One of the popular varieties of tomatoes is the Raspberry Viscount tomato. Spring is a gardener's favorite time of year. All things are put aside because the planting season is approaching. Correcting and cultivating greenhouses, tidying up the beds that have become so beloved, choosing or growing high-quality seedlings on your own are the main tasks that every garden lover sets himself.
One of the most important questions that arises for anyone who grows their own tomatoes is how to choose quality seeds? There are many varieties offered on the market.They differ in many parameters: ripening period, growing season, color and weight of fruits, height of the bush and number of leaves, resistance to pests. In addition, the fruits must be well stored and have a beautiful presentation. One of the varieties that fully satisfies all requirements is Raspberry Viscount.
Characteristics of the variety
The Raspberry Viscount variety is early ripening: from the moment of planting to the appearance of the first fruits, it takes from 90 to 105 days. It all depends on the time of planting in the ground, climatic conditions and the health of the bush.
The shape of the plant is standard. The bush is determinate, quite small - its height does not exceed 0.55 m. A strong and compact tomato bears fruit with tomatoes that are heavy and very large - this means that the bush needs to be provided with good support in the form of a support.
The color of the leaves of the Raspberry Viscount tomato is dark green, the width is larger than average. The variety can be grown both in open ground and in greenhouses of various types and sizes.
If we talk about resistance to pathogens, it is worth noting that fungal diseases and late blight this tomato tolerates it well. The plant is disease resistant.
The ovary formed on the bush is quite thick. A large number of fruits pleases the gardener who treats the plants in his greenhouse carefully. The shape of the fruit is round, slightly flattened, the color is bright red, in some cases dark crimson. Slight ribbing may appear on the surface.
The taste characteristics of the Raspberry Viscount tomato are traditional. Its fruits are slightly sour. The pulp is of medium density and contains a small number of partitions, the number of which does not exceed 8–10 pieces.The dry matter content in tomatoes of this type is 4.5 percent.
Ripening time
This tomato variety is early ripening. It takes about three months from the appearance of the first shoots to full ripening. This variety grows well in open ground. If conditions allow you to set up a greenhouse, then this will be an advantage when growing.
The bush pleases with its compactness - its height rarely exceeds 0.55 m. No pinching is required, and gartering is necessary only at the moment of fruit ripening, since the branches may not withstand a large number of tomatoes. The weight of the fruit can affect the condition of the branches. If the year is fruitful, then in total all the fruits, the weight of each of which can be from 0.35 to 0.55 kg, can weigh up to 5 - 6 kg.
Productivity
One of the main advantages of tomato is its high yield. One adult plant, when properly cultivated, can produce up to 6 kg of fruit. If the tomato is fed and the conditions are ideal or close to such, then the weight of the crop can reach 15 kg. For such a short plant this is an excellent result. Among the reviews you can often see the following: “I grow several bushes and get a huge harvest.”
Description of fruits
The weight of tomatoes is rather large: on average, the fruit weighs about 300 grams. With good care and favorable climatic conditions, it is possible to obtain a harvest that will contain samples weighing up to 450 grams. In some cases, the weight can reach even greater values. There is not a single bad review about the mass of fruits of this tomato.
The fruits of Raspberry Viscount are not prone to cracking. Taste qualities, taking into account early ripeness, receive the best reviews from gardeners. It is the early stages of ripening that help preserve fruits from late blight.
Where does it grow best?
The variety tolerates frost well. Windy weather will be well experienced by the Raspberry Viscount. The best harvest, however, can be harvested in the southern regions and in the middle zone. In regions such as Voronezh and Astrakhan, Belgorod regions, Crimea and Krasnodar Territory, it is better to plant tomatoes directly in the ground. In the northern parts of the country and the Urals, obtaining a good harvest is only possible in greenhouses.
A detailed description of agricultural technology becomes possible only after obtaining data on the cultivation region and climatic conditions.
Method of use
These tomatoes are best used in salads and for extracting juice, due to their increased meatiness. The fruits are excellent for canning and use as part of multi-component preparations.
Raspberry Viscount can be dried. This must be done in the oven. Dried tomatoes go well with spices. There are many recipes for sun-dried tomatoes. In addition, you can make excellent tomato paste from the fruits.
Pros and cons of the variety
Like any other variety, this type of tomato has its pros and cons. The advantages include:
- bright taste;
- maintaining the integrity of the fruit;
- good ripening ability;
- long shelf life;
- frost resistance;
- presentable appearance;
- versatility of fruit use.
The Raspberry Viscount also has shortcomings, which everyone who planted him knows about. The most obvious:
- inability to tolerate heat;
- constant need for watering;
- an almost obligatory support, which must be strong;
- reaction to acidic soils, the best option is neutral.
Taking into account these features of agricultural technology, every gardener can grow a good plant and get a high-quality harvest from it.The main thing is to follow all the rules of care, regularly water the plant and monitor its condition.
