The Fatima tomato is a real find for lovers of growing vegetables. This tomato variety is easy to care for and produces a lot of harvest. Before you start growing tomatoes, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of this process.
Characteristic
Description and characteristics of the Fatima tomato variety will help beginners study its distinctive features in more detail.
The plant belongs to the early ripening varieties of tomatoes, which ripen literally a few months after planting the seedlings in open ground. Mature bushes grow up to 45-70 centimeters.When grown in greenhouses, their height can be more than 80 cm. Over time, quite large fruits weighing about 500 grams are formed on the bushes. On the outside they are covered with a reddish smooth skin, under which there is a fleshy texture. The taste of the fruit is sweetish and very pleasant.
The main advantage of this variety is its resistance to diseases. The plant almost never suffers from late blight, as evidenced by numerous reviews from people who grow Fatima tomatoes.
Sowing seeds
You can grow seedlings in any region of our country. It is recommended to sow seeds in early or mid-March.
Preparation of planting material
Seeds that were prepared independently must be processed before planting. To do this, it is recommended to use a weak solution of potassium permanganate. If the seeds are more than a year old, then before processing they need to be soaked in warm water for several hours.
There is no need to process purchased seeds, since soaking can only harm germination.
Soil preparation
When preparing the soil mixture, you must use garden soil. It can contain a considerable number of pathogens and other harmful microorganisms. To completely get rid of possible sources of infection, it is recommended to disinfect the soil. This can be done by steaming. To do this, place the soil in a colander and hold it over a pan of boiling water for 10 minutes.
Planting seeds
First, you need to fill the containers with previously prepared soil, after which several small grooves no larger than 5 cm in size are made in it. Several seeds are placed in each hole.The distance between them should be about two centimeters, but more is possible. Having placed all the seeds in the grooves, they must be sprinkled with soil and watered with water.
Planting seedlings
Seedlings are planted in open ground in early May. If you plan to grow them in a greenhouse, then the seedlings can be planted in mid-April.
Seedling preparation
A few days before planting seedlings in the ground, they need to be treated with special stimulants. To do this, you can use drugs such as Immunocytophyte or Epin. Using these products will speed up the growth of young bushes several times.
Soil preparation
Almost all tomatoes must be planted in soil that contains a large amount of nutrients. That is why before planting the area should be treated with mineral fertilizers. To do this, you can use compost, phosphorus and potassium humus.
In addition, the soil should be loosened in advance to a depth of about 10-15 cm. This will get rid of the crust formed in the top layer of soil.
Planting seedlings
Tomato seedlings are planted in small holes about 15 cm deep. The distance between them should be 40-50 cm. Seedlings should be planted at right angles. It is recommended to install special pegs or strips for garter near tall bushes.
Care
Any plant needs careful care and tomatoes are no exception.
Watering
Tomato bushes do not grow well in dry soil, so they need to be watered regularly. If the weather is often cloudy outside, then watering them once a week will be enough. On sunny and hot days, this should be done every 2-3 days.
Top dressing
It is recommended to feed the plant several times a season.The first feeding is carried out one and a half weeks after planting the bush in open ground. For this, special mixtures prepared from superphosphate, mullein and nitrate are used.
Conclusion
Growing the Fatima tomato variety can be done not only by a professional vegetable grower, but also by a beginner. To do this, just carefully study the features of planting this tomato variety.
