Content
The Shasta F1 tomato is the world's earliest highly productive determinate hybrid, created by American breeders for commercial use. The originator of the variety is Innova Seeds Co. Thanks to its ultra-early ripening, excellent taste and marketability, high yield, and resistance to many diseases, Shasta F1 tomatoes are also loved by Russian gardeners.
Description of Shasta tomato
Shasta F1 tomatoes are of the determinate type. Such plants stop growing in height when they form a flower cluster at the top. Determinate varieties of tomatoes are an excellent option for summer residents who want to get an early and healthy harvest.
In the case of the Shasta F1 tomato variety, when a sufficient number of clusters are formed, growth stops at 80 cm. The bush is powerful, stocky, with a large number of ovaries. Shasta F1 requires tying to a support; it is simply necessary in case of large yields. The variety is ideal for growing in fields for industrial purposes. The leaves are large, dark green, the inflorescences are simple, the stalk has an articulation.
Tomato Shasta F1 has the shortest growing season - only 85-90 days pass from emergence to harvest, that is, less than 3 months. Due to its early ripening, Shasta F1 is sown directly in open ground, without using seedlings. Some summer residents successfully grow Shasta F1 tomatoes in spring greenhouses, forming them as a tall indeterminate plant. Such agricultural technology significantly saves the shortage of greenhouse space, and the result of the gardener’s labors will be the earliest spring tomatoes.
Shasta F1 is a fairly new variety; it was entered into the State Register in 2018. Zoned in the North Caucasus and Lower Volga regions.
Brief description and taste of the fruit
The fruits of the Shasta F1 variety have a round shape with barely noticeable ribbing, they are smooth and dense. An average of 6-8 tomatoes are formed on one bunch, almost identical in size. An unripe tomato is green in color with a characteristic dark green spot at the stalk; a ripe one has a rich red-scarlet color. Number of seed nests – 2-3 pcs. The weight of the fruit varies in the range of 40-79 g, most tomatoes weigh 65-70 g. The yield of marketable fruit is up to 88%, the ripening is smooth - more than 90% turn red at the same time.
Shasta F1 tomatoes have a sweet tomato taste with a slight pleasant sourness. The dry matter content in the juice is 7.4%, sugars – 4.1%. Shasta tomatoes are ideal for whole-fruit canning - their skin does not crack, and their small size allows them to be used for pickling and pickling in almost any container.Due to their unsurpassed taste, these tomatoes are often consumed fresh, and they are also prepared in tomato juice, paste, and various sauces.
Varietal characteristics
The Shasta tomato is grown both on large agricultural farms and in private gardens. The fruits have a presentable appearance and are characterized by good transportability. Shasta F1 is an indispensable variety for the fresh vegetable market, especially at the beginning of the season. Shasta tomatoes can be harvested by hand or mechanically using a food processor.
The productivity of the Shasta F1 tomato variety is quite high. When industrially cultivated in the conditions of the North Caucasus region, 29.8 tons of marketable fruits can be collected from 1 hectare, when grown in the Lower Volga - 46.4 tons. The maximum yield according to state test statistics is 91.3 tons from 1 hectare. From one bush you can remove 4-5 kg of tomatoes per season. Reviews about the productivity of the Shasta F1 tomato with photos illustrating a huge number of ovaries appear with enviable regularity.
Several factors influence crop yield:
- quality of seed material;
- proper preparation and sowing of seeds;
- strict selection of seedlings;
- soil quality and composition;
- regularity of fertilizer application;
- proper watering;
- hilling, loosening and mulching;
- pinching and removing excess leaves.
Shasta F1 has no equal in terms of ripening time.From the pipping of the first sprouts to ripe bulk tomatoes, only 90 days pass. The harvest is ripening smoothly, the variety is suitable for rare harvests. Tolerates hot weather well, but requires regular watering.
Tomato Shasta F1 is resistant to verticillium, cladosporiosis and fusarium, and can be affected by blackleg. In case of infection with fungal diseases, the diseased bush is dug up and burned, the remaining plantings are treated with a fungicide solution. Among the most common pests of tomatoes are:
- whitefly;
- naked slugs;
- spider mite;
- Colorado beetle.
Pros and cons of the variety
Among the undeniable advantages of Shasta F1 tomatoes over other varieties are the following:
- early and friendly ripening of fruits;
- high productivity;
- more than 88% of marketable fruits;
- long fresh shelf life;
- good transportability;
- dessert, sweet taste with slight sourness;
- the peel does not burst during heat treatment;
- suitable for whole canning;
- tolerates heat well;
- the variety is resistant to major nightshade diseases;
- the ability to grow in fields;
- high profitability.
Among the disadvantages it is worth noting:
- the need for timely watering;
- possibility of infection with blackleg;
- the collected seeds do not convey the properties of the mother plant.
Rules for planting and care
Due to the short growing season, Shasta F1 tomatoes are in most cases sown immediately in a permanent place, without the stage of growing seedlings. Make holes in the garden bed at a distance of 50 cm from each other, throw in a few seeds, cover with soil and cover with film until the first shoots appear. The timing of planting Shasta tomatoes varies depending on the region; you need to focus on the temperature: 20-24°C during the day, 16°C at night.To improve the quality of fruits, organic fertilizers are added to the soil in advance of sowing.
The first thinning of tomatoes is done when the seedlings have formed 2-3 leaves. The strongest ones are left, the distance between neighboring plants is 5-10 cm. The tomatoes are thinned out the second time at the stage of formation of the 5th leaf, the distance increases to 12-15 cm.
During the last thinning, the excess bushes are carefully dug out with a lump of earth; if desired, they can be transplanted to a place where the seedlings were weak. After transplanting, the tomatoes are shed with a solution of “Heteroauxin” or “Kornevin”, or sprayed with the preparation “HB-101” (1 drop per 1 liter of water). This will reduce the stress caused by moving to a new location.
Sowing seeds for seedlings
Sowing Shasta F1 tomatoes directly into the ground is good only for the Southern regions. In the middle zone you cannot do without seedlings. Tomato seeds are sown in low containers with nutritious universal soil or a mixture of sand and peat (1:1). There is no need to pre-disinfect and soak the planting material; the appropriate treatment is carried out at the manufacturer's factory. The containers are covered with film and placed in a warm place with an average temperature of 23°C.
At the stage of formation of the 2-3rd leaf, tomato seedlings are planted in separate pots and begin to harden, taking them out into the fresh air. Caring for young tomatoes includes regular watering and fertilizing. Also, the container with tomato seedlings must be rotated relative to the light source, otherwise the plants will stretch out and be one-sided.
Transplanting seedlings
Tomatoes of the Shasta F1 variety, like other varieties, are planted in open ground when the average daily temperature is warm. The distance between neighboring plants is 40-50 cm, minimum 30 cm. Each bush is carefully removed from the pot, trying not to damage the root system, placed in a pre-dug hole and sprinkled with soil. Plantings are watered with warm water and mulched.
Planting care
To prevent pests and diseases, tomato plantings are regularly weeded from weeds, the soil is mulched and loosened. This improves oxygen access to the roots and has a beneficial effect on the growth and development of the tomato bush, and, therefore, on productivity. Shasta tomatoes are watered as the soil dries.
The Shasta F1 hybrid does not require the removal of shoots and excess leaves. As each plant grows, it is tied to an individual support so that the stem does not break under the weight of the fruit.
Tomatoes must be fed regularly throughout the growing season. A solution of mullein, urea, and chicken droppings are used as fertilizers.
Conclusion
Tomato Shasta F1 is a new worthy variety with an early fruiting period. Bred for commercial cultivation, it fully lives up to its description - it ripens smoothly, most tomatoes are marketable, and grows well in field conditions. Shasta is also suitable for private garden plots; the whole family will appreciate the good taste of these very early tomatoes.
