Content
Tomato Ox ears is a variety of Russian selection, bred more than 10 years ago. It is grown in garden beds and greenhouses. The fruits have a very pleasant taste. The pulp is juicy and fleshy, giving a pleasant fruity aroma. Bushes require certain care - gartering, shaping, regular watering. The yield is average, so the variety is grown for personal purposes.
History of selection
Tomato Ox ears (also Ox ear) is a variety of Russian selection, bred by S.N. Kondakov. and Kotelnikova M.A. The originators are: LLC Agrofirm "Seeds of Altai" and IP Kondakov Sergey Nikolaevich.
An application for admission to the register of breeding achievements of the Russian Federation was submitted in 2007, registration took place in 2010. The variety is recommended for cultivation in most Russian regions, including:
- middle lane;
- Volga region;
- Chernozem region;
- southern regions;
- Northwest;
- Ural;
- Western and Eastern Siberia;
- Far East.
Description of the tomato variety Ox ears
Ox Ears is a variety, not a hybrid.You can collect seeds yourself and grow full-fledged offspring from them.
The description of the Ox's Ear tomato variety gives the following characteristics:
- determinate (grows until a certain height is reached);
- short - on average 60-80 cm, sometimes up to 100 cm;
- mid-season - 110-120 days pass from the moment of germination to technical ripeness.
The leaves are medium sized and typically green in color. The inflorescences are of a simple type, the stalk has an articulation. When unripe, the fruits of Ox's Ear tomatoes are green in color with a lighter spot at the base; as they ripen, they become bright red. The shape is cylindrical, elongated, there is a pointed tip, partly reminiscent of an ear, which is what the name of the variety is associated with. The surface is glossy, shines in the sun, slightly ribbed.
4-6 tomatoes ripen on one bunch
Basically, the fruits weigh 100-110 g, in the greenhouse you can get larger specimens up to 150-200 g. The pulp of Ox ears tomatoes is medium dense, juicy, 4-6 seed nests are visible on the cut. The taste is characterized as excellent, with sweetish tones and pleasant sourness. Ripe fruits have an interesting fruity flavor.
Characteristics of tomato Ox ears
The Ox Ears variety is unpretentious and adapts well to different climatic conditions. Therefore, it can be grown not only in greenhouses and under film covers, but also in open ground.
Tomato yield Ox ears
The Ox Ears variety is characterized by moderate yield. From 1 m² you can collect an average of 6.3 kg of marketable fruits. When grown in a greenhouse, the indicator increases slightly. Yields are also affected by weather conditions, soil composition and compliance with care rules.
Resistance to diseases and pests
The Ox Ears variety is relatively resistant to common diseases. However, it is not worth completely eliminating the risk of late blight and various forms of rot. Therefore, after transplanting seedlings into the ground or greenhouse, treatment with fungicides should be carried out. Also, the plants are periodically inspected and when insects appear, insecticides or a solution prepared based on folk remedies are sprayed.
Methods of use
Ox ear tomatoes are most often used fresh - they are great for salads and other vegetable appetizers. They go well for soups and main courses, as well as for homemade preparations (tomato juice, puree, vegetable caviar). The fruits are medium and large in size, so they are rarely used for whole-fruit canning. For these purposes, you can only take relatively small tomatoes.
Advantages and disadvantages of tomato Ox ears
Summer residents appreciate Ox ears tomatoes for their very good taste. The fruits have an attractive appearance. They can be grown both for yourself and for sale.
The fruits are large, pleasant in appearance and excellent taste
Pros:
- good tying;
- fast ripening period;
- can be grown in most regions;
- Seeds collected by hand are suitable for cultivation.
Minuses:
- bushes need to be shaped and tied up;
- Frequent watering is required;
- average yield;
- the fruits are generally not suitable for whole-fruit canning.
Features of cultivation
The Ox ears tomato is grown in seedlings. Sowing of seeds is planned for the first half of March or a little later with the expectation that replanting is carried out exactly two months after germination.Soil for planting can be purchased at the store or made independently using garden soil with the addition of compost (or humus), black peat and sand (2:1:1:1), as well as a small pinch of wood ash. The soil is first disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or sterilized in the oven (20 minutes at 150 degrees).
Standard growing instructions:
- Place the seeds in a 5% salt solution and discard any that float.
- Treat them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or any fungicide.
- Plant in common boxes or peat tablets to a depth of 1 cm (4-5 cm are left between plantings).
- Spray with water from a spray bottle, cover with film with holes and place in a warm place (temperature 24-25 degrees).
- After emergence of shoots, remove the film.
- Dive after the formation of 2-3 true leaves.
- Feed with Kemira Lux, Ideal or other complex fertilizer.
- 2 weeks before transplanting into the ground, begin to harden the seedlings by taking them to the balcony or outside.
You can use different containers to grow seedlings
Ox ears tomato seedlings are planted in the ground according to a 50x40 cm pattern in rows or in a checkerboard pattern so that at least four bushes fit on one square meter. Further care for them involves the following actions:
- Regular watering at least twice a week.
- Fertilizer application every 10-15 days (complex mineral and organic compounds).
- Periodic loosening of the soil and weeding.
- Formation of a bush with 2-3 stems.
- Carrying out pinching every 5-7 days.
- Garter to support.
Pest and disease control
To grow healthy Ox’s Ear tomatoes, as in the photo, summer residents in the reviews recommend taking care of disease and pest prevention. Basic measures:
- frequent loosening of the soil;
- regular weeding;
- laying mulch (peat, straw, hay);
- treatment with fungicides (Fitosporin, HOM, Ordan, Maxim and others).
When spider mites, thrips, aphids and other pests appear in the tomato planting, Ox ears should be treated with folk remedies (solution of soda, ammonia, infusion of tobacco dust, garlic, wood ash). In extreme cases, you need to use insecticides - “Biotlin”, “Fitoverm”, “Decis”, “Aktellik” and others.
To protect the plant, crushed chili peppers, egg or nut shells are poured next to the bed, and traps are made.
Tomatoes are harvested at the end of July
Conclusion
The Ox Ears tomato is a relatively new, but already quite well-known variety. Summer residents speak extremely positively about him. Almost 100% of buyers recommend it for planting. Tomatoes are tasty, with a pleasant aroma, excellent for fresh consumption and for preparations.
