Content
Not all gardeners can devote a lot of time to caring for tomatoes. In this case, a fairly large group of unpretentious determinate varieties that do not require formation and pinching comes to the rescue. Among them is the Lapwing Tomato, shown in the photo; reviews from those who planted it are mostly positive.
This tomato is simply irreplaceable for those who make a lot of preparations for the winter. The dense pulp allows you to prepare excellent pickled tomatoes from it. When salted in barrels, it does not crack and holds its shape perfectly, giving a high quality product.
So that gardeners do not have any questions when choosing a Chibis tomato variety for planting, we will compile its full description and give detailed characteristics, but let’s start with a photo.
Characteristics and description of the variety
The Chibis tomato variety was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements in 2007. It is recommended for cultivation in all regions of our country for open ground. When grown in a greenhouse, the harvest will be even greater. This tomato variety also grows well in Ukraine and Moldova. The originators of the variety are the Agrofirm "Author's Seeds" and Vladimir Ivanovich Kozak. Seeds produced by agricultural firms Aelita and SeDek are available for sale.
In terms of ripening time, the Chibis tomato belongs to the mid-early category - the first fruits can be tasted after 90 days. In unfavorable summers, this period can last up to 110 days. The plant has a standard bush, compact with a strong stem. It grows no higher than 80 cm. The brush of the Chibis tomato is simple, it can contain from 5 to 10 tomatoes. The first brush is placed under 6-7 sheets, the rest go through 1-2 sheets.
Fruit characteristics
- Tomatoes of the Chibis variety are medium-sized - average weight is from 50 to 70 g.
- The skin and pulp are dense with a high dry matter content - up to 5.9%, its color is bright, red.
- The taste is pleasant, the high sugar content makes it sweetish.
- The aroma is like that of a real ground tomato - rich tomato.
- The fruit shape of the Lapwing tomato is slightly elongated with a barely noticeable nose and small ribs. Usually this form of tomatoes is called finger.
- There are no more than 3 seed chambers, the Chibis tomato is very fleshy.
Thanks to their thick skin, these tomatoes are well stored and transported over long distances without spoiling the product.
Manufacturers claim different yields; according to reviews from gardeners who planted the Lapwing tomato variety, with good care it is quite possible to get up to 2 kg from one bush.
A description of the Chibis tomato variety would be incomplete without mentioning its unpretentiousness, excellent adaptation to any growing conditions and resistance to major tomato diseases. It is extremely rarely affected by blossom end rot and almost never suffers from late blight.
The agricultural technology of this tomato is not complicated, but has its own characteristics.
Growing and care
Growing high-quality seedlings is one of the most important components of a full-fledged tomato harvest.
How to grow seedlings
Tomato seeds of the Chibis variety are sold by several manufacturers. When purchasing them, pay attention to the seller’s reputation, reviews of his product, and the company’s time on the seed market. It is best to buy original seeds. In such bags, misgrading is excluded, and the quality of the seed material will be higher. Purchased seeds are reviewed and only the largest and plumpest ones are selected for planting.
Purchased tomato seeds are treated against possible pathogens that may be on their surface. The same must be done with your own seeds, even if the plants from which they were collected were not sick.
You can disinfect Chibis tomato seeds with a traditional solution of potassium permanganate with a concentration of 1%. In this case, you need to keep them for no more than 20 minutes. Rinsing with running water after etching is a mandatory procedure. 2 or 3% hydrogen peroxide has also proven itself well for these purposes. You need to dissolve it in warm water, so that the temperature is about 40 degrees, and keep the seeds for no more than 8 minutes.
The next mandatory stage in the preparation of Lapwing tomato seeds is soaking in a growth stimulator. This procedure will speed up the emergence of seedlings and give the sprouts energy for further growth. Suitable stimulants include epin, zircon, and immunocytophyte. You can also use humates, potato juice or aloe juice.Soaking is carried out no longer than 18 hours. To further protect future Chibis tomatoes from harmful diseases such as rot and fusarium wilt, you can dust them with trichodermin powder before planting.
If there are doubts about the quality of the seed material, tomato seeds of the Chibis variety can be germinated. The most convenient way to do this is with cotton pads. They are moistened and laid out on a flat plate or at the bottom of a plastic container. Seeds are placed on top and covered with the same moistened disk. If the seed germination process is carried out on a plate, it is placed in a plastic bag; it is enough to cover the plastic container with a lid. But in any case, the seeds will germinate quickly only in a warm place.
As soon as the roots of most of the Lapwing tomato seeds appear, you can start sowing. If there is enough seed material, only sprouted seeds are sown - they will produce the largest and strongest seedlings. If every seed is valuable, you can sow them all. In this case, some of the tomato plants will sprout later and will be a little weaker, which can be corrected with careful care.
The seedlings are planted in specially prepared soil. The best result is obtained by a mixture of equal parts of purchased soil, humus or vermicompost and sand.
Sow Chibis tomato seeds to a depth of approximately 2/3 of the seed diameter according to a 2x2 cm pattern. The soil should be moist. Seeds germinate in warmth; it is good to cover containers with seeds with plastic bags. As soon as the first loops of seedlings appear, the container is placed in the brightest place with a low temperature, no higher than 14 degrees. After 3-4 days it is increased and maintained at 20 degrees during the daytime and 17 at night. The correct light mode is very important. If there is a lack of light, Chibis tomato seedlings are illuminated with special phytolamps.
When 2 true leaves appear, the seedlings should be planted into separate containers.
Pickled tomatoes need shading from bright light for several days.
Further care for Chibis tomato seedlings consists of moderate watering with warm, settled water, which is combined with fertilizing with a weak solution of complex mineral fertilizer with microelements every 10 days.
Tomato variety Chibis is ready for planting at the age of 45 days. Good seedlings have from 5 to 7 true leaves and the first flower cluster emerging. In order for tomato seedlings to easily adapt to new conditions during transplantation, they need to be accustomed to them gradually, that is, hardened.They begin to do this 2 weeks before planting: they take them out into the open air, first for an hour, and then the stay time is gradually increased. If the night temperature does not drop below 14 degrees Celsius, she can be left to spend the night outside.
Chibis tomatoes are planted when the soil warms up to 15 degrees Celsius. In colder soil, plant roots do not absorb all the nutrients. Planted tomatoes are shaded from the sun for 3-4 days. Before planting, the holes are well shed with water with the addition of humate - a teaspoon per bucket of water. For the first week after planting, Chibis tomatoes are not watered so that they develop well the suction roots. Then you will need regular weekly watering with warm water at the rate of 10 liters per sq.m. The optimal time for watering is 3 hours before sunset. During flowering and the formation of the tomato harvest, the Chibis variety is watered 2 times a week, observing the same norms.
Feed Chibis tomatoes once a decade with soluble complex fertilizer, increasing the amount of potassium during flowering and crop formation.
The Chibis tomato is unpretentious and requires minimal shaping. Usually, all stepsons growing under the first flower cluster are removed. If you want to get an early harvest, you can form a bush into one stem, removing all the stepsons, but in this case you will not get a large harvest. In order for the lower brushes to ripen faster, the bush needs to be lightened. To do this, after the fruit cluster is fully formed, all the lower leaves under it are removed.The operation should be carried out in several stages so as not to weaken the plant.
You can watch the video for more information about growing low-growing tomatoes.
