In the spring, gardeners begin the “hot season”; they need to have time not only to prepare the soil for growing crops, but also to choose varieties. Cherry Tomato Strawberry F1 will pleasantly surprise those who are looking for their ideal tomato variety.
Description of the Cherry Strawberry variety
First in the world Cherry tomatoes Breeders brought them out of Israel about 80 years ago. Since then, cherry tomatoes have become one of the most popular vegetables in the world. Today, a huge number of different varieties have been bred.
In order not to make a bad choice, you need to study the description of the variety in detail.
The Cherry Strawberry tomato was bred by breeders from Russia. In 2011, the hybrid received state registration as a variety intended for planting in open and closed ground.
F1 tomato belongs to the first generation hybrids. The originator is the agricultural company Sedek.
The plant is determinate, the growth of the bush is limited and does not exceed 1 - 1.3 meters in height. Bushes need to be tied up and shaped.
Tomatoes can be grown in the garden in beds, greenhouses and greenhouse shelters. It is rarely exposed to diseases that most often affect nightshade crops.
It is better to grow a hybrid in a vegetable garden in the southern regions of Russia. Since Cherry Strawberry is an early ripening plant, in northern latitudes the bushes may die during sharp frosts.
Fruit characteristics
The general characteristics of the Cherry Strawberry F1 tomato fruit are very important. As the name suggests, tomatoes are similar in appearance to strawberries. The shape of the fruit is unusual for tomatoes, heart-shaped. Fruiting is abundant.
A variety with early fruit ripening. You can harvest the crop within 100–105 days after the seedlings emerge.
One cyst can form from 10 to 20 fetuses. Under ideal conditions for growing seedlings, a cyst can contain up to 30 tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes are small, the weight of one fruit is no more than 25-35 grams. The pulp is sweet, juicy, with a high sugar content. The skin is dense and does not crack. The color of the tomatoes is bright red.
When growing 4 bushes per 1 sq. m. you can harvest up to 9 kg of crop.
Ripe tomatoes store very poorly. Therefore, immediately after harvesting, they must either be processed or consumed fresh. The disadvantage of this variety is that the fruits cannot be used for making tomato pastes and juices.Because they have a high dry matter content.
Those gardeners and gardeners who planted the variety on their plots were satisfied with the results. In addition to the high taste of the fruit, the Cherry Strawberry hybrid has a very attractive appearance. It’s impossible to take your eyes off the bushes strewn with bright red tomatoes.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Reviews of the Cherry Strawberry F1 tomato from those farmers who planted the hybrid, as mentioned earlier, are mostly positive. Despite the fact that the hybrid has many advantages, it has a number of disadvantages.
Advantages:
- Gives a good harvest throughout the season;
- Very tasty fruits;
- The hybrid is not demanding in care;
- Good decorative qualities;
- Immunity to diseases of nightshade crops;
- Harmonious ripening of tomatoes.
Flaws:
- The variety is not high-yielding;
- The fruits do not differ in shelf life;
- Not suitable for preparing tomato juices and pastes;
- Bushes need to be tied up;
- It is necessary to form bushes;
- Seedlings can only be grown in open ground in the southern regions of Russia. In northern latitudes, it is recommended to use greenhouses and greenhouse shelters.
How to grow Cherry Strawberry correctly
The process of growing seedlings is the most important stage in gardening. To get a rich harvest, you need to pay special attention to it. The process of growing cherry tomatoes is practically no different from planting regular tomatoes.
First of all, it is important to know exactly the timing of sowing seeds. For Cherry Strawberry tomatoes, this is the beginning of April. Seedlings should be planted in open ground when the temperature remains above zero at night. The soil should warm up to +16 – +18 degrees.
I planted seeds for seedlings in this way:
- Pour soil into containers (you can buy a ready-made mixture in the store);
- Make furrows to a depth of 2 - 3 cm and plant planting material, water;
- Cover the boxes with cling film and take them to a warm place;
- Regularly remove the film and water the seeds;
- After the shoots appear, the film is removed and the boxes are placed in the sun.
When full-fledged leaves appear on the seedlings, it must be pruned. Cherry tomatoes do not like crowding and may not grow well. If the spring turns out to be cold and the bushes “sit” in the container for a long time when picking, the stem can be buried.
Farmers who have planted tomatoes of this variety know that its distinctive feature is the need to form bushes into one or two stems.
Features of care
It is important to remember that the hybrid of this variety loves daily moderate watering. If watering is infrequent, brown cracks will appear on the fruits. If you water frequently, the tomatoes will be too watery.
Mineral supplements are also important. It is best to use complex fertilizers for this purpose. Fertilizers should contain substances such as phosphorus, potassium, selenium, cobalt, zinc and iron. You can use Agricola or Kemira fertilizers.
You need to feed the bushes no more than once a week, after the seedlings are planted in the ground. During the formation of ovaries, ammonium nitrate and wood ash can be added to mineral fertilizers.
When applying fertilizers, you need to pay attention to the appearance of the plants. If they begin to increase leaf mass, and the fruits become less and less, it means that the plants are overfed.
