Content
Exotic lovers will definitely like the Garlic tomato. Tomato fruits are divided into cloves, like garlic. You don’t even need to cut them before using them, just break them off. In this case, the juice will not flow, which is why the variety is also called “traveler’s tomatoes.”
Breeding history
It is very difficult to say unambiguously in which country the Garlic tomato first appeared. Some sources indicate Germany, others indicate Romania. The main version says that this variety is from Guatemala (Central America). Travelers always took them on the road, since it is very convenient to break off slices and not harm the entire fruit. According to this version, it was German tourists who brought the seeds of this variety from Guatemala to their homeland.
Garlic tomatoes are a new product for the Russian Federation
Due to its wide distribution throughout the world, the variety has many names: tomato brain, reysetomeit, reystomat, traveler from Transylvania, Voyage. Its botanical name is Reisetomate.
Description and characteristics of the Garlic tomato variety
The variety is indeterminate, tall, reaching from 1.2 to 1.7 meters in height. Since it is relict and does not have a hybrid base, you can collect the seeds yourself. Their germination capacity and characteristics are maintained for 3-5 years.
The main highlight of the Garlic variety is the shape of the fruit. The slices do not need to be cut off to eat; they break off easily. You could even say that this is a large number of cherry tomatoes grown together. Each fruit is round in shape with 12-15 segments.
The harvest of the first tomatoes consists of the largest fruits, the weight of which can reach 500 g. The taste is excellent, characteristic of tomatoes. Not many seeds. The color is bright red, the aroma is weak. The skin is dense, of medium thickness, and prevents the tomatoes from cracking.
On powerful bushes a huge number of clusters are formed, each of which has from three to five fruits.
The leaves are small, very rarely reaching 15 cm in length. The bushes do not form a trunk, but grow in several branches, so a garter is required for them.
One medium-sized tomato contains up to 22 kcal and less than 1 g of fat
When it ripens
Tomatoes of the Garlic variety are mid-early. From sowing to full ripening it takes from 108 to 110 days. One fruit ripens within 14 days from the moment of appearance. Harvesting takes place from mid-summer to late autumn.
Garlic tomato yield
This crop bears fruit for a long time. The yield is quite high, up to 10 kg per 1 square meter.
Resistance to adverse factors
Due to the fact that Garlic tomatoes are relict, they have high immunity to diseases and insects.Tomatoes have low frost resistance, so in cool regions they can only be grown in a greenhouse.
Garlic tomatoes almost never suffer from fusarium, blight, late blight, and are not susceptible to rot. But preventive measures against the main diseases of Solanaceae are recommended for them.
Where is it grown?
The Garlic tomato feels great in open ground and in greenhouses. It bears fruit under cover even in Siberia. In the Leningrad region and Moscow region it can be grown in open ground.
Methods of application
The main purpose of the Garlic tomato is fresh consumption. Tomatoes can be cut into salads, but they are not suitable for whole fruit canning. They are convenient to use for decorating dishes and baking. Juice or paste is not made from the fruits, as the taste has a pronounced sourness.
Another special feature of the Garlic variety is that the tomatoes are well stored for 1-2 months. The main thing is that it is cool, then they will not crack, will not lose their taste, but will be as fresh.
Advantages and disadvantages
The unusual appearance of Garlic tomatoes is not its only advantage.
When the temperature drops below +15 oC, tomatoes stop blooming
Pros:
- large fruit size;
- excellent keeping quality;
- low maintenance requirements;
- high productivity;
- excellent immunity.
Minuses:
- requires gartering, pinching and shaping;
- the taste becomes less pronounced if there are not enough nutrients in the soil.
Landing dates and rules
It is necessary to sow seeds from March 10 to 15.The seedlings are transferred to the greenhouse a month later, from April 10 to 15, and to open ground after the May holidays, when the risk of frost is minimal.
Seedlings are grown in a soil mixture of two parts humus, two parts turf soil and part sand. The seeds are sown in containers and sprinkled with a little soil. The temperature is maintained at a level not lower than +16 °C. Diving is carried out after the appearance of two true leaves. The recommended diameter of the pots is 10 cm.
Before moving plants to a permanent location, the soil requires careful preparation. After digging, humus and peat are added to it. Tomatoes respond gratefully to fertile and porous soil.
The planting pattern is 60x70 cm. No more than 3-4 bushes can be placed per square meter. The garter to the trellis (support) is made immediately.
Field germination of seeds decreases with a decrease in soil moisture relative to the optimum (70-80%)
Garlic tomato care
Tomato Garlic loves:
- regular watering;
- loosening the earth;
- application of fertilizers.
It is recommended to water tomatoes at least 1-2 times for seven days. If there is intense heat, there is no rain, and the soil dries out quickly, then the amount of watering is increased to 3-4 times.
After watering, the bushes must be mulched. Sawdust and straw are suitable for these purposes. It is the mulch that protects the roots of the plant from the cold at night and from drying out during the day.
Loosening the soil is also a mandatory procedure, since the roots need oxygen. The work can be done with a rake or by hand.
The first feeding is done 14-20 days after transplanting to a permanent place.To do this, ammonium nitrate (1 tablespoon) is diluted in a bucket of water and watered under the bush.
The second feeding is carried out before or during flowering. For irrigation, 10-15 g of potassium sulfate are diluted in 10 liters of water. Moisturizing is carried out strictly at the root.
It is recommended to harvest every 3-5 days as the tomatoes ripen. Before the onset of cold weather, unripe tomatoes must also be collected.
Semi-determinate tomato varieties stop growing after the first inflorescences appear.
How to shape a Garlic tomato
To get the maximum yield from a bush, it must be tied up. If this is not done, the formed stems will certainly break under the weight of the tomato.
The formation of a bush is done in three stems, if space allows - in four
Treatment against diseases and pests
Despite the high immunity, prevention of late blight for Garlic tomatoes is recommended. It can be carried out with the drug Ordan. The drug is also effective against bacterial spotting.
If the tomato does not have enough light, the stem stretches, the leaves become smaller and turn pale.
To increase immunity, accelerate growth and protect against late blight and other fungal diseases, iodine is used. Five drops of iodine are added to 1 liter and sprayed on the leaves.
To protect tomato seedlings of the Garlic variety from the appearance of blackleg, it is recommended to treat the seeds with TMTD. If the problem has already appeared in mature seedlings, then use the drug Previkur.
Delayed fruit ripening may be due to excess nitrogen in the soil
Conclusion
The exotic Garlic tomato has high immunity, does not require careful care and bears fruit well.It requires shaping and tying and is highly shelf-stable. Fruits from mid-summer until the onset of cold weather.
Reviews from summer residents about Garlic tomato
