The founder of agronomy, Bolotov, planted and cultivated many tomatoes in Russia. The SeDeK company selected several varieties of tomatoes, which were called “Great” or “Tsarskie”. All tomatoes have a wonderful dessert taste, their consumption brings health benefits, they are easy to care for when grown, and produce very high yields.
Variety Catherine the Great F1
Tomato Catherine the Great F1 is a hybrid intended for planting in greenhouses.Vegetables are universally used; you can eat them fresh, prepare salads from them, or make tomato juice.
F1 - this means that for breeding two varieties were crossed and a hybrid was obtained. The variety is mid-season, 110–115 days pass from planting to harvest. This variety perfectly combines disease resistance and high yields.
What do the bushes look like?
The bushes are indeterminate, that is, they do not stop growing after the brushes appear. 2 – 2.5 m in height, the number of leaves is average. Reviews of the Catherine the Great F1 tomato say that there can be 5–6 fruits in one cluster.
What do the fruits look like?
The tomatoes themselves are round, their skin is dense; when still unripe, they have a whitish tint, and when ripe, they are scarlet in color. Weight - 250 - 350 g. The pulp of the tomato is juicy and fleshy. In winter heated greenhouses with 1 m2 you can collect 26 - 30 kg.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of this tomato variety include:
- resistance to mosaic disease, verticillium, brown (olive) spot, nematodes;
- high productivity;
- if you carry out proper care, then after the first clusters ripen, the fruits on the next clusters do not become smaller, as happens with Bull's heart;
- the bushes are stress-resistant, that is, they are not afraid of temperature changes;
- fruits have excellent taste and good presentation, do not crack;
- a large number of vitamins and microelements beneficial to health;
- The fruits are transportable and stored for a very long time.
Among the disadvantages it is worth noting:
- hybrids, which is why seeds cannot be collected from them and planted, otherwise plants will grow that will not have the properties of the mother bush;
- tomatoes can only be grown in heated greenhouses;
- Since the bushes are tall and indeterminate, they need to be tied up and pinched.
How to sow seeds and grow further
To grow seedlings, sow the seeds in the ground in early March or late February. Seeds that are on sale have already been processed, they do not need to be disinfected, and do not need to be placed in a solution of potassium permanganate. True, it is advised to keep them in a growth stimulator for better germination.
It is best not to pick them up, but to immediately plant them in peat cups, in a fertile substrate of soil, humus and a small amount of ash.
When the first shoots appear, place the seedlings in bright light and water moderately with warm, settled water. When the first pair of true leaves are visible, feed the sprouts with complex fertilizer in liquid form.
Prepare the soil in the greenhouse for planting, loosen it and mix it with compost. And, as the song says: “I planted the garden myself, I will water it myself,” plant seedlings in greenhouses from May 1 or mid-May. It is better to do this after growing green vegetables in the greenhouse: cucumbers, cabbage. Dig holes for planting, 40 cm apart from each other, since the stems are tall, the bushes themselves are spreading, they need a lot of space. Feed twice a season with mullein or phosphorus and potassium.
Be sure to tie the bushes to the trellises with a soft cloth. Leave 1 - 2 stems on the bush, and when they grow enough, pinch their tops.
Other indeterminate hybrids from the company
In addition to “Catherine the Great,” the company also has indeterminate hybrids that have the word “Great” in the name and have similar characteristics: tomato Alexander the Great F1, Vladimir the Great F1, Imperia F1, Empress F1, Russian Empire F1, Peter the Great F1. Next, let's look at their descriptions.
Advantages
They are similar in properties to Ox's Heart, but have better qualities. They are distinguished by large-sized fruits. The weight of the fruits is not less than 250 - 300 g. Alexander the Great F1 can grow fruits whose weight reaches half a kilogram.
The variety Alexander the Great F1 and the tomato Vladimir the Great F1, when not fully ripened, have dark green fruits with a dark spot at the stalk, and when ripe they become reddish-brown. In fact, it is believed that the darker the color of the fruit, the more antioxidants it contains.
Resistant to verticillium, mosaic disease, brown spot. Due to their disease resistance, the bushes do not need to be sprayed with pesticides. Measures to increase the yield in the greenhouse: water the bushes, feed them, tie them up, and pluck off the shoots.
In addition, the varieties are stress-resistant, that is, fruits appear even in insufficient lighting and sudden temperature changes. They have a high yield: you can collect them in a regular greenhouse from 1 m of film2 25 – 28 kg each. The fruits can be collected as early as July, eaten fresh, and prepared in salads.
Their flesh is not the usual red, but has a bright crimson color, high sugar content, and juicy. In addition, tomatoes contain lycopene. It is an antioxidant that provides great benefits to human health. If you eat these vegetables every day, you will improve your body’s health, cleanse it, and strengthen your immune system.
All fruits are easy to transport, since, unlike Ox's heart, they have a thick skin. In addition, those fruits that are collected slightly unripe are stored for up to 2 months, that is, they can be served on the New Year's table.
Vegetables can be preserved in barrels by putting dill and grape leaves in them. They are not suitable for pickling in jars, as they are too large in size.
The fruits on the branches do not ripen immediately, but gradually. You can see clusters of ripe tomatoes and just set fruits on one bush.
Determinate hybrids bred by the company
These include Princess F1 and Iron Lady F1, bred by the same company. They have characteristics similar to indeterminate varieties, but the bushes are compact. They produce high yields. But they can be planted not only under film, but also in open ground.
Thus, all these tomatoes have a lot of advantages, combining the best properties of hybrid and varietal (large size, sweet taste) vegetables.
