Selecting tomato varieties to grow next year is always an important process for a gardener who is interested in the harvest and values the result of his work. The Three Sisters tomato is a crop that will not leave indifferent a lover of tasty medium-sized fruits.
Description of the variety
The variety belongs to the category of early ripening. After the first shoots appear, 100–106 days pass until the tomato fully ripens. The bush of the plant is quite powerful, semi-determinate, the height can reach one and a half meters. Stepping is a must, as anyone who has planted this variety of tomatoes knows. The medium-length leaf has a rich dark green color.Tomato inflorescence Three sisters of intermediate type.
The plant forms clusters, each with 6–8 fruits, in some cases up to 10. The location of the first inflorescence is above the 8th or 9th leaf, and each subsequent one is located after 1–2 leaves. Tomato fruits Three sisters are flat-round in shape, slightly ribbed. An unripe tomato is light green in color; when ripe, the color changes to bright red.
The average fruit weight of Three Sisters tomatoes is 150 grams. The fruit tastes sweet, with moderate sourness. The number of chambers in the fruit is 4. The consumer qualities of the variety receive good reviews from experienced vegetable growers. The productivity of the variety is at the highest level. With proper care, on one square meter, the one who planted this tomato variety was able to collect up to 7 kilograms of fruit.
The Sister F1 tomato is included in the State Register and is intended for cultivation in greenhouse conditions both in private farmsteads and in industrial quantities.
This becomes possible due to the excellent keeping quality of the fruits, preservation of their presentation for a long time, and excellent ability to withstand transportation over long distances.
The hybrid belongs to the early ripening salad varieties. Three Sisters tomatoes are used by those who planted them with equal success both in canning and for preparing fresh salads, as a component of first and second courses. The possibility of pickling unripe tomatoes should not be ruled out.
Pros and cons of the variety
As a true representative of the nightshade family, the Sister tomato has a lot of obvious advantages:
- excellent yield;
- ability to tolerate long-term transportation well;
- spectacular appearance;
- early ripening;
- versatility of use;
- excellent taste;
- good keeping quality.
There are no obvious shortcomings noted by gardeners who have extensive experience in growing the Three Sisters, however, summer residents comment that one should remember the need to constantly tie up the bushes. A process such as pinching is also important for obtaining a good harvest.
Features of care
The main feature of early varieties is the higher speed of fruit ripening compared to ordinary tomatoes. On average, it takes about days from the moment the seeds are planted to the first fruits are harvested. Under favorable circumstances, which include good weather conditions, properly applied fertilizing and timely watering, the harvesting process can begin even earlier.
The concept of caring for tomatoes is quite broad. In most cases, the summer resident who planted the variety performs the following procedures:
- Watering tomatoes. It needs to be done in a timely manner. A moderate amount of moisture brings many benefits to the plant, which cannot be said about the consequences of excessive watering. At the beginning of the fruit ripening process, Three Sisters tomatoes are especially sensitive to the quality of watering. If there is a lack of moisture, the leaves will begin to curl, the ovary will fall off, and the remaining fruits will be small.
- Maintaining the required air temperature for tomatoes. If the parameter is lower than required, the flowering of the Three Sisters tomato may slow down or simply stop. If the temperature on the thermometer in the greenhouse is higher than normal, the quality of pollen viability will decrease, which will lead to a decrease in the overall yield level. In conditions of increased air temperature, fungal diseases multiply more actively, which makes the plant susceptible to the development of various diseases.
- Application of organic and mineral fertilizers.If the soil is deficient in any element, the ripening of fruits is delayed, the yield is reduced, and the bush dies. To avoid these consequences of a lack of microelements, fertilizing should be done regularly. This needs to be done correctly: Three Sisters tomato seedlings need more phosphorus, and an adult plant may need more nitrogen. A plant that is in the stage of vegetative maturation is in dire need of such a trace element as potassium.
Do not forget about such features of caring for tomatoes as regular ventilation of the greenhouse, loosening or mulching the soil, pinching and tying up bushes.
If all the rules are followed, the crop will respond with active growth and a good harvest. This is confirmed by every vegetable grower who has planted tomatoes in his garden.
Disease and pest control
There are a lot of diseases that can affect tomatoes. The list of the most common ones is as follows:
- Mosaic. Accompanied by the appearance of spots on the leaves. Sick plant specimens should be burned, and healthy ones should be sprayed with urea solution.
- Late blight. A fungal disease with which every vegetable grower is familiar. The spots under the skin make the fruit unsuitable for consumption. All preventive measures should be taken before the plant begins to bloom. Such remedies as “Barrier” and “Oxychomom” help prevent the disease well.
- Apex rot. It appears as dry spots that are a little shiny. The main reasons are lack of nitrogen and excess calcium. You can combat the problem with calcium nitrate.
- Alternaria blight. The first signs can be seen on the lower leaves of tomatoes.Leaves affected by dark spots begin to die; over time, the disease affects the entire plant and leads to its death.
- Medvedka. An insect that moves along large passages located underground. By gnawing the base of the stems, the mole cricket causes the death of the Three Sisters tomato. Insect control is possible using the drug “Thunder”.
In addition to mole crickets, tomatoes can suffer from pests such as cutworms, whiteflies, slugs and spider mites. The fight against them is possible both with the help of chemicals and folk remedies.
