Tomato Zhirdyai is a hybrid of the first generation f1. Presented by Russian breeders of the Sedek agricultural company. Medium early, low growing. It is unpretentious in care, easily adapts to cultivation conditions, that is, it has good plasticity.
Basic Description
Determinate bushes, height 70–80 cm. Medium foliage, dark green leaves, medium size. The inflorescences are simple, the stalk has an articulation. The variety is included in the state register of the Russian Federation for all climatic zones. Suitable for growing in open ground and under cover. Recommended for growing in private farms.
Fruit characteristics:
- ripe red tomatoes;
- flat-round shape;
- weight 200–300 g;
- yield per 1 sq. m. about 8 kg.
The main advantage of the hybrid is its large fruit size with a relatively small height of the bushes. The fruits are of good presentation with excellent taste. The pulp is multi-chambered with a small number of seeds. Tomatoes are suitable for long-term storage and transportation. Tomatoes are dense, smooth, resistant to cracking. The variety is rarely affected by the following diseases:
- verticillium;
- various types of rot.
Tomato ripening occurs 105–110 days after mass germination. Salad variety. Good fresh and for preparations.
Planting and care
Zhirdyai tomato seeds are sown in mini-greenhouses 60–65 days before planting in the ground. The germination rate of this variety is 100%. Mid-season tomatoes are planted in a permanent place in the first ten days of May.
A determinate variety requires partial formation and removal of stepsons. The main stem produces 3–4 flower racemes with 5–6 or more fruit nests. Bushes of the Zhirdyai f1 variety are spreading with strong stems, per 1 sq. m. 3–4 plants are planted. If the hybrid is “brought” into 2 stems, then no more than three bushes.
The variety lays the first flower cluster after the 5th leaf, the next after 1–2. When ovaries begin to form on the bushes, tomatoes are in dire need of potassium. Wood ash placed between the rows will increase productivity. The soil under the plants is watered with a liquid solution (in a bucket of water):
- 2 tbsp. l. ash.
- 1 tbsp. l. superphosphate.
During the active growing season, tomato variety Zhirdyai f1 needs minerals. It is convenient to use complex formulations: nitroammophoska, nitrophoska.
Many gardeners confuse the hybrid Fatty and the mid-late Fatty f1. The large-fruited indeterminate Tolstyak is presented by the same manufacturer.In terms of productivity, it is inferior to the Zhirdyai hybrid and is more demanding in care.
Harvesting and storage
Tomatoes last a long time on the bushes. However, you should not wait for complete biological maturation. Thus, the development of other fruits is delayed. Tomatoes ripen well when laid out in a well-ventilated place. Firm green fruits should not be picked as their growth phase is not yet complete. With the appearance of a light shade, the tomatoes can be removed for ripening.
For long-term storage, it is better to select late varieties of tomatoes in unprotected soil. Mid-early Zhirdya f1, collected at the stage of technical ripeness, is stored in a cool room (+5...+7 °C) for several months. Store in the refrigerator in the lower vegetable compartment for 1-2 weeks.
Reviews from gardeners characterize Zhirdyai as a “tomato sumo wrestler”; 2–3 tomato ovaries left on one bunch grow up to 400–500 g.
