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Thanks to constant breeding work, new tomato hybrids appear every year, delighting with excellent taste and early ripening. The success of the Ural scientists can be called the Aphrodite tomato, the characteristics and description of the variety indicate its unpretentiousness in cultivation and good keeping quality.
The Aphrodite tomato immediately fell in love with gardeners in all regions because of its undeniable advantages. The variety produces high yields in open ground and grows excellently under film. In areas with a more severe climate - in Siberia or the Urals, with short, cool summers, the Aphrodite F1 variety is planted in greenhouses. Some lovers even grow tomatoes on the balcony.
Features of the variety
The Aphrodite tomato is determinate, it produces compact bushes up to 70 cm, but in favorable conditions or in greenhouses they can grow up to one and a half meters tall. Among the lush dark green foliage there are numerous tomato inflorescences with bright red, appetizing fruits weighing up to 100 g - each inflorescence contains up to 6 tomatoes. In industrial greenhouses, the yield of the variety reaches 17 kg per 1 sq. m, in open beds - a little less.
Among the advantages of the Aphrodite F1 tomato are:
- resistance to summer heat - the ovaries do not fall off at high temperatures;
- early fruiting - it occurs 2.5-3 months after planting the seedlings and continues until September;
- uniformity of fruits in size and weight;
- good transportability of tomatoes, which is especially valued by farmers;
- long shelf life;
- high immunity to characteristic tomato diseases;
- excellent taste;
- high yields;
- crack resistance.
The Aphrodite F1 variety also has certain disadvantages, which are insignificant compared to its positive characteristics:
- bushes require gartering and regular pinching;
- tomato Aphrodite F1 is sensitive to the vagaries of nature;
- Plants need to be fed systematically.
Fruit characteristics
If tomatoes are properly cared for, they will bear fruit well. Ripe fruits of the Aphrodite F1 variety are distinguished by:
- regular round shape;
- fleshy pulp with three chambers;
- even, rich color;
- thick, glossy skin that protects them from cracking;
- the absence of yellowish spots near the stalk, which gives the tomatoes an excellent presentation;
- sweetish, tomato taste;
- high content of nutrients, allowing the use of Aphrodite tomato in dietary nutrition;
- duration of fruiting;
- versatility of use.
Growing seedlings
For the seedling method, it is best to prepare Aphrodite F1 tomato seeds yourself.
Seed preparation
For this purpose, you need to select healthy, ripe fruits of the correct shape. It is better to remove them from the second or third branch. The seed preparation technology is simple:
- Having cut the tomatoes, you need to remove them from the seed chambers and place them in a warm place for two days, before fermentation begins;
- then the tomato seeds are carefully washed with water and dried;
- dry seeds should be rubbed between your fingers and poured into paper bags;
- They should be stored in a dry, cool place.
Tomato seeds Aphrodite F1 can be tested for germination at home by placing them in a 5% solution of table salt. After a quarter of an hour, the floating seeds can be discarded. The seeds that sink to the bottom will become good seed material. To disinfect them, you can add potassium permanganate to the liquid.
Sometimes tomato seeds are hardened directly in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, placing it in the refrigerator on the first shelf for 10-12 hours. Experienced gardeners carry out the procedure of pelleting seeds - enveloping them in a nutrient solution. It is prepared from fresh manure diluted with water or a polyacrylamide solution. A small amount of combined fertilizers is also added to it. After hardening, the Aphrodite F1 tomato seeds are moistened with the prepared solution and heated for several hours at 50 degrees.
The next step will be to germinate the seeds. They are placed on a plate and covered with a damp cloth. In a warm room they will hatch quickly. The cloth should remain damp. Sprouted seeds need to be soaked before sowing. Reviews from gardeners about Aphrodite variety tomatoes advise using melt water for this purpose. It can be prepared at home by freezing plain water.
Sowing seeds
Seeds of the Aphrodite F1 variety are planted for seedlings around the beginning of March. The soil for planting seeds is prepared as follows:
- the soil mixture is first placed in the frost;
- a week before sowing, it needs to be brought into the house so that it thaws and warms up;
- add nutrient soil to it;
- ash will be a useful additive;
- the entire soil mixture is thoroughly mixed;
- tomato seeds are sown on its surface and sprinkled with a centimeter layer of soil;
- The soil should be well shed and placed in a warm place.
Seedling care
After about a week, when the first shoots hatch, the box with the sprouts should be placed in a more illuminated place. After the appearance of 3-4 leaves, the description recommends planting tomato seedlings Aphrodite F1. It is best to use peat pots - you can then plant them in the ground:
- when transplanting into pots, the central root of each plant must be pinched - then the root will produce additional shoots;
- Aphrodite tomato seedlings need to be watered periodically;
- You can plant the plants in a greenhouse before the end of night frosts, and when they end, transplant them into open ground.
Transplantation into the ground
The soil for planting seedlings must be prepared in advance. The Aphrodite tomato, as its description indicates, loves neutral soils, so you need to check them for acidity. The best predecessors of the Aphrodite tomato are zucchini, cucumbers, and dill. You cannot plant tomatoes next to potato beds. The area for the beds should be well lit. Preparatory work consists of: digging up the soil, fertilizing it with mineral and organic fertilizers, loosening, and moistening.
When transplanting bushes of the Aphrodite variety into open ground, you must remember that too much thickening of tomatoes:
- will significantly reduce productivity;
- weakens the plant's defenses;
- will increase the likelihood of diseases and pests.
For each square meter, 5-6 bushes are enough, but no more than 9; the distance between tomatoes should be no more than half a meter.
Agricultural technology in open ground
To obtain good harvests, you need to properly care for the Aphrodite F1 tomato, following all agronomic recommendations:
- leave no more than 3 or 4 stems on the bush;
- plant tomatoes once a week;
- tie up the stems and provide supports for heavy brushes;
- carry out systematic feeding;
- organize regular watering of tomatoes - once every few days in cloudy weather and every other day in hot weather;
- remove weeds between rows while simultaneously loosening;
- In some conditions, mulching is used to retain moisture;
- If tomatoes are grown in greenhouses, they must be ventilated periodically.
Diseases and pests
Although the Aphrodite F1 variety is highly resistant to the most common fungal pathologies, it is sometimes affected by root rot. The Colorado potato beetle is also dangerous for the variety, so you should not use the area where potatoes grew to plant tomato seedlings. You need to regularly inspect the bushes to detect the pest in time. Some diseases of the Aphrodite F1 tomato are caused by too dense bushes or improper care. To prevent diseases, proper care and keeping the beds clean are necessary. You can treat the beds with Aphrodite F1 tomatoes several times a season with Bordeaux mixture, copper sulfate, and herbal infusions.
Reviews from gardeners
Tomato Aphrodite F1 has proven itself well in the regions of Russia, as grateful gardeners write about.
Conclusion
Tomato Aphrodite F1 took one of its worthy places among the hybrid varieties. With proper care, it will delight you with a rich harvest of juicy fruits.
