Large-fruited variety with a delicate taste for dietary nutrition - “Tsar Bell” tomato

Tsar Bell is a tomato variety that brings a rich harvest, and not problems with care. It has strong immunity to diseases, which greatly simplifies cultivation. Fruitful compact bushes produce large tomatoes and save space in the garden. The healthy fruits have a pleasant, delicious taste. Since the tomato is unpretentious in care, even a novice gardener can cope with its cultivation.

Description of the variety

The Tsar Bell tomato variety has semi-determinate compact bushes of standard type. The height of the main stem on average reaches 90-100 cm, but when the crop is grown in greenhouse conditions, the tomato grows up to 150 cm.

Due to their high growth, it is recommended to tie the plants to prevent the leading stem from breaking under the weight of large vegetables. The bush has large dark green leaves.

Distinctive features

The Tsar Bell tomato is grown both in open ground and in greenhouses. The sizes of vegetables grown in greenhouse conditions are usually larger than those cultivated in an area without shelter. In general, the variety tolerates temperature changes and unfavorable environmental conditions well.

Fruit characteristics and yield

One of the main features of the variety is the large-fruited tomatoes. The average weight of one tomato is 650 g.

If agrotechnical rules are observed (with timely application of fertilizers and abundant watering when growing tomatoes in a greenhouse), the fruits gain weight up to 800 g.

The largest tomatoes are formed on the lower shoots. Tomatoes that ripen first tend to be larger than those that ripen later.

The shape of the fruit is round, slightly elongated. The surface is smooth, but in the area of ​​the stalk there is a faint ribbing.

Ripe vegetables are dark red or dark pink. The shell of tomatoes is not thick, but dense, so the fruits do not crack. The pulp is juicy and fleshy, moderate wateriness. The acidity and sugar content of vegetables combine and form a pleasant sweetish taste without pronounced sourness.

The first tomatoes ripen 105-110 days after emergence. Productivity largely depends on the region where the variety is grown. In addition, the amount of yield is affected by the frequency of watering and fertilization.

On average, 4 kg of crop is harvested from one bush, but with good care and cultivation in greenhouse conditions, this figure increases to 6 kg per plant.

How to grow seedlings

The Tsar Bell tomato is grown from seedlings. This takes about 50-60 days. First, the seeds are disinfected and germinated at home. Grown plants are transferred under a film cover or directly into open ground.

Seed preparation

If the seeds are colored in an unusual color, then they do not need additional processing of the grain - they have already been disinfected and kept in a nutrient solution by the manufacturer. If the seeds are purchased secondhand or collected from your own harvest, then before sowing the grains are disinfected as follows:

• to destroy pest larvae and eggs, seed material is placed in hot water for 10-15 minutes;
• from possible fungi, mold and rot, the seeds are disinfected in a weak (1%) solution of potassium permanganate (the grains are kept in it for 20-30 minutes).

For accelerated germination and uniform germination, tomato seeds are soaked in a growth stimulator for 15-20 hours. For this purpose the following drugs are used:

• "Energen";
• "Zircon";
• "Baikal-EM1".

The products are sold in specialized stores. They are used strictly according to the instructions indicated on the packaging.

Container and soil

Seedlings are grown in different containers:

• disposable cups;
• wooden or plastic boxes;
• special purchased containers with cells and a lid;
• peat cups or tablets;
• cut milk bottles or cartons.

Seedlings require light nutritious soil, which can be purchased at the store or prepared independently by mixing turf soil, river sand and humus (1:1:1).

Important! Before use, the soil mixture is etched with a weak solution of potassium permanganate to prevent contamination of the seeds by pathogenic organisms.

Sowing

Sowing grains for seedlings is carried out in March or April - it all depends on the climatic characteristics of a particular region.

The prepared container is filled with soil, then grooves no deeper than 1.5-2 cm are made in the soil and seeds are sown in them. Cover the top with a small layer of peat, spray it with a spray bottle, cover it with film or transparent glass and place it in a warm place with an air temperature of about +25 °C.

Growing and care

When shoots appear, the film is removed and the container is sent to a well-lit place - for example, on a windowsill. The room temperature is lowered by several degrees. The optimal air temperature during the day is +20...+22 °C, and at night +10...+15 °C.

As the soil dries, moisten it with a sprayer. For this purpose, settled and warm water is used. Seedlings should be illuminated for 10-12 hours a day.During short daylight hours, phytolamps are evenly installed above the bushes as additional lighting.

When the seedlings have their third true leaf, the plants are planted in separate containers. But if the tomatoes were originally planted in different pots, replanting is not carried out.

How to grow tomatoes

Seedlings are planted in a permanent place of growth no earlier than the end of May - beginning of June. Hypothermia of the root system will reduce the yield, so the plants are transplanted into well-warmed soil of 8-10 cm.

The crop is demanding on lighting, so tomatoes are placed in a well-lit area away from buildings and trees. The bed is prepared in the fall: it is cleared of weeds and remains of cultivated plants, then the soil is sprinkled with humus and dug up.

Landing

When the plants grow to 30 cm, they are transplanted into open ground or a greenhouse. By this time, the bushes will have 6-7 leaves and will bloom. Before planting, 3 lower leaves are removed from the plants to provide the tomatoes with good lighting.

Good predecessors for tomatoes - cabbage, cucumbers, melons, root crops, green manure. Tomatoes are not grown for two years in a row in the same place or after potatoes, eggplant And peppers.

Plants are planted in previously prepared holes. The bushes are placed at a distance of 40 cm from each other, and 60 cm are left between the rows. To ensure that the plants receive more sunlight, the crops are placed in a checkerboard pattern.

The tomatoes are transferred to a permanent place along with a lump of earth. The roots are sprinkled with soil, which is lightly compacted. Then the plants are watered abundantly.

Care

With good care, the crop will not get sick and will produce a good harvest.The plant requires watering, fertilizing and bush formation. After planting, tomatoes are watered for 7-10 days. During this period, tomatoes adapt to a new place.

Moisturize the culture as follows:

• Before the ovaries form, water the tomatoes once a week (4 liters per bush);
• During fruit ripening, tomatoes are moistened twice a week (3 liters of water per plant).

If the Tsar Bell grows in a greenhouse, then the structure must be ventilated after watering to prevent high humidity and the occurrence of fungal diseases.

Culture watered settled or rain water at room temperature. Exposure to cold will slow down plant development.

Tomatoes are fertilized several times a season. At the beginning of the growing season, plants are given fertilizers containing nitrogen. In the future, to strengthen the root system and improve the taste of the fruit, the bushes are fertilized with potassium and phosphorus.

Tomatoes are fed according to this scheme:

• 14 days after planting the plants in a permanent place, the crop is fertilized with liquid mullein diluted with water in a ratio of 1:15;
• after another two weeks, the tomatoes are fed with a solution of superphosphate and potassium salt (25 g of each product per bucket of water);
• The next fertilization is carried out during fruit ripening with a solution of potassium humate (1 tbsp per 10 liters of water).

Wood ash is a good substitute for mineral fertilizers. It is embedded in the soil or added to water for irrigation.

The variety is formed into 1-2 stems. Stepchildren, which grow from the leaf axil, are removed. The first pinching is carried out after transplanting the plants into open ground or a greenhouse. Once a week, the lateral shoots of the plants are broken off, leaving stumps up to 3 cm. During the period of fruit ripening, the lower leaves of the plants are removed.This way the bushes will be better ventilated, and as they grow in the greenhouse, the humidity level will decrease.

In order for oxygen to penetrate to the root system, the soil around the plants is loosened to a depth of 5 cm, in row spacing - 10 cm. The activity is carried out 12-24 hours after watering. Along with loosening, weeds are removed so that they do not take away nutrients from the tomatoes. After aeration, the soil is mulched with compost. This will provide the plants with additional nutrition and help retain moisture in the soil longer in hot weather.

Features of cultivation and possible difficulties

The agricultural technology of the Tsar Bell variety is no different from growing other tomatoes. To obtain a bountiful harvest, plants are provided with timely watering and regular fertilizers.

Diseases and pests

The variety has strong immunity to most nightshade diseases. Tomato Tsar Bell has good resistance to fungi and diseases such as:

• verticillium;
• fusarium;
• late blight

Tomato resistance to diseases is high, but to be sure, experienced vegetable growers carry out preventive measures. To reduce the risk of plant disease, the soil is disinfected with a hot solution of potassium permanganate.

After transplanting the tomatoes to a permanent place, the bed is sprayed with any fungicide, for example:

• "Quadris";
• "Acrobat";
• "Ridomil";
• "Agate 25K";
• "Maksim".

The tomato has average resistance to pests. Most often, the crop is affected by insects such as whiteflies, wireworms, and aphids.

To repel insects, peat and humus are added to the soil. To prevent pests from breeding, weeds are regularly removed. Treat the soil with a light soap solution - this will help get rid of aphids. Wood ash or tobacco dust is used against slugs.Folk remedies are replaced with insecticides, for example, “Aktellik”, “Confidor”, “Karate” or “Fitoverm”.

The nuances of growing in open ground and in a greenhouse

During the entire growing season, about three hillings are carried out, especially if the root system is washed away during watering, as well as as the lower leaves grow and are torn off. When the first flowers or fruits appear, the plants are tied to a support so that the main stem does not break due to the weight of large fruits.

Harvesting and application

The fruits are harvested approximately 3.5 months after sowing. Tomatoes are often picked unripe, as they ripen well indoors at room temperature. Thanks to their thick skin, tomatoes can be stored for several months in proper conditions without losing their appearance or taste.

Fresh salads are prepared from the fruits of this variety. Tomatoes are also great for making juice, sauce and ketchup. Since tomatoes are large in size, they are not suitable for whole-fruit canning.

Important! The Tsar Bell variety is recommended for children's and dietary nutrition, as the fruits contain a large amount of beta-carotene.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Vegetable growers value the Tsar Bell tomato for its following advantages:

• high level of productivity;
• crop resistance to diseases;
• high seed germination;
• plant resistance to low temperatures;
• presentation of the fruit;
• early ripening of the variety;
• excellent taste;
• fruit resistance to cracking;
• transportability of vegetables.

The variety has few disadvantages:

• the need to form a plant and a garter;
• the variety is highly demanding when it comes to fertilization, since large fruits require large amounts of nutrients;
• tomatoes are not suitable for whole-fruit canning.

Farmer reviews

The Tsar Bell is unpretentious in care, except for the need for regular fertilization to increase productivity. The variety received high marks, and the high transportability of the fruits makes them suitable for growing for sale.

Vladimir, Krasnodar: “Last year I tried to grow the Tsar Bell tomato variety for the first time. There were no difficulties. The tomatoes grew large, as in the photo of the package with seeds. The vegetables taste sweet, without much sourness. To obtain an abundant harvest of large-fruited tomatoes, the crop was grown in a greenhouse. I fertilized the plants three times a season and watered them well. I was pleased with the harvest. One tomato weighed about 750 g. My wife made delicious juice from these tomatoes. The Tsar Bell is not suitable for conservation at all. In general, the family liked the variety. Next time I’ll grow it again.”

Ivan, Kursk: “Once I saw large-fruited tomatoes at a neighbor’s house. I also wanted to grow the same ones. He advised me to plant the Tsar Bell variety. I plant seedlings in open ground. The culture was practically not sick. I fed the tomatoes 3 times. Watered the plants regularly. What I especially liked was the early ripening of the variety. The vegetables, although large, do not crack. The tomatoes are tasty and meaty. I liked the Tsar Bell, I recommend it to everyone.”

Conclusion

The Tsar Bell tomato is successfully cultivated both in greenhouses and in open ground. Growing this variety does not require much effort. Tomatoes ripen in a short time, produce high yields and delight with their taste. The culture is resistant to most diseases, which makes growing these vegetables easier.