We are considering a variety of fleshy, sweet tomatoes, the Orange Giant tomato. Let's evaluate its pros and cons. The giant has long been popular; it was included in the State Register back in 2001. Since then, summer residents have successfully grown it in the south in open ground, and in temperate climates - in greenhouses.
Main characteristics
The variety is indeterminate. The bushes are standard, relatively low, in the ground - 70 cm, quite high in the greenhouse - 1.5 m. Characteristics of the speed of fruit ripening - a mid-early plant.Ripe tomatoes should be expected 110 days after the seedlings emerge.
The description of the variety contains recommendations on the choice of soil; to obtain good results it should be:
- light;
- fertile;
- well permeable to air and water.
Fruit
The photo shows the original shape of the tomato – flattened and round. The fruit pulp is bright orange, or yellow in low light. The more sun the bushes receive, the brighter the color of the tomato.
The weight and size of the fruit depend on the method of formation of the bush and the quality of care. On depleted soils, without fertilizing and bush formation, it is unlikely that large fruits will be obtained.
With good agricultural technology for forming a bush with 1 stem and following a planting pattern of 4 roots/m², the fruits can reach a weight of 800 g. In general, the average weight of tomatoes is 250-350 g.
The pulp is aromatic, incredibly sweet and juicy. Its excellent taste is the main value of the variety. The purpose of the fruit is salad. The productivity cannot be called high. From one bush over the summer you can remove 6 kg of large, orange tomatoes.
Valuable qualities of the variety
Let us note those properties that determine the value of the Orange Giant:
- Large fruit size.
- Sweet taste.
- The harvest does not depend on the weather.
- Your seeds can be used for propagation.
One drawback can be noted - large fruits can be obtained with regular fertilizing. In their absence, the harvest may be average in terms of the number of fruits and their size.
Diseases and pests, combating them
When properly cared for, tomatoes growing in a greenhouse rarely get sick. Poor maintenance, excessive watering, drafts, high air humidity are the reasons why the Orange Giant may develop late blight or another fungal disease.
In the south, tomato plantings in open ground are threatened by:
- Colorado beetle;
- melon aphid;
- sawfly;
- codling moth;
- thrips.
There is a large selection of drugs in stores to combat these insects:
- Prestige.
- Bison
- Lepidocide.
Prevention
Prevention of late blight is the best method of combating it. When growing tomatoes in greenhouse conditions, there are more prerequisites for the proliferation of fungal spores. Any summer resident who has a greenhouse must treat the greenhouse in the fall or spring in one of the following ways:
- At the end of the season, remove all plant remains (roots, stems, leaves), matings. Clean the stakes and spray with copper sulfate or any fungicide.
- Wash glass (polycarbonate) with laundry soap.
- Spray the internal structures with copper sulfate.
- Use a sulfur bomb to disinfect the greenhouse.
- Replace the top layer of greenhouse soil (5-7 cm layer) at least once every 3 years.
In summer, you need to monitor the air humidity in the greenhouse. Its increase is especially critical during prolonged rains, accompanied by a decrease in temperature. Reduce humidity by ventilating, but do not create drafts.
Another measure that all experienced summer residents use is removing the lower leaves. By autumn, the leaves remain only in the upper part of the plant; there are enough of them for the fruit to ripen. Plants with this care do not suffer from late blight. There is no stagnation of humid air, the plants are well lit, all nutrients go to the formation of fruits.
Gardeners about the variety
Anna, Volgograd
I bought the Orange Giant in the spring. I liked the originally designed packet of seeds from the company Russian Vegetable Garden; I was attracted by the orange tomatoes in the picture. I planted the seedlings according to the instructions, the description was complete, and I took care of them as expected.The seedlings grew frail because the soil turned out to be bad. I fed the tomatoes after transplanting them into the ground. My giants came to life and bloomed. There were not many flowers, but all were large. The fruits were not orange, but light yellow and not very large. Apparently due to the weather. The taste pleased me. The pulp is juicy, almost without seeds. Orange giant tomatoes are ideal for salads.
Growing Tips
Before sowing, sort out the seeds and soak for 10 minutes in a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate. Wash the treated seeds in running water and plant them in the ground, covering each seed with a layer of 1.5 cm.
It’s easier to buy ready-made soil. The day before planting, pour it into a plastic container and water it. The next day, plant the Orange Giant seeds.
Reference. Seeds can be planted from mid-March to mid-April.
By closing the box with film or glass, you can avoid seedlings for a week. The soil in the box will be constantly moist. If the temperature in the room is 23° or higher, the seedlings will hatch on the 7th day.
Transfer to the ridge
At the end of April or the first ten days of May, a crucial moment comes - transplanting young tomatoes into a greenhouse. The beds should be prepared in advance. In a standard polycarbonate greenhouse 3 m wide, make 3 ridges.
Make the central bed wider - 80 cm, two side beds 60 cm each and 2 aisles 50 cm each. This layout of the greenhouse guarantees comfortable conditions for the tomatoes and the summer resident himself. It is easier to care for tomato bushes in a well-organized space.
How to plant seedlings
If the seedlings were planted in separate cups, the transfer method is used. The plants are watered the day before. When transplanting, the lump of earth easily lags behind the walls of the cup, the roots are not damaged.
The plant moves to a new location almost without stress.You still need to water it with cold water and the transplant is complete. Place no more than 3 roots of a large-fruited Orange giant tomato per 1 m².
Summer care
Pinching stepsons and forming a bush into one stem are mandatory measures for obtaining giant fruits. They need to be carried out throughout the season, but the stepsons grow more actively in the first half of summer.
Watering in a greenhouse cannot be canceled. If in the open ground there is natural watering - rain, then in the greenhouse moisture reaches the plants only thanks to the efforts of the hardworking summer resident.
Vegetable growers saving their time are switching to drip irrigation in greenhouses. This saves not only energy and time, but also water. A drop combined with mulch is the best disease prevention.
All reviews from gardeners say that you cannot grow giant fruits without fertilizers. And other varieties, such as Orange Giant, need additional nutrients.
Conclusion
A few bushes of a large-fruited orange variety won't hurt. Sunny tomatoes are very sweet and aromatic and will add color and taste variety to the summer menu. Photos of large tomatoes are a vegetable grower’s calling card, a reason for pride and a well-deserved like on social networks.
