For those who like to experiment with tomato varieties, we can recommend growing the Delicious variety. The description of the tomato is quite attractive; perhaps this variety will later become a favorite. Anyone who has once tried to grow Delicious again plants these large-fruited tomatoes on the plot. Almost all reviews about the tomato are positive.
Varietal characteristics of Delicious tomatoes
Gardeners plant several varieties at the same time. Be sure to grow salad varieties and tomatoes suitable for canning - with medium-sized fruits and fairly thick skin.The ripening time of vegetables for harvesting for the winter is usually limited to a short time frame.
Tomatoes belonging to the salad type are larger in size. They can reach 600 – 700 g in weight. One tomato is enough to prepare a salad for a small family. Some people are hesitant to grow large-fruited tomatoes, mistakenly believing that this is too troublesome.
Delicious is a fairly old variety, bred by American breeders back in 1964. It was created by the Burpee company. Sometimes the tomato is confused with another variety called Deliciosus.
The plant belongs to the indeterminate type and can reach two meters in height. There are few leaves on the stems. The tomato has an average ripening period. The growing season is 110 – 120 days. Total yield per 1 sq. m - average.
Delicious tomato fruits have a flat-round shape. The surface is glossy, red-orange in color, the flesh is homogeneous and fleshy. The seed chambers are very small. Ripening occurs evenly. The taste of Delicious tomatoes has a peculiar sourness. Weight ranges from 400 to 600 g. The fruits are resistant to cracking.
The variety can be grown both in greenhouse conditions and in the open air. In the middle zone, such a giant does not have time to mature. In these regions, tomatoes are grown under film cover. Diseases practically do not bother this variety of tomatoes. Even if there are diseased plants of another variety on the site, Delicious remains healthy.
To plant seeds to prepare seedlings, it is better to use seed purchased from a specialized store. Some summer residents manage to grow a good harvest from seeds collected from their plot.To do this, choose tomatoes that are beautiful in appearance and have ripened on the bush.
Growing
It is recommended to start planting seeds to obtain seedlings no later than mid-March. If the air temperature in the room is insufficient, the seedlings can be heated by installing heat lamps.
When the first true leaves appear on the seedlings, diving is carried out. Only strong, healthy seedlings should be selected. You can buy special soil in the store, but it is possible to prepare it yourself by mixing soil from the garden with rotted manure.
It is recommended to plant seedlings of large-fruited varieties in the ground no more than 3 pcs. per 1 sq. m. Plant young plants in a hole with a handful of manure and wood ash. The soil must be thoroughly watered. The next watering is carried out after 7 days.
Sometimes the plant sheds its first flowers. This occurs due to an insufficiently strong root system and the process of adaptation to the new soil. Even if the first flowers do not fall off for some reason, they are advised to be cut off. Fruits grown from such an ovary will not have the necessary condition.
When growing large-fruited tomato varieties, you should not use too much nitrogen-containing fertilizer. In this case, all the plant’s energy is spent on the formation of stems and foliage, while the fruits cease to set and ripen.
It has been noticed that the yield will be higher if the first inflorescence on the bush is removed. After 4 inflorescences form on the stem, its upper part is pinched to prevent further upward growth of the bush. This procedure can be done in mid-August.
1–2 ovaries are left on each inflorescence. Above the last inflorescence, 2 leaves are left on the stem. To prevent large tomato fruits from breaking off fragile stems, be sure to install supports.
Fertilizer
Growing tomatoes must be constantly monitored. If the leaves begin to turn yellow, this may indicate a lack of magnesium in the soil.
This condition in plants is called chlorosis. In this case, the tomatoes are fed with magnesium sulfate: 10 g of the drug per bucket of water. This amount is enough to fertilize 3 bushes. Tomato foliage is sprayed with this solution.
How to water
During the formation of ovaries, tomatoes need more intensive watering. If insufficient moisture is supplied during this period, the plant will usually lose color.
How to protect tomatoes from unpredictable weather
It is difficult to predict in advance what kind of summer it will be - hot, rainy or windy. To increase your chances of getting a decent harvest, you can do the following:
- Plant seedlings grown only from high-quality seeds into the soil.
- The seedlings should have their first true leaves. The bushes should be about 20 cm high.
- Choose a windless, sunny place for planting tomatoes.
- Use well-rotted manure to fertilize the soil before planting seedlings.
- To protect tomatoes from aphids, plant a companion plant next to them - garlic or basil.
- After flowering begins, apply potassium fertilizers every week.
- Watering should be done in small portions, but often. This will protect the tomatoes from cracking.
- Be sure to break off shoots growing between the stems and main branches. The air flow will protect the tomatoes from diseases and help them ripen faster.
A giant Delicious tomato, freshly picked from the bush and grown with one's own hands, is much tastier than one bought in a store.
