On a personal plot you can often see small beds where owners grow their favorite vegetables. One of the main plants is the tomato. Today you can find various seeds of this vegetable on the market. The Khokhloma tomato is very popular. This selection of the Gavrish agricultural company has certain characteristics. Before planting it on the site, it is worth carefully considering the description of the Khokhloma tomato.
Characteristics and description of tomato
Khokhloma tomatoes are a non-hybrid mid-season variety that ripens 4 months after the seedlings emerge.An indeterminate tall plant has a main stem, the height of which reaches 2 m. Therefore, during the growing process, it is necessary to garter and form the bush, which involves removing the stepsons. To ensure high productivity, bushes should have no more than two stems.
The plant has simple medium leaves that are dark green in color. The first inflorescence is located above the 8th leaf. Then they go every third leaf. One bunch can ripen 11 tomatoes. It is worth noting that after ripening they do not fall off.
A characteristic feature of the variety are elongated fruits, the length of which reaches 17 cm. They have a cylindrical shape and a smooth surface. A ripe tomato has a rich, bright hue. The average weight of one fruit is 120 grams. The tomato has a thick skin and dense, non-watery pulp.
Tomatoes of the Khokhloma variety are universally used. They can be used fresh for making salads and canned. They fit very easily into jars. From a bed of one square meter you can harvest up to 10 kg of tomatoes. High yields are achieved by properly growing plants, taking into account all the recommendations of experts.
Important: Khokhloma tomatoes are often grown in garden plots in greenhouses. But they are also suitable for planting in open ground in southern regions, which are characterized by mild climatic conditions.. As reviews show, this variety has high productivity.
Advantages and disadvantages of the Khokhloma variety
Khokhloma tomatoes, the variety description of which was given above, has many advantages, among which are:
- Quite high yield.From a small garden bed you can collect more than 10 kg of fruit. Of course, to achieve such a result, it is necessary to follow agrotechnical rules.
- The plant bears fruit throughout the season.
- The fruits have a pleasant taste, as indicated by the characteristics of the variety. They make very tasty salads and preserves.
- High resistance of tomato to various diseases and viruses. The plant easily tolerates late blight, fusarium and others.
- Long shelf life. The fruits can lie for a long period, and at the same time they do not lose their presentation or taste.
- Transportability. Tomatoes can be easily transported in boxes or buckets without compromising their presentation.
The disadvantages of the variety include high density, thick skin and low juiciness. Of course, such disadvantages are controversial, depending on which side you look at. You won't be able to make juice from these tomatoes. For conservation, such disadvantages turn into positive qualities.
How to grow tomatoes
Tomatoes of this variety can be grown in greenhouses. Since the plants are tall, the structure must have sufficient height. It is recommended to use a trellis net to tie them up.
Tomato cultivation occurs in the following sequence:
- Treated seeds are used to grow seedlings. They are sown in light and nutritious soil to a depth of 2 cm. It is necessary to ensure that it is sufficiently moist. To grow seedlings, you need to feed them and water them regularly. Temperature is also important. If you plant seeds in cold weather, they may not sprout.
- When the first true leaf appears on the sprout, it is dumped into a separate container. For planting in open ground, seedlings at the age of 2 months are used.
- Particular attention should be paid to soil preparation, which includes digging and fertilizing. Humus, complex mineral fertilizers, and ash are used as fertilizer.
- The place where seedlings are planted is also important. If we are talking about a greenhouse, then this should be done in April. We plant tomatoes in open ground in May. In this case, you need to make sure that the soil is warm enough (at least 14 degrees).
- To increase productivity, the plant is formed into one stem. Small stepsons, up to 4 cm in length, must be trimmed periodically every week. The plant is tied to vertical trellises.
- The lower leaves are removed one at a time weekly. This is necessary in order to reduce unnecessary consumption of nutrients necessary for fruit ripening. Also, the lower leaves can pick up spores of various diseases from the soil. Therefore, you should seriously think about removing them.
- During the cultivation of the plant, it is necessary to regularly loosen the soil, weed and fertilize it. Also, special attention is paid to watering and mulching Khokhloma tomatoes.
Important: During the period of fruit ripening, the use of mineral fertilizers is not recommended.
This will increase the risk of plant disease, as well as an excessive increase in green mass. This will negatively affect the yield.
Harvesting and storage rules
The harvest must be harvested before the cold weather. Fruits that have been frozen spoil very quickly and are unsuitable for storage. Therefore, it is necessary to harvest the crop before the temperature drops below 8 degrees.
The fruits are stored in plastic or wooden boxes.They are laid out on paper and sprinkled with sawdust. The boxes are stored in a cool, dark place where the humidity does not exceed 80%. An effective ventilation system must be installed in the room.
