Content
- 1 When and how did the variety appear?
- 2 Description of the tomato variety Heart of Italy
- 3 Characteristics of the tomato Heart of Italy
- 4 Advantages and disadvantages
- 5 When and how to plant
- 6 Care instructions
- 7 Pest and disease control
- 8 Conclusion
- 9 Reviews from gardeners about the Heart of Italy tomato
Tomato Heart of Italy will appeal to even skeptical gardeners. These bright crimson, large and tasty fruits will appear on the table within three months after planting the seedlings. The bushes are resistant to diseases and produce a good harvest in greenhouses and open ground.
When and how did the variety appear?
For Russia, tomatoes are a relatively new vegetable crop. They began to be grown in the southern regions in the 18th century, when in Europe they were still considered inedible. In the 20th century, tomatoes were already grown in the middle regions, and by the end of the century in the northern regions of the country.
Altai breeders worked hard to create the Heart of Italy variety. Tomatoes can be grown in the garden and in a greenhouse.
The Heart of Italy is an indeterminate tomato species that is resistant to unfavorable conditions.
Description of the tomato variety Heart of Italy
The heart of Italy is made up of powerful bushes, with thickened stems that do not stop growing, so under favorable conditions they can stretch up to 2-2.5 meters. Stems are erect and spreading.There are few leaves on the shoots, the inflorescences are simple, formed at the level of 8-9 nodes, the next after 2-3. Each bunch contains 4-6 tomatoes.
The root system is well developed and lies deep in the soil. Harvesting begins in the third month after sowing and lasts until the onset of frost. The variety is classified as early ripening and high-yielding.
Characteristics of the tomato Heart of Italy
Raspberry-colored tomatoes look like a ribbed heart or sacs. The structure contains several seed chambers with a small number of small seeds.
The aroma is tomato, the taste is sweet, sugary, with a slight sourness, the flesh is fleshy. Fruit weight is from 150 to 400 g. When the norm of ovaries is met, tomatoes can reach 600 g.
Tomato peel is matte, strong, without a dark spot at the stalk
Ripening and yield
87-90 days after the mass emergence of seedlings, ripened tomatoes are formed. The first harvest can be harvested in early July. Fruiting lasts until August.
The Heart of Italy variety is high-yielding. If you follow all agrotechnical recommendations, then from 1 sq. m you can get up to 15 kg of tomatoes. In the southern regions, the yield in the beds is below 8-10 kg.
Resistance to adverse factors
The plant has increased resistance to diseases. However, this does not mean at all that it does not require care.
Preventive measures and periodic loosening of the soil are recommended. When growing in a greenhouse, ventilation is necessary.
Growing regions
Tomatoes are grown in greenhouses in the central part of the country. Good yields are obtained in open ground.The bushes tolerate cold summers, unstable air temperatures, and even with constant changes, they form an ovary without gaps on the clusters.
Methods of application
The Heart of Italy variety is easy to transport when ripe; it can be stored for a long time without losing its presentation and freshness. Suitable for fresh consumption, pickling and canning. Used for cooking dishes, sauce, juice.
Advantages and disadvantages
Heart of Italy tomatoes are disease resistant and can ripen at room temperature.
The variety tolerates transportation and storage well
Pros:
- excellent taste;
- attractive presentation;
- extended fruiting;
- large fruits;
- short growing season - three months;
- varietal crop that allows you to collect seeds yourself;
- versatility of use.
Minuses:
- tying is necessary;
- stepsoning required.
When and how to plant
The seedling method is more suitable for growing tomatoes. To obtain seedlings, seeds are sown in March-April. It is important to consider the growing region and the actual weather. Seeds can be sown 45-60 days before the seedlings can be planted in a permanent location.
The seedlings are picked after the appearance of the second non-cotyledon leaf. Transshipment into the ground is done in May-June, when the temperature outside is already suitable and the ground has warmed up.
For 1 sq. It is recommended to plant no more than three bushes. To make it easier to care for tomatoes, it is recommended to plant them in 1-2 trunks.
Care instructions
The variety is classic, so seedlings can be obtained from tomato seeds from the previous harvest.At the stage of growing seedlings, Heart of Italy tomatoes are cared for according to the standard scheme:
- backlighting;
- picking;
- hardening;
- application of fertilizers.
After planting, the bushes are fed 2-3 times during the growing season with complex compounds, organic matter, and minerals. Due to their powerful stems, they require garter. For this, it is best to use a trellis, but the use of tall sticks is also acceptable.
Tomato bushes must be formed into one stem, or at least two. Stepchildren are regularly removed, otherwise there will be no harvest.
When growing tomatoes, the soil should not be overdried or waterlogged.
The culture requires regular watering - 2-3 times a week. It is recommended to use warm water.
Pest and disease control
The Heart of Italy variety has high resistance to fungal infections. If you choose the right planting site and predecessors, there will be no insect attacks. But, as is the case with other types of tomatoes, some diseases may appear when grown in open ground:
- A mosaic characterized by the appearance of yellow spots against a background of light and dark green.
It is impossible to get rid of an infectious disease, so it is better to take preventive measures at an early stage
- Late blight, a fungal disease, manifests itself as dark spots on the leaves with a gradual transition to the fruits. Appears against a background of high humidity.
To prevent late blight, it is recommended to treat the soil with Barrier three weeks after planting seedlings.
- Apex rot. Appears on green fruits in the form of black spots. This is typical for situations where a large amount of nitrogen is introduced and there is not enough calcium and moisture.If the pathology is detected at an early stage, then use calcium nitrate (1 tablespoon per bucket of water) for spraying.
- If measures against blossom end rot do not help, then the bush is destroyed.
When growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, you may encounter the following problems:
- Black spotting is a bacterial infection that occurs against a background of high humidity and temperatures of +25 ° C and above. Characterized by the appearance of black spots with a yellow border.
It is almost impossible to cure the plant, so the soil must be disinfected before planting seedlings, and the greenhouse must be regularly ventilated
- Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that appears as a white coating on the leaves spreading to the stem. High humidity and temperature stimulate the problem.
To save the bush at the first stage, copper preparations are used
- Green tomato mosaic is a viral pathology that manifests itself in the form of green stripes and spots on young leaves. Over time, the disease spreads to adult foliage and fruits.
At the first stage, fungicidal agents help against mosaic
Pests are no less dangerous for tomatoes, since they use bushes and fruits not only as a source of food, but also as a habitat and transmit viral diseases. The most common include:
- nematodes or worms that parasitize roots;
It will not be possible to get rid of the pest; the bush will have to be disposed of
- slugs eating fruit
Preparations Ulicide, Thunder or folk remedies - solutions of pepper, mustard and garlic will help get rid of shellfish
- a whitefly that can develop resistance to chemicals, so they alternate.
For whiteflies use Tanrek, Iskra, Biotlin
When growing the Heart of Italy in open ground, three measures are required as preventative measures:
- preliminary disinfection of seeds;
- disinfection of equipment;
- timely chemical protection against pests and diseases.
When growing in a greenhouse, it is necessary to ventilate
Conclusion
Tomato Heart of Italy is a tall and productive variety for growing in the middle zone both in greenhouses and in open ground. The fruits have a bright tomato, sweetish taste, with a slight sourness. Ideal for fresh consumption and for any type of processing. When growing, it does not require much effort or special conditions.
Reviews from gardeners about the Heart of Italy tomato
