The Chocolate Tomato is an original variety of tomato. We are all accustomed to red or pink tomatoes. But this variety of tomatoes has a unique and original chocolate color, like for tomatoes.
Such a miracle of selection appeared in the 21st century thanks to our Russian breeders. And immediately this variety took its rightful place in the popularity ranking of tomatoes.
Its demand among summer residents and gardeners is associated with its interesting color, excellent taste, decent yield and ease of care.
This variety is included in the State Register of the Russian Federation. Well, now let's talk about everything in order.
Characteristics of this varietal variety
The description of the variety positions this tomato as a semi-determinant non-standard hybrid. In terms of ripening, it is medium early. The harvest begins 110-115 days after planting the seeds.
It is quite possible to grow this variety both in an open area and in a greenhouse.
The variety requires pinching and bush formation. The bush grows up to 1.2-1.5 meters, is quite strong and powerful, and requires obligatory gartering to supports. The foliage is small, the leaves are dark green, slightly corrugated.
Reviews from gardeners and summer residents indicate that it is best to form the plant into 2 stems.
Inflorescences are of an intermediate type, the first of them appears above the 8th leaf, the next ones - every 1-2 leaves. The fruits grow in clusters, with 4-5 vegetables formed on each cluster. Each vegetable contains 4-5 nests.
The fruits have a regular round shape, the weight of the vegetables varies from 200 to 400 grams. Unripe vegetables have a dark green color; when ripe, tomatoes acquire a beautiful red-brown color. The taste of the fruit is excellent, the vegetables are sweet and meaty. The flesh is elastic.
They tolerate transportation well and are stored for quite a long time.
Methods of use
The fruits are excellent for fresh consumption. They make very tasty salads, very presentable and exotic in appearance. Tomatoes are also suitable for canning, for making juices, ketchups, and sauces. Despite the brown color of the skin, inside the vegetables have the usual red color and the juice or ketchup from such tomatoes turns out to be the usual red color.Such vegetables also harmonize as part of various stewed or boiled vegetable dishes. Tomatoes can also be frozen for the winter and dried.
The advantages of this variety of tomatoes
These tomatoes have many advantages.
- Resistance to various diseases and pests. This variety has good resistance to various diseases. And such a common tomato disease as root and blossom end rot never affects this variety.
- High yield. The declared characteristics and description of the variety indicate the ability to harvest up to 5 kg of crop from one square meter. But those who planted this variety claim that with good care you can harvest 14 kg from one square.
- The large-fruited nature of tomatoes can significantly save time during harvesting.
- The excellent taste and beneficial properties of tomatoes allow you not only to enjoy the excellent taste of grown tomatoes, but also to improve your health.
- Unpretentiousness in growing and caring allows not only experienced gardeners, but also just beginning summer residents and gardeners to grow tomatoes.
- Its presentable presentation allows you to grow such a tomato both on your own plot for personal needs and for industrial purposes.
Features of cultivation and care
Those who have grown these tomatoes say that it is best to grow them from seedlings.
To do this, the seeds are sown in separate containers in loose, moist soil. This is done 60-65 days before the intended planting in open ground. When 1-2 true leaves appear on the seedlings, they are picked into separate pots. The soil in containers must be loosened from time to time to allow oxygen to flow to the root system and periodically moistened.
It is imperative to carry out measures to harden the seedlings. To do this, the seedlings begin to be taken out into the open air, first for 1-2 hours, gradually increasing the time to a whole day.
Important point! It is necessary to take the seedlings outside for a day only to exclude the possibility of night frosts. Otherwise, the plants will freeze and die.
It is also necessary to hide containers with seedlings from drafts outside.
Seedlings are planted in open ground at the end of May. If planting in a greenhouse is planned, then this can be done as early as the beginning of May.
The area should be carefully prepared before planting tomatoes. To do this, all weeds are removed, the soil is loosened, then holes are made, which are watered abundantly and, if desired, fertilizers are added to them. Natural fertilizer is ideal as a top dressing: mullein or chicken droppings.
Place 3-4 tomato bushes on one square meter. You can plant seedlings in a checkerboard pattern.
After planting seedlings, it is necessary to carry out timely watering. It is best to water the plant in the evening with settled water at room temperature. A drip irrigation system is well suited for these purposes.
Also, as necessary, you need to remove weeds from the site and fertilize the plants (no more than once every three weeks).
A tomato of this variety, grown in a greenhouse and in an open area, is no different from each other. Only when growing in a greenhouse, you must remember to regularly ventilate the greenhouse and maintain the temperature in it no higher than 25 degrees.
A housewife who has planted chocolate tomatoes on her plot will always be able to surprise her household and guests with their unusual color and excellent taste, without spending a lot of effort on growing and caring for them.
