Content
There are many small-fruited hybrid varieties of tomatoes that are popular in the CIS countries. One of these is the red date tomato. The variety is easy to care for, and the fruits resemble southern sweet fruits. To get a good harvest, you need to familiarize yourself with the nuances of planting and organizing proper care.
Breeding history
The Red Date variety has an unsurpassed taste.
A hybrid variety of tomatoes was bred by Russian breeders. Initially, they were engaged in crossing different varieties of cherry tomatoes. The date of breeding of the Red Date variety and inclusion in the State Register is unknown.
Description and characteristics of the tomato variety Red Date
This is a semi-determinate hybrid that successfully adapts to the conditions of the domestic climate. It is grown for sale or for personal consumption.The variety is excellent for preparing preserves for the winter due to the small size of the fruits.
Description of the Date red tomato:
- This is a semi-determinate plant that reaches a height of 1.5 m. The stems are strong, thick, and reliably hold the fruits. The tops are spreading and need shaping. Side shoots are formed in moderate quantities.
- The foliage of the bush is average. The leaves are rich green, with a characteristic pointed shape at the ends of tomatoes. The fruits are collected in clusters of 6-8 pieces.
- Tomatoes are elongated, oval, with a pointed nose. Ripe fruits are deep red. The skin is dense and does not allow the tomatoes to crack. They are famous for their good keeping quality and can be stored in a cool room for up to 1.5 months. Tomatoes easily tolerate transportation over long distances. The weight of one fruit is 20-30 g.
- Inside, the pulp is juicy, sugary, not watery, without voids. Tomatoes have small seed chambers.
- The tomatoes are sweetish, with light fruity notes. The taste is rich, tasters rated it 4.8 points. The aroma is subtle, characteristic of a vegetable crop.
The appearance of small-fruited tomatoes is presentable, which is why they are quickly sold out in markets and stores
Ripening and fruiting
Tomato variety Red date of mid-season ripening. From the moment of planting to reaching technical maturity, 95 days pass. Harvesting begins at the beginning of July and continues until the end of September. In regions with a warm climate, the bushes bear fruit until the first drop in temperature.
Tomato yield Red date
The hybrid variety of tomatoes is considered medium-yielding. From one bush you can collect 1.5-2 kg. From 1 sq. m turns out to be up to 6 kg. You can harvest whole bunches.
The harvesting procedure is greatly simplified thanks to the ability to pick fruit in clusters
Disease resistance
The cherry tomato variety is famous for its good immunity to diseases and beetle infestations. The protective properties of the plant are reduced in the absence of proper care. Bushes react normally to weather fluctuations and prolonged rains. The variety does not tolerate drought, like any other tomato crop.
Growing regions
Date red tomatoes are grown in open ground in the South and Central regions of Russia. Cultivation in greenhouses is possible in the Northern regions of the country.
Methods of application
The scope of use of tomatoes is universal. Whole-fruit preserves are made with them, salted, pickled. You can prepare summer salads and snacks for holiday feasts with these tomatoes. The fruits are also suitable for processing into juices, tomato pastes, and vegetable purees.
Advantages and disadvantages
The Red Date tomato can be planted on a balcony that is located on the sunny side. In the shade, the fruits will grow sour.
Small-fruited tomatoes contain many vitamins and beneficial microelements
Pros:
- long fruiting period;
- wide scope of application;
- high percentage of seed germination;
- strong immunity to diseases, beetle attacks;
- resistance to negative environmental influences;
- uniform ripening of fruits;
- good keeping quality and transportability.
Minuses:
- the amount of harvest decreases with cold weather;
- the need for formation and support of the bush;
- late period of tomato ripening.
Planting dates and scheme
Experienced gardeners recommend starting to plant tomatoes in late April or early May. Then the threat of a return of night frosts will pass, and the earth will warm up.Two weeks before planting, the area is plowed using a spade. It is better to plant tomatoes in a place well lit by the sun, where there are no drafts. The optimal level of soil acidity is neutral. If the soil is too dense, it is diluted with river sand. The bushes are not spreading, compact, they can be planted at a distance of 40-50 cm from each other. It is better to make larger row spacings, up to 60 cm. It is important that the bushes do not interfere with each other and do not touch the leaves. This is fraught with the development of diseases.
It is recommended to start planting tomatoes when the air temperature warms up to +15 °C
If you plant a vegetable crop earlier, it may not take root. Phosphorus and other substances will not be fully absorbed. The stem will turn purple. A severe delay in the development of the bush is possible. The holes are prepared 2-3 days before planting. They should be 20-25 cm in diameter, 15-17 cm deep. Crushed eggshells, fish meal and ash in the amount of 1 tbsp are poured onto the bottom. l. Seedlings can be soaked for a day in a growth stimulator Epin or Zircon.
Planting algorithm:
- Gently straighten the root system of the seedlings. They are placed in the center of the hole and covered with earth.
- The root circle is compacted by hand. The planted bushes are watered with settled water in the amount of 1.5 liters.
- You can organize support for plants in the form of a wire frame.
Care instructions
Small-fruited tomatoes are easy to care for. The main thing is to follow the schedule for performing agrotechnical manipulations.
General care rules:
- Red date tomato prefers abundant but infrequent irrigation. The crop is watered 1-2 times a week.During hot periods, moistening is carried out more often - up to 3-4 times in 7 days. In August, plants are watered once every 1.5 weeks. Reducing the frequency of irrigation accelerates the ripening of tomatoes and reduces the risk of fungal pathologies. The water should be at room temperature. For 1 adult bush you will need 3 liters. Water should be poured around the tomato so as not to get on the stem. You cannot water tomatoes from above the leaves.
- The tomato crop Red Date responds well to regular feeding. Two weeks after planting, young bushes are fed with herbal or yeast infusion. Another week later (at the seedling stage), the plantings are fertilized with boron. This substance is required for normal fruit set. If there is not enough boron, the flowers will fall off. You can fertilize the beds with Borogum in the amount of 1 matchbox per 10 liters of water. Feeding is applied by spraying on the leaf. After this, complex formulations are used every two weeks.
- The row spacing is loosened with a small rake after each watering. This procedure helps improve soil aeration and longer moisture retention.
- It is advisable to spray tomato bushes with fungicides and insecticides 2-3 times during the growing season. The drugs are used according to the instructions.
If you properly care for Red Date tomatoes, the plant will reward you with a rich harvest.
Formation of red date tomato
There is no need to form a vegetable crop, since the fruits are set on the main stems. To improve taste characteristics and reduce the risk of developing diseases, it is better to form bushes into 3-4 shoots. Stepchildren are removed up to the first flower cluster. The top should be pinched. The leaves need to be cut carefully, since the foliage is medium.It is enough to remove excess copies as necessary. Damaged, diseased leaves must be removed. The leafy mass can be thinned out by removing it under the flower clusters after setting the tomatoes.
Treatment against diseases and pests
Red date tomato bushes rarely suffer from late blight, black leg and blossom end rot. If disease symptoms are detected, the plantings are treated with Tomato Rescuer, Strobi and Horus fungicides. Tomatoes can be attacked by cutworms, mole crickets and Colorado potato beetles. They are destroyed with tobacco or soap solution, insecticides Ridomil, Actellik.
Usually 1-2 treatments against diseases and beetles are enough; spraying is best done in cloudy weather, but without rain
Conclusion
The Red Date tomato is grown in dachas, balconies and greenhouses. The vegetable crop requires standard care and adapts well to the domestic climate. There is a lot of harvest, the fruits are stored for a long time.
Reviews from gardeners about cherry tomato Red date
