Record content of nutrients, bright appearance and rich taste - “Golden Heart” tomato
Tomatoes contain a lot of useful substances. In folk medicine, this vegetable is often used as a medicine to strengthen the immune system and as a preventative against colds. Today many also do not forget homemade recipes and actively use tomato to improve health.
Let us next consider the Golden Heart variety, which contains a record amount of vitamins and minerals.
Description of the variety
The variety appeared thanks to the works of Russian agronomists. Recommended for cultivation in different climatic conditions.
A good harvest can be obtained even in the northern regions of our country.
In addition, Golden Heart can be found in vegetable gardens of neighboring countries.
Detailed characteristics and description of the variety are presented below.
Distinctive features
The bushes of the Golden Heart are low - the maximum can reach 1 m. In addition to its benefits, the tomato also has a decorative function and decorates the land.
The bushes have small green leaves of a dark green color. Tomatoes ripen gradually; ripe vegetables can be collected throughout the summer.
The ripening period is about 95 days from planting.
Characteristics of tomatoes, yield
From 1 square meter, gardeners harvest about 7 kg of ripe, beautiful tomatoes. Their shape is slightly ribbed, but at the same time even, heart-shaped. The color is rich, orange-yellow. The tomato got this color for a reason.The fact is that from the Golden Heart variety, breeders excluded pigments that can cause an allergic reaction in humans.
Golden Heart tomatoes are rich in fluoride, iron, potassium and magnesium. Moreover, they contain thiamine, folic acid and niacin.
These elements are beneficial for human digestion, have a beneficial effect on the body's nervous system and reduce stress levels. And carotene has a great effect on vision.
The pulp is juicy and fleshy, there are few seeds. The weight of one vegetable is about 160 g, and under more favorable conditions it can reach 230 g. The tomato has a rich taste, without excess water.
How to grow seedlings
For a rich harvest, experienced gardeners recommend starting the Golden Heart planting procedure with seedlings. To do this, you need to prepare the soil, container and seeds.
Seed preparation
Before planting, the seeds must be placed in a small bag and placed in a glass with a solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes. Then you should rinse them with water. Washing will ensure the seed material germinates more easily and protects it from viruses and fungi.
The next stage of preparation is soaking in a solution based on wood ash. Ash is an excellent fertilizer for both tomato seedlings and ready-made beds.
You should similarly immerse the bag of seeds in the solution for 12 hours, and then in clean water for 24 hours. This simple operation makes the seeds resistant to bad weather and develops immunity.
Container and soil
The container can be purchased at the store. For example, these will be peat pots or special plastic cassettes for seedlings. However, you can save money and place the seeds in ordinary plastic jars or buckets.Sometimes gardeners use containers for mayonnaise or other products. The main thing is that the container is clean and dry.
As for the soil, there are two ways:
- Make your own soil for seedlings. The standard set of ingredients is clean soil from the garden, peat, ash, sand or sawdust. Peat absorbs excess moisture and stores it in its pores, and sand or sawdust serves as a loosening agent for the soil. It is best to use river sand without clay impurities. Also, the use of these components improves drainage.
- Buy ready-made soil at the store. It already contains the necessary set of nutrients. The structure of such soil is always loose, so that young bushes have access to fresh air without problems. The purchased land has already been processed and does not contain fungal spores and dangerous microbes.
Important! If you prepared the soil for seedlings yourself, do not forget to disinfect it with a solution of hydrogen peroxide.
Sowing
You should pour soil into the container and make small holes. A seed is placed in each of them, sprinkled with earth on top and watered abundantly. It is best to cover the seedlings with glass or cling film. This way the plant will sprout its first shoots faster.
Growing and care
The first shoots appear within a week from the moment of planting. It is important not to miss this moment and remove the film in time. Move the container to the lightest windowsill in the house.
Maintain a sufficient level of moisture and periodically spray the sprouts with a spray bottle. Remember to ventilate, but protect the seedlings from drafts and air conditioning.
It is better to water the sprouts with warm, settled water. 10 days after the first leaves appear, it is recommended to apply the first fertilizing. For example, fertilize with a solution of bird droppings.
2 weeks before transplanting into the ground, hardening is carried out - the temperature in the room is reduced by several degrees, opening the windows and balcony doors.
How to grow tomatoes
As soon as the seedlings are ready, it’s time to start planting the plant in the ground.
Landing
For the Golden Heart tomato, choose a lighted and protected from the wind place on your site. The optimal distance between bushes should be at least 50 cm. Vegetables require heat, so the ideal temperature for setting tomatoes is 20-25 degrees.
The beds are prepared in advance. In autumn, the soil is cleared of debris and remains of old plants. It would also be useful to add a mixture of humus and superphosphate. The main stage of preparation takes place in the spring. You can make holes with your hands or a shovel. It is recommended to plant seedlings in the evening on a cloudy day. This way it will take root faster without additional watering.
Care
Watering the Golden Heart begins on the tenth day after planting. Tomatoes do not like soil that is too wet. Because of it, vegetables crack, and also increases the risk of developing fungi and insect parasites. Gardeners advise avoiding moisture on the leaves and stem. Don’t forget to hill up the beds and loosen the soil. These actions saturate the soil with oxygen, making it more favorable for tomatoes.
The plant should be fed at least 3 times per season. Ideally, it is recommended to fertilize every 2 weeks. The vegetable loves nitrogen-containing fertilizers, but try not to overdo it. Ammonium nitrate or superphosphate are suitable for mineral fertilizing.
Don’t forget about pinching bushes. It is recommended to remove additional shoots every 12-14 days.How do they interfere with the bush? Stepchildren take some of the nutrients for themselves, which is why the main stem does not receive the required amount of vitamins. You can remove long shoots with your hands, and short shoots with garden shears.
Important! Due to its compact size, the Golden Heart does not need to be tied up.
Features of cultivation and possible difficulties
When growing Golden Heart tomatoes, gardeners may encounter some nuances. For example, if the leaves turn yellow and dry, the plant is not getting enough nitrogen. Nitrogen-containing ones will come to the rescue feeding: sodium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, urea.
Gardeners also often complain about the presence of deep cracks in the fruits. The main reason lies in excess moisture. If it rains heavily during the ripening period, the tomato absorbs water and cracks. Unfortunately, no cure has yet been invented for this.
Diseases and pests
Sometimes the Golden Heart becomes covered with a white coating. This is the first sign of a disease called powdery mildew. Even if the plant is minimally infected, this is enough to weaken the immune system and reduce resistance to weather changes. Powdery mildew develops under extreme heat and drought.
Another reason for its formation is an excess of nitrogen-containing substances. You can fight it with fertilizers based on phosphorus and potassium.
Important! In addition to powdery mildew, the variety suffers from late blight, blackleg, and tobacco mosaic. These diseases usually appear due to excess moisture and improper care. In order to prevent their occurrence, it is recommended to cultivate the soil and add ash and other organic fertilizers to it, as well as follow the watering regime.
In addition to diseases, a frequent enemy of tomatoes is the Colorado potato beetle. Pest loves not only potatoes, but also tomatoes. In a short time, the beetle can completely destroy the entire crop. It is best to combat it with the help of chemicals - for example, with the help of Bankol or Typhoon.
The nuances of growing in open ground and greenhouses
Growing Golden Heart in open ground is complicated by the fact that the plant is not protected from the vagaries of the weather. Low temperatures or humidity create a favorable environment for the development of fungi. The most dangerous enemy of tomatoes is late blight, a type of fungal infection.
The fungus appears as spots on the leaves. To prevent it, you should loosen and water the soil in time, and also, for prevention, spray the beds with garlic solution.
If you plant the Golden Heart in a greenhouse, you should pay attention to some features:
- Do not forget to periodically ventilate the room.
- Do not allow the greenhouse to become hot and humid at the same time.
- Regularly inspect plants for darkening and unusual coloring of leaves and fruits.
- If any illness is detected, take immediate action.
Harvesting and application
Since the ripening period is long, vegetables are harvested all summer. This allows you to enjoy the juicy taste of the Golden Heart before the beginning of autumn. Some vegetables are consumed fresh, while others are prepared for canning. Due to their small size, tomatoes are great for whole pickling.
In addition, the variety is suitable for preparing various dishes. For example, stuffed tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes, vegetable stew or tomato soup. A high content of vitamins will make food not only tasty, but also healthy. Orange tomatoes will also decorate any holiday table.
Important! The variety tolerates transportation well over long distances and has a high shelf life. In addition, Golden Heart is grown not only for personal consumption, but also for sale.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Advantages of the Golden Heart variety:
- excellent taste;
- beautiful appearance;
- versatility in application;
- immunity to diseases and pests;
- long shelf life;
- extended ripening period;
- ability to ripen at room temperature;
- ability to grow in different climatic conditions.
Cons: stepsoning required.
Farmer reviews
There are many reviews about the Golden Heart variety on gardener forums. Here are some of them.
Vladimir from Rostov-on-Don: » Quite recently I tried to plant the Golden Heart variety on my plot. I didn't think I would like tomatoes so much. I was especially pleased with the appearance - I like bright and unusual varieties. I can’t say that I spent a lot of time on care, at least not more than on other varieties. Therefore, I will plant Golden Heart next year too.”
Valeria from Omsk: “I appreciate varieties that are rich in vitamins and other microelements. I prepare preparations from the Golden Heart for the winter, and eat it fresh in the summer. I also like to combine vegetables with fish - they complement each other. If it weren’t for the need to remove the stepsons, I would call this variety ideal.”
Denis from Naberezhnye Chelny: “I’m planting this variety for the second time. The first planting was a success; I got a good harvest of ripe tomatoes. But this year something didn’t work out. 2 weeks after planting, the bushes began to dry out. I applied fertilizer - it didn’t help. As a result, out of 12 bushes, only 7 yielded a harvest.”
Conclusion
Heart-shaped bright tomatoes are loved by many.They are unpretentious in care and resistant to diseases. They ripen both in the south of the country and in the central zone. Some gardeners prefer open-air garden beds, while others plant vegetables exclusively in a greenhouse.
Wherever you plant the Golden Heart, remember that the main thing is to water the bushes on time, fertilize and loosen the soil.