Content
The soul and heart of any gardener strives to plant the earliest varieties among other garden crops, so as to receive satisfaction from their work as early as possible. The taste and yield characteristics of a variety are no longer so important - the main thing is that it ripens before everyone else. This is why super early varieties of tomatoes are so popular - some of them, when planted early in greenhouses, can be harvested as early as June.
And there is an addition to this shelf of early tomatoes - literally a year ago the Lyubasha tomato variety appeared and has already managed to attract attention with its numerous advantages. Actually, Lyubasha is not a tomato variety at all, but a hybrid, but many gardeners are quite happy with the situation of buying fresh seeds in the store every year, so they do not strive to grow varieties. But Lyubasha is unique because she has qualities and characteristics that are not at all characteristic of either hybrids or early tomatoes. But now first things first.
Description of the features of the hybrid
In 2016, breeders of the agricultural company "Partner" obtained a new tomato hybrid - Lyubasha F1. In 2017, the hybrid was officially entered into the State Register with a recommendation for cultivation in all regions of Russia, both in open and protected ground.
Lyubasha tomato plants are determinate, that is, the growth of the bush is limited when it reaches one meter in height.
Lyubasha tomato plants are equally well adapted to growth and fruit set both in open ground and in greenhouses, but in protected ground the yield will be somewhat larger.
The bushes have a fairly compact, oval shape, the stems have an average number of small leaves, bright green in color.
To obtain optimal yield, it is recommended to form Lyubasha tomato bushes into 2-3 stems, depending on the planting density. If you plant no more than 4 plants per square meter, then it is possible to form 3 stems, for which you leave one stepson under the first flower brush and another growing above the same brush.
In case of closer planting, it is better to leave only 2 stems on the Lyubasha bushes - the main and auxiliary ones under the first flower cluster. Be sure to remove all other side shoots as they form.
The Lyubasha hybrid is distinguished by an interesting feature - some plants are capable of forming as many as two peduncles in one internode, and each of them will have full-fledged fruits in each cluster. And this fact in no way distracts from the formation of fruit clusters in the following internodes.
In terms of ripening, as already mentioned, the Lyubasha tomato is not just an early-ripening tomato, but even an ultra-early one. Since the first ripe fruits can be obtained within 65-75 days after germination.Usually, early varieties of tomatoes are not particularly productive; gardeners are quite satisfied with the very appearance of the first tomatoes. But the Lyubasha F1 tomato is also distinguished by its amazing yield characteristics. The description of the hybrid states that the yield of marketable fruits is about 20 kg per square meter. This means that on average 4-5 kg of selected tomatoes can be harvested from one bush.
As for resistance to major diseases, there is no need to be surprised here - hybrids in general, and Lyubasha, in particular, are resistant to unfavorable growth factors, including the main diseases characteristic of tomatoes.
Fruit characteristics
The shape of Lyubasha tomatoes is mostly round with small folds in the area of the stalk, slightly flattened. When unripe, the fruits are light green in color; when ripe, they are bright red.
Tomatoes have a very nice appearance - dense, with smooth skin, fleshy flesh with a pinkish tint. The fruits are not prone to cracking even in rainy and cold weather. There are not very many seeds in the fruits, the number of seed nests is 3-4.
Tomatoes ripen quite quickly and gain an average weight of 120-150 grams. Due to their convenient size, the fruits are suitable both for fresh consumption in salads and for whole canning. Although their purpose is truly universal - Lyubasha tomatoes will make delicious tomato juice, they can serve as a delicacy when pickled and they make incomparable sun-dried tomatoes.
The taste characteristics of tomatoes are amazing - experts rate them excellent, which is very rare for both hybrids and early tomatoes. In addition, due to their rather dense skin, Lyubasha tomatoes are stored well and are quite capable of withstanding long-term transportation.
Features of cultivation
Despite its early ripeness, in most regions of Russia it is advisable to grow the Lyubasha hybrid through seedlings. Seeds can be sown directly into the ground only in the southern regions. Seeds for seedlings are sown approximately 50 days before the expected time of planting in a greenhouse or in a permanent place in the garden.
Lyubasha seedlings usually look quite strong. When it has two or three true leaves, it is advisable to feed it with some natural organic fertilizer. Although, if you planted the plants in a mixture rich in humus when picking, then no additional fertilizing is required before planting in the ground.
On one square meter you can place from 4 to 6 tomato bushes. Despite the small height of the bushes, it is still better to tie them to supports, since due to the heavy load of the crop, the tomatoes risk ending up on the ground. The stems themselves grow quite thick and are often even thicker than the stakes to which they are tied.
Throughout the growing season, you can feed the tomato bushes several more times - spray them with a solution of wood ash or EM preparations.
In the future, Lyubasha tomato plants are cared for in the standard way - watering, loosening or mulching, removing weeds, and, of course, harvesting.
Reviews from gardeners
Since the Lyubasha hybrid appeared on the Russian market quite recently - almost a year ago, there are not many reviews on it yet. But even those that exist give us hope that this tomato is very promising and reliable for planting in the most unpredictable conditions.
Conclusion
Thanks to many valuable characteristics, the Lyubasha tomato hybrid is worthy of being included in the list of tomatoes grown on your site. Even if you don’t respect hybrids, you can make an exception and try to grow Lyubasha to form your own opinion about this new product.
Tomato seeds "Lyubasha" can be bought at any specialized store, but pay attention to the packaging, which should contain the inscription "F1". It will mean that the package contains seeds of a hybrid and not a pure variety.
Difficult weather conditions did not in any way affect the appearance and quality of the products. While nearby bushes were affected by blossom end rot, not a single fruit on Lyubasha was affected.