Alexander Aleksandrovich Volkov, who tragically died in 1971 in the accident of the Soyuz-11 spacecraft.

Distinctive features

The type is indeterminate, tall, up to 2 m high. The first cluster is tied above the 9th leaf, the subsequent ones - every three leaves.

A mid-early variety, it takes 110-120 days from the first shoots to full ripening.

The productivity is high, up to 7 kg of fruits are harvested from 1 seedling, provided that no more than 3 plants are planted per 1 square meter. m.

The variety is distinguished by its stable immunity to many dangerous diseases of the nightshade family.Recommended for cultivation in open and protected ground, perfectly adapted to any climatic conditions.

The culture requires obligatory staking and pinching of tall bushes.

Fruit characteristics

The fruits are large, with an average weight of 500-650 g. The vegetables on the lower branches are the largest, their weight reaches 800 g. The shape is round, strongly flattened on top, the color is bright red. The taste is excellent, sweet, harmoniously combined with sourness. The pulp is juicy and fleshy. There are 6-7 seed chambers.

The purpose is universal: tomatoes are suitable for preparing fresh dishes and winter preparations. Ripe vegetables are processed into juices and ketchups. Despite their large size, the fruits are stored for a long time without loss of quality. Tomatoes also withstand long-distance transportation very well.

The photo shows Cosmonaut Volkov tomatoes.

How to grow seedlings

Sowing of seeds begins 2 months before planting seedlings in the ground. Seed material is purchased in specialized stores or prepared independently. Purchased seeds do not require processing. Only those grains that were collected independently undergo special preparation before sowing.

Seed preparation

The seed material is checked for suitability by placing it in a saline solution for 10 minutes. Those that float to the surface are empty, they are disposed of. Afterwards, the seeds are placed for 20 minutes in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Thus, the grains are disinfected. After disinfection, they are washed with running water.

To improve germination, grains are germinated on damp gauze for 2-3 days. The place for germination is chosen dark and warm, with a temperature of at least 26°C. As the gauze dries, lightly moisten it with warm water.After the first sprouts appear, the seeds are sown in the ground.

Container and soil

The soil is prepared from garden soil mixed with humus in equal quantities. To make the soil lighter, washed river sand is added as a loosening agent. After thoroughly mixing all components, the soil is disinfected to destroy pathogenic flora.

To do this, pour it with a hot solution of purple potassium permanganate or steam it in the oven for at least 15 minutes at a temperature of 50°C. The cooled soil is laid out in planting containers, having previously made small drainage holes at the bottom so that excess moisture drains into them.

Plant in a common wooden box or in separate containers. From individual containers, peat pots are preferable, as they simplify further care.

Reference. The walls of peat pots feed the young roots with additional beneficial substances throughout the entire period of seedling growth.

Sowing

The seeds are sown in grooves 2 cm deep, sprinkled with soil on top and watered generously with warm, settled water along the edge of the containers. Then the containers are covered with film or glass and left in a warm and dark room at a temperature of 22-24°C.

Further care of seedlings

When shoots appear, the containers are moved to a well-lit place, on the windowsill. The duration of daylight hours is at least 13 hours. If there is a lack of natural light, add phytolamps.

Water the soil as the top layer dries out with warm, settled water, without flooding the seedlings. For watering, use a small watering can or a regular tablespoon. Afterwards, the soil is loosened, thereby improving the penetration of oxygen. To accelerate the growth of seedlings, add a Nitrophoska solution to the watering.

When 2 true leaves appear, the seedlings are picked and placed in separate containers. The picking procedure involves removing the main root by one third. During picking, weak and non-viable plants are disposed of. If the seeds are sown in peat pots, picking is not required.

Reference. Diving helps to strengthen the root system, since after the procedure the lateral roots are intensively built up.

2 weeks before transplantation, young plants begin to harden, thereby helping to adapt to new conditions. To do this, the containers are taken outside in the daytime for 1 hour, gradually increasing this interval to 11-12 hours. At the same time, the night temperature is reduced to 13°C.

How to grow tomatoes

After 2 months, the seedlings are ready for planting in the ground. The soil is prepared in the fall - dug up and fertilized with compost. If the soil is clayey, it is diluted with sand and humus, since tomatoes love light and fertile soil.

Landing

For 1 sq. m place no more than 3 plants in a checkerboard pattern. This method of planting allows each bush to receive sufficient sunlight and be regularly ventilated.

The seedlings are transferred into holes 20 cm deep along with a lump of earth. Then the holes are covered with soil and watered abundantly with warm, settled water. Full care begins after 2 weeks, when the young bushes finally adapt to the new conditions.

Reference. There is no need to replant seedlings from peat pots. They are lowered into the hole along with the container. The pots dissolve in the ground without causing harm to the root system, and continue to feed the roots with useful substances.

Further care

Regular watering is established once a week. Water abundantly - at least 5 liters of warm water for each bush. This regime is maintained until budding begins. After the buds appear, water more often, once every 4 days, using 3 liters of water for each seedling.

When the fruits ripen, do not stop watering, as this can lead to cracking of the vegetables. For irrigation, water is collected in a large container exposed to the sun. Within 2-3 days the water is heated and settled.

After each watering, the soil is loosened, removing all weeds with roots. To retain moisture in the soil, the beds are mulched with peat.

Reference. In addition to the necessary agricultural practices, loosening and mulching beds serve as preventive measures in the fight against fungal diseases and many pests.

Throughout the entire growing period, the Cosmonaut Volkov tomato variety constantly needs feeding. Before the budding period, it is fed with nitrogen fertilizers: mullein infusion, herbal infusion or urea. Plants should be watered only with highly diluted organic matter, otherwise the root system will receive a serious burn. The optimal dilution ratio is 1:15.

During the formation of ovaries, potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are used as fertilizers. There is no further need to add nitrogen, since oversaturation will lead to the growth of green mass, which will negatively affect fruiting. For tomatoes, fertilizing with wood ash is useful, which is added to watering during fruit ripening.

Features of care and possible difficulties

The height of the plants requires staking. It is most convenient to tie tall bushes to a trellis. To do this, supports are installed on different sides of the bed and wire is pulled between them.The stems and branches of plants are fixed to a horizontally stretched wire. If there are few bushes, they are tied to wooden stakes installed next to each seedling during transplantation.

If the crop is planted in a greenhouse, it is necessary to ensure good lighting. A lack of light will negatively affect the growth of seedlings, which will stretch towards the ceiling of the greenhouse. In this case, the thin and fragile stem will not be able to provide the developing fruits with the necessary nutrients, and the yield will be significantly reduced.

Attention! The indeterminate type has no growth restrictions, so in mid-July the tops of the plants are pinched, thereby marking the growth point. Otherwise, the bush will not be fully formed.

Plants are planted once a week, forming 1 or 2 stems. All excess shoots are removed, preventing them from consuming the nutrients needed by the developing fruits. Late brushes, despite the ovaries forming on them, are cut off. In any case, tomatoes will not have time to reach technical maturity, but they may well cause the spread of fungal infections.

Diseases and pests

Improper watering and temperature violations contribute to the development of brown spot (cladosporiosis). This is a fungal disease, the preventive measures for which include systematic loosening, moderate watering, removal of weeds and regular ventilation of closed structures.

When plants are damaged, the preparations “Hom” and “Fitosporin” are used. Traditional methods also help, for example, an aqueous solution of iodine (40 drops per 10 liters of water), which is used to water well-loosened areas.

The most dangerous pest for tomatoes is the whitefly, a white moth that damages the leaves.The drug “Confidor” or pheromone traps installed next to the tomatoes help in the fight against it.

Greenhouse spider mites are repelled from bushes by a soap solution that is sprayed on plants, especially the affected areas. And regular ventilation of the greenhouse destroys the parasite’s usual habitat. But do not forget that tomatoes do not like drafts.

Constantly wet beds increase the risk of slug infestations. To prevent pests from around the tomato bushes, sprinkle the ground with ash or ground hot pepper.

Nuances for greenhouse conditions and open ground

Difficulty in care arises due to the large size of the bush. You have to build a trellis to which the stem and branches of the plant are tied. It is not always possible to tie up all the branches. Additional supports are often required for heavy bunches of fruit.

The lower branches are the least convenient for fixation. Vegetables of the greatest weight ripen on them, which bend the fruiting clusters to the ground. If these branches are left unfixed, constant contact of vegetables with wet beds will cause them to rot and increase the risk of developing fungal infections.

Tomato does not like frequent watering; it is better to water less often, but abundantly. Incorrect watering regime affects the quantitative indicator of fruiting. In addition, ripe vegetables may have a watery taste.

When planting in a greenhouse, the top layer of soil must be replaced every season. Larvae of insect pests and pathogenic spores successfully overwinter in the ground, which begin to develop in the spring, causing harm to healthy plants. The introduced soil must be disinfected by spilling it with a solution of potassium permanganate and treating it with copper sulfate.

According to the rules of crop rotation, tomatoes are planted in the same soil where legumes, cabbage, zucchini, and winter crops previously grew. After them, the soil is not depleted, but, on the contrary, is filled with nitrogen, necessary for the full development of tomato crops.

Harvesting and application

The harvest is harvested in August - late July. Ripening is amicable, with whole clusters. It is important to try to prevent the fruits from overripening, because the branches, despite reliable fixation, find it difficult to hold heavy vegetables.

The purpose of tomatoes is universal: tomatoes look great in a salad, complement the taste of first and second courses, and are good in vegetable stew. They make excellent freshly squeezed juice.

For canning and marinades, vegetables are used cut; they are too large for whole-fruit rolls. Tomato products (juice, paste, adjika, ketchup) give a rich red color and excellent taste, maintaining a sweetness that is harmoniously combined with sourness.

Ripe vegetables are stored for a long time and can withstand transportation over long distances. But the shelf life of fruits is preserved only if they are properly cared for: abundant but not frequent watering, regular fertilizing and timely garter and pinching the tops of plants.

Reference. The quality of the fruit depends on the care of the tomatoes.

Advantages and disadvantages

Despite some difficulties in care, tomato has numerous advantages:

• high productivity;
• possibility of breeding in all regions;
• resistance to dangerous diseases;
• mid-early maturation;
• the ability to prepare seeds yourself;
• excellent taste;
• large fruits;
• amicable maturation;
• versatility in cooking.

The disadvantages of this variety include:

• regular stepsoning;
• obligatory garter;
• regular feeding;
• mandatory watering regime;
• the influence of agricultural technology on the quality of ripe vegetables.

Farmer reviews

Reviews from those who planted the Cosmonaut Volkov tomato testify: this is not the variety with which you should start mastering the cultivation of tomato crops. However, experts recommend this tomato to experienced gardeners as a reliable large-fruited crop. Here are the opinions of some gardeners.

Irina, St. Petersburg: “I plant tomatoes in a greenhouse; first I always fertilize the soil with humus. The seeds germinate well, the seedlings are strong and healthy. The variety pleased me with decent yield. The bushes grew up to 2 m. We managed to grow fruits of a record weight - 870 g. The taste is excellent, I prepared a lot of juices and salads for the winter.”

Vasily, Saratov: “In the photographs, the Kosmonavt Volkov variety of tomatoes is very tall, so I placed a trellis in the garden bed in advance. The tomatoes were regularly watered and fed with mineral fertilizers. The fruits turned out very large and tasty. Purpose: salad, too large for canning. The approximate weight of the tomato is 450 g. Next year I will plant again.”

Conclusion

Judging by the characteristics and reviews of the variety, photos and descriptions of the fruits, the Cosmonaut Volkov tomato occupies a confident position, despite some difficulties that arise when growing the crop.

High rates of fruiting, resistance to various diseases, and rapid adaptation to weather conditions outweigh the disadvantages. The tall tomato has been producing rich, large-fruited harvests in various regions for decades.