Step-by-step instructions on how to grow a “Valutny” tomato: description and secrets of proper care
The “Valutny” tomato was created by Siberian breeders specifically for the cool Russian climate. The creators of the variety were faced with the task of creating a tomato that could take root and bear fruit in the northern regions of the country. As time has shown, they completely coped with this.
Description, characteristics and photos of tomatoes
The Currency tomato can withstand night frosts and daytime heat, prolonged rains and droughts, although this affects the volume of the harvest. At the same time, the Currency tomato is widespread in the central and southern regions.
Currency - a medium-growing determinate variety that does not grow higher than 60-80 cm, which is quite a lot for tomatoes in its category. The stem of the plant is strong, but without a garter it easily breaks under the weight of ripe fruits. The leaves are densely planted; in summer they protect the stems from the scorching rays of the sun.
The currency tomato boasts excellent immunity to the vast majority of diseases:
- phytophotosis;
- rot;
- septoria and others.
But if there are mistakes in care, even he is not immune from diseases.
Planting seeds
For growing the variety, soft, humus-rich and loosened soils are preferred.. The substrate for growing seedlings can be purchased at a flower shop or made yourself. To do this you need:
- mix peat, top layer of turf, regular soil and silt from the river;
- then add phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.
Before planting the seeds, this mixture is calcined over low heat for disinfection.Containers for seedlings, especially those used for more than a year, also need to be disinfected with soapy water and fungicides.
After opening the bag of seeds, you need to sort them, weeding out all the spoiled ones.
To do this, they are immersed for 5 minutes in a weak salt solution, in which all the light, non-germinating seeds will float to the surface, and those ready for germination will settle to the bottom.
Selected seeds are immersed in a solution of fungicides diluted with warm water for at least half an hour and then dried. For details of treatment with each specific fungicide, please refer to the instructions. If desired, you can treat them with growth stimulants (Epin, Radifarm, Kornevin), wrapped in gauze and placed in a solution for 6 hours.
Planting seeds in seedling containers is carried out from late February to early March:
- The containers are filled with purchased soil or a prepared mixture.
- Water with warm water.
- Make depressions in the soil no larger than 1 cm with your finger and drop a seed into each of them.
- For high germination of seeds, temperatures within 20-25 ºС are required, therefore, if necessary, they are covered with plastic film to create a mini-greenhouse.
After green shoots appear, the film is removed. After the first two leaves appear, the seedlings are picked. Each sprout is planted in a separate pot, trying not to damage the fragile roots.
During the growth of seedlings, the substrate must remain moist. Make sure that excess moisture does not accumulate in the container, which can cause rotting of the roots.
Growing
After the final disappearance of night frosts, the sprouts are planted in a greenhouse or in open ground. This is done on pre-weeded and harrowed beds, having previously prepared material for mulching - straw or sawdust.You cannot designate tomato beds in the place where nightshades (potatoes) were grown last year.
When forming holes, it is recommended to make intervals of 40 cm along one coordinate axis and 60 cm along the other. With this scheme, the four closest holes look like the corners of a quadrilateral with sides of 40x60 cm.
It is advisable to add a little clean humus to each hole.. When planting tomatoes, water the holes with warm water, dig in drops and sprinkle with an even layer of mulch.
Tomato Currency is watered at least 4-5 times a month. The frequency of watering depends on the amount of precipitation and air temperature.
When watering, try pour water on the ground, not on the bushes themselves: the latter is fraught with deterioration in the health of the plant. At least twice a season, the plant is fertilized with superphosphates and ammonium nitrate, adding their solution (in a ratio of 1:10) directly under the roots. Pay attention to the composition of the additives: chlorine content is not allowed.
Two weeks after planting, the tomatoes are pruned, tearing off a couple of leaves and lateral shoots from each bush, with the exception of the 2-3 most developed ones. This procedure is necessary for the formation of large fruits. Don’t forget to weed regularly and tie up the bushes at the right time.
Common parasites and pests of tomatoes:
- Colorado beetle;
- spider mite;
- whitefly butterflies.
Unfortunately, there is still no tomato variety that is immune to them. In this regard, the bushes must be treated with insect control preparations.
One of the most common diseases of tomatoes is late blight. Its main reason is excessive watering of the plant. Treatment consists of temporarily reducing the frequency of watering and ensuring maximum flow of fresh air to the bush.
Harvesting
Tomato Currency is a high-yielding variety. Fruit ripening begins approximately four months after germination.
Tomato fruits have juicy pulp and a beautiful, dense skin that does not crack when ripe.
The weight of a mature fruit ranges from 100 to 200 grams, their number on one hand can reach 6 pieces.
Productivity per 1 sq.m. plantings (that is, from 3-4 bushes) is up to 6 kg.
Fruits are good for:
- canning;
- preparing delicious freshly squeezed juice and homemade sauces;
- adding to salads and many other dishes.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The main advantage of Valutny is its excellent taste and versatility in cooking. Marketable appearance, long wound life and resistance to transportation make Valutny one of the most popular tomatoes on store shelves. In addition, the variety is resistant to diseases and unpretentious to weather conditions, and in the cold regions of our homeland it remains one of the few available alternatives.
The variety does not have any significant disadvantages as such.. You can find critical comments regarding certain care features and characteristics of the variety. As a rule, they are based on the subjective preferences of individual farmers.
Farmer reviews
Owners of beds with Valetny often speak well of its high yield and quality of fruits, note the comparative ease of care.
Mulching beds makes it difficult for weeds to grow and saves you from the need to weed bushes for a long time, which people with diseases of the spine and knee joints cannot but appreciate.
Growing Currency saves time and money spent on combating plant diseases.At the same time, they note that greenhouses with tomatoes have to be regularly ventilated for better growth of the bushes. Those who grow it for sale praise the beauty of the fruit, as if it came straight out of a picture in a glossy magazine.
Results
The Valutny tomato can be compared to a Siberian beauty: this variety is endowed with good health, unpretentiousness and a charming appearance. He knows how to attract attention to himself and fully justifies the energy and soul invested in him.
We invite you to watch a useful video with an overview of the Valutny tomato variety and about its sowing: