Tomatoes grown in the Lower Volga are some of the most delicious. The fact is that a climate with a hot sun, slightly brackish soils with a high content of potassium and sodium, create conditions for the accumulation of large amounts of sugars in fruits. The Astrakhan tomato is no exception; it is a favorite of gardeners in the south.
The description of the Astrakhan tomato variety places it in the group of mid-season open ground tomatoes; 115-122 days pass from germination to fruit ripening. According to the type of bush, this variety is indeterminate, but its height does not exceed 80 cm, the plant forms a standard. The first inflorescence is formed above the 7-8 leaf.Fruit characteristics:
- Shape – round;
- Average weight is 105 g, all fruits have approximately the same weight;
- Density – high;
- Color: bright red, medium-thick skin, does not crack.
The purpose of the fruit is whole-fruit preservation, fresh consumption, preparation of tomato paste and juice. The seed chambers are small, there are 5-6 of them, seeds medium in size, not felt when eaten. The variety is characterized by friendly fruit production, so it is grown under industrial conditions.
Advantages of the variety
Among the advantages of Astrakhan, the main thing is its high productivity. Under production conditions, this variety yielded 70 t/ha and above. In open ground in the Volgograd and Astrakhan regions, as evidenced by reviews from gardeners, you can get a bucket of fruits from 1 m2.
The advantages of the variety include the fact that it does not have a green spot around the stalk. The variety is very resistant to fungal and viral diseases; blossom end rot does not affect it. This is one of those varieties that people say is “strong.”
Beneficial features
Astrakhan tomatoes are very rich in lycopene. This substance is necessary for the health of everyone, but especially men. The lycopene content is higher in tomatoes that have undergone heat treatment. The organic substance choline, found in large quantities in tomatoes, helps reduce cholesterol levels in the blood, protects the liver from fatty degeneration, increases overall immunity and stimulates the formation of hemoglobin in the blood.
Recommendations for cultivation
Astrakhan tomatoes are suitable for growing through seedlings or non-seedlings. In the first case, it should be sown for seedlings in early March. In a seedless culture, for example, in Astrakhan, sowing is done in April under film directly into open ground.
It is important that in a seedless crop, seed consumption is much higher than when sowing seedlings. You need to sow in a row in a row so that the seedlings lift the soil crust together, and then they are thinned out to the required distance of 35-45 cm. A tomato without seedlings is very strong, it requires less watering, since it has a deep root system, more fruits are formed on it. Try growing tomatoes like these!
During the initial growth period, tomatoes need to be fed with nitrogen-containing fertilizers. Foliar fertilizing with urea gives remarkable results. Before flowering, the tomato should be fed with a complete mineral fertilizer - with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. During the period of fruit growth, feeding with mullein is effective - the fruits will be large and sweet. Fresh mullein needs to be filled with water: 2 kg of mullein per bucket of water, leave this mixture in a closed container for 7 days for fermentation. Then dilute 5-6 times and water the plants at the root.
At the dacha, Astrakhan tomatoes definitely need support, since the plants are quite tall. If the crop is seedless and the distance between plants is small, then it is advisable to arrange low trellises, up to 1 m high, and string wires in 1-2 rows to support all the plants in the row.
If the bushes were planted not in a row, but in holes, then each bush can be supported individually. You need to tie the bush to the support approximately in its middle, ensuring reliable fastening.
This is interesting
In production conditions in the Astrakhan region, a special technology was developed, which had the name of the same name as the region. Using this technology, tomatoes were planted with very wide row spacing of 1.4 m and a very small distance between bushes - 15-17 cm.With this scheme, the row is very dense, the bushes rarely fall apart, there is the possibility of machine harvesting and complete mechanization of all work.
Watering a tomato
It is important not to overdo it with watering, since excess moisture greatly impairs the quality of the fruit.. In dry, hot weather, the Astrakhan tomato variety needs to be watered 2 times a week. At daytime air temperatures less than 30 OIt is permissible to water a tomato once a week. When watering, you need to ensure that there is enough moisture to wet the soil layer at least half a meter.
To do this, you need to give at least 5 liters of water for each bush. If possible, install a drip irrigation system at your dacha. The experience of those who planted and grew these tomatoes in hot climates using drip irrigation suggests that they are very responsive to watering, in which soil moisture is always equally optimal without jumps up or down. The drip irrigation system is turned on once a week for 10-12 hours, the water supply rate is 1.5 - 2 l/h. The soil can be mulched or covered with a dark film.
The Astrakhan tomato will definitely delight you with delicious fruits and a large harvest!
