One of the productive tomato varieties, Little Red Riding Hood, came to Russian open spaces thanks to German breeders. In its homeland it is called the Rotkäppchen tomato, which ripens early and produces high yields.
Characteristic features of the variety
Determinate types of tomatoes are especially popular among vegetable growers. The main property of such tomatoes is that the shoot stops growing after the apical inflorescence appears. After this, a strong stepson begins to actively develop. It grows until a cluster of flowers appears at the top of the stem.Despite the modesty in the growth of stems, the determinants very quickly produce fruits.
The description of the Red Riding Hood variety completely coincides with the characteristics of the short-growing species. The height of the formed bush will be no more than seventy centimeters. The foliage of strong stems is average. It follows from this that there is no need to either tie up Red Riding Hood tomatoes or plant them.
Neat bushes already in the first days of July delight with clusters of juicy tomatoes. The fruits are distinguished by their bright red color with an orange tint. The shape of small tomatoes, weighing up to seventy grams, resembles Cherry. Slightly crushed on top, they look like the little bundle of Little Red Riding Hood that she carried to her grandmother.
Under the thin, delicate skin of the tomato lies juicy pulp. The taste of the fruits is pleasant, sweet, they contain acid in small quantities. When eating a vegetable, you cannot feel the seeds at all, since there are very few of them.
I am pleased with the high yield of the variety. With proper care, you can collect about two kilograms of red, fleshy fruits from one bush.
Growing Tips
Tomatoes of the Red Riding Hood variety are suitable for both open ground and greenhouses. Tomato cultivation begins by planting seeds for seedlings.
Rules for preparing seedlings
For planting, it is best to use seed collected two or three years ago. It is soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate and growth stimulants. Some experts advise placing varietal seeds in aloe juice diluted with boiled water. The procedure will strengthen the seeds and improve the immunity of future plants.
For the full development of seedlings, use nutritious soil that allows moisture and air to pass through well.Be sure to add a little river sand and wood ash to the soil mixture.
The best option for planting Red Riding Hood tomato seeds is to place them in peat pots with two or three seeds in each. It should be planted in early March. Later planting dates will lead to the fact that by the time the seedlings are planted, the seedlings will not have time to get stronger and may die during their transfer to other conditions.
Tomato sprouts will quickly appear if the containers are placed in a room with a temperature of 25 degrees above zero. They need more light, so on cloudy days they provide lighting using fluorescent lamps. But the air temperature for the emerging seedlings is gradually reduced, bringing it to 18 degrees.
Watering the seedlings is done moderately with water at room temperature.
Before planting young tomato bushes, their readiness is determined, the characteristics of which consist of:
- strong thick stem;
- age 55-60 days;
- the presence of at least one flower ovary.
Vegetable plants will be pleased with the harvest in the future if you prepare the seedlings correctly.
Landing dates and rules
The optimal time for transplanting seedlings into open ground will be the end of May - beginning of June, and into closed ground - the first days of May.
To properly grow Red Riding Hood tomatoes, the distance between plants should be at least fifty and no more than seventy centimeters. Three hundred grams of humus and fifty grams of wood ash are added to the prepared holes.
The seedlings are immersed in the soil up to the first true leaf. To grow strong bushes that produce healthy fruits, you need to properly care for the plantings:
- Water generously but moderately.
- First feed with mullein diluted with water in a ratio of 1:5, and then with ammonium nitrate (25 grams), superphosphate (60 grams), potassium salt (15 grams per bucket of water).
- Avoid sudden temperature changes.
- Loosen the ground.
- Weed on time.
Planting seedlings in open ground or a greenhouse will result in a rich harvest if all norms and rules are followed.
Advantages of tomatoes according to reviews from gardeners
The characteristics that vegetable growers give to Red Riding Hood tomatoes are based on the advantages of the variety:
- excellent taste;
- disease resistance;
- compactness of bushes;
- good yield.
Gardeners who have chosen a variety for cultivation note that small fruits are good fresh or canned. The vegetable plant is easy to care for. Neat bushes serve as decoration for a summer cottage.
Having become acquainted with the description of Red Riding Hood tomatoes, every vegetable grower will choose this particular variety. It is suitable for regions with any climate. Here, the main thing is to choose the right growing method - in a greenhouse or in open ground.
